The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1876-07-13

marks, said he was unprepared to
speak, but ifany person had questions
to ask he would be happy to answer
them. | arose and asked him if he
had ever been Il mormon preacher. :
This question appeared to take every
body by surprise, Whitlock made
no answer and appeared thunder
struck; there was an awE ward sus-
pcnsc for few moments when old
10 Leverich broke the silence by
crying "Out Of order Out Of order"
The vote was then taken, and ON the
FIRST ballot Van Antwerp was nomina-
ted; Linn and Jones going in body
for him. The Cedar delegation with
Bssell at their head withdrew in
Indignation" and it soon became
known that the Democratic party
in old Cedar was pretty badly de-
moraG1ed.
The Wings rs was to be expected
quickly availcd themselves Of the
disalfection in the ranks Of their OPP
poncnts: primary meeting was called
at Upton at which delegates were
appointed to a District Convention;
the error OF the Democrats was
shrcwdly avoided by dividing the
delegation equally between the
friends Of Rochester and Upton.
The Wing convention met at
Goudy's, in Linn county, and the
names OF two candidates from Cedar
were presented. James w. Tallmsn
on the part OF Rochester, and Samuel
p. Higginson hy the friends of Tip
ton; but the delegates from Linn and
Jones being assured that the Upton
Democrats had pledged themselves
to support the Wing candidate if he
should be an avowcd Upton man, a
decision was speedily made hy the
nomination of Samuel Z. Iligginson,
on tie first ballot, and the two great
antagonistic forces of Cedar county
prepared themselves for active war
fare at the polls.
The election Of 1871 was und doubt-
ediy the most exciting one that ever
took place in the county. One can
didatc represented Upton and the
other Rochester. and either The enc
or the other was vote,a. ! 1ft,r, regardless
Of political preferences or proiudccs.
The county seat question, like the
rod Of the ancient jewish leader,
swallowed up all others, aud the in
terest manifested on the day Of elec.
tion was so great that every legal
vote in the county was pollea indeed
it was intimated that some individu-
ais who were not legal voters had
also exercised the prerogative right
Of citizenship, but if that was the case
it was never legally substantiatcd.
The result was :lot long in doubt;
Higginson having some thirty major
ity in Cedar county, was elected, as
the votes of Jones and Linn, the one
for, and the other against, were about
equal in number.
1t being believed that the county
seat question was now effectively set
at rest, the friends Of Upton greatly
reioiccd, and the town, relieved from
the apprehension Of relocation, in
creased in population and material
wealth, and thereby made itself
stronger and more powerful each sue
ccodng year.
Another contest occurred at the
next election in 1912, and was con-
Quoted with much spirit, but not with
the energetic vigor, and intensity Of
zeal that characterized the canvass Of
the previous year, and was brought
about, more by the force Of circum-
stances than from any premcditated
movement.
1t was well known that the Demo
Gratis, when united bad considerable
majority in the county, and William
r. Rankin, an aspiring lawyer Of
Upton (jocularly called Teddy Ran
kim attempted to harmonize them,
and have them cast the concentrated
strength Of their vote for a council
man then to be elected.
Rankin himself, was, as might be
expected, the most prominent can
didatc, and as it was said, had given
assurance to some Of the leading Ro-
chester Democrats, that if elected he
would not consider himself pledged
, to Upton, but would act in accord
, aaco with the wish Of a majority Of
his constituents.
The usual primary meeting was
held at Antwerp to appoint delegates
to the district convention, and Ran
| kin with a large body Of his adher-
cnts attended and secured ma jority
Of The delegation. When the Dis
, trict convention was held at Gilbert S,
I it was determined at Rankin's sue.
gcstion, that the councllman to be
r put in nomination, should be from
= Cedar county, while the two mem
bers of the house were to be from
Linn and Jones; thus apparently Sc,
!, curing his nomination.
This nice little scheme was defeated
: by O. c. Ward, who being himsel
& an aspirant for the Office, and cha
1 grined at being out-generaled by
4 Rankin, determined on a flank move
+ ment. His motion was that as the