The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-05-09
,TIs THIRTY YEARS sNoEl

taking an interest in the STARK COUNTY
DEMooBAT, and in a week or two there
after quit the school room, we may say
with regret and misgivings.
At that time, lS4S, James X, Polk was
President of the United States, having
been elected in 1874, after a warm and
bitter contest, over the renowned Henry
Clay. In May, lS4S, the Mexican war
was closed by treaty of peace, conclu'
ded at Guadalupe Hidalgo; and the
Presidential contest that year resulted
in the election of General Zachary Tay-
lor, the Whig candidate, over General
Lewis Cass, the Democratic nominee.
The Administration of Mr.. Polk was
successful in the establishment of the
Democratic Constitutional policy in man
aging the public affairs of the General
Government. The Independent Treas
ury system was adopted, requiring all
revenues to be collected in gold and sill
yer, and all disbursements to be made
in the same currency of the Constitution.
This system continued until the Repub'
lican rule under Lincoln turned every
thing topsy'turyy.
During Folks administration, also,
was established revenue tariff, on the
ad valorem or value principle, under
which our commerce expanded, our man.
ufaCtures went steadily and prosperously
along, with no such sad and ruinous
blCksets as we have been witnessing for
several years, and still witness, under the
monopoly Protective tariff which was es-
tablisLed under Republican rule.
During Polk's administration, all en-
ployees of the General Government, in
cluding soldiers in the war with Mexico,
were paid in coin, this too, be it remem-
bered, was before the discovery of gold
in California. People do not sufficiently
consider that business is trade, or eX'
change of commodities, and money is
only used occasionally where any other
value is not on hand. Small indeed is
the amount of money used in comparison
with the amount of business done.
In 184S was first agitated the Construc.
ton ofthe railroad from Pittsburgh toChi.
cago. 1t soon took shape, and the work
was vigorously pushed, being completed
through Canton in 1851. Two or three
years previour to 1S4S a telegraph line
was run through this section, following
the Canton and Massillon road. Before
the railroad changed things, Massillon
was the great wheat market for this
neighborhood, and it was a sight at Ger,
tain times in the year to see the lines
of wheat wagons passing through Canton
on their way to the "Wheat City" Those
were theglorious days of the canal towns.
Stark and Wayne then constituted our
Congressional district, and in lS4S elect
ed D. K. Cartier, now Judge Cartier, of
Washington, to Congress. He had been
a lawyer at Akron, and had but recently
located at Massillon. He was reelected
in 1850, and before 1852 the district was
changed, Stark, Summit and Portage be.
ing thrown together.
The late B. F. Letter was that year
elected to the lower house of the Gem
eral Assembly, and was reelected in
1S49, and was chosen Speaker of the
House. Members of the House were
elected for one year only, until the adop.
ton of the present Constitution in 1851.
Senators, however, were then as now,
elected for two years, and our member
5hen was John Graham, farmer Of
Jackson township. At that time VIM.
a. Burke was County Auditor; George
n. Webb, Sheriff S. Meyer, Prosecuting
Attorney; George Held, Recorder; ia.
,ob Keplinger, County Treasurer. Of
;hese, Messrs, Held and Meyer are the
'nly survivors,
The lawyers then in active practice at
,ur Bar, as werecolleCt, were D. A. Stark
weather., Geo. W. Belden, Hiram Girls
void, John Harris, James D. Brown, S.
Meyer, (now Judge B. F. Letter, II. P.
dunbar, Alex. Bierce, L. sChaefer, W. !
!. Evans and q Snow and at Massillon c
we're D. K Cartier, R. H. Folger, F. M. 6
Keith, L. L. Bowen, Mr.. Hurlbut, Sam c
el Pease.
We may but briefly refer to the ups
nd downs in politics during these thirty ,
ears. The Know Nothing sweep in q
954 was a complete surprise, and cap 8
lred Stark county by the overwhelm-
ng majority Of some 1900. This was the
eginning of the Republican movement, t
nd they carried the county in 1856 and t
856, but not without a hard struggle. o
he last year was Presidential year,
,hen James Buchanan was elected over 9
ohm c. Fremont. In1S57, however, the s
democracy recovered the county after a L
liter contest, and held it till 1850, when v
he Ranuhlicana canturad II and oOn D