The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-23

1
May :. 1890. congress passed an act
preyialng a temporary form OF govern
ment Tor the territory OF Oklahoma, anC
thirteen days later. on May Is a fun com
| plement OF Republican officials wa.
chosen b. President Harrison 10 Ill tn.
| several positions. consisting OF a COVER
| nor. secretary, United States district at
| torney, United States marshal, and thre.
| associate justices. who. 3 majority o.
| those, at least, was sworn IN at the city
of Washington by Associate Justice Millel
| of the supreme court On May -, they
| assumed their respective duties. 1t wa:
this period that marked the real begin
ming of lively Republican politics; terri
torial officials were TO be chosen, county
| offices to be filled for the seven counties
| provided for by the organic act. In fact
we did not act unlike Republicans have
| subsequently on similar occasions, nc
/ worse, at least.
| BY proclamation of the governor. the
| first election was called and held on the
| first Tuesday in August, 1890 Tor the cleo
| ticn of members of the First legislative
assembly, In apportioning the territory
| into legislative and council districts
| Governor Steele provided for the election
| Of one representative at large. for the
| main purpose Of discerning the political
complexion of the territory. l am sorry
| to state at this juncture of the political
history of the territory that l have been
| unable TO find any record of the nominee
an the vote cast for them. We have.
however. a record OF the names of those
who were elected. Enough is known,
however that Republicans were success
full in carrying both branches of the legis-
lature and that our representative at
large was elected by over 500 majority
# -
candidate and died on the night of the
election. This necesitated the calling Of
special election which was held a few
weeks later. in which Mr.. Coulson, a
Republican of Kingfisher City. was elect
ed by an increased majority over our
first candidate.
Il have given you brief history OF the
party up TO the first congressional cleo
ton. which was held on November T. 1890
This and each election that followed is
familiar history to any here tonight but
it may be of interest to know the percent
of vote cast by each political party from
1890 to 1902. inclusive.
I'm $780, Republicans cast 80 per cent
of vote
Democrats cast 2s; Populist 20.
I'm 1892 the Republicans cast IS per
cent of vote; the Democrats 30; the Pop
ulists 20.
In 1894 the Republicans cast AZ per
cent of vote: the Democrats IS; the Pop
ulists 80
In the election of 1896 the Democrats
and Populists lose their identity and or
ganization. and the Republicans find
themselves confronted with the fusion
of Democrats and Populists under the
head of Free Silver Party"
"In this election the Republicans cast
4S per cent of the vote and the fusionists
81 per cent. And for the first and only
time in the history of the territory. the
Republicans suffered defeat both in our
delegate to congress and legislative as
sembly
I'm the year 1893. the Republicans cast
IS per cent of the vote and the Fusion
lists ~ per cent. In 1890. the Republicans
cast 50 per cent of the vote and the Fus-
ionists 45 per cent; other parties per
cent In 1902 or the last election. the Re
publicans cast ~ per cent; Fusionists -
per cent; other parties 2 per cent.
Thus it will be seen that out Of the
seven elections held. the Republicans
have been successful in six; three by ma
jorities and three by pluralities.
out Of the seven legislative elections.
the Republicans have been successful In
electing both branches of the legislature
in the years 1890. 1892. 1894. 1898. dividing
the house in 1900 and 1902. The Fusionists
only succeeded once in eIecting both
branches of the legislature and their del
esate to congress, ard that was N the
year 1896.
IT has aI'Tey.- been interesting figures
10 me to nota the steady increase Of tire
EcpIb.:can vote each succeeding lection.
So. through your Indulgence. ! viii give
IT On the Vnte for delega te-to-conc~eSs.
The Republican vote in 1890 was lf7S. in
1892. 9.f7S; in 1894. 20449; In 1895. 2s267 in
1898 % i56; In 1900 IS .25S; in 1902. $500.
So ut no time In the history Of the
territory has the Republican party's
colors ever been lowered.
Another feature that may be Of inter
est to the Republicans of the oklahoma
Day Club. and that is. that the Repubn-
can party has been the only political or
ganization that has never surrendered
its name and principle since the organi-
cation of the territory; il has been the
only narty that has stood first and last
for its principles X has been the party
of aggression and progression. So let
the Oklahoma Day Club which was
organized IN commemoratiOn of the an
niversary of the opening TO settlement
of the grandest territory Of the Union, be
the standard bearer Of the army Of young
soldiers enlisted in the perpetuation OF the
grand old party in this territory as wei
as the future commonwealth of Okla
homa.'