The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1929-05-30
TWO TOWNS CLAIM
6. 0. P. BIRTHPLACE
Ripon, Wis, and Jackson,
Mich, Both to Hold Dia-
mOnd Jubilee FeteS
HOOVER WILL NOT MIX
OutgrOwth of Party Which
Went on Rocks When
Pierce Defeated Scott

Chicago, May 25-Now is the
time for all good men to come 10
the aid of their party.
1t is the Republican party, call
ing for a champion who will decide
the question unanswered in its 70
years: "Who founded the G. o. P.?'
But the good Republicans who
celebrate the party's diamond jub-
ilee anniversary this year will have
10 decide for themselves it's birth
place, for Ripon, college town in
Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin,
and Jackson, Mich, through more
than a half century have Wanted
themselves each as the cradle OF
the party. Today each of the rival
towns was preparing a festive
birthday party, Ripon (Which pro-
nounces itself "Rippin'") for June
3 and Jackson for July 6.
President Hoover, whom the dis
putting cities would cast in the role
OF Soloman, with Solomon's accept
ed wisdom declined invitations in
both of the celebrations and accept
ed the honorary Craftsmanship of
each.
Jackson's claim is formal, rest
ing on the fact that convention
there on July 6, 1854, framed the
FIRST state ticket and platform I'M
der the name Republican" in con-
sequence whereof numerous states
men, headed by Vice President
Charles w. Fairbanks, journeyed to
the Jackson shrine on it's fiftieth
Republican anniversary. President
Taft dedicated a memorial tablet
there in 1910
But numerous reputable histori-
ans, in and out of Ripon, held that
the germ of the Republican party
had been incubating in the Wiscon-
sin city for two years prior to the
jackson convention.
In 1852, when the whig general,
Winfield Scott, was overwhelming
" defeated for the presidency by
the Democrat Franklin Pierce,
many insurgen Wings decided
That the spirit had passed from the
still ambulant corpse of their party,
and expressed determination to
abandon the carcass Prominent
among these was Alvin Earle Bo-
way, of Ripon, delegate of the Wing
convention and friend politically
of Horace Greeley. In later life
Bovay asserted that he had discuss
ed the idea of new party with
Greeley during the 1852 convention
and had even suggested the name
Republican" which he said ap-
pealed to him, among other rea.
sons, for it's adaptability to the
divers tongues of immigrants then
swarming at Americas gates.
The need of a new party to op-
pose the Democrats was apparent
10 many at the time, for the forces
opposed to the extension of slavery
were hopelessly divided in ineffec-
fual groups lacking direction and
control.
Bovay retained a mental note of
The new party plan and in 1854
midway between presidential cleo
lions, decided to strike. During
the winter congress had been con-
the Kansas-Nebraska bill
which would smooth the way for
extension of slavery into the north
west territories and repeal the Mis-
souri, compromise Of 1920, until
then regarded as sacred. The north
was inf1amed.
Bovay canvassed the citizenry of
Ripon and gathered them into the
Congregational church on Febru-
airy %, 1854, for a political mass
meeting. The townsfolk adopted a
resolution pledging themselves to
meet again and form a new party