how politics touched table rock
grover cleveland through teddy roosevelt
grover cleveland
president 1883-1887, 1893-1897
Did it really happen? Supposedly an unsigned letter was picked up on the streets of Table Rock in 1893. It demeaned the postmaster of Table Rock, W. S. Lindsley, because Lindsley "cheered" when a speaker called Grover Cleveland a beer guzzling fellow who was drinking beer while the Union army was down south "whipping" the rebels during the Civil War. Apparently Lindsley was a Republican, as was Cleveland, but the anonymous author of the probably non-existent letter complained that Table Rock wanted a "good" Republican if they couldn't have a Democrat.
Mckinley v. william jennings bryan -
1896
DEMOCRAT bryan campaigns with a whistle stop tour
that twice takes him to table rock
bryan's SPEECH IN table rock as he sought the presidential nomination, july 1896
McKinley was here in July, as established by a Table Rock speech by Bryan on July 17, 1896 as reported in the morning edition of the July 18, 1896 Omaha World Herald. The news article below said that he had tailored speeches to local issues. This one does not seem to say much of substance, but it must have sounded great coming from the mouth of the silver-tongued orator who was advocating "free silver" -- here it is:
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I hardly know what to say, I supposed that when I came to Nebraska I would be met by some enthusiastic friends who have been loyal during years past, and by some that have been endeared by ties of personal friendship. But I hardly expected... such continued manifestations of your affection.
I came to Nebraska a young man knowing none of you, and I cannot complain of what Nebraska has done for me.
If I have been able to do for Nebraska some part of what she has done for me, I have done a great deal. I owe to these people what there has been of my public life.
Although I have been made the nominee, I come back just as I came nine years ago—a private citizen who will vie with you, in public as in private, in doing what seems best for the glory of the country and the welfare of our people.
If I should talk until the end of the campaign, if I were able to speak all the languages of the world, all the tongues of Christendom, I should not be able to express how I thank you from my heart for your kindly feelings manifested, and for what you have done for me.
My highest ambition is to so live that those who have put their trust in me will never have cause to regret it."
bryan returns to table rock as the democratic nominee
According to an online article, Bryan was a dark horse candidate whose nomination for the Democratic party was a surprise. The two different styles of Bryan & his Republican opponent, William McKinley was described:
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Bryan's plan for victory was to undertake a strenuous train tour, bringing his message to the people. Although [Mark] Hanna and other advisors urged McKinley to get on the road, the Republican candidate declined to match Bryan's gambit, deciding that not only was the Democrat a better stump speaker, but that however McKinley travelled, Bryan would upstage him by journeying in a less comfortable way. McKinley's chosen strategy was a front porch campaign; he would remain at home, giving carefully scripted speeches to visiting delegations, much to the gratification of Canton's hot dog vendors and souvenir salesmen, who expanded facilities to meet the demand. Meanwhile, Hanna raised millions from business men to pay for speakers on the currency question and to flood the nation with hundreds of millions of pamphlets. Starved of money, the Democrats had fewer speakers and fewer publications to issue. Bryan's supporters raised at most $500,000 for the 1896 campaign; McKinley's raised at least $3.5 million...
On September 11, 1896, Bryan departed on a train trip that continued until November 1, two days before the election. At first, he rode in public cars, and made his own travel arrangements, looking up train schedules and even carrying his own bags from train station to hotel. By early October, the DNC, at the urging of Populist officials who felt Bryan was being worn out, procured the services of North Carolina journalist Josephus Daniels to make travel arrangements, and also obtained a private railroad car, The Idler—a name Bryan thought somewhat inappropriate due to the strenuous nature of the tour. Mary Bryan had joined her husband in late September; on The Idler, the Bryans were able to eat and sleep in relative comfort.
During this tour, Bryan spoke almost exclusively on the silver question, and attempted to mold the speeches to reflect local issues and interests. (There is a "Table Rock" speech.] He did not campaign on Sundays, but on most other days spoke between 20 and 30 times. Crowds assembled hours or days ahead of Bryan's arrival. The train bearing The Idler pulled in after a short journey from the last stop, and after he was greeted by local dignitaries, Bryan would give a brief speech addressing silver and the need for the people to retake the government. The shortness of the speech did not dismay the crowds, who knew his arguments well: they were there to see and hear William Jennings Bryan—one listener told him that he had read every one of his speeches, and had ridden 50 miles (80 km) to hear him, "And, by gum, if I wasn't a Republican, I'd vote for you." After a brief interval for handshakes, the train would pull out again, to another town down the track.
republican mcKinley's 1896 campaign
touches table rock
mark hanna goes on the road for him, stops in table rock
https://www.biography.com/us-president/william-mckinley
BACKGROUND According to an article about William McKinley on Biography.com, which cites History.com as its source, says he was a Union veteran from Ohio who got into politics as a Republican and served over 14 years in Congress and became known as a proponent of economic protectionism in the form of high tariffs on imported goods. In 1890, a tariff measure that bore his name passed and, amid rising consumer prices, he was not re-elected. He then successfully ran for governor of Ohio and served two terms. In 1893, there was a terrific panic which led to a crippling depression. McKinley and his fellow Republicans came back into favor. The article then mentions two names seen often in the Table Rock Argus -- William Jennings Bryan, a Nebraska Democrat, and Mark Hanna, who despite his wealth set himself up as a hero of the common man & stumped for McKinley. (In those days, the presidential candidate did not generally travel among the people, and representatives like the apparently-affable Mark Hanna were key: |
McKinley won the Republican presidential nomination in 1896 thanks to his congressional and gubernatorial experience, his longtime support of protectionism and the skilled maneuvering of his chief supporter, the wealthy Ohio industrialist Marcus Alonzo Hanna. In the general election, McKinley faced William Jennings Bryan, who ran on a platform attacking he gold standard and supporting the coinage of silver as well as gold.
Touted by Hanna as the "advance agent of prosperity" and the protector of America's financial interests in contrast to Bryan's radical policies, McKinley won the popular vote by a margin of some 600,000, the largest victory in 25 years; he also won more than a third more electoral votes than Bryan.
Upon taking office in1897, McKinley called a special session of Congress to raise customs duties, which he believed would reduce other taxes and encourage the growth of domestic industry and employment for American workers. There passed the highest protective tariff in American history. Organized labor liked that, as did business, because it allowed industrial combinations or "trusts" to develop at an "unprecedented" rate.
There was an ongoing conflict with Spain trying to suppress a revolution in Cuba. The American press and public were "outraged by the bloodshed, McKinley hoped to avoid intervention and pressed Spain to make concessions." However, in February 1898, the battleship Maine was sunk in Havana's harbor because of what was erroneously believed to be a Spanish mine in the water. War was declared on Spain, and American forces headed for Cuba and the Philippines. Many local men enlisted, and all seem to have been sent to the Phillipines. A treaty officially ended the Spanish-American War, but segued into the Phillipine-American War, during which Table Rock man McCurry died.
McKinley's administration also pursued an influential "Open Door" policy aimed at supporting American commercial interests in China and ensuring a strong U.S. position in world markets. In 1900, McKinley backed up this policy by sending American troops to help put down the Boxer Rebellion, a nationalist uprising against foreign intervention in China.
McKinley presides over
the assembly room at the school
In this photograph of the assembly room, Photo 929, the photograph of the president that hangs from the wall (the photo, not the president!) appears to be William McKinley (1843-1901).
It's difficult to date this picture. Is that Grover Cleveland on the wall, or William McKinley? The popular opinion of history detectives is that it is McKinley, but it is difficult to discern, and given the closeness in time of their presidencies, the dress of the school kids is no help in dating. However, there is a special clue: that looks like a picture of the new brick school on the blackboard, and the school was dedicated in 1901. It would not have been designed in 1896, and McKinley was president after that and until the school was built. If that, is, indeed a picture of the school, then it's McKinley on the wall. What is that odd booth to the right of the picture? Dunno.
MCKINLEY V. WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN -
1900
vp teddy roosevelt joins mark hanna to stump for McKinley
In 1900, McKinley ran against William Jennings Bryan again, who ran on an anti-imperialism platform, and was elected by an even greater margin than the election before. The public was satisfied with the outcome of the Spanish-American War and the country was enjoying economic prosperity. The campaign in Nebraska was quite lively.
July 26, 1900 Argus -- Roosevelt is Coming to Nebraska! He didn't come to Table Rock (then) but Table Rock was to go to him when he came to Lincoln (see more below).
The above article is very long -- this is only about the first third. But it is apparent that there was much interest in Nebraska that Roosevelt was coming to stump for McKinley against Nebraska's own William Jennings Bryan.
Just before the Republican convention, Teddy Roosevelt hit hard at Bryan -- August 2, 1900 Argus
a table rock ladies mckinley club, august 1900
September 30. 1900 -
big meeting in table rock with parade by the flambeau club & the ladies marching club
Republicans met, a lot of them, a "large and enthusiastic" meeting, filling the opera house. There was a parade by the "flambeau" club and the ladies' marching club. Oh -- and the ladies' quartet furnished the music. More about those two clubs below!
september 30, 1900 nebraska state journal - from a monster article about a monster parade in lincoln planned to celebrate a visit from roosevelt
Table Rock sent a delegation to take part in the big parade. "The Table Rock marching club, 78 members strong, uniformed" were there!
table rock sends folks to THE MONSTER parade IN LINCOLN
the table rock flambeau CLUB &
the table rock ladies rough rider club
october 2, 1900
The article above goes on and on. Other articles of the day provide more details, including this one from the October 3, 1900 Nebraska State Journal reporting after the event.
"The Table Rock flambeau club" with 48 in khaki uniforms was led by our dentist C. C. Covert.
"E. M. Haywood" -- probably A. E. Heywood -- was dressed as Uncle Sam.
And 30 ladies of Table Rock marched -- apparently called the "Table Rock Ladies Rough Rider Club" given a listing. These ladies were dressed in uniforms of grey duck and carrying sabers, led by Captain Margaret Sutton. Those ladies were "well-drilled and maneuvered in fine form as they marched."
"The Table Rock flambeau club" with 48 in khaki uniforms was led by our dentist C. C. Covert.
"E. M. Haywood" -- probably A. E. Heywood -- was dressed as Uncle Sam.
And 30 ladies of Table Rock marched -- apparently called the "Table Rock Ladies Rough Rider Club" given a listing. These ladies were dressed in uniforms of grey duck and carrying sabers, led by Captain Margaret Sutton. Those ladies were "well-drilled and maneuvered in fine form as they marched."
political gathering at the opera house followed by a huge parade
october 21, 1900
This gathering was apparently so successful that it prompted an unscheduled stop by Mark Hanna, as he passed along the rail line stumping for McKinley.
Popular ex-Confederate Captain R. P. Jennings - who apparently backed William Jennings Bryan in the 1896 election -- was a subject of the speeches. Then a FLAMBEAU & TORCH LIGHT PARADE with 250 participants marched in Table Rock! The marching club gave a"fancy drill" on the east side of the Square and there was a "steady blaze of Roman candles."
Popular ex-Confederate Captain R. P. Jennings - who apparently backed William Jennings Bryan in the 1896 election -- was a subject of the speeches. Then a FLAMBEAU & TORCH LIGHT PARADE with 250 participants marched in Table Rock! The marching club gave a"fancy drill" on the east side of the Square and there was a "steady blaze of Roman candles."
excerpts of a very long article about mark hanna's trip through nebraska, stumping for mckinley's re-election, including a stop in table rock - october 21, 1900
william mckinley, assassinated early in his second term, 1901
After his second inauguration in March 1901, McKinley embarked on a tour of western states, where he was greeted by cheering crowds. The tour ended in Buffalo, New York, where he spoke on September 5 at the Pan-American Exposition.
The next day, as McKinley stood at a receiving line at the Exposition an unemployed Detroit mill worker named Leon Czolgosz shot him twice in the chest at point-blank range. (Czolgosz, an anarchist, later admitted to the shooting and claimed to have killed the president because he was the "enemy of the people." He was executed in October 1901.) McKinley was rushed to the hospital. He at first was given a hopeful prognosis, but gangrene set in around his wounds and he died eight days later. Vice President Theodore Roosevelt succeeded him.
The next day, as McKinley stood at a receiving line at the Exposition an unemployed Detroit mill worker named Leon Czolgosz shot him twice in the chest at point-blank range. (Czolgosz, an anarchist, later admitted to the shooting and claimed to have killed the president because he was the "enemy of the people." He was executed in October 1901.) McKinley was rushed to the hospital. He at first was given a hopeful prognosis, but gangrene set in around his wounds and he died eight days later. Vice President Theodore Roosevelt succeeded him.
william jennings bryan
last run for president, 1908
Bryan had run in 1896 and 1900, and he ran one more time in 1908. The tag on this small flag says, "This flag was given to the museums by the Table Rock Public library, where it was found. No one seems to know how it got there.
THE WORDING ON THIS FLAG READS
THE WORDING ON THIS FLAG READS
This flag was saved in greeting Bryan at Table Rock on October 17, 1908, where he spoke to a very enthusiastic crowd. Ada Justice. |
Bryan's run apparently did not play a prominent part in the presidential campaign. Teddy Roosevelt had served as President from 1901, after McKinley's assassination, and, having been elected to another term, to 1909. The 1908 elections ended with Taft, a Republican, as president, with Teddy Roosevelt's key support.
teddy roosevelt - 1912
Teddy Roosevelt supported Taft in the 1908 campaign, but was displeased with Taft's actions in office. Roosevelt sought the Republican nomination for the 1912 campaign, but lost by a narrow margin. Roosevelt then formed his own party and launched a bid for a third presidential term. It was officially the Progressive Party but was nicknamed the Bull Moose Party after journalists quoted Roosevelt saying that he was "feeling like a bull moose" on the campaign trail shortly after the new party was formed.
Teddy came through Table Rock in April as he sought the Republican nomination.
Teddy came through Table Rock in April as he sought the Republican nomination.
Table Rock folks followed the campaign, seeing the news a but the nomination in the Argus of August 15, 1912