Paul Minor

Delving Into Yester~Year

Local historian and writer Paul Miner takes items from The Republican’s Yester-Year column to develop an interesting, informative and often humorous article.

To the Editor:

As the 1896 presidential election drew nigh in September, Coatesville, Clayton, New Winchester, Union Township, and other county Republican strongholds organized McKinley clubs.

Plainfield’s club already claimed 226 members. North Salem’s roster reached 175. Brownsburg had organized 100.

William McKinley, “the popular Representative from Ohio,” had visited Danville during the first week of August 1889. No reason was given for his visit. He had been “quietly resting in the mountains of Pennsylvania for some weeks.” Perhaps he forgot to get off the train in Ohio. Republican students organized the McKinley League of Central Normal College in March 1896. They resolved to “promote the nomination and election of the apostle of protection.”

McKinley was big on tariffs and protectionism. The Republicans promised a return to prosperity following the Panic of 1893, a major economic depression.

In April that year, the league obtained McKinley badges, “and they are to be seen on almost every student. The club boasted 400 members – 500 when “the ladies are enrolled as members.”

The League convened “a rousing meeting” at the Courthouse in July. “The Republican boys of the college are ready for the fray.”

Merchant C.F. Hall had already raised the first McKinley pole. “It proudly floats a McKinley banner to the breeze.”

In September, “the free silverites of Cartersburg were surprised and panic-stricken” by an enormous gathering of 1,000 McKinley supporters.

Free silverites supported Democrat William Jennings Bryan. In brief, Bryan wanted to drop the gold standard in favor of silver.

Lawyer Lucius Burrie Swift exhorted the “largest and most eager audience” the town had seen, eliciting numerous “That’s right. That’s sound.” responses. Many initially on the fence left convinced the silver policy “would be destructive to every interest in the country save only the mine owners and speculators.”

Then “all hands took the rope” to raise a 137-foot pole in support of the former Ohio governor and his running mate Garret Hobart. The crowd, headed by the Clayton band, marched around the pole singing the Civil War tune, “Tramp, tramp, tramp, the boys are marching.”

W. Smith Gibbs, for whom today’s W.S. Gibbs Memorial Park is named, climbed the pole and let loose the raising ropes.

That month, the paper reported “the McKinley wave rolls on in mighty force.” Rumors that Eel River Township Democrat Ben Rynerson planned to vote for McKinley led North Salem “sound money” Democrats W.H. Fleece and Thomas Moore to investigate.

Ben informed them he shot straight when hunting squirrels. He believed Bryan, “the mouthpiece of the free silver sentiment, ought to be killed.” He was voting for McKinley.

In September, Lizton hosted “not less than 1,000” in support of McKinley. Danville’s band furnished music. The newly organized McKinley Club “will do good work to reduce the Popocratic vote in Union Township.”

Popocratic was a disparaging reference to Democrats supporting populist policies at the end of the 19th century.

McKinley remained immensely popular in the county. His re-election bid was welcomed in late October 1900 by a four-mile-long Main Street Danville parade numbering in the thousands, according to The Republican. The crowd was estimated at between 12,000-15,000.

“The Famous Danville band” led the column, which included five bands and drum corps.

The “mighty demonstration . . . was a homage paid to prosperity, to good times, to an honest dollar and a chance to earn it.”

Dynamite explosions opened the day’s boisterousness. Numerous troops dressed as

Rough Riders. “There were scores upon scores of pretty girls in wagons.” “It was the greatest day in the history of Hendricks County Republicanism.” McKinley was assassinated by an anarchist in September 1901. Vice President Theodore Roosevelt succeeded him.

Danville town board soon after resolved, “Whereas, the murderous bullet of a cowardly assassin has taken from our country our much beloved President . . . a wise, fearless and patriotic leader, a gallant hero and a noble citizen . . . “Whereas, humanity of all classes has lost one of its staunchest friends . . . “Resolved . . . between the hours of 12 noon and 3 p.m. (September 19) all business places be closed and suitable services be held in memory of our martyred hero.”

A memorial service convened at the college chapel with speeches and songs. Local Grand Army of the Republic members marched to the chapel. Every citizen was expected to attend.

Paul Miner Lizton