CHAPTER I

POLITICAL HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY SINCE COUNTY

DIVISION

Beginning in 1876 with reduced area, but with rapid growth and with encouraging outlook in all lines, Walla Walla County entered upon what might be described as the third stage of her growth, that from county division to statehood in 1889.

It is of interest to note a few statistics of the period of transition. In 1870 the population of the Old County was 5,102. In 1877, the reduced county showed a population, according to the assessor, of 5,056, while Columbia County had, by the assessor's report of the same year, 3,618. By the report of 1875, still the Old County, the assessed valuation was $2,792,065. In 1876, the valuation of the reduced county was $2,296,870. There were reported at the same time 5,281 horses, 239 mules, 11,147 cattle, 13,233 sheep, 4,000 hogs, 1,774 acres of timothy, 700 acres of corn, 2,600 acres of oats, 6,000 acres of barley, 21,000 acres of wheat and 700 acres of fruit trees.

STATEHOOD AND CONSTITUTION

The political subject of greatest general interest was Statehood and a Constitutional Convention leading thereto. The project of annexation to Oregon was by no means dead. Senator Mitchell of Oregon continued the efforts made by Senator Kelly. A considerable local interest, supported by the Walla Walla Union, and its able editor, P. B. Johnson, still urged annexation. One favorite idea, which has taken shape from time to time since, was to join Eastern Oregon with Northern Idaho into a new state. In the Congressional session of 1877-8, Delegate Orange Jacobs requested a bill for introducing Washington to statehood with the three counties of Northern Idaho added. But no action was taken by Congress. In spite of that the Territorial Legislature in November, 1877, passed a law providing for an election to be held April 9, 1878, to choose delegates to a convention to meet at Walla Walla on June 11, 1878. Up to that time, as we have seen, repeated attempts to secure a vote for a convention had failed in Walla Walla. The act of the Legislature provided that the convention should consist of fifteen members from Washington, with one, having no vote, from Idaho.

In pursuance of the announcement the election was duly held, though with the scanty vote of 4,223, not half the number of voters in the territory. The convention duly met at Science Hall in Walla Walla, and W. A. George of that city, one of the leading lawyers as well as one of the most unique characters of the Inland Empire, acted as temporary chairman.

The permanent organization consisted of A. S. Abernethy of Cowlitz County as president, W. B. Daniels and William Clark as secretaries, and H. D. Cook as sergeant-at-arms. After a lengthy session the convention submitted a constitution which was voted upon at the next general election in November. Though a considerable majority was secured, exactly two-thirds, the total vote of 9,693 fell considerably short of the vote cast for delegate, and it seems to have been generally interpreted in Congress as evidence that the people of the territory did not consider the time ripe for statehood. The whole matter was, therefore, indefinitely postponed.

That same election of 1878 was notable for Walla Walla in several respects. Two citizens of the city were rival nominees for the position of congressional delegate, Thomas H. Brents for the republicans and Nathan T. Caton for the democrats. It was the first election in which the republicans won in Walla Walla County. Mr. Brents had a majority of 146 in the county and 1,301 in the territory. The political tide had turned and from that time to the present the republicans have been, on any ordinary issue, overwhelmingly in the majority. In 1880 Mr. Brents was again chosen delegate, this time against Thomas Burke, the democratic candidate, and by a majority of 1,797. During the first term Mr. Brents endeavored to induce Congress to confer statehood upon the territory but unavailingly. Still again in 1882 Mr. Brents was honored, and with him also Walla Walla, and in fact the territory honored itself in the re-election of one of its most useful and popular citizens, by another term as delegate. During the six years of Mr. Brents' incumbency the territory was making trenmendous strides. The projection of the Northern Pacific and Oregon Short Line Railroads, the sale of Doctor Baker's railroad in 1879 to the O. R. & N. R. R., the Villard coup d'état in 1883, made the decade of the '80s the great building period for the territory and for Walla Walla. It was evident that there was abundant justification for the creation of a new state. Mr. Brents kept the subject alive in Congress up to and through 1885, when his term expired, and he was succeeded by one of the most brilliant and popular politicians and lawyers ever in the territory, C. S. Voorhees. Mr. Voorhees, son of the "Tall Sycamore of the Wabash," was, of course, a democrat, and though at that time quite young, exercised a large influence both at home and at the capital. He was twice chosen Delegate, in 1884 and 1886. In 1888 the office returned to Walla Walla and to the republican party. In that year John B. Allen began his distinguished career at the national capital. He had held the position of United States attorney, succeeding Judge Wingard, from 1875 to 1886. In the latter year he removed to Walla Walla, and his career from that time on was a part of the history of his home city and of the territory and state.

As we have seen, E. P. Ferry was governor at the time of county division in 1875. He held the office until 1880. W. A. Newell was the next governor holding the position for four years, when Watson C. Squire received the appointment, retaining the place till 1887. Following came Eugene Semple for two years. The period of statehood was now near at hand, and it may well be a matter of pride and interest to Walla Walla that by appointment of President Harrison the last territorial governor was a citizen of this place, Miles C. Moore. Governor Moore had left his home in Ohio in 1860 hardly more than a boy, and after some adventures in Montana, had reached Walla Walla in 1862, to become from that