And now that Garfield County, with her sister counties, had the new dignity of participation in state government, the elections took an added importance. The first election under statehood occurred October 1, 1889. In preparation for that event there were county conventions of both parties at Pomeroy, that of republicans on August 29th and that of democrats September 7th. To indicate the leaders of parties at that time we preserve the names of the officers of each convention and delegate chosen for the state convention. Of republicans, Dr. T. C. Frary was chairman and W. G. Victor secretary. The delegates were Jay Lynch, S. G. Cosgrove, W. G. Victor, F. G. Morrison, C. G. Austin and W. S. Oliphant. Of the democratic, Eliel Oliver was chairman and James Parker secretary. Delegates were R. E. Wills, F. W. D. Mays, W. S. Parker and J. S. Thomas.
The results of the election were:
For congressman, J. L. Wilson received a majority of 104 over T. C. Griffiths, and former Territorial Governor Elisha P. Ferry, 99 majority over Eugene Semple. That was about the average majority of republicans over democrats on the state ticket.
The republican candidate for representative to State Legislature, W. S. Oliphant, had a majority of 34 over his democratic competitor, James Parker. R. E. Wills, democrat, had a majority of 48 over the republican candidate, F. E. Williamson, for the new position of county clerk. No other county officers were chosen at that time. A vote was taken on woman suffrage in that election, and the result was adverse by 492 to 336. Prohibition carried by 442 to 415.
During the elections that followed, beginning with 1890, Garfield County, like the rest of the state, had many parties, and much political activity and (the Lord be praised for this) a deal of good political education and independent action, which resulted in great shattering of boss schemes and legislative lobbies and prepared the way for the progressive politics manifested in the adoption of initiative, referendum, and recall measures, woman suffrage, prohibition, and that general advance toward a new Americanism which had made the western states a wonder to the "effete East" and a source of consternation to political Troglodytes. Republicans, democrats, populists, prohibitionists, and socialists, marshalled their cohorts, set their platforms before the people, and named their candidates. Some people deprecate political campaigns on the ground that they "disturb business." They certainly do, but that may be their greatest commendation. It all depends on what one lives for. If accumulation of wealth is the sole aim of existence, it is unfortunate for the "well-fixed" classes to have any disturbance of business. If political growth, individual development, experience in public affairs, have place in one's scheme of life, these disturbances and popular agitations far more than recompense a state for its pecuniary dislocations. At any rate, the Pacific Coast states have had the political agitations, and it is somewhat significant that they lead the Union in general education, nor is it observable that they are greatly deficient in business advancement.
Garfield County, like the state, usually cast a large majority for republican candidates in national and state affairs. The result was commonly the same in local elections. In all, however, there was great play for independent action. The boss could never be sure of delivering the goods. In 1890, 1892 and 1894 the republicans carried the field in national and state elections. In the great breaking-up year of 1896, the populists swept the ground, with Bryan as candidate for President and James Hamilton Lewis and W. C. Jones for Congress. In 1898 a reversal took place and Wesley L. Jones and Francis Cushman forged ahead of Lewis and W. C. Jones. In the same election Garfield again set itself down against woman suffrage and also against the single tax.
The year 1900 was another great year in politics, state and nation. In Garfield County, the year was notable in that it marked a definite movement in favor of S. G. Cosgrove for governor, and also the withdrawal of a number of democrats from their former affiliations and union with the republicans, mainly on the ground of the "sound money" issue. Mack F. Gose was conspicuous in the new alignment.
The populists had dropped out of this election, but the prohibition, socialist labor, and social democrat parties were in the field. The result was a majority for the republicans on national and state issues, with the exception that the county (as also the state) did itself the credit of choosing John R. Rogers, democrat, for governor.
The republicans held the fort again in 1902. The total vote for congressmen as 936, and F. W. Cushman, W. L. Jones, and W. E. Humphrey received votes of 530, 516 and 517 respectively.
In 1904 the republicans had an overwhelming majority on the presidential and congressional tickets, giving the republican electors a plurality of 510, and Humphrey, Jones and Cushman, an average of 300 majority for Congress. But George E. Turner, democrat, passed A. E. Mead, republican, in the gubernatorial race by 166.