The Councilman Objects: William Clifford LeMaster (1871-1922)

Apparently, it didn't take long for my relative, William Clifford LeMaster, newly elected councilman of the city of Elyria, to become involved in a bit of political controversy.  Perhaps it was his opposition to this gentleman that prompted him to run for office.

Source: Elyria Republican, Elyria, Ohio, May 17, 1900, page 1.

COUNCIL ENDORSES CHAPIN

His Waterworks Estimate Is Re-Adopted

TWO COUNCILMEN OBJECTING

LeMaster and Eady Fear that Bond Issue Will Be Defeated at Polls if Chapin Is Employed

Engineer Chapin, away in Canton, must have felt a warm sensation about the ears on Tuesday evening.  He certainly was being talked about.  The council reviewed his career, discussed his moral, social and professional standing.  Most of all, his popularity was questioned.

Councilman Eady and LeMaster took part in the effort to get another engineer.  They were afraid that a proposition involving the employment of Chapin would  not carry at the polls, and said that they represented popular opposition to him.  In justice to Chapin it may be said that not a single reason was given for such opposition.  The council very properly refused to take notice of opposition unfounded in reason and re-adopted Chapin's estimate with only one dissenting vote, that of LeMaster.  The resolution of necessity calling for the bond election was voted to be taken up at a special meeting Wednesday night.

At a special meeting of the council on Wednesday night the resolution calling for the bond election was taken up and passed.

Election Day, 1900 : The Vote in Detail

Source: The Elyria Republican, Elyria, Ohio, April 5, 1900, page 1

Thanks to Ancestry.com, I've found out that my paternal great-granduncle, William Clifford LeMASTER, was elected as the Fourth Ward Councilman for the city of Elyria, Lorain County, Ohio in 1900.  Republicans only one two of the four wards in the city, and William received more votes than any other councilman.  He received 247 votes to his opponents 119 votes.

The article was fascinating, not so much for the family history, but for the grandstanding and spin that the editors put into their articles.  Granted, this was a Republican house organ, but the manner in which they complained about the democratic shenanigans was pretty funny.  Makes what goes on today seem tame.

The article is partially transcribed below:

TWO WOMEN WERE ELECTED

Will Serve On Elyria's Board of Education.

MANY BALLOTS WERE REJECTED

School Bond Issue Approved By Large Ward Majorities - Democrats Make Slight Gains

Monday's election in Elyria, while not without its surprises, was generaly satisfactory to republicans under the existing conditions.

The advantage which the democrats gained in keeping the republican nominees off the ticket served to elect democratic councilmen in the second and third wards, democratic assessor in the second ward, and made the margins in other contests closer than is consistent with the customary republican majorities.

The conditions affecting the election were such as to make both sides active in getting out the voters, and a large vote was polled.

WOMEN ATTEND THE POLLS

For the first time in the history of local politics the women exercised the franchise in the selection of members of the school board, and the two women candidates were triumphantly elected.  All day long they thronged the polling places, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather.  They came in pairs, or small groups, singly and with male escorts.  Their vote aggregated 334, being highest in the fourth ward, where 124 women voted.  Many republicans voted for the women's ticket.  It is alike flattering to the chivalry and sense of the voters that Miss Metcalf and Mrs. Young were elected.  In affairs which pertain to the welfare of the young, the counsel of women is never to be despised.

BALLOTS IMPROPERLY MARKED

Many ballots were thrown out as being improperly marked.  In some wards tickets all written out and voted straight with an X under the eagle were accepted, and in others thrown out.  The intention of these will be probably made matters of contest before the proper authorities.

The partisan complexion of the council remains unchanged, two democratic members going out this spring.

The school bond issue carried by large majorities in each ward.  The vote on the issue of bonds was 934 for and 258 against.

Carlisle, which is in this school district, gave for the board of education, Chamberlain, one vote, Miss Metcalf, two votes, Dr. Sampsel and Thos. Seward two votes each.

MAJORITIES OF WINNING CANDIDATES

The winning candidates with their respective majorities follow:

Water Works Trustee

P.H. Boynton, R.............................37

Councilmen

First Ward - R.B. Dersch, R.............93

Second Ward - Grant Grundy, D.....93

Third Ward - Martin Mueller.............61

Fourth Ward - W.C. LeMaster.......128

[end of transcription]

Republicans In Trouble

Source: Elyria Republican, Elyria, Ohio, March 29, 1900, page 1.


REPUBLICANS IN TROUBLE


Voters in Elyria Must Write Their Tickets


USUAL CAUTION REQUIRED


Because of Technical Error the Party Ticket Cannot Be Printed by the Election Board.


The ticket nominated by the republicans of Elyria at the recent city and township primaries has been thrown out by the Lorain County Board of Elections.  Elyria republicans will therefore have to write in the names of their party's choice on each ballot which they vote.


The trouble was occassioned by the failure of the city republican committee to certify the nomination up to the board within the statutory time, fifteen days before election.


Arthur J. Laundon, a democratic nominee for council, filed a protest with the board and a hearing was given the republican candidates Monday.  The entire ticket was thrown out.


The ticket will be printed with the republican emblem and designation of each office to be filled, but with no names.  Each republican voter must therefore write in the names of the republican candidates, and mark an "X" in the circle under the eagle.


The first ward ticket, for example, should read as follows:


For water works trustee,
P.H. Boynton.
For councilman,
Robt. B. Lersch.
For assesor,
Wm. A. Garford.
For township trustees
John Langton, 
E.L. Disbro.
For township clerk,
W.H. Park.
For cemetery trustee,
J.A. Jacob.
For justice of the peace,
A.E. Lawrence,
For constable,
R.E. Braman,
C.A. Cahoon.
For township assesor,
A.E. Baus


In the other wards the republicans will write their tickets just the same, except that they will substitute the name of their party's choice for councilman and assessor in their respective wards. These are:


SECOND WARD
Councilman - M.N. Terry
Assessor - Chas. Chandler
THIRD WARD
Councilman - Chas. J. Smith
Assessor - Frank Quayle
FOURTH WARD
Councilman - W.C. LeMaster
Assessor - Wm. Sage


The republican ballot for board of education will be also blank and the names must be written in. The republican choice for these officers were E.E. Williams and Geo. H. Chamberlain.


There is reason to believe that this technical irregularity will make no appreciable difference in the result and should if anything make the republican voters more vigilant than ever to get out and write their ticket.


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W.C. LeMASTER was my paternal great-granduncle, William Clifford LeMASTER (1871-1922), son of Luman Walker and Mary Keziah (CHEW) LEMASTERS.