United States Senate elections, 1898 and 1899

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United States Senate elections, 1898 and 1899
Flag of the United States (1896-1908).svg
  1896/97 Dates vary by state 1900/01  

30 of the 90 seats in the U.S. Senate
(as well as special elections)
46 seats needed for a majority

 Majority partyMinority party
  William B. Allison - Brady-Handy.jpg David Turpie.jpg
Leader William B. Allison [1] David Turpie [2]
Party Republican Democratic
Seats before4434
Seats after5025
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 6Decrease2.svg 9
Seats up1115
Races won176

 Third partyFourth party
 
Party Populist Silver Republican
Seats before55
Seats after43
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 1Decrease2.svg 2
Seats up13
Races won01

 Fifth partySixth party
 
Party Silver Vacant
Seats before20
Seats after26
Seat changeSteady2.svgIncrease2.svg 6
Seats up0
Races won0

Majority party before election

Republican

Elected Majority party

Republican

The United States Senate elections of 1898 and 1899 were landslide elections which had the Republican Party gain six seats in the United States Senate.

Republican Party (United States) Major political party in the United States

The Republican Party, also referred to as the GOP, is one of the two major political parties in the United States; the other is its historic rival, the Democratic Party.

United States Senate Upper house of the United States Congress

The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, which along with the United States House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the legislature of the United States. The Senate chamber is located in the north wing of the Capitol, in Washington, D.C.

Contents

As these elections were prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by State legislatures.

Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution Part of the United States Constitution

The Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution established the popular election of United States Senators by the people of the states. The amendment supersedes Article I, §3, Clauses 1 and 2 of the Constitution, under which senators were elected by state legislatures. It also alters the procedure for filling vacancies in the Senate, allowing for state legislatures to permit their governors to make temporary appointments until a special election can be held.

State legislature (United States) legislature of a U.S. state

A state legislature in the United States is the legislative body of any of the 50 U.S. states. The formal name varies from state to state. In 25 states, the legislature is simply called the Legislature, or the State Legislature, while in 19 states, the legislature is called the General Assembly. In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the legislature is called the General Court, while North Dakota and Oregon designate the legislature the Legislative Assembly.

Results summary

Senate Party Division, 56th Congress (1899–1901)

The People's Party was a left-wing, agrarian political party in the United States. The Populist Party emerged in the early 1890s as an important force in the Southern United States and the Western United States, but the party collapsed after it nominated Democrat William Jennings Bryan in the 1896 United States presidential election. A rump faction of the party continued to operate into the first decade of the 20th century, but never matched the popularity of the party in the early 1890s.

The Silver Republican Party was a United States political party in the 1890s. It was so named because it split from the Republican Party over the issues of free silver and bimetallism. The main Republican Party supported the gold standard. Silver Republican strength was concentrated in the Western states where mining, particularly silver mining, was an important industry. Silver Republicans were elected to the Congress from several Western states. In 1896, Silver Republicans supported Democratic presidential nominee William Jennings Bryan over William McKinley. After 1900, the Silver Republican Party was on the decline and most of its members rejoined the Republican Party. However, some such as Senator Fred Dubois of Idaho and former Secretary of the Interior Henry M. Teller of Colorado joined the Democratic Party.

The Silver Party was a political party in the United States active from 1892 until 1911 and most successful in Nevada which supported a platform of bimetallism and free silver.

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

After the October 7, 1898 special election in Oregon.

D1D2D3D4D5
D15D14D13D12D11D10D9D8D7D6
D16D17D18D19D20
Ran
D21
Ran
D22
Ran
D23
Ran
D24
Ran
D25
Ran
P5
Ran
D34
Retired
D33
Retired
D32
Retired
D31
Retired
D30
Ran
D29
Ran
D28
Ran
D27
Ran
D26
Ran
P4P3P2P1S2S1SR1SR2SR3
Ran
SR4
Ran
Plurality ↓SR5
Ran
R36
Ran
R37
Ran
R38
Ran
R39
Ran
R40
Ran
R41
Ran
R42
Ran
R43
Ran
R44
Ran
R35
Ran
R34
Ran
R33R32R31R30R29R28R27R26
R16R17R18R19R20R21R22R23R24R25
R15R14R13R12R11R10R9R8R7R6
R1R2R3R4R5

Result of the general elections

D1D2D3D4D5
D15D14D13D12D11D10D9D8D7D6
D16D17D18D19D20
Re-elected
D21
Re-elected
D22
Re-elected
D23
Re-elected
D24
Hold
D25
Gain
from SR
R50
Gain
from D
SR3
Re-elected
SR2SR1S1S2P1P2P3P4
R49
Gain
from D
R48
Gain
from D
R47
Gain
from D
R46
Gain
from D
R45
Gain
from D
R44
Gain
from D
R43
Hold
V1
D Loss
V2
D Loss
V3
D Loss
Majority →
R42
Re-elected
V6
R Loss
V5
SR Loss
V4
P Loss
R36
Re-elected
R37
Re-elected
R38
Re-elected
R39
Re-elected
R40
Re-elected
R41
Re-elected
R35
Re-elected
R34
Re-elected
R33R32R31R30R29R28R27R26
R16R17R18R19R20R21R22R23R24R25
R15R14R13R12R11R10R9R8R7R6
R1R2R3R4R5

Beginning of the next Congress

D1D2D3D4D5
D15D14D13D12D11D10D9D8D7D6
D16D17D18D19D20D21D22D23D24D25
SR3SR2SR1S1S2P1P2P3P4D26
Appointed
R50R49R48R47R46R45R44V1V2V3
Majority →R43
V5V4
R36R37R38R39R40R41R42
R35R34R33R32R31R30R29R28R27R26
R16R17R18R19R20R21R22R23R24R25
R15R14R13R12R11R10R9R8R7R6
R1R2R3R4R5
Key:
D# Democratic
P# Populist
R# Republican
S# Silver
SR# Silver Republican
V#Vacant

Race summaries

Elections during the 55th Congress

In these elections, the winners were seated during 1898 or in 1899 before March 4; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Ohio
(Class 1)
Mark Hanna Republican1897 (Appointed)Interim appointee elected January 12, 1898.
Winner also elected to the next term, see below.
Mark Hanna (Republican) 73 votes
Robert McKisson (Republican) 70 votes
John J. Lentz (Democratic) 1 vote
Oregon
(Class 3)
VacantLegislature had failed to elect.
New senator elected October 7, 1898.
Republican gain.
Joseph Simon (Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]

Races leading to the 56th Congress

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1899; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
California Stephen M. White Democratic 1893 Incumbent retired.
Legislature failed to elect. [3]
Democratic loss.
Seat remained vacant until February 7, 1900.
Ulysses S. Grant Jr. (Republican)
Daniel M. Burns
W.H.L. Barnes
Robert N. Bulla [3]
Connecticut Joseph Hawley Republican 1881
1887
1893
Incumbent re-elected January 17, 1899. [4] Joseph Roswell Hawley (Republican)
Daniel N. Morgan (Democratic)
Delaware George Gray Democratic 1885 (Special)
1887
1893
Incumbent lost re-election.
Legislature failed to elect. [5]
Democratic loss.
Seat remained vacant until 1903.
George Gray (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Florida Samuel Pasco Democratic 1887
1893 (Failure to elect)
1893 (Appointed)
1893 (Special)
Legislature failed to elect. [6]
Democratic loss.
Incumbent appointed to begin the term. [6]
Incumbent lost election to finish the term, see below.
[Data unknown/missing.]
Indiana David Turpie Democratic 1863 (Special)
1863 (Retired)
1887
1893
Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected January 17, 1899.
Republican gain.
Albert J. Beveridge (Republican)
David Turpie (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Maine Eugene Hale Republican 1881
1887
1893
Incumbent re-elected in 1899.Eugene Hale (Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Maryland Arthur P. Gorman Democratic 1880
1886
1892
Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected January 25, 1898. [7]
Republican gain.
Louis E. McComas (Republican) 63 votes
Arthur P. Gorman (Democratic) 47 votes
Shaw (Republican) 4 votes. [7]
Massachusetts Henry Cabot Lodge Republican 1893 Incumbent re-elected in 1899.Henry Cabot Lodge (Republican)
Bruce (Democratic)
P. Porter Winfield (Social Democratic) [8]
Michigan Julius C. Burrows Republican 1895 (Special) Incumbent re-elected in 1899.Julius C. Burrows (Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Minnesota Cushman Davis Republican 1886
1892
Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1899. [9] Cushman Davis (Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Mississippi Hernando Money Democratic1897 (Appointed)Interim appointee elected in 1899.Hernando Money (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Missouri Francis Cockrell Democratic 1874
1881
1887
1893
Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1899. [10] Francis Cockrell (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Montana Lee Mantle Silver Republican 1895 (Special) Incumbent lost renomination.
New senator elected in 1899.
Democratic gain.
William A. Clark (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Nebraska William V. Allen Populist 1893 Incumbent lost re-election.
Legislature failed to elect. [11]
Populist loss.
The seat was filled in March 1899, see below.
William V. Allen (Populist)
Nevada William Stewart Silver Republican 1887
1893
Incumbent re-elected January 24, 1899. [12] William Morris Stewart (Silver Republican)
A.C. Cleveland
W.W. Williams
Mason
Woodburn
New Jersey James Smith Jr. Democratic 1893 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected January 24, 1899. [13]
Republican gain.
John Kean (Republican)
James Smith Jr. (Democratic)
New York Edward Murphy Jr. Democratic 1893 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected January 17, 1899.
Republican gain.
Chauncey M. Depew (Republican)
Edward Murphy Jr. (Democratic)
North Dakota William N. Roach Democratic 1893 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected January 20, 1899. [14]
Republican gain.
Porter J. McCumber (Republican)
William N. Roach (Democratic)
ß[Data unknown/missing.]
Ohio Mark Hanna Republican1897 (Appointed)Interim appointee elected January 12, 1898.
Winner also elected to finish the term, see above.
Mark Hanna (Republican) 73 votes
Robert McKisson (Republican) 70 votes
John J. Lentz (Democratic) 1 vote
Pennsylvania Matthew S. Quay Republican 1887
1893
Legislature failed to elect.
Republican loss.
Incumbent appointed to start the term, but Senate rejected credentials.
Seat would remain vacant until 1901.
Matthew S. Quay (Republican)
Rhode Island Nelson W. Aldrich Republican 1881 (Special)
1886
1892
Incumbent re-elected in 1898.Nelson W. Aldrich (Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Tennessee William B. Bate Democratic 1887
1893
Incumbent re-elected in 1899.William B. Bate (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Texas Roger Q. Mills Democratic 1892
1893
Incumbent retired.
New senator elected January 24, 1899. [15]
Democratic hold.
Charles Culberson (Democratic)
Unopposed
Utah Frank J. Cannon Silver Republican 1896 Legislature failed to elect. [16]
Silver Republican loss.
Seat would remain vacant until 1901.
Frank J. Cannon (Republican)
Alfred W. McCune (Democratic)
Vermont Redfield Proctor Republican1891 (Appointed)
1892 (Special)
1892
Incumbent re-elected October 19, 1898. [17] Redfield Proctor (Republican)
Thomas W. Moloney (Democrats)
Virginia John W. Daniel Democratic 1887
1893
Incumbent re-elected in 1899.John W. Daniel (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Washington John L. Wilson Republican 1895 (Special) Incumbent lost renomination.
New senator elected February 1, 1899. [18]
Republican hold.
Addison G. Foster (Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
West Virginia Charles J. Faulkner Democratic 1887
1893
Incumbent retired.
New senator elected January 25, 1899. [19]
Republican gain.
Nathan B. Scott (Republican) 48
J.F. McGraw (Democratic) 46
Nathan Goff Jr. (Republican) 1 [19]
Wisconsin John L. Mitchell Democratic 1893 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected January 31, 1899. [20]
Republican gain.
Joseph V. Quarles (Republican)
Timoth E. Ryan (Democratic)
Wyoming Clarence D. Clark Republican 1895 (Special) Incumbent re-elected January 24, 1899. [21] Clarence D. Clark (Republican)
John Eugene Osborne (Democratic)

Elections during the 56th Congress

In these elections, the winners were elected in 1899 after March 4, and seated in the 56th Congress.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Nebraska
(Class 1)
VacantLegislature had failed to elect, see above.
New senator elected late March 8, 1899. [22]
Republican gain.
Monroe Hayward (Republican) 74 votes
William V. Allen (Populist) 58 votes [22]
Florida
(Class 1)
Samuel Pasco Democratic 1887
1893 (Failure to elect)
1893 (Appointed)
1893 (Special)
1899 (Failure to elect)
1899 (Appointed)
Interim appointee lost election to finish the term.
New senator elected April 19, 1899. [23]
Democratic hold.
James Taliaferro (Democratic)
Samuel Pasco (Democratic)

In this election, the winner was seated in the 57th Congress, starting March 4, 1901.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Virginia
(Class 2)
Thomas S. Martin Democratic 1893 (Early) Incumbent re-elected early December 19, 1899 for the term beginning March 4, 1901. [24] Thomas S. Martin (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]

Maryland

Minnesota

New York

The election in New York was held January 17, 1899.

Democrat Edward Murphy Jr. had been elected to this seat in 1893, and his term would expire on March 3, 1899. At the State election in November 1898, 27 Republicans and 23 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1899–1900) in the State Senate; and 88 Republicans and 62 Democrats were elected for the session of 1899 to the Assembly. The 122nd New York State Legislature met from January 4 to April 28, 1899, at Albany, New York.

Edward Murphy Jr. American politician

Edward Murphy Jr. was a businessman and politician from Troy, New York. A Democrat, he served as mayor of Troy, New York (1875-1883), chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee (1888-1894), and a United States Senator from New York (1893-1899).

The Republican caucus met on January 12. State Senator Hobart Krum presided. They nominated Chauncey M. Depew unanimously. Depew had been Secretary of State of New York from 1864 to 1865, and was the frontrunning candidate to succeed Thomas C. Platt at the U.S. Senate special election in 1881 when he withdrew after the 41st ballot. Parallel to his political career, he moved up the ladder in the Vanderbilt Railroad System, being President of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad from 1885 to 1898, and holding positions in dozens of other railroad companies.

Hobart Krum New York politician

Hobart Krum was an American lawyer and politician from New York.

The Secretary of State of New York is a cabinet officer in the government of the U.S. state of New York who leads the Department of State (NYSDOS).

Thomas C. Platt American politician

Thomas Collier Platt was a two-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1873–1877) and a three-term U.S. Senator from New York in the years 1881 and 1897–1909. He is best known as the "political boss" of the Republican Party in New York State in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Upon his death, the New York Times stated that "no man ever exercised less influence in the Senate or the House of Representatives than he," but "no man ever exercised more power as a political leader." He considered himself the "political godfather" of many Republican governors of the state, including Theodore Roosevelt.

The Democratic caucus met also on January 12. State Senator George W. Plunkitt presided. They re-nominated the incumbent U.S. Senator Edward Murphy, Jr. unanimously.

George W. Plunkitt New York State Senator

George Washington Plunkitt was an American politician from New York State. He served in both houses of the New York State Legislature and was a member of the Tammany Hall political machine in New York City.

Chauncey M. Depew was the choice of both the Assembly and the State Senate, and was declared elected.

1899 United States Senator election result
House Republican Democratic
State Senate
(50 members)
Chauncey M. Depew 27 Edward Murphy, Jr. 23
State Assembly
(150 members)
Chauncey M. Depew 84 Edward Murphy, Jr. 60

Note: The votes were cast on January 17, but both Houses met in a joint session on January 18 to compare nominations, and declare the result.

Ohio

Ohio (Special)

Oregon

Oregon (Special)

Rhode Island

South Carolina (Special)

Ohio

Utah

In mid-August 1898, Alfred W. McCune decided to seek office as a Democrat for the United States Senate. [25] State legislators had already indicated they would not support the incumbent, Frank J. Cannon for reelection. Cannon, a Republican, had voted against the Dingley Act, which would have raised tariffs on sugar and helped the Utah sugar industry. [26] The Dingley bill was strongly supported by the LDS Church hierarchy, who now opposed his reelection. [26] Other factors were his support for Free Silver; rumors about immoral acts he may have committed while living in Washington, D.C.; and that the Utah legislature was controlled by Democrats. [26] The McCunes were close friends with Heber J. Grant, seventh LDS Church president and an ordained LDS apostle. [27] Although the LDS church had (just weeks before) made a decision to stay out of state politics, McCune asked Grant for the church's assistance in winning office. [25] Grant consulted with Joseph F. Smith (Apostle and sixth LDS president) and John Henry Smith (a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency of the LDS Church), both of whom supported McCune's senatorial bid. [25] But McCune was not alone in seeking the office. Former Representative William H. King was also running (and backed by two Apostles), as was James Moyle (a prominent attorney and founder of the Utah Democratic Party who was backed by state legislators) and George Q. Cannon (an Apostle and member of the First Presidency). [25]

At the time, members of the Senate were still elected by their respective state legislatures. [25] The Utah state legislature convened in January 1899. [28] There were 13 Republicans and 50 Democrats in the state legislature. [29] From the beginning, McCune was considered the leading candidate. [28] But the legislature quickly deadlocked over the election. One-hundred and twenty-one ballots were cast, and no winner emerged. [28] McCune was one or two votes shy of winning on several ballots. [28] on February 18, before the 122nd ballot, state representative Albert A. Law (a Republican from Cache County and a Cannon supporter) claimed McCune offered him $1,500 for his vote. [30] McCune strenuously denied the charge, and a seven-member legislative established to investigate the allegation. [28] [30] The committee voted 7-to-2 to absolve McCune of the charge, and this outcome was announced to the legislature on March 6. [28] [30] Balloting resumed, and on March 8, on the 149th ballot, McCune still lacked enough votes to win office (he had only 25 votes). [28] [30] The legislature adjourned without having chosen a senator, [31] and McCune traveled in Europe for several weeks to regain his health (returning in June 1899). [32]

Utah's U.S. Senate seat remained vacant until January 1901.

Vermont

See also

Mark Hanna campaign button in Ohio Hanna button.jpg
Mark Hanna campaign button in Ohio

Notes

  1. as Republican Conference Chair
  2. as Democratic Caucus Chair
  3. 1 2 "WHITE'S SUCCESSOR NOT NAMED". The New York Times . January 17, 1899. p. 2.
  4. "Hawley Elected in Connecticut". The New York Times . January 18, 1899. p. 2.
  5. "DEADLOCK IN DELAWARE". The New York Times . January 17, 1899. pp. 1, 2.
  6. 1 2 "Senator Pasco's Credentials". The New York Times . March 4, 1899. p. 2.
  7. 1 2 Public Opinion. 1898. p. 137.
  8. "Henry Cabot Lodge Re-elected". The New York Times . January 18, 1899. p. 2.
  9. "SENATORS FORMALLY ELECTED". The Chicago Daily Tribune . January 19, 1899. p. 2.
  10. "Cockrell Re-elected in Missouri". The New York Times . January 18, 1899. p. 2.
  11. "No Election in Nebraska". The New York Times . p. 2.
  12. "Stewart Re-elected in Nevada". The New York Times . January 25, 1899. p. 2.
  13. "KEAN UNITED STATES SENATOR". The New York Times . January 25, 1899. p. 2.
  14. "An Election in North Dakota". The New York Times . January 21, 1899. p. 1.
  15. "Culberson Elected in Texas". The New York Times . January 25, 1899. p. 2.
  16. "Utah Fails to Elect Senator". Boston Evening Transcript . March 10, 1899. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  17. "Senator Proctor Re-elected". The New York Times . October 19, 1898. p. 4.
  18. "AN ELECTION IN WASHINGTON". The New York Times . February 2, 1899. p. 2.
  19. 1 2 "WEST VIRGINIA'S NEW SENATOR". The New York Times . January 26, 1899. p. 2.
  20. "Quarles Elected in Wisconsin". The New York Times . February 1, 1899. p. 8.
  21. "Clark Re-elected in Wyoming". The New York Times . January 25, 1899. p. 2.
  22. 1 2 "Hayward Elected in Nebraska". The New York Times . March 9, 1899. p. 2.
  23. Byrd, p. 93.
  24. "Senator Martin Is Re-elected". The New York Times . December 20, 1899. p. 9.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 Alexander, p. 10.
  26. 1 2 3 Powell, p. 70.
  27. Wadley.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Whitney (1916), p. 527.
  29. Smoot, p. 860.
  30. 1 2 3 4 Smoot, p. 863.
  31. "Utah With One Senator" (PDF). The New York Times . March 11, 1899.
  32. Whitney1904, p. 508.

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Alfred William McCune was an American railroad builder, mine operator, and politician from the state of Utah. Owner of several retail and construction businesses, he helped build the Montana Central Railway and a portion of the Utah Southern Railroad, founded the Utah and Pacific Railroad, and built railways in Peru, among other projects. He also owned many profitable mines in Canada, Montana, Peru, and Utah, including the Payne Mine—which paid the most dividends in the history of British Columbia. Late in life, he co-founded the Cerro de Pasco Investment Company, which became the largest copper investor in South America and the largest American investor in Peru until it was nationalized in 1974. He was one of Utah's first millionaires.

The United States Senate elections of 1862 and 1863 were elections during the American Civil War in which Republicans increased their control of the U.S. Senate. The Republican Party gained three seats, bringing their majority to 66% of the body. Also caucusing with them were Unionists and Unconditional Unionists. As many Southern states seceded in 1860 and 1861, and members left the Senate to join the Confederacy, or were expelled for supporting the rebellion, seats were declared vacant. To establish a quorum with fewer members, a lower total seat number was taken into account.

On January 12, 1898, the Ohio General Assembly met in joint convention to elect a United States Senator. The incumbent, Mark Hanna, had been appointed by Governor Asa Bushnell on March 5, 1897, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John Sherman to become Secretary of State to President William McKinley. Hanna's appointment was only good until the legislature met and made its own choice. The legislature elected Hanna over his fellow Republican, Cleveland Mayor Robert McKisson, both for the remainder of Sherman's original term and for a full six-year term to conclude in 1905.

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