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TheChicago mayoral election of 1891 saw "Reform" candidateHempstead Washburne narrowly win a four-way race against incumbent DemocratDeWitt Clinton Cregier, former mayorCarter Harrison III, and Citizens Party nomineeElmer Washburn. Also running was Socialist Labor candidate Thomas J. Morgan. Due to the four-way split in popular support, Washburne won with merely a 28.83% vote share; less than a quarter-of-a-percent margin of victory over second-place finisher Cregier and only 2.47% ahead of third-place finisher Harrison.
Before running in the general election as anindependent Democrat, former mayor Harrison challenged Mayor Cregier for theDemocratic Party's nomination. A primary was held to select the delegates to the city's Democratic Party convention. Cregier prevailed in getting more delegates supporting his renomination elected than delegates supporting Harrison for mayor. As a result, Cregier won the party's nomination at the convention.
The Citizens Party that nominated Elmer Washburn (formerchief of theU.S. Secret Service, formerhead theChicago Police Department, and former Supervisor ofLake Township) was backed by the city's old elite through theUnion League Club of Chicago. Its goal was to reestablish the old elite's power in the city's politics
In 1891, incumbent Dewitt Clinton Cregier sought reelection.
Cregier's term as mayor had been regarded as decent.[2] However, many Democrats were displeased with Cregier's favoritism of the city's Irish population over other groups.[3] Additionally, followers of former mayorCarter Harrison III felt that Cregier had been disregarding them when making political appointments.[2] A number of scandals had also tainted his administration.[4]
Cregier was challenged by former mayor Harrison, who had sensed voter dissatisfaction with Cregier. Harrison also desired to oversee the city's hosting of theWorld's Columbian Exposition[3] (which the city had hosted the right to host by the United States government in 1890, after a successful bid effort in which Cregier had been involved[5][6]). Wishing to stage a political comeback, Harrison had come out of his retirement to run again for mayor.[7] Both Cregier and Harrison werepopulist Democrats.[7]
The race for the Democratic nomination was contentious and rancorous.[3] Each candidate ran fierce campaigns. Harrison's campaign was managed byAdolf Kraus. The most influential backer of Harrison's candidacy was considered to beFrank Lawler. Lawler and Harrison each made speeches before large and excited crowds across the city in support of Harrison's candidacy. The local Democratic establishment (i.e. party leadership) largely stood in support of Cregier's candidacy, and the city's Democratic Executive Committee formally endorsed Cregeir's his candidacy. Cregier also received the backing of political organizations such as the Wah-na-ton Club and the Iroquois Club, as well as prominent Chicagoans such asJohn M. Palmer andClarence Darrow.[2]
The primary to elect delegates to the city nominating convention was held on March 20, and showed a clear victory for Cregier. However Harrison's supporters alleged thatelectoral fraud had taken place.[2]
At the convention, an effort successfully prevented Harrison from being allowed to enter the convention hall.[2] In protest of this, 47 of Harrison's 99 pledged delegates withdrew their places.[2] In the end, Cregier was renominated at the convention by a vote of 331 to 52.[2]
The Republican Party nominatedHempstead Washburne.[2]
While Cregier had managed to fend-off Harrison's challenge for the Democratic nomination, Harrison opted to challenge him in the general election as an independent.[7]
The Citizen's Party, which was operated through theUnion League Club of Chicago and organized by notable businessmen such asPotter Palmer,Marshall Field, andPhilip Danforth Armour, nominatedElmer Washburn.[2]
The Citizen's Party and Washburn's candidacy was a well-funded attempt by the old elite of the city to retake control of local politics for the claimed purposes of bringing cleaner and more efficient governance and lower taxes.[2]
Franklin MacVeagh, the original candidate sought by the (largely Republican) reformers behind the party, declined to run.[8] It was after this that Washburn would enter the race.[8]
TheSocialist Labor Party nominatedThomas J. Morgan.[2]
In their platform Democrats, who nominated Cregier, supported aneight hour work day, affirmed that the streets were the property of the citizens, supported legislation for the masses, demanded that the city undertake its own construction work rather than relying on contractors, urged the enforcement of factory and tenement laws, urged a fixed salary to be paid to the city treasurer, and for the interest on deposits to belong to the city treasury.[9]
The Democratic electorate was split between Cregier and Harrison.[4][10][11] Union support was also split between the two candidates.[11]
Harrison received the backing of congressmanFrank Lawler.[12]
Republican candidate Hempstead Washburne and Citizens candidate Elmer Washburn (formerchief of the United States Secret Service and formerChicago Police chief) were both members of theWashburn family. Elmer Washburn was cousins with Hempstead Washburne's fatherElihu B. Washburne.[13]
In addition to being nominated by the Citizens committee, Elmer Washburn was also backed/nominated by theProhibition Party.[9] Elmer Washburn was criticized by some as "puritanical".[14] Advancing aSabbatarian agenda, the Citizens ticket he headed supported the closing of saloons, parks, and streetcar service on theSabbath.[9] His campaign was well-funded and well-publicized.[2]
The race was intense, with all candidates engaging in vitriol, including slander.[2] Harrison focused most of his attacks at Cregier.[2] Cregier focused most of his attacks towards Harrison.[2] Washburn focused his attacks on both Cregier and Harrison.[2] Washburn divided his attacks among all three of the other main candidates.[2]
Harrison's forces tried to paint Cregier as incompetent and as having unscrupulous connections.[2] Creiger's forces, in turn, tried to claim that, through Frank Lawler, Harrison was connected to widely unpopular streetcar magnateCharles Yerkes.[2]
The election was heated, resulting in physical confrontations. On one occasion during the campaign, Harrison literally had mud slung at him.[2] On the day of the election and after the election results were counted, fights took place between supporters of rival candidates. This saw several serious injuries. James Scott, a black man who served as a ticket peddler for the Republican Party, was shot to death during a fight outside of a polling place.[15][16]
The election had a very close result, with Republican Hempstead Washburne prevailing. The coincidingChicago City Council elections resulted in the Democrats having a majority on the City Council.[15]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Hempstead Washburne | 46,957 | 28.84 | |
| Democratic | DeWitt Clinton Cregier (incumbent) | 46,558 | 28.59 | |
| Independent Democrat | Carter Harrison III | 42,931 | 26.36 | |
| Citizens | Elmer Washburn | 24,027 | 14.75 | |
| Socialist Labor | Thomas J. Morgan | 2,376 | 1.46 | |
| Turnout | 162,849 | |||
Creiger received 77.92% of thePolish-American vote, while Harrison received 10.42% and Washburne received 7.83%.[7]
After the election, some factions of the Democratic party vocally issued allegations that there had been election irregularities and misconduct.[3] It was alleged that strong-arm tactics being used by lieutenants of Creiger in seven wards.[3]
The divide between the Cregier's and Harrison's supporters would endure into the fall, when they held separate caucuses and sat separately at the Democratic Party convention. However, they ultimately united behind the party at this convention, supporting the Democratic ticket for the fall elections.[9]
Complaints of election irregularities and misconduct strengthened the push for the adoption of asecret ballot in Chicago.[3][8]
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1 tenure as acting officeholder. 2 Election declared null and void. | ||
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