#BenjaminHarrison

[yatescountyhistorycenter]

A literal whistle-stop tour of Penn Yan

By Jonathan Monfiletto

Nowadays, presidents and presidential candidates don't often make their way to New York State, let alone Yates County or the Finger Lakes region. But there was a time when they did, and several presidents and presidential candidates have visited the area over the years.

And presidents and presidential candidates from both major parties have made their way to New York State during their campaigns, even setting foot in Yates County and the Finger Lakes region. One of those candidates – more than 130 years ago – was the sitting President of the United States, Benjamin Harrison, who came to Penn Yan on a literal whistle-stop tour in 1892.

A whistle-stop tour is defined as a form of political campaigning in which the candidate for office makes a series of brief appearances at a number of small towns over a short period of time, generally from the open platform of a railroad car. And that seems to be exactly what Harrison did as he sought a second term that year. In fact, at the time of his tour, he hadn’t even been officially re-nominated by the Republican Party; that selection – then in the style of closed-door, back-room conventions rather than elections open to eligible voters – came a couple of weeks later.

Harrison seems to have visited Penn Yan on Saturday, May 28, 1892. Interestingly, while there is a plethora of newspaper articles in our digitized database covering national news from Harrison’s election in 1888 through his single term in the presidency from 1889 to 1893, I could find just a single local news article covering Harrison’s visit to Penn Yan, from the Yates County Chronicle of June 1, 1892. I first became interested in Harrison’s stop in Yates County when I came across a photograph of Harrison greeting a humongous crowd from the platform of a train car, labeled as taking place in Penn Yan. So, the presence of just one newspaper article capturing the moment was, needless to say, disappointing.

That article didn’t even mention the specific date or specific location of the president’s visit. “An hour before the schedule (sic) time for the special train to arrive Saturday afternoon, which brought the President and his party, people began to gather at the station,” begins the Chronicle’s article, headlined “The President’s Visit” in rather small lettering. “At five o’clock as the train pulled in the station at least 4000 people were assembled and every available point of vantage was occupied by those anxiously waiting to see Benjamin Harrison and to hear what he had to say.” Every vantage point indeed, as the photograph shows at least one person climbing a pole to get a better view and a group of people standing on the depot roof to see the president. And the population of the village of Penn Yan in 1890 stood at a little more than 4,200 people, so this turnout means either every single person in the village came out to see the president or people came from far and wide in hopes of catching a glimpse of the man.

The remainder of the Chronicle article describes the physical amenities of the president’s train and lists Harrison’s entourage, which included a slate of Congressional representatives and their wives or daughters – including John Raines, Yates County’s local Congressman – as well as several military officials and Cabinet members. Then, the Chronicle states Raines introduced Harrison to Hanford Struble, then the County Judge after serving in several other positions, Postmaster John T. Andrews, and County Treasurer John Henry Smith. After the greetings, Struble introduced the president to the crowd, and Harrison went into his remarks as recorded by the Chronicle.

Still, for all the pomp and circumstance the newspaper seems to capture, it didn’t capture the date and location of the event. The Ontario County Times of May 25, 1892 previews the president’s arrival in an article headlined “The President in Canandaigua!” (all in caps, and the original did contain the exclamation point). According to this article, the president was to “pass through Canandaigua on Saturday of this week” (May 28, by my calculation) “on his way from Washington to Rochester, where he is to take part in the ceremonies attending the unveiling of the soldiers’ monument the following Monday.” The president and his entourage were to travel “by special train” over the Northern Central Railroad, departing Washington, D.C. at 7 in the morning and arriving in Rochester around 7 in the evening. Harrison and his party were to reach Canandaigua around 6 p.m., and “as an observation car is to be attached to the train, it is hoped that the President may be prevailed upon to show himself and make one of the short speeches in which he is so felicitous and eloquent.”

From this description, I can deduce more about Harrison’s visit to Penn Yan. Since Harrison arrived in Penn Yan at 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 28 and was expected to reach Canandaigua by 6 p.m., then it is clear he traveled from Penn Yan and through Canandaigua on his way to Rochester. Since Harrison’s train traveled the Northern Central Railroad, then the Penn Yan station of his visit was likely the Northern Central Railroad depot on Hamilton Street, near that street’s intersection with what was then named Jacob Street. This is the present-day site of Morgan’s Grocery in the same building.

While Harrison’s purpose in visiting Penn Yan may have been to eventually reach Rochester and taking part in the dedication of that city’s Soldiers & Sailors Monument, he certainly took the opportunity to campaign and make his case for a second term in the White House. Harrison’s presidency is credited as a period of prosperity and equality for average American citizens.

“I know that we have not been able to attain, if that were desirable, an absolute equality of success in life. But I also know that we have secured in this country absolute equality of civil opportunities,” Harrison told the crowd gathered in Penn Yan, according to the Chronicle. “There is no caste or limitation upon the successes of men. God’s providence, our own courage and the right exercise of the faculties he has given us alone put limitations upon what an American youth may attain. This is all we can ask of a Government. This we do ask and will insist upon, that everywhere in this land where the flag floats the law shall be the rule of conduct for all men, not prejudice or passion, not the convenience of the rich or powerful, but the law as we have made it shall be the rule of conduct for all men in their relations to all other men.”

[digitldesignsbyrae]

His presidency saw the most states admitted to the Union! #BenjaminHarrison #3dpaperdoll #papertoy #Americanpresident #USAhistory #printable #Etsy https://instagr.am/p/CvHrcnsIMub/

[iplobato]

Tokyo Blues Cover artwork

Music by Benjamin Harrison

You can buy it at the link: https://benjaminharrisonmusic.bandcamp.com 

'Tokyo Blues' is the new album from Australian multi-instrumental musician, composer and producer Benjamin Harrison.  

 “The concept for Tokyo Blues arose during a recent trip to Tokyo, one of my favourite cities in the world to visit, where I decided that I’d like to create an album drawing inspiration from some of my biggest influences in the vibrant Japanese jazz fusion scene, such as Hiromi, T-Square, The Seatbelts, Casiopea, Soil & "Pimp" Sessions and Four of a Kind.” – Benjamin Joining Benjamin on this album are three talented drummers: fellow Adelaidean and former band-mate Ben Todd (Cirque du Soleil), Jordan Perlson (Hiromi, Jeff Coffin, Snarky Puppy) and Japanese drumming prodigy Senri Kawaguchi (Kiyo*Sen, Triangle, Bootsy Collins). Regarding the choice of musicians, Benjamin says “I feel really blessed and fortunate to have such amazing drummers on the album—their energy and intensity just elevates the music to a whole new level”.

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[frednoland]

What does #BenjaminHarrison (with #HenryCabotLodge for whom I’m partially named) have to do with #MajorTaylor? That’s for me to know and you to also know in a bit. #procreate #charactersketch #wip #sketchbook #illustration #majortaylorgraphicnovel https://www.instagram.com/p/CNnU3DaDB4R/?igshid=ftuu03bg451d

[timetravelerscoinexchange]

Selling my 2012 P Benjamin Harrison Presidential Dollar PCGS MS 67 Posit...

[brandonraykirk]

Mrs. Harrison #DAR #President #BenjaminHarrison #AmericanHistory #history #photos #Indianapolis #Indiana #womenshistory (at Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3qVTE_HT0h/?igshid=13f9gkd6e9qb4

[franksynowicz-blog]

USAP23 #digitalart#newmedia#computerart#franksynowicz#digitalartist#cyberart#surreal42#surrealart#contemporaryart#president#BenjaminHarrison#ulyssesgrant#thetaxcollection#foundingfathers#uspresidents#presidentsoftheunitedstatesofamerica#Americanpresidents#presidentsoftheusa

[jinchenzhi]

23rd US president Benjamin Harrison and his pets. #benjaminharrison #presidentialpets #drawingsomething #drawings #digitdrawing #digitalart （在 Indianapolis, Indiana）

[lamoral-egmont]

#BenjaminHarrison #NorthBend #Ohio #USA #23rd #POTUS #Selfrealization #SelfDevelopment #Resilience #Greatness #Freedom #Inspirational #Success #SelfDiscovery #Life #Motivational #Wisdom #Leadership #PositiveDream #SelfKnowledge #Happiness #Courageous #Challenge #Assertiveness #IgersWisdom #IgersLeadership #IgersUSA #MoveForward

[twopartyopera]

Policeman in the Opera

2PO-916: "Policeman in the Opera" Starring Benjamin Harrison, Grover Cleveland 22, and Grover Cleveland 24. #politicalcartoon #presidents #benjaminharrison #grovercleveland

[saulovalley]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Saulo Filho - JVOneJornal (@jvonejornal)

Improviso guitar Base: Acid Jazz Funk Jam by YouTube #benjaminharrison #backtracking #auladeguitarra #auladeviolão #aulademúsica (em Music Revolution Brasil)

[prezidolia]

‘Presidential Pareidolia’

#23.) Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893) (Republican)

“Another topic in which our people rightfully take a deep interest may be here briefly considered. I refer to the existence of trusts and other huge aggregations of capital the object of which is to secure the monopoly of some particular branch of trade, industry, or commerce and to stifle wholesome competition. When these are defended, it is usually on the ground that though they increase profits they also reduce prices, and thus may benefit the public. It must be remembered, however, that a reduction of prices to the people is not one of the real objects of these organizations, nor is their tendency necessarily in that direction. If it occurs in a particular case it is only because it accords with the purposes or interests of those managing the scheme.

Such occasional results fall far short of compensating the palpable evils charged to the account of trusts and monopolies. Their tendency is to crush out individual independence and to hinder or prevent the free use of human faculties and the full development of human character. Through them the farmer, the artisan, and the small trader is in danger of dislodgment from the proud position of being his own master, watchful of all that touches his country's prosperity, in which he has an individual lot, and interested in all that affects the advantages of business of which he is a factor, to be relegated to the level of a mere appurtenance to a great machine, with little free will, with no duty but that of passive obedience, and with little hope or opportunity of rising in the scale of responsible and helpful citizenship.

To the instinctive belief that such is the inevitable trend of trusts and monopolies is due the widespread and deep-seated popular aversion in which they are held and the not unreasonable insistence that, whatever may be their incidental economic advantages, their general effect upon personal character, prospects, and usefulness cannot be otherwise than injurious.

Though Congress has attempted to deal with this matter by legislation, the laws passed for that purpose thus far have proved ineffective, not because of any lack of disposition or attempt to enforce them, but simply because the laws themselves as interpreted by the courts do not reach the difficulty. If the insufficiencies of existing laws can be remedied by further legislation, it should be done. The fact must be recognized, however, that all Federal legislation on this subject may fall short of its purpose because of inherent obstacles and also because of the complex character of our governmental system, which, while making the Federal authority supreme within its sphere, has carefully limited that sphere by metes and bounds that cannot be transgressed. The decision of our highest court on this precise question renders it quite doubtful whether the evils of trusts and monopolies can be adequately treated through Federal action unless they seek directly and purposely to include in their objects transportation or intercourse between States or between the United States and foreign countries.

It does not follow, however, that this is the limit of the remedy that may be applied. Even though it may be found that Federal authority is not broad enough to fully reach the case, there can be no doubt of the power of the several States to act effectively in the premises, and there should be no reason to doubt their willingness to judiciously exercise such power.” Citation: Grover Cleveland: "Fourth Annual Message (second term)," December 7, 1896. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=29537

Image: https://mowryjournal.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/harrison-benjamin-presidential-portrait.jpeg

[robsonrbarbosa-blog]

Impro no Neo Soul #neosoulmusic #benjaminharrison #altosax #barkleymouthpieces #eagleinstrumentos (em Paranoá)

[justicenews247]

#Breaking: For today's #coronation, Editor #BenjaminHarrison selected a collection of essays from the #Ecclesiastical #LawJournal. @CUP_Law

For today's coronation, Editor Benjamin Harrison selected a collection of essays from the Ecclesiastical Law Journal that the nature of establishment and the constitutional status of the Church of England: https://t.co/dVRI7hnhkz pic.twitter.com/oUxnIQalzW — CUP Law (@CUP_Law) May 6, 2023 Source: Twitter

[brandonraykirk]

#President #BenjaminHarrison #AmericanHistory #history #photos #Indianapolis #Indiana (at Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3qUhh3n1ws/?igshid=1ka40nkhaf8b7

[coffeestaincomicks]

#PresidentsAreNotYourFriends #BenjaminHarrison bonus! I forgot to do this guy... probably because there is really very little that makes him stand out from the rest of the so-called “leaders of the free world.”#webcomic — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/382a9Xr