Charles Vernon Eskridge and Kansas politics, 1855-1900.

Abstract

Charles Vernon Eskridge was an influential leader in Kansas politics in the middle and late nineteenth century. By mixing politics with business, Eskridge epitomized the Gilded Age local politician. He arrived in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1855 and worked on the Herald of Freedom, an abolitionist newspaper. In 1857, he moved to Emporia, Kansas, where he became one of the town's early leaders. From 1858 to 1874, Eskridge served in numerous state and local elected offices. Factional infighting in the Kansas political community forced him from elected political office. He effectively manipulated politics for personal gain. Through numerous business ventures, Eskridge amassed considerable wealth and influence. In 1882, Eskridge founded the Emporia Republican, which became one of the state's leading newspapers. As the editor of a party organ newspaper, Eskridge was able to reestablish himself as an influential local political leader. Through the Republican, Eskridge articulated his views and political vision to all who would read it. In the 1890s, Eskridge faced a decline in subscribers that weakened his influence in the state's politics. Though he anticipated the Kansas Republican Party's move to a progressive reform agenda, he was overshadowed by a new generation of leaders, particularly his competitor William Allen White of the Emporia Gazette. In 1899, Eskridge was forced into bankruptcy as a result of the failure of an Emporia bank that he was heavily invested in. Faced with financial ruin and failing health, Eskridge committed suicide in 1900. Though Eskridge never fully realized his political aspirations, his political career is a representative example of the influence of the local politician and newspaper editor. Eskridge was a careful manipulator of both politics and business. In his career, politics and business intersected at every level. In this way, Eskridge exemplifies the local Gilded Age politician.