Hiram Johnson

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Hiram Johnson

23^rd Governor of California
In office 1911 – 1917
Preceded by	James Gillett
Succeeded by	William Stephens

Born	September 2, 1866
Died	August 6, 1945
Profession	Politician

Hiram Warren Johnson (September 2, 1866 – August 6, 1945) was a leading American progressive politician from California; he served as Governor from 1911 to 1917, and as a United States Senator from 1917 to 1945.

1 Early Life
2 Governor of California
3 Senator
- 3.1 Presidential Bid
4 Death
5 External links

[edit] Early Life

Johnson was born in Sacramento, California; his father was Grove Lawrence Johnson, a Republican Representative and state legislator famous for his support of personal interests.

After attending private schools, Johnson first worked as a shorthand reporter and stenographer in law offices. He eventually decided on a legal career, studying at the University of California, Berkeley, where he joined Chi Phi fraternity. He was admitted to the bar in 1888 and commenced practice in his hometown. In 1902 he moved to San Francisco. He served as assistant district attorney and became active in reform politics, taking up an anti-corruption mantle. He attracted statewide attention in 1908 when he served as the prosecution in a notorious graft case, his success due in large measure to the fact that his predecessor had been gunned down in the courtroom. He married Minne L. McNeal; the couple had two sons.

[edit] Governor of California

In 1910 Johnson won the gubernatorial election as a member of the Lincoln-Roosevelt League, a liberal Republican movement running on an anti-Southern Pacific Railroad platform. He toured the state by horse. In office, Johnson was a populist who implemented several reforms. Among these were the popular election of U.S. Senators, women's suffrage and campaign reform to allow candidates to register in multiple parties.

Nationally, Johnson was a founder of the Progressive Party in 1912. That same year, he was the vice presidential candidate on the ticket with former President Theodore Roosevelt; his selection helped Roosevelt to carry California by 0.2% of the votes cast; the Progressives finished second nationally but still lost the election to the Democrats and their candidate, Woodrow Wilson.

[edit] Senator

Johnson was re-elected governor in 1914 and in 1916 ran successfully for the U.S. Senate, taking office on March 16, 1917. It was this year that he spoke the words that he is best remembered for today: "the first casualty when war comes, is truth", referring to the United States's entry into World War I.

[edit] Presidential Bid

Following Roosevelt's death in January 1919, Johnson came to be regarded as the natural leader of the Progressive Party in the United States. However, in 1920 he did not attempt to revive the Progressive Party but ran for President as a Republican and was defeated for the Republican presidential nomination by Warren Harding. He received ten votes for the nomination against Calvin Coolidge in 1924. As a senator, Johnson proved extremely popular – in 1934 he was re-elected with 94.5% of the popular vote.

During the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt Johnson supported his economic recovery package, the New Deal, frequently crossed the floor to aid the Democrats and even backed FDR in the 1932 and 1936 elections, although he never switched party affiliation. As a staunch Isolationist, (he was the only Senator to vote against both the League of Nations and the United Nations) Johnson was much less supportive of Roosevelt on foreign policy than on domestic issues. He achieved Senate seniority as Chairman of the Committee on Cuban Relations in the Sixty-sixth Congress; he was also a member of the Patents, Immigration, Territories and Insular Possessions and Commerce Committees.

[edit] Death

Having served in the Senate for almost thirty years, Johnson died in the Naval Hospital Bethesda, Maryland, on August 6, 1945. News of his death, however, was overshadowed by the nuclear bomb attack on Hiroshima, Japan, which occurred that same day. He was interred in Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma, California.

Johnson gained some recognition in the media and general public during the 2003 California recall election as he had been the most important person behind the introduction of the law which allowed state officials to be recalled.

[edit] External links

Preceded by James Gillett	Governor of California 1911–1917	Succeeded by William Stephens
Preceded by N/A	Progressive Party Vice presidential candidate 1912 (lost)	Succeeded by N/A
Preceded by John D. Works	United States Senator from California 1917–1945	Succeeded by William F. Knowland