William Comstock

William Alfred Comstock ( born July 2, 1877 in Alpena, MI, † June 19, 1949 in Detroit ) was an American politician in the Democratic Party and from 1933 to 1935 the 33rd Governor of the State of Michigan.

Early years and political rise

William Comstock attended until 1899, the University of Michigan. Then he began a successful business career in the real estate and banking. But he was also engaged in the railroad. Comstock was a member of the Democratic Party and became its regional chairman in 1911 in his home district. Between 1911 and 1912 he was a town councilor from Alpena after he was 1913-1914 Mayor of this place. From 1914 to 1916 he was also on the board of the University of Michigan. Since 1915, Comstock was Regional Executive of the Democratic Party of Michigan and 1920-1924 he was state chairman. After that, he was from 1924 to 1930 the federal board of his party. In the years 1924, 1928 and 1932 Comstock was also a delegate to the respective national conventions. After three unsuccessful attempts, in the years 1926, 1928 and 1930, he was elected as a candidate of his party for the new governor of Michigan in November 1932. The election of a Democrat was in the then national trend, the highlight of which was the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt as U.S. president.

Governor of Michigan

William Comstock took up his new post on 1 January 1933. At this time the country was still suffering from the effects of the Great Depression. In his two years in office, the governor was working on solving the problems associated with the crisis, such as of high unemployment. To overcome the banking crisis all banks were closed for eight days. Later, the federal government and other states followed this example by completely closed the banks for a few days. The Governor also joined for a new pension law that but politically failed. With the help of the New Deal policies of the federal government under President Roosevelt succeeded in Michigan gradually overcoming the crisis. At that time also the first VAT law in Michigan was introduced. The governor pardoned Rudolph G. Tenerowicz the former mayor of the city of Hamtramck, who had been convicted of bribery. Tenerowicz was later elected to the U.S. Senate.

Further CV

After his election defeat in the gubernatorial elections of 1934, Comstock had to resign from his post on 1 January 1935. He remained active in politics and was from 1939 to 1940 a member of the Michigan Civil Service Commission. From 1942 to 1949 he was on the city council of Detroit. William Comstock died in June 1949. He was married to Josephine White Morrison, with whom he had two children.