Robert E. Pattison

Robert Emory Pattison ( born December 8, 1850 in Quantico, Wicomico County, Maryland; † August 1, 1904 ) was an American politician (Democratic Party), and 1883-1887 of the 19th century and 1891-1895 the 21st Governor of Pennsylvania.

Early years and political rise

At the age of five years, Robert Pattison moved with his parents to Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. There he attended the local schools. After studying law at Lewis Cassidy, the leader of the Democratic Party in Philadelphia, and his admission as a solicitor in 1871, Pattison started in this profession work.

In 1878 he was auditor costs (Controller of the City ), the city of Philadelphia. In this office he was very successful. This made him so popular that he was nominated in 1882 by his party, despite his relatively young age of 32 years for candidates for the forthcoming gubernatorial election. His subsequent election victory was also the first victory of the Democrats in gubernatorial elections in Pennsylvania since 1858, when William Packer was elected to this office.

Governor of Pennsylvania

Robert Pattison began his first four -year term on 16 January 1883. In his reign was his friend and former law teacher Cassidy Minister of Justice Attorney General. Pattison sat down as a governor for a thrifty budget policy. He fought corruption and nepotism in his country. But It made ​​the appointment of the Minister of Justice an exception. Social policy was the Governor for a fair distribution of power between employers and employees, or between the capital and the trade unions. He also appeared against the monopoly of railway companies. Based on the 1874 constitution, the governor could not undergo two related terms. Therefore, he had passed on January 18, 1887 his office to his chosen successor James Beaver.

Thereafter Pattison President of the Chestnut Street National Bank. He was also director of the Pacific Railroad Commission, a federal commission to monitor this railway company. In 1890 he made it again, to be elected to the office of governor. His second term began on January 20, 1891. Priorities of the new reign were electoral reform, the fight against the waste of public money and a more equitable distribution of the tax burden. In 1892 there was a violent strike of steel workers in the Pattison began the National Guard to maintain order.

Further CV

Due to the aforementioned constitutional provision Pattison could not be standing for re -election in 1894. Therefore, he resigned on January 15, 1895 to hold office and has worked as a lawyer. Pattison was to remain until 1934, the last Democratic governor of Pennsylvania. He applied unsuccessfully for the post of mayor of Philadelphia. In 1896 he was a presidential candidate of the Democratic party in the conversation, but could not prevail against William Jennings Bryan to the national party. In 1902 he ran again for the office of Governor of Pennsylvania. But this time he was defeated by Samuel Pennypacker. Two years later, Robert Pattison died at the age of 54 years.