Arthur Capper
Encyclopedia
Arthur Capper was an American politician from Kansas
. He was the 20th Governor of Kansas
from 1915 to 1919 and a United States Senator from 1919 to 1949.
Capper was born in Garnett, Kansas
. He attended the public schools and learned the art of printing. He became a newspaper publisher, eventually owning several newspapers and two radio stations. The best known of his publications, Capper's Weekly, had an enormous readership among farm families and served as the base of his political support in Kansas. "Capper's" continues today as a bimonthly glossy magazine that focuses on rural living.
Capper first entered politics in 1912 when he became the Republican
candidate for Governor of Kansas. In addition to a reputation built from his newspapers, he was also the son-in-law of former governor Samuel J. Crawford. He was defeated by Democrat George H. Hodges
. However, Capper was elected governor in the next election in 1914 and served as Governor of Kansas from 1915 until 1919, winning re-election in 1916. He was the first native Kansan to serve as the state's governor.
Having served two full terms as Governor, Capper was not permitted to run for a third term by the Kansas State Constitution
. Instead, in 1918 he ran for election to the United States Senate and won. Capper became a long-serving senator, representing Kansas as one of its two senators for five 6-year terms. He was in the Senate from 1919 to 1949, and prominent among Republicans who supported the relief efforts and other policies of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's administration. He did not seek reelection in 1948.
Capper was particularly interested in issues relating to agriculture. Before his time as governor, he served as President of the Board of Regents of Kansas State Agricultural College
from 1910 to 1913. While in the United States Senate, he at times served as chairman of the Committee of Expenditures of the Department of Agriculture
and the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. He also at times served as chairman of the Committee on Claims
and the Committee on the District of Columbia
. He co-sponsored the Capper-Volstead Act
. In 1923 Senator Capper brought forward a constitutional amendment
with an anti-miscegenation provision outlawing mixed-race marriage
s, but struck out the passage after protest from African-American organizations and stated it was an unnecessary troublemaker. The withdrawal of this section by the Senator was made easier because he himself did not write the bill. It was drawn by the attorney of the American Federation of Women's Clubs.
Capper became Chairman of the Senate's Agriculture Committee in 1946; by that point, at the age of 81, he was nearly deaf and his speech was difficult to understand.
After retiring from the Senate, Capper returned to his home in Topeka, Kansas
where he continued the newspaper publishing business until his death. He was buried in Topeka Cemetery in a plot adjacent to Governor Crawford.
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. He was the 20th Governor of Kansas
Governor of Kansas
The Governor of the State of Kansas is the head of state for the State of Kansas, United States. Under the Kansas Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Kansas executive branch, of the government of Kansas. The Governor is the...
from 1915 to 1919 and a United States Senator from 1919 to 1949.
Capper was born in Garnett, Kansas
Garnett, Kansas
Garnett is a city in and the county seat of Anderson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,415.-Geography:Garnett is located at...
. He attended the public schools and learned the art of printing. He became a newspaper publisher, eventually owning several newspapers and two radio stations. The best known of his publications, Capper's Weekly, had an enormous readership among farm families and served as the base of his political support in Kansas. "Capper's" continues today as a bimonthly glossy magazine that focuses on rural living.
Capper first entered politics in 1912 when he became the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate for Governor of Kansas. In addition to a reputation built from his newspapers, he was also the son-in-law of former governor Samuel J. Crawford. He was defeated by Democrat George H. Hodges
George H. Hodges
George Hartshorn Hodges was an American politician and the 19th Governor of Kansas . Before elected governor, he served in the state legislature as a senator from 1905 to 1913, where he was particularly active on the railroad committee in the senate and known for leading the charge for progressive...
. However, Capper was elected governor in the next election in 1914 and served as Governor of Kansas from 1915 until 1919, winning re-election in 1916. He was the first native Kansan to serve as the state's governor.
Wyandotte Constitution
The present Constitution of the State of Kansas was originally known as the Wyandotte Constitution to distinguish it from three proposed constitutions that preceded it...
. Instead, in 1918 he ran for election to the United States Senate and won. Capper became a long-serving senator, representing Kansas as one of its two senators for five 6-year terms. He was in the Senate from 1919 to 1949, and prominent among Republicans who supported the relief efforts and other policies of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's administration. He did not seek reelection in 1948.
Capper was particularly interested in issues relating to agriculture. Before his time as governor, he served as President of the Board of Regents of Kansas State Agricultural College
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
from 1910 to 1913. While in the United States Senate, he at times served as chairman of the Committee of Expenditures of the Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
and the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. He also at times served as chairman of the Committee on Claims
United States Senate Committee on Claims
The United States Senate Committee on Claims was among the first standing committees established in the Senate. It dealt generally with issues related to private bills and petitions...
and the Committee on the District of Columbia
United States Senate Committee on the District of Columbia
The United States Senate Committee on the District of Columbia was one of the first standing committees created in the United States Senate, in 1816. It had jurisdiction over the District of Columbia...
. He co-sponsored the Capper-Volstead Act
Capper-Volstead Act
Capper-Volstead Act , the Co-operative Marketing Associations Act was adopted by the United States Congress on February 18, 1922. It gave “associations” of persons producing agricultural products certain exemptions from antitrust laws...
. In 1923 Senator Capper brought forward a constitutional amendment
Constitutional amendment
A constitutional amendment is a formal change to the text of the written constitution of a nation or state.Most constitutions require that amendments cannot be enacted unless they have passed a special procedure that is more stringent than that required of ordinary legislation...
with an anti-miscegenation provision outlawing mixed-race marriage
Interracial marriage
Interracial marriage occurs when two people of differing racial groups marry. This is a form of exogamy and can be seen in the broader context of miscegenation .-Legality of interracial marriage:In the Western world certain jurisdictions have had regulations...
s, but struck out the passage after protest from African-American organizations and stated it was an unnecessary troublemaker. The withdrawal of this section by the Senator was made easier because he himself did not write the bill. It was drawn by the attorney of the American Federation of Women's Clubs.
Capper became Chairman of the Senate's Agriculture Committee in 1946; by that point, at the age of 81, he was nearly deaf and his speech was difficult to understand.
After retiring from the Senate, Capper returned to his home in Topeka, Kansas
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
where he continued the newspaper publishing business until his death. He was buried in Topeka Cemetery in a plot adjacent to Governor Crawford.
See also
- List of people on the cover of Time Magazine: 1920s – Jan. 18, 1926
Further reading
- Socolofsky, Homer. Arthur Capper: Publisher, Politician, and Philanthropist (Lawrence: University of Kansas Press), 1962.
External links
- Capper speeches on State Library of Kansas web site