Jonathan P. Dolliver
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Prentiss Dolliver (February 6, 1858 October 15, 1910) was a Republican orator, U.S. Representative
, then U.S. Senator
from Iowa
at the turn of the 20th century. In 1900
and 1908 Republican National Convention
s, he was promoted as a vice-presidential candidate, but he was never chosen.
in Preston County
, a Virginia
county that would refuse to join the Confederacy
and would instead remain in the Union
as part of the new state of West Virginia
. He attended the public schools and was graduated from the West Virginia University
at Morgantown
in 1876. After studying law, Dolliver was admitted to the bar in 1878, and commenced practice in Fort Dodge, Iowa
. He served as city solicitor of Fort Dodge from 1880 to 1887.
In 1884, as a twenty-seven year old, Dolliver received national attention for his skills as an orator, when campaigning around the nation on behalf of the Republican presidential candidate James G. Blaine
. A famous political quotation is attributed to Dolliver. Referring to his adopted state's traditional allegiance with the Republican Party, Dolliver (son of a Methodist minister) said, "Iowa will go Democratic when Hell goes Methodist."
, Adoniram J. Holmes
, for the Republican nomination. After 110 ballots in the district nominating convention, Dolliver won. He easily won the general election, and began to represent in north-central Iowa in the United States House of Representatives
in 1889. He was re-elected to the House five times. He served as chairman of the House Committee on Expenditures in the Fifty-sixth Congress
.
In the 1900 presidential election
, President William McKinley
needed a successor to replace his first vice president, Garret Hobart
, who died in November 1899. Dolliver was considered by some as a favorite to win the spot at the 1900 Republican National Convention. However, New York Governor Theodore Roosevelt
, renowned for his victory in the Battle of San Juan Hill
in the Spanish-American War
, soon emerged as the leading candidate for that position. Dolliver stepped aside.
died while in office. Iowa Governor Leslie M. Shaw selected Dolliver to replace Gear. Dolliver was twice re-elected to the Senate by the Iowa General Assembly
. In the Senate, he served as chairman of the Committee on Pacific Railroads
in the Fifty-seventh through Fifty-ninth Congresses, Committee on Education and Labor in the Fifty-ninth and Sixtieth Congresses, and the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry
in the Sixty-first Congress.
In the 1908 presidential election
, Dolliver's name was again touted as a potential vice-presidential candidate, this time on the ticket with William Howard Taft
. As the convention approached Dolliver indicated that he preferred to remain in the Senate. In response to further pressure (and suggestions of support from the Roosevelt White House), he softened his position by indicating that he would not refuse the position if offered it. However, the Convention instead chose James S. Sherman
.
During Dolliver's service in the Senate, Iowa Republicans were divided between a conservative old guard that had dominated state politics since the Civil War, and a new progressive wing led by Albert B. Cummins
, a lawyer and (after 1902) Governor of Iowa. The flash point for this division was Cummins' effort in 1908 to join Dolliver in the Senate by challenging legendary Senator William B. Allison
in the Republican primary. Dolliver had a national reputation as a progressive
. However, he supported Allison, who ultimately prevailed in the primary but died shortly thereafter, and was succeeded by Cummins. Dolliver soon reconciled with Cummins, and became increasingly aligned with Cummins in his party's progressive wing.
The small town of Dolliver, Iowa
established on a new railroad line in 1900, and Dolliver Memorial State Park
south of Fort Dodge, were named in honor of him.
His nephew, James I. Dolliver
, represented a similar area in Iowa in the U.S. House from 1945 to 1957.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, then U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
at the turn of the 20th century. In 1900
1900 Republican National Convention
The 1900 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held June 19 to June 21 in the Exposition Auditorium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Exposition Auditorium was located south of the University of Pennsylvania, and the later Convention Hall was constructed along the...
and 1908 Republican National Convention
1908 Republican National Convention
The 1908 Republican National Convention, the fourteenth presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States, was held in Chicago Coliseum, Chicago, Illinois on June 16 to June 19, 1908. It convened to nominate a successor to the popular GOP President, Theodore Roosevelt...
s, he was promoted as a vice-presidential candidate, but he was never chosen.
Background
Dolliver was born in 1858 near KingwoodKingwood, West Virginia
Kingwood is a town in and the county seat of Preston County, West Virginia, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh DMA. Kingwood was founded in 1815...
in Preston County
Preston County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,334 people, 11,544 households, and 8,357 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile . There were 13,444 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...
, a Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
county that would refuse to join the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
and would instead remain in the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
as part of the new state of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. He attended the public schools and was graduated from the West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
at Morgantown
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
in 1876. After studying law, Dolliver was admitted to the bar in 1878, and commenced practice in Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge is a city and county seat of Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 25,206 in the 2010 census, an increase from 25,136 in the 2000 census. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Central and Northwest Iowa. It is located on U.S...
. He served as city solicitor of Fort Dodge from 1880 to 1887.
In 1884, as a twenty-seven year old, Dolliver received national attention for his skills as an orator, when campaigning around the nation on behalf of the Republican presidential candidate James G. Blaine
James G. Blaine
James Gillespie Blaine was a U.S. Representative, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, U.S. Senator from Maine, two-time Secretary of State...
. A famous political quotation is attributed to Dolliver. Referring to his adopted state's traditional allegiance with the Republican Party, Dolliver (son of a Methodist minister) said, "Iowa will go Democratic when Hell goes Methodist."
U.S. House
In 1888, Dolliver challenged the incumbent congressman for Iowa's 10th congressional districtIowa's 10th congressional district
Iowa's 10th congressional district existed from 1883 to 1933, when Iowa sent eleven congressmen to the United States House of Representatives. The district, known as "The Big Tenth," covered large areas of north-central Iowa.-Makeup:...
, Adoniram J. Holmes
Adoniram J. Holmes
Adoniram Judson Holmes a Republican, was the first U.S. Representative from Iowa's 10th congressional district.-Biography:Born in Wooster, Ohio, Holmes moved with his parents to Palmyra, Wisconsin, in 1853...
, for the Republican nomination. After 110 ballots in the district nominating convention, Dolliver won. He easily won the general election, and began to represent in north-central Iowa in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1889. He was re-elected to the House five times. He served as chairman of the House Committee on Expenditures in the Fifty-sixth Congress
56th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:- Leadership :- Senate :* President: Garret Hobart , until November 21, 1899 , vacant thereafter.* President pro tempore: William P. Frye * Democratic Caucus Chairman: James K. Jones...
.
In the 1900 presidential election
United States presidential election, 1900
The United States presidential election of 1900 was a re-match of the 1896 race between Republican President William McKinley and his Democratic challenger, William Jennings Bryan. The return of economic prosperity and recent victory in the Spanish–American War helped McKinley to score a decisive...
, President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
needed a successor to replace his first vice president, Garret Hobart
Garret Hobart
Garret Augustus Hobart was the 24th Vice President of the United States, serving from March 4, 1897 until his death. He was the sixth American vice president to die in office....
, who died in November 1899. Dolliver was considered by some as a favorite to win the spot at the 1900 Republican National Convention. However, New York Governor Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
, renowned for his victory in the Battle of San Juan Hill
Battle of San Juan Hill
The Battle of San Juan Hill , also known as the battle for the San Juan Heights, was a decisive battle of the Spanish-American War. The San Juan heights was a north-south running elevation about two kilometers east of Santiago de Cuba. The names San Juan Hill and Kettle Hill were names given by the...
in the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
, soon emerged as the leading candidate for that position. Dolliver stepped aside.
U.S. Senate
The following month (July 1900), Iowa U.S. Senator John H. GearJohn H. Gear
John Henry Gear was the 11th Governor of Iowa, United States Representative, and Senator.-Biography:Born in Ithaca, New York, he attended the common schools and moved to Galena, Illinois in 1836, to Fort Snelling, Iowa, in 1838, and to Burlington in 1843, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits...
died while in office. Iowa Governor Leslie M. Shaw selected Dolliver to replace Gear. Dolliver was twice re-elected to the Senate by the Iowa General Assembly
Iowa General Assembly
The Iowa General Assembly is the legislative branch of the state government of Iowa. Like the federal United States Congress, the General Assembly is a bicameral body, composed of the upper house Iowa Senate and the lower Iowa House of Representatives respectively...
. In the Senate, he served as chairman of the Committee on Pacific Railroads
United States Senate Committee on Pacific Railroads
The Senate Committee on Pacific Railroads is a defunct committee of the United States Senate. It was first established as a select committee in 1889 and became a standing committee on March 15, 1893...
in the Fifty-seventh through Fifty-ninth Congresses, Committee on Education and Labor in the Fifty-ninth and Sixtieth Congresses, and the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry
United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
The Committee of Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of all matters relating to the nation's agriculture industry, farming programs, forestry and logging, and legislation relating to nutrition and...
in the Sixty-first Congress.
In the 1908 presidential election
United States presidential election, 1908
The United States presidential election of 1908 was held on November 3, 1908. Popular incumbent President Theodore Roosevelt, honoring a promise not to seek a third term, persuaded the Republican Party to nominate William Howard Taft, his close friend and Secretary of War, to become his successor...
, Dolliver's name was again touted as a potential vice-presidential candidate, this time on the ticket with William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
. As the convention approached Dolliver indicated that he preferred to remain in the Senate. In response to further pressure (and suggestions of support from the Roosevelt White House), he softened his position by indicating that he would not refuse the position if offered it. However, the Convention instead chose James S. Sherman
James S. Sherman
James Schoolcraft Sherman was a United States Representative from New York and the 27th Vice President of the United States . He was a member of the Baldwin, Hoar, and Sherman families.-Early life:...
.
During Dolliver's service in the Senate, Iowa Republicans were divided between a conservative old guard that had dominated state politics since the Civil War, and a new progressive wing led by Albert B. Cummins
Albert B. Cummins
Albert Baird Cummins was the 18th Governor of Iowa, U.S. Senator and two-time presidential candidate. Cummins was perhaps the most influential leader in Iowa politics in the first quarter of the 20th century...
, a lawyer and (after 1902) Governor of Iowa. The flash point for this division was Cummins' effort in 1908 to join Dolliver in the Senate by challenging legendary Senator William B. Allison
William B. Allison
William Boyd Allison was an early leader of the Iowa Republican Party, who represented northeastern Iowa for four consecutive terms in the U.S. House before representing his state for six consecutive terms in the U.S. Senate...
in the Republican primary. Dolliver had a national reputation as a progressive
Progressivism in the United States
Progressivism in the United States is a broadly based reform movement that reached its height early in the 20th century and is generally considered to be middle class and reformist in nature. It arose as a response to the vast changes brought by modernization, such as the growth of large...
. However, he supported Allison, who ultimately prevailed in the primary but died shortly thereafter, and was succeeded by Cummins. Dolliver soon reconciled with Cummins, and became increasingly aligned with Cummins in his party's progressive wing.
Death and legacy
Dolliver died in office on October 15, 1910.The small town of Dolliver, Iowa
Dolliver, Iowa
Dolliver is a city in Emmet County, Iowa, United States. The population was 77 at the 2000 census. Dolliver was named for United States Senator Jonathan P. Dolliver who was a prominent politician when the town was established in 1900 as a stop on a new railroad line...
established on a new railroad line in 1900, and Dolliver Memorial State Park
Dolliver Memorial State Park
Dolliver Memorial State Park is a state park of Iowa, USA, featuring high bluffs and deep ravines on the Des Moines River. The park is located south of Fort Dodge and northwest of Lehigh.-Geography:...
south of Fort Dodge, were named in honor of him.
His nephew, James I. Dolliver
James I. Dolliver
James Isaac Dolliver served six terms as a Republican U.S. Representative from Iowa's 6th congressional district, beginning in 1944. He was the nephew of U.S. Senator Jonathan Prentiss Dolliver of Iowa....
, represented a similar area in Iowa in the U.S. House from 1945 to 1957.