Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Oregon Republican League: History 104 Biographies

Oregon Republican League: History 104 Biographies

Every Wednesday, the Oregon Republican League will post the biographies of important figures, in the League's/State of Oregon's history. Feel free to comment or share stories of your family's Republican affiliation.

http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000059

BAKER, Edward Dickinson, (1811 - 1861)

Senate Years of Service: 1860-1861
Party: Republican

BAKER, Edward Dickinson, a Representative from Illinois and a Senator from Oregon; born in London, England, February 24, 1811; immigrated to the United States in 1815 with his parents, who settled in Philadelphia, Pa.; moved to Illinois in 1825; studied law; admitted to the bar in 1830 and commenced practice in Springfield; member, State house of representatives 1837; member, State senate 1840-1844; elected as a Whig to the Twenty-ninth Congress and served from March 4, 1845, until his resignation on December 24, 1846, to take effect on January 15, 1847; commissioned colonel of the Fourth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, on July 4, 1846, and served until he was honorably mustered out on May 29, 1847; participated in the siege of Vera Cruz and commanded a brigade at Cerro Gordo; after the Mexican War moved to Galena, Ill.; elected as a Whig to the Thirty-first Congress (March 4, 1849-March 3, 1851); was not a candidate for renomination in 1850; moved to San Francisco, Calif., in 1851 and resumed the practice of law; moved to Oregon in 1860; elected as a Republican to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy in the term beginning March 4, 1859, and served from October 2, 1860, until his death; raised a regiment in New York City and Philadelphia during the Civil War; commissioned brigadier general of Volunteers May 17, 1861, but declined; colonel of the Seventy-first Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry and major general of Volunteers 1861; killed in the Battle of Balls Bluff, Va., October 21, 1861; interment in San Francisco National Cemetery, San Francisco, Calif.

Bibliography

Dictionary of American Biography; Blair, Harry, and Tarshis, Rebecca. Colonel Edward D. Baker: Lincoln’s Constant Ally. Portland: Oregon Historical Society, 1960; Braden, Gayle Anderson. “The Public Career of Edward Dickinson Baker.” Ph.D. dissertation, Vanderbilt University, 1960.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Oregon Republican League: History 104 Biographies

Oregon Republican League: History 104 Biographies

Every Wednesday, the Oregon Republican League will post the biographies of important figures, in the League's/State of Oregon's history. Feel free to comment or share stories of your family's Republican affiliation.

http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=A000257

ANGELL, Homer Daniel, (1875 - 1968)

ANGELL, Homer Daniel, a Representative from Oregon; born on a farm near The Dalles, Wasco County, Oreg., January 12, 1875; attended the public schools; was graduated from the University of Oregon at Eugene in 1900 and from the law school of Columbia University, New York City, in 1903; was admitted to the New York and Oregon bars the same year and commenced practice in Portland, Oreg.; member of the State house of representatives in 1929, 1931, and 1935; served in the State senate in 1937 and 1938, resigning to become a candidate for Congress; elected as a Republican to the Seventy-sixth and to the seven succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1939-January 3, 1955); unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1954; retired but remained active in community activities for over a decade; died in Portland, Oreg., March 31, 1968; interment in Portland Memorial Indoor Cemetery.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Oregon Republican League: History 104 Biographies

Oregon Republican League: History 104 Biographies

Every Wednesday, the Oregon Republican League will post the biographies of important figures, in the League's/State of Oregon's history. Feel free to comment or share stories of your family's Republican affiliation.

Governor Victor G. Atiyeh
Biographical Note


Victor G. Atiyeh served as Oregon's governor from January 8, 1979 to January 12, 1987.

Atiyeh was born on February 20, 1923 in Portland, Oregon. After attending the University of Oregon in Eugene for two years, Atiyeh joined Atiyeh Brothers, the Portland rug and carpet firm his father had established at the turn of the century. Atiyeh was actively involved with the Boy Scouts, where he holds the highest council and regional adult leadership awards. He served in the Oregon Legislature representing Washington County as a member of the Oregon House of Representaives from 1959 to 1964 and as a state senator from 1965 to 1978.

Atiyeh ran unsuccessfully for Governor in 1974 but won against incumbent Governor Robert Straub in 1978, attracting 55 percent of the vote. He was reelected in 1982 by Oregon's largest gubernatorial margin in 32 years. Among his accomplishments were improving state management, reforming workers compensation, and energy and economic development programs. His administration's priorities included property tax limitation, land use planning reform, renewed aid and commitment to higher education, continued emphasis on economic development, and establishment of special programs for public safety in Oregon's fishing and lumber industries. This administration was successful in creating thousands of diversified jobs and attracting new industries to the state. The Oregon State Lottery, created by initiative petition in 1984, contributed to this success.

Atiyeh took several measures to diversity and strengthen Oregon's timber-dependent economy. These included reducing worker's compensation premiums that were the nation's highest; streamlining Oregon's land-use laws; winning legislative repeal of Oregon's controversial unitary-tax formula; launching a worldwide tourism initiative; leading successful international and domestic trade missions; opening Oregon's first overseas trade office in Tokyo; signing a sister-state agreement with China's Fujian and Taiwan Provinces.

Governor Atiyeh fought for and supported federal legislation designating the Columbia River Gorge as a national scenic preservation area. Atiyeh also showed strong support for historic preservation and the Oregon Arts Commission. New laws against drunken driving were passed during Atiyeh's administration. His Advisory Committee on DUI was effective in heightening public awareness of the seriousness of the drunk driving problem. The Governor's Commission on Aging sponsored the passage of the Senior Services Division which created a more supportive environment to Oregon's older citizens in getting necessary care and services. Atiyeh was instrumental in establishing Oregon Food Share, the nation's first statewide food bank. Because of his successful efforts to enact laws against racial harassment, Atiyeh won the Distinguished Public Service Award of Oregon B'nai B'rith and the highest honor for public service from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Former Governor Atiyeh currently services on the Board of Directors of Atiyeh Brothers and is a consultant in the area of international trade. He and his wife, Dolores, have two children.

http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/governors/Atiyeh/atiyehbio.htm

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Saturday, April 07, 2007

HAPPY EASTER!! Please remember the reason for the season

The last seven utterances of Christ:

Luke 23:34: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Luke 23:43: "Today you will be with me in paradise."

John 19:26-27: "Woman, behold your son; son, behold your mother."

Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

John 19:28: "I thirst."

John 19:30: "It is finished."

Luke 23:46: "Father into your hands I commend my spirit."

The visit of the angel:

Mathew 28:5-7: "The angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. [6] He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. [7] Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Oregon Republican League: History 104 Biographies

Every Wednesday, the Oregon Republican League will post the biographies of important figures, in the League's/State of Oregon's history. Feel free to comment or share stories of your family's Republican affiliation.

Governor Tom McCall
Biographical Note

Thomas Lawson McCall, Governor of Oregon from 1967-1975, was Oregon's thirtieth governor. McCall was born in Egypt, Massachusetts on March 22, 1913. He was the son of Henry McCall and Dorothy Lawson McCall.

Noteworthy accomplishments of his administration included cleaning up the Willamette River; tougher land-use laws; a bill which ended the threat of private development on Oregon's beaches; the nation's first mandatory bottle-deposit law; and creative energy conservation measures, such as a ban on outdoor business lighting during the energy crisis of the 1970's.

McCall's parents moved to Portland from Massachusetts in 1909. Shortly thereafter they moved to a ranch near Prineville on the Crooked River. McCall spent significant time during his childhood both on the ranch and in Massachusetts. McCall attended the University of Oregon, where he graduated with a degree in journalism in 1936. His first job was at the News-Review in Moscow, Idaho, from 1937-1942. In 1939 he married Audrey Owen. They moved back to Oregon and he began working for The Oregonian newspaper, and then as a news announcer at KGW radio. In 1944 their son, Thomas W. L. McCall, Jr. (known as "Tad") was born. McCall enlisted in the Navy that same year, and served as a war correspondent in the Pacific.

In January of 1946 he returned to Oregon and began a nightly radio talk show on KEX in Portland. He joined the Young Republicans, and in 1949 he was offered a job as Governor Douglas McKay's assistant. That same year his second son, Samuel W. McCall III was born.

In 1964 McCall ran for Secretary of State as a stepping-stone to the governorship. He defeated Alfred Corbett, a victory which ran counter to the trend of Republican defeats in the 1964 elections.

In 1966 he decided to run for governor, and found he was opposed by his own party. Nevertheless, he ran on the issue of "livability" and defeated Robert Straub in the general election in November 1966. His first major political victory came with legislation known as the "Beach Bill," which granted the state government the power to zone Oregon's beaches, thus protecting them from private development.

McCall was known for being more publicly accessible than many of his predecessors as governor. He held open houses and enjoyed making public appearances. His independence resulted in poor relations with his own party. However, his accessibility endeared him to the media, which supported him in glowing terms.

In 1969, his belief in the control of development led to a proposal for land-use planning. McCall wanted to broaden Oregon's industrial base, but at the same time insisted on conserving the environment. His proposed legislation (Senate Bill 10) required local governments to complete comprehensive zoning plans within two years.

Perhaps the most famous environmental legislation enacted under McCall was House Bill 1036, the "Bottle Bill," which was the nation's first mandatory bottle-deposit law and was designed to decrease litter in Oregon. The bill was enacted in 1971.

Also in 1970 McCall approved the "Vortex I" rock concert at McIver State Park as a way to divert potential anti-war protestors from rioting during the national American Legion convention in Portland. It was a unique state-supervised event that drew 35,000 participants over several days. Although the danger of rioting was probably minimal, the move nevertheless helped to cement McCall's re-election victory over Robert Straub.

Despite his notoriety as an environmentalist, McCall did side with economic concerns on certain issues, such as timber harvesting (he opposed restrictions on private industry) and nuclear power (he supported the Trojan nuclear facility). With regard to labor concerns, McCall vetoed legislation designed to organize migrant farm workers.

In 1973 land-use planning again became a major issue, and Senate Bill 100 from that session was designed to provide state control over land-use decisions. Although the final bill did not go as far as McCall originally intended, a compromise bill forged by L.B. Day, McCall's head of the Dept. of Environmental Quality, created the Land Conservation and Development Commission.

In 1973 McCall developed a plan for tax reform which included an increase in the income tax and a freeze on property taxes, with the goal to shift funding for schools away from property taxes and toward the income of the wealthy. He encountered fierce opposition to the plan, and relied on his personal popularity to carry it to victory at the polls. However, the proposal failed with the voters.

In terms of national issues, McCall was a vocal and steady supporter of the war effort in Vietnam. He was one of the first prominent Republicans to publicly call for President Nixon's resignation due to the Watergate scandal. In late May of 1973, McCall called for voluntary measures to help alleviate concerns over the energy crisis. He also ordered extensive conservation measures to be followed by state agencies, and ordered businesses to shut off outdoor lighting to conserve energy. He also supported an innovative gas rationing plan that used vehicles' license-plate numbers ("odd" or "even") to determine when a person could purchase gasoline. The latter idea gained national attention.

McCall left office on January 14, 1975. Despite his famous 1971 quote imploring people not to move to the state, Oregon's population grew 25% during his eight years in office. He took a job as KATU television's news analyst, and also traveled nationwide supporting other states' efforts to enact bottle bills similar to Oregon's. He also actively opposed a 1976 effort to abolish the LCDC, and another effort to dismantle it in 1982. In February of 1978 McCall announced he would once again run for governor, however his campaign suffered from a lack of both funding and focus, and he was defeated by Victor Atiyeh in the Republican primary.

In December of 1982 he was hospitalized, and on January 8, 1983 Tom McCall lost a long battle with cancer. He was buried in Redmond Memorial Cemetery.