Montana labor news., 1936-01-16
P. Monaghan
in Senatorial Race

Congressman Joseph P. Monaghan,
who represented the First District for
the past four years in Congress, an
nounces in Washington that he will
be a candidate for the United States
Senate to fill the regular full term Of
the office made vacant by the death Of
Senator Walsh in 1888. Greater OPP
portunity for public service he states,
'impels me to be a candidate for the
United States Senate"
Informed hat the State Board of
the Townsend Old Age Pension organ
ization had endorsed Monaghan for
election to the United States Senate,
Congressman McGroarty Of Califor-
MIA telegraphed Mr.. William Thoma-
son of Deer Lodge for confirmation :
Understand State Townsend Old Age
Pension Board of Montana endorsed
Congressman Monaghan for the United
States Senate in forthcoming election
and insists upon his becoming a can
didate. Please advise whether or not
this good news to me and other Town
send supporters is correct. (s) John
Stevens McGroarty, NC Eleventh Dis
trict, California
To which the following reply was
received
Happy to advise Congressman Mon
Afghan first choice OARF State Or
ganization in Montana for United
States Senate Two other candidates
Withdraw in Monaghan's favor (s) VIM.
Thomson President Powell County
Townsend Clubs Montana"
Congressman Monaghan has made
pension legislation his major congress
ional activity, in particular having in
troduced and sponsored the Townsend
Plan as an amendment to the Social
Security Act and having filed a petit
ton to bring the McGroarty Bill, en-
bodying the Townsend Plan, to a vote.
Prior to this activity and as one of his
first official acts, Mr.. Monaghan intro
duced an Old Age Pension Bill.
In the United Press dispatch from
Washington, January 9, 1884, Duane
Wilson said Representative Joseph P.
Monaghan Dem) Of Montana
plans to devote a major part of his
legislative career toward passage Of a
Federal Old Age Pension Law
This, Monaghan believes, would have
a two-fold effect: ID it would provide
a respectable living for men and wo-
men who have become superannuated
and who are now dependent on rela-
tives or charity, and (2) it would re-
lieve unemployment, in hat aged work
ers now forced to continue on their
jobs could retire thus making way for
younger men and women"
Mr. Monaghan later circulated a pet
ition to block the adjournment OF Con-
gress until the passage Of the Railway
pension bill in 1884, which was enacted,
declared unconstitutional and later re-
enacted in an improved form largely
as a result OF Congressman Monag-
hans circulation Of another petition in
1885 to block adjournment.
Immediately after the Supreme Court
declared the Railway Pension Act I'M
constitutional. Congressman Monag-
han rose on the Floor OF the House
and challenged the power of the Sup
RENE Court to thus negative acts Of
the people enacted through their duly
elected representatives. In this con-
%nection Congressman Crosser stated
that Congressman Monaghan's speech
of May 8, 1885, wa "~forceful, convinc-
ing and a valuable public service"
Congressman Monaghan has been an
advocate Of the outright cash payment
of the soldiers bonus, and supported
all farm legislation the thirty-hour
week and other progressive measures.
As a result of his active career in Con-
|gress, Mr.. Monaghan's candidacy for
the United States Senate has been dis
cussed in political circles throughout
the state for some time. and his pre-
sent official announcement is no sur
prise to political observers.
Mr.. Monaghan is entirely a Montana
product. He was born in Butte in 1906.
AT Carroll College, where for two years
he was captain of an undefeated de-
bate team, he obtained an A. B. De-
gree, won the State oratorial contest
and placed second in the Pacific Coast
finals of the National competition. He
studied law at the University of Mon
tana, was admitted to the Bar on June
2, 1881, and practiced law in Butte.
The electorate of Butte sent him as re-
preventative to the tw~enty-first session
of the State Legislature, where he made
such a distinguished record that the
voters Of the First Montana District
elected him to the seventy-third Con-
gress. His work in the 73rd Congress
was so outstanding that he was re-nom-
mated TO the seat by $4,000 majority
and reelected to the 74th Congress by
$1,000 majority, these being the largest
pluralities ever received by a candidate
the First District of Montana. Con-
gresham Monaghan was married to
Catherine McDermott, popular young
Butte girl, on December 80, 1888. They
have a son, Joseph, Jr.
TTTCKEHEE Al, -(Epl - vnch