The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-07-19

Francis Parnell Murphy is noC
an Irish patriot. He is the forth
right appealing governor of the
state of New Hampshire. You have
heard about him in the news but if
you would like to hear quite a
little more about thin and his
record in business and in state
legislation read about him in the
recently published biography,
FRANCIS Parnell Murphy" by
Samuel r. Guard and Lloyd Ora
ham. The small book is quickly
read and tells the story of an
American who made his way in
the world, pulling himself by his
own bootstraps, so to speak. Like
wise he was one to whom you
might apply the catchword state
ment, that he grew from barefoot
boy to governor of the state of
New Hampshire.
The authors have done a good
job in their presentation Of Fran
els Parnell Murphy, whom they
show to be a compelling though
not truculent person and a very
lkable one who started out early
in life with a will to work. 1t
is this ability to work endlessly
that the writer's of the biography
have stressed, and they appear
to have caught the real spirit and
personality of the man, not just a
surface knowledge. They paint a
most flattering picture though they
do not make their subject a sup
erman, just a normal individual
with the brains and the will to
do things for his own advance
mert but at the same time always
looking out for his fellowman.
Well Illustrated
The book is less than one hum
dred and fifty pages and attrac-
lively illustrated. The first chap
ter introduces to the readers the
barefoot boy, son of Patrick Muir
ply who came over from Ireland
with a thorough elementary educa-
ton and the strong will to work
that his son possessed, and who
settled in New Hampshire, learned
how to become a tannery currier,
served in the Civil War with the
9th Vermont Volunteers from
start to finish. married Ellen
Lambert, and had a family Of
eight, the fourth called Francis
Parnell for the great Irish patriot.
The early years of Francis Par
nell Murphy are not described In
any great detail. The family was
poor but their ambitious son man
aged to finish high school. This
was the extent of his education
in schools, but by study and read
ing he made of himself a man Of
wide learning, and later in life
was given honorary degrees from
at least three colleges.
Life began for young Murphy
when he sold himself and his
merits to the McElwain brothers.
He got a job with them and
learned the shoe business from toe
to heel, so much so that he be-
came head of the well known j.
M. McElwain companies with
eleven plants, which plants expect
to make their 100000, 000th pair of
shoes before the close Of this year.
His career in business as related
by the writers is an engrossing
one. His plants operated sue
cessfully and he treated his work.
ers fairly. He created a happy
spirit among his workers, and dur
ing the years Of the growing in
dustries that he managed, he
had always, as he did later when
he became governor, the interest
Of the people at heart.
Notable Achievements
Many important pieces Of legis-
lation have been enacted under
Governor Murphy. The authors re-
late among his notable projects
in the state the famous state bath
house on the ocean at Hampton
Beach, the aerial tramway on
Cannon Mountain in Franconia
Notch; and the Pittsburgh, IN.
H. at the headwaters of the Con-
necticut river) reservoir. Legisla-
lively he has done much, not the
least reducing the state debt and
balancing the budget. He spon-
sored many bills advantageous to
labor, and as the writer's tell us,
mo previous four years in the
history Of New Hampshire saw SO
much fundamentally sound labor
legislation added to the laws Of
the state, as In these four years
Of Governor Murphy" The
biographers stress particularly one
piece Of legislation known as a
Commission for the Promotion OF
the Wealth and Income OF the
People Of New Hampshire" To
them this Is the choice piece OF
legislation among many choice
pieces enacted during Governor
Murphy's office. The authors
consider this one "of the most
outstanding contributions to the
practical knowledge OF state
craft and state economics that has
ever been made IN the history Of
western civilization"
Our bioernphers tell Us thai
Governor Murphy felt "that state
government must be adjusted more
Intimately 10 the changing times
meaning economic and social con.
dllIons.' II u vastly Inetfesiine
u know The governors views o.