Governor Benson undertook no major changes in the state government despite holding two of the states most powerful offices. Instead, he called for a special session of the Legislative Assembly to pass a bill which had been overlooked in the last (25th Biennial) Session. This bill funded operation costs for the state's major institutions, namely the state's prison, reform school, mental hospital, school for the blind, and veteran's home. He also attempted to settle a boundary dispute with neighboring Washington.
Benson had been gravely ill even before he accepted the governorship. Although his condition had seemed to improve since taking office, he left for California in 1910 to seek further treatment. On June 15, 1910, Benson telephoned his priovate secretary, transfering the Governor's powers to Oregon State Senate President Jay Bowerman until he could return to Salem. Bowerman was sworn in as Acting Governor on June 16, 1910. Benso had indicated that he hoped to return by July 20, 1910. He did not seek reelection as Governor; but won reelection as Secretary of State in 1910. Although retaining one of his positions, Benson did not return as planned. His health continued to fail in Redlands, California, where he died April 14, 1911.
Jay Bowerman
Jay Bowerman (August 15, 1876 – October 25, 1957) was an American politician, a Republican, who served most notably as the 13th Governor of Oregon.
Bowerman was born in Hesper, Iowa, the son of Daniel and Lydia (Battey) Bowerman. His siblings were named Ralph, Martha and Mary.
He received his early education in public schools of Hesper, then moved to Salem, Oregon in 1893. He entered Willamette University that same year and graduated with a law degree in 1896 at the age of twenty. He was admitted to the Oregon Bar the following year, practicing law in Salem until 1899. He then moved to Condon, in Gilliam County, Oregon, where he lived for the next twelve years. There he became a law partner of H. H. Henricks. Bowerman's service in the Spanish-American War briefly interrupted his practice of the law.
He married Elizabeth Hoover in 1903 and together they had three children: William, Daniel and Elizabeth. However, the couple divorced and Bowerman married Wayfe Hockett in 1914; this marriage produced two further children, Sally and Jayne.
He was elected to the Oregon State Senate from Gilliam County in 1904 and was reelected four years later. He served as president of that body from 1909 to 1911. When Governor Frank W. Benson was incapacitated by ill health in June 1910, he asked Bowerman. as President of the Senate, to assume gubernatorial responsibilities. On June 16, 1910, at age thirty-three, Bowerman became Acting Governor.
Mindful of bureaucratic economy, Bowerman advocated establishment of a Board of Control to administer the state institutions, which would permit fiscal savings by combined purchasing for state institutions through the office of a single purchasing agent. However, the Board of Control was not established until the administration of his successor. He acted to reduce the risk of loss through bank failure by prohibiting Oregon bankers from the use of speculative stock as assets if they had actively promoted that stock. In 1904 the citizens of Oregon adopted a direct primary law prohibiting party nominating conventions. But establishment Republicans, unwilling to relinquish party control over nominations, held an "assembly" in 1910 at which they nominated Bowerman as their candidate for governor. He was therefore cast in the role of opponent of the "Oregon System" of direct government by his Democratic gubernatorial rival, Oswald West. Bowerman campaigned on a platform supporting modernized highway systems, increased economies in the administration of government, and continued tight control of state land management. West defeated him, however, 54,853 votes to 48,751.
After leaving the office of governor on January 8, 1911, Bowerman moved to Portland, where he resumed the practice of law. He was reelected President of the State Senate but retired following the 1911 session. As a private citizen he actively supported Oregon's first statewide bond issue for highway construction, a $6,000,000 proposal. He also served as an active lobbyist for years at the State Legislature. He died in Portland in 1957.
Oswald West
Oswald West (May 20, 1873- August 22, 1960) was an American politician, a Democrat, who served most notably as the 14th Governor of the state Oregon.
West was born in Ontario, Canada but moved to Salem, Oregon with his family at the age of four where he attended school and eventually went into banking. After several years as a banker in Salem and Astoria, Oregon and a six month stint searching for gold in Alaska West gained an appointment to the State Land Commission. He proved effective in his position with the State Land Commission recovering almost 1 million acres of fraudulently held state land. After leaving the Land Commission he earned a term the Oregon Railroad Commission where he again found a great deal of success.
In 1910 he gained the Democratic nomination for Governor and went on to defeat his opponent and take the office. While in office West defended what he called the "Oregon System" which included initiative and referendum systems still in use in many western American states today. These systems led to women's suffrage, prohibition and various workers rights laws being put in to action under his lead. All pet issues of Governor West.
West's most notable work was in protecting the state's natural resources. It was under his administration the beaches bordering the Pacific Ocean were protected for public use; the office of State Forester and the Bureau of Forestry were established; and the Fish Commission and Game Commission were created.
West served only one term, opting not to run for re-election in the 1914 election. He instead moved his family to Portland, Oregon where he practiced law. He died in Portland on August 22, 1960.
Oswald West State Park on the Oregon coast was named in his honor.
James Withycombe
James Withycombe (March 21, 1843-March 3, 1919) was a British-born American politician, a Republican, and the 15th Governor of Oregon.
Born to Thomas and Mary Ann Withycombe in Devonshire, England, English tenant farmers in 1843. Withycome emigrated to the United States with his parents in 1871, settling on a farm near Hilsboro, Oregon. After turning 17, he spent four years working on his father's farm. In 1873, Withycomb purchased his own 100 acre parcel on the Horace Lindsay Land Claim, later expanding his holdings to 256 acres. Agriculture became Withycomb's passion, becoming a prosperous livestock breeder and establishing a reputation as a sucessful scientific farmer.
His sucess led to his involvement in local farming organizations. He became a charter member of the Farmington Grange, and later became a leader in the state grange movement. From these platforms, Withycomb's efficient, innovative, and profitable farming methods became a model for farmers across the Pacific Northwest. His stature gained him an appointment as State Veterinarian in 1889, where he would diligently work to improve conditions of livestock health around the state.
Although mostly self-educated, he was sought after by the Oregon Agricultural College at Corvallis (now Oregon State University) in 1898 to head up the college's experimental farming station. He recieved his Master's Degree in Agriculture 1891 from OAC. Using this position to advance Oregon agriculture, he would play a major part in introducing alfalfa and clover to Eastern Oregon, laying the groundwork for the region's future agricultural economy.