Don L. Short
Encyclopedia
Don Levingston Short was a cattle rancher and politician from Billings County, North Dakota
. His career in politics reached its pinnacle when he was elected as a U.S. Representative
in 1958, and was a member of the United States Congress
from January 3, 1959 to January 3, 1965.
to Connerran and Anne Short. Less than a year later the family moved to North Dakota and what would become the Short Ranch. The ranch is located in Billings County, North Dakota; near the town of Medora
where Short attended public schools. He also attended the St. James School in Faribault, Minnesota, and an agricultural short course at Montana State University at Bozeman. Short graduated from Pillsbury Military Academy, Owatonna, Minnesota
, in 1921; and was a student at the University of Minnesota
1922-1926, where he joined Phi Kappa Psi
. After attending college he returned to the Short Ranch. In 1929 he married Edith Whittemore, a Medora school teacher. He made his living as a cattle rancher and farmer.
Short and Edith ran the ranch with their son Con Short (Buzzie) until the former congressman's health failed in his late 70s. He developed Alzheimer's in his last few years and became more and more uncomfortable outside of Beach, ND. He was a long-time resident of Beach. He greatly enjoyed driving back and forth from Beach to the ranch in his later years to check on cattle and crops, until his death in Dickinson, N.D., on May 10, 1982. He was interred in the scenic Medora Cemetery, Medora. His gravestone is inscribed COWBOY, and sits on the top of a bluff overlooking town of Medora, next to the Medora Musical outdoor theater.
While in Washington, D.C. he became friends with George H. W. Bush and Richard Nixon in his time in the House of Representatives . He was remembered by ND political writer Daryl Dorgan, brother of Senator Byron Dorgan (D, ND) as one of the last true statesmen after his death in 1982.
, Eighty-seventh
, and Eighty-eighth
Congresses. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1964 to the Eighty-ninth
Congress. His defeat was attributed to the efforts of Senator Milton Young (a ND Republican Senator. Young actively and covertly worked to have Short defeated even refusing to endorse Short as he had eagerly had given his support in previous elections. Two years later, Short was asked to run for Congress again, but declined as he had moved back to tend to the ranch.
The nature of Don Short's and Milt Young's dispute was money versus stewardship. Milt Young and Don Short disagreed about the need for a highway through an unspoiled piece of America's scenic national treasure, The Badlands. Short voted against building a US highway through the National Grasslands. Young disagreed with him. Short's efforts won in the long run as no US highway was ever built and the land remains unspoiled and pristine.
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. His career in politics reached its pinnacle when he was elected as a U.S. Representative
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 1958, and was a member of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
from January 3, 1959 to January 3, 1965.
Biography
Don L. Short was born June 22, 1903 in Le Mars, IowaLe Mars, Iowa
Le Mars is a city in and the county seat of Plymouth County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,237 at the 2000 census. Le Mars is the home of Wells' Dairy, the world's largest producer of ice cream novelties in one location and is the self-proclaimed "Ice Cream Capital of the World". Wells...
to Connerran and Anne Short. Less than a year later the family moved to North Dakota and what would become the Short Ranch. The ranch is located in Billings County, North Dakota; near the town of Medora
Medora, North Dakota
In the city the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males...
where Short attended public schools. He also attended the St. James School in Faribault, Minnesota, and an agricultural short course at Montana State University at Bozeman. Short graduated from Pillsbury Military Academy, Owatonna, Minnesota
Owatonna, Minnesota
Owatonna is a city in Steele County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 25,599 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Steele County. Owatonna is home to the Steele County Fairgrounds, which hosts the Steele County Free Fair in August....
, in 1921; and was a student at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
1922-1926, where he joined Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania on February 19, 1852. There are over a hundred chapters and colonies at accredited four year colleges and universities throughout the United States. More than 112,000 men have been...
. After attending college he returned to the Short Ranch. In 1929 he married Edith Whittemore, a Medora school teacher. He made his living as a cattle rancher and farmer.
Short and Edith ran the ranch with their son Con Short (Buzzie) until the former congressman's health failed in his late 70s. He developed Alzheimer's in his last few years and became more and more uncomfortable outside of Beach, ND. He was a long-time resident of Beach. He greatly enjoyed driving back and forth from Beach to the ranch in his later years to check on cattle and crops, until his death in Dickinson, N.D., on May 10, 1982. He was interred in the scenic Medora Cemetery, Medora. His gravestone is inscribed COWBOY, and sits on the top of a bluff overlooking town of Medora, next to the Medora Musical outdoor theater.
While in Washington, D.C. he became friends with George H. W. Bush and Richard Nixon in his time in the House of Representatives . He was remembered by ND political writer Daryl Dorgan, brother of Senator Byron Dorgan (D, ND) as one of the last true statesmen after his death in 1982.
Politics
Short began his career in politics as a County Supervisor for the Farm Security Administration from 1937 to 1938. In 1957 he became a member of the North Dakota State Assembly. As a Republican candidate in 1958 he was elected as a member of the United States House of Representatives. He took office January 3, 1959 representing Dakota's 1st congressional district. He was a member of the Eighty-sixth86th United States Congress
The Eighty-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1959 to January 3, 1961, during the last two years...
, Eighty-seventh
87th United States Congress
-House of Representatives :-Senate:* President: Richard Nixon , until January 20, 1961** Lyndon Johnson , from January 20, 1961* President pro tempore: Carl Hayden -House of Representatives:...
, and Eighty-eighth
88th United States Congress
The Eighty-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1963 to January 3, 1965, during the last year of...
Congresses. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1964 to the Eighty-ninth
89th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:- Senate :* President of the Senate: Hubert Humphrey , starting January 20, 1965* President pro tempore: Carl Hayden - Majority leadership :* Majority Leader and Democratic Conference Chairman: Mike Mansfield...
Congress. His defeat was attributed to the efforts of Senator Milton Young (a ND Republican Senator. Young actively and covertly worked to have Short defeated even refusing to endorse Short as he had eagerly had given his support in previous elections. Two years later, Short was asked to run for Congress again, but declined as he had moved back to tend to the ranch.
The nature of Don Short's and Milt Young's dispute was money versus stewardship. Milt Young and Don Short disagreed about the need for a highway through an unspoiled piece of America's scenic national treasure, The Badlands. Short voted against building a US highway through the National Grasslands. Young disagreed with him. Short's efforts won in the long run as no US highway was ever built and the land remains unspoiled and pristine.