Frank Hanly
Encyclopedia
James Franklin Hanly was a United States
politician who served as a congressman from Indiana
from 1895 until 1897, and was the 26th Governor of Indiana
from 1905 to 1909. He was the founder of Hanly's Flying Squadron, which advocated prohibition
nationally and played an important role in raising awareness about the effect of alcohol and arousing public support for prohibition.
During his term as governor he successfully advocated the passage of a local-option liquor law, which led the majority of Indiana's counties to ban liquor sales. His other achievements included banning gambling, fighting political corruption, and adjusting state agencies to operate on a non-partisan basis. He left office and the Republican Party and became an active and vocal prohibitionist. He was an unsuccessful Prohibition Party
candidate for President of the United States
in the 1916 election.
, Champaign County, Illinois
on April 4, 1863, the youngest of the seven children of Elijah and Anna Calton Hanly. His mother taught him to read at home, even though she was blind. As a young man he lived for a while on a farm in the nearby village of Homer
. In Homer he attended the Liberty rural school for one year where he became known as a formidable debater. At age sixteen he left home to attended the common schools and the Eastern Illinois Normal School at Danville
, Vermilion County, Illinois
, until 1879. He worked odd jobs to pay for his schooling, and often slept in barns. That year he graduated he moved to Warren County, Indiana
where he taught in the state public schools from 1881 to 1889.
He met Eva A. R. Simmer and the couple married in 1881. Together, they had five children, but only one survived childhood. While teaching he became friends with a local judge, Joseph M. Rabb. Rabb encouraged Hanly to take an active part in politics and stump in behalf of Republicans. Hanly studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1889, joining Rabb's law office in Williamsport, Indiana
.
, serving from March 4, 1895 to March 3, 1897. During his term his district was realigned by the Democratic controlled Indiana General Assembly
, who created a gerrymander of his district causing him to lose his re-election in 1896.
He launched a campaign for Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in 1899, but was defeated in the Republican legislature vote by Albert J. Beveridge
. The election caused a major division in the state party, and progressive anti-prohibition candidates supported Beveridge, while the prohibition and conservative wing of the party supported Hanly. After losing the nomination, he briefly retired from politics. The split worsened following the election, leading progressives to split from the Republican party. Hanly went on a speaking tour around the state to build up support for another run for office. His speeches were fiery and often quoted Abraham Lincoln
.
Hanly reentered politics in 1904, and won the Republican nomination for governor of Indiana. Hanly was elected Governor of Indiana
, defeating John W. Kern
by 84,364 votes. The election was hard-fought by Hanly, who delivered excoriating speeches against the Democratic party which he referred to as "unholy", and "great only its ability to destroy." He called their election campaign "selfish" and said they ran it only so they could "obtain the flesh pot of office." Hanly was considered a party maverick and he pushed his own agenda, rather than his party's platform, once in office. He pushed for what he considered major state reforms, accomplishing many of them. He crusaded against liquor, horse-racing and political corruption
, even prosecuting members of his own administration for embezzlement
.
Using his popularity, he was able to have the Republican-controlled General Assembly pass legislation to ban gambling on horse races in the state and at the Indiana State Fair
. He successfully reorganized most of the state government in an attempt to make the government bureaus non-partisan. He was able to successfully achieve his goal among the state's law enforcement, correctional facilities, and state-run charities. He also brought considerable improvement to the state's accounting methods. He required detailed expense reports to be created by all state employees seeking reimbursements, began regular audits of all spending, and with the support of the state treasurer, he began to establish new accounts by which the government could better monitor where funds were being spent, and by whom.
In 1907, he signed the Compulsory Sterilization Law, which mandated the sterilization of certain individuals in state custody, making Indiana the first state to adopt eugenics
legislation. The legislation was part of the progressive agenda and received broad support at the time. Governor Thomas R. Marshall
later ordered the practice stopped in 1909. In 1921, the Indiana Supreme Court found the law unconstitutional
.
A major scandal broke shortly after he entered office, when it was found the public officials had been using their expense accounts to pay for gambling debts at the French Licks Springs Hotel, owned by the chairman of the Democratic National Committee
, Thomas Taggart
. Hanly harangued Taggart for breaking the law by establishing a "Monte Carlo." He ordered the state police to raid French Lick, and seized several slot machines, roulette wheels, poker sets, playing cards, Klondike tables, gambling records, dice, and a whole host of other gambling implements. He brought suit against Taggart and seized his company. The case dragged on until Hanly left office; after his Democratic successor came to office, the case was dropped.
Hanly was most concerned about temperance and was known to support a ban on liquor. His stated reason for supporting prohibition was the effect that alcoholics had on their children. He championed a bill that would allow counties to ban the sale of alcohol. The General Assembly had failed to pass the bill during their two normal sessions during his terms, so he called a special session
in 1908 to have the body take up debate of the propose bill, which they passed. Once enacted, 72 of Indiana's 92 counties went dry, banning the sale of all liquors. The timing of the passage of the bill caused it to become a major election issue, and Hanly had robbed the Republicans of one of the primary plank of their platform and alienated progressives, costing Republicans the election.
. Early on he discovered the divisions within the prohibitionist movement and was instrumental in unifying the groups and their goal. He was among the first to advocate a constitutional amendment to ban the sale of liquor, and the prohibitionists rallied to that goal.
Hanly was a prohibition
lecturer throughout the United States from 1910 to 1920 and in France
in 1919. He organized the Flying Squadron of America
(sometimes called Hanly's Flying Squadron), a temperance organization that staged a nationwide campaign to promote temperance. It consisted of three groups of revivalist-like speakers who toured cities across the country between September 30, 1914 and June 6, 1915.
Hanly left the Republican party to join the new Prohibition Party
following his term as governor. In 1915 he was nominated to be the party's candidate for governor, but he declined, and instead became the Progressive Party
's candidate. He was later nominated to be the Prohibition Party's candidate for President of the United States in the 1916 election. Hanly was overwhelmingly defeated; the ticket of Hanly and Ira Landrith garnered 221,030 votes, or about 1.2% of the total.
In April 1920 Hanly argued the case of Hawke v. Smith
, a challenge to the Eighteenth Amendment, before the United States Supreme Court. The case was based on the belief that the amendment had been invalidated when Ohio
overturned their previous ratification of the amendment after a public referendum. Hanly won a unanimous decision issued on June 1, 1920, upholding prohibition and determining that Ohio could not change their vote after the tally had already been taken among the states.
in 1920 to give anti-liquor lectures, he was involved in an automobile-train accident near Dennison, Ohio
and died from his injuries. He is interred at Hillside Cemetery, near Williamsport, Indiana. Hanly is remembered as an enigmatic reformer and the Don Quixote for prohibition. He remains one of Indiana's most controversial governors.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician who served as a congressman from Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
from 1895 until 1897, and was the 26th Governor of Indiana
Governor of Indiana
The Governor of Indiana is the chief executive of the state of Indiana. The governor is elected to a four-year term, and responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many agencies of the Indiana state government. The governor also shares power with other statewide...
from 1905 to 1909. He was the founder of Hanly's Flying Squadron, which advocated prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
nationally and played an important role in raising awareness about the effect of alcohol and arousing public support for prohibition.
During his term as governor he successfully advocated the passage of a local-option liquor law, which led the majority of Indiana's counties to ban liquor sales. His other achievements included banning gambling, fighting political corruption, and adjusting state agencies to operate on a non-partisan basis. He left office and the Republican Party and became an active and vocal prohibitionist. He was an unsuccessful Prohibition Party
Prohibition Party
The Prohibition Party is a political party in the United States best known for its historic opposition to the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages. It is the oldest existing third party in the US. The party was an integral part of the temperance movement...
candidate for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
in the 1916 election.
Early life
Hanly was born in a log cabin near St. JosephSt. Joseph, Illinois
The Village of St. Joseph was founded 28 April 1881 and is located in St. Joseph Township, Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,967 at the 2010 census.-Geography:St...
, Champaign County, Illinois
Champaign County, Illinois
Champaign County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 201,081, which is an increase of 11.9% from 179,669 in 2000.. It is the 10th most populous county in Illinois...
on April 4, 1863, the youngest of the seven children of Elijah and Anna Calton Hanly. His mother taught him to read at home, even though she was blind. As a young man he lived for a while on a farm in the nearby village of Homer
Homer, Illinois
Homer is a village in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. Its population was 1,193 at the 2010 census.- History :Homer grew from a settlement named Union, which was on the Fort Clark or State Road running between Danville and Urbana, nearly three miles north of the present town...
. In Homer he attended the Liberty rural school for one year where he became known as a formidable debater. At age sixteen he left home to attended the common schools and the Eastern Illinois Normal School at Danville
Danville, Illinois
Danville is a city in Vermilion County, Illinois, United States. It is the principal city of the'Danville, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses all of Danville and Vermilion County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 32,467. It is the county seat of...
, Vermilion County, Illinois
Vermilion County, Illinois
Vermilion County is a county located in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Illinois, between the Indiana border and Champaign County. It was established in 1826 and was the 45th of Illinois' 102 counties...
, until 1879. He worked odd jobs to pay for his schooling, and often slept in barns. That year he graduated he moved to Warren County, Indiana
Warren County, Indiana
Warren County lies in western Indiana between the Illinois border and the Wabash River in the United States. Before the arrival of non-indigenous settlers in the early 19th century, the area was inhabited by several Native American tribes. The county was officially established in 1827 and...
where he taught in the state public schools from 1881 to 1889.
He met Eva A. R. Simmer and the couple married in 1881. Together, they had five children, but only one survived childhood. While teaching he became friends with a local judge, Joseph M. Rabb. Rabb encouraged Hanly to take an active part in politics and stump in behalf of Republicans. Hanly studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1889, joining Rabb's law office in Williamsport, Indiana
Williamsport, Indiana
Williamsport is a town in Washington Township, Warren County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,898 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Warren County and is the largest of the four incorporated towns in the county...
.
Early campaigns
He was elected as a member of the Indiana State Senate in an 1889 special election to fill and empty state senate seat, defeating George W. Cronk, and served there from 1890 until 1891. In the senate he gained a reputation for vigorous oration. He ran as a Republican and won election to the Fifty-fourth Congress54th United States Congress
- House of Representatives :-Leadership:- Senate :* President: Adlai E. Stevenson * President pro tempore: William P. Frye - Majority leadership :* Republican Conference Chairman: John Sherman- Minority leadership :...
, serving from March 4, 1895 to March 3, 1897. During his term his district was realigned by the Democratic controlled Indiana General Assembly
Indiana General Assembly
The Indiana General Assembly is the state legislature, or legislative branch, of the state of Indiana. It is a bicameral legislature that consists of a lower house, the Indiana House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Indiana Senate...
, who created a gerrymander of his district causing him to lose his re-election in 1896.
He launched a campaign for Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in 1899, but was defeated in the Republican legislature vote by Albert J. Beveridge
Albert J. Beveridge
Albert Jeremiah Beveridge was an American historian and United States Senator from Indiana.-Early years:Albert J. Beveridge was born October 6, 1862 in Highland County, Ohio and his parents moved to Indiana soon after his birth, and his boyhood was one of hard work...
. The election caused a major division in the state party, and progressive anti-prohibition candidates supported Beveridge, while the prohibition and conservative wing of the party supported Hanly. After losing the nomination, he briefly retired from politics. The split worsened following the election, leading progressives to split from the Republican party. Hanly went on a speaking tour around the state to build up support for another run for office. His speeches were fiery and often quoted Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
.
Governor
Governor of Indiana
The Governor of Indiana is the chief executive of the state of Indiana. The governor is elected to a four-year term, and responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many agencies of the Indiana state government. The governor also shares power with other statewide...
, defeating John W. Kern
John W. Kern
John Worth Kern was a Democratic United States Senator from Indiana. While the title was not official, he is considered to be the first Senate Majority leader , while serving concurrently as Chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus.Born in Alto, Indiana, Kern studied law at the University of...
by 84,364 votes. The election was hard-fought by Hanly, who delivered excoriating speeches against the Democratic party which he referred to as "unholy", and "great only its ability to destroy." He called their election campaign "selfish" and said they ran it only so they could "obtain the flesh pot of office." Hanly was considered a party maverick and he pushed his own agenda, rather than his party's platform, once in office. He pushed for what he considered major state reforms, accomplishing many of them. He crusaded against liquor, horse-racing and political corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
, even prosecuting members of his own administration for embezzlement
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
.
Using his popularity, he was able to have the Republican-controlled General Assembly pass legislation to ban gambling on horse races in the state and at the Indiana State Fair
Indiana State Fair
The Indiana State Fair is an annual fair held in Indianapolis, Indiana, usually in the month of August. The first fair was held in 1881 and the 2009 fair had the highest number of attendees at 973,902....
. He successfully reorganized most of the state government in an attempt to make the government bureaus non-partisan. He was able to successfully achieve his goal among the state's law enforcement, correctional facilities, and state-run charities. He also brought considerable improvement to the state's accounting methods. He required detailed expense reports to be created by all state employees seeking reimbursements, began regular audits of all spending, and with the support of the state treasurer, he began to establish new accounts by which the government could better monitor where funds were being spent, and by whom.
In 1907, he signed the Compulsory Sterilization Law, which mandated the sterilization of certain individuals in state custody, making Indiana the first state to adopt eugenics
Eugenics
Eugenics is the "applied science or the bio-social movement which advocates the use of practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of a population", usually referring to human populations. The origins of the concept of eugenics began with certain interpretations of Mendelian inheritance,...
legislation. The legislation was part of the progressive agenda and received broad support at the time. Governor Thomas R. Marshall
Thomas R. Marshall
Thomas Riley Marshall was an American Democratic politician who served as the 28th Vice President of the United States under Woodrow Wilson...
later ordered the practice stopped in 1909. In 1921, the Indiana Supreme Court found the law unconstitutional
Constitutionality
Constitutionality is the condition of acting in accordance with an applicable constitution. Acts that are not in accordance with the rules laid down in the constitution are deemed to be ultra vires.-See also:*ultra vires*Company law*Constitutional law...
.
A major scandal broke shortly after he entered office, when it was found the public officials had been using their expense accounts to pay for gambling debts at the French Licks Springs Hotel, owned by the chairman of the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
, Thomas Taggart
Thomas Taggart
Thomas Taggart was a U.S. political figure, serving as mayor of Indianapolis and influential in state and national politics.-Early life and family:...
. Hanly harangued Taggart for breaking the law by establishing a "Monte Carlo." He ordered the state police to raid French Lick, and seized several slot machines, roulette wheels, poker sets, playing cards, Klondike tables, gambling records, dice, and a whole host of other gambling implements. He brought suit against Taggart and seized his company. The case dragged on until Hanly left office; after his Democratic successor came to office, the case was dropped.
Hanly was most concerned about temperance and was known to support a ban on liquor. His stated reason for supporting prohibition was the effect that alcoholics had on their children. He championed a bill that would allow counties to ban the sale of alcohol. The General Assembly had failed to pass the bill during their two normal sessions during his terms, so he called a special session
Special session
In a legislature, a special session is a period when the body convenes outside of the normal legislative session. This most frequently occurs in order to complete unfinished tasks for the year , such as outlining the government's budget for the next fiscal year, biennium, or other period...
in 1908 to have the body take up debate of the propose bill, which they passed. Once enacted, 72 of Indiana's 92 counties went dry, banning the sale of all liquors. The timing of the passage of the bill caused it to become a major election issue, and Hanly had robbed the Republicans of one of the primary plank of their platform and alienated progressives, costing Republicans the election.
Prohibition party
While still governor, Hanly began to make work with the Anti-Saloon LeagueAnti-Saloon League
The Anti-Saloon League was the leading organization lobbying for prohibition in the United States in the early 20th century. It was a key component of the Progressive Era, and was strongest in the South and rural North, drawing heavy support from pietistic Protestant ministers and their...
. Early on he discovered the divisions within the prohibitionist movement and was instrumental in unifying the groups and their goal. He was among the first to advocate a constitutional amendment to ban the sale of liquor, and the prohibitionists rallied to that goal.
Hanly was a prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
lecturer throughout the United States from 1910 to 1920 and in France
French Third Republic
The French Third Republic was the republican government of France from 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed due to the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, to 1940, when France was overrun by Nazi Germany during World War II, resulting in the German and Italian occupations of France...
in 1919. He organized the Flying Squadron of America
Flying Squadron of America
The Flying Squadron of America was a temperance organization that staged a nationwide campaign to promote the temperance movement in the U.S. It consisted of three groups of revivalist-like speakers who toured cities across the country between September 30, 1914, and June 6, 1915. The Squadron,...
(sometimes called Hanly's Flying Squadron), a temperance organization that staged a nationwide campaign to promote temperance. It consisted of three groups of revivalist-like speakers who toured cities across the country between September 30, 1914 and June 6, 1915.
Hanly left the Republican party to join the new Prohibition Party
Prohibition Party
The Prohibition Party is a political party in the United States best known for its historic opposition to the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages. It is the oldest existing third party in the US. The party was an integral part of the temperance movement...
following his term as governor. In 1915 he was nominated to be the party's candidate for governor, but he declined, and instead became the Progressive Party
Progressive Party (United States, 1912)
The Progressive Party of 1912 was an American political party. It was formed after a split in the Republican Party between President William Howard Taft and former President Theodore Roosevelt....
's candidate. He was later nominated to be the Prohibition Party's candidate for President of the United States in the 1916 election. Hanly was overwhelmingly defeated; the ticket of Hanly and Ira Landrith garnered 221,030 votes, or about 1.2% of the total.
In April 1920 Hanly argued the case of Hawke v. Smith
Hawke v. Smith
Hawke v. Smith, , was a United States Supreme Court case coming out of the state of Ohio. It challenged the validity of the way in which the 18th Amendment had been passed.- Background :...
, a challenge to the Eighteenth Amendment, before the United States Supreme Court. The case was based on the belief that the amendment had been invalidated when Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
overturned their previous ratification of the amendment after a public referendum. Hanly won a unanimous decision issued on June 1, 1920, upholding prohibition and determining that Ohio could not change their vote after the tally had already been taken among the states.
Death
While on a trip to OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
in 1920 to give anti-liquor lectures, he was involved in an automobile-train accident near Dennison, Ohio
Dennison, Ohio
Dennison is a village in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,992 at the 2000 census, while the 2006 Census Bureau estimate listed a population of 2,908.- History :...
and died from his injuries. He is interred at Hillside Cemetery, near Williamsport, Indiana. Hanly is remembered as an enigmatic reformer and the Don Quixote for prohibition. He remains one of Indiana's most controversial governors.
Electoral history
Source (Popular Vote): Source (Electoral Vote):See also
- List of Governors of Indiana
- Flying SquadronFlying Squadron of AmericaThe Flying Squadron of America was a temperance organization that staged a nationwide campaign to promote the temperance movement in the U.S. It consisted of three groups of revivalist-like speakers who toured cities across the country between September 30, 1914, and June 6, 1915. The Squadron,...
Also known as "Hanly's Flying Squadron." - Temperance movementTemperance movementA temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
- Temperance organizations