James F. Burke
Encyclopedia
James Francis Burke was Republican
member of the U.S. House of Representatives
for Pennsylvania
.
, Pennsylvania in 1867. He studied law at the University of Michigan
at Ann Arbor where he graduated 1892. While at Michigan he organized the American Republican College League, the predecessor to the College Republicans
. Petitioning then president, Republican William McKinley
Burke won approval for the organization and hosted an inigural banquet attended by McKinley along with 1,500 college students The organization quickly spread to almost every college in the country. In 1888 at age 21, Burke was made secretary of the committee in charge of the dedication of the then-new Allegheny County Court House, at which President Rutherford B. Hays made the dedicating address.
. He was the secretary of the Republican National Committee
in 1892, resigning during the same year to devote his entire time to his duties as president of the American Republican College League.
During his time in congress, Burke served on a number of committees, including:
He had a hand in a number of important pieces of legislation, including taking an active role in framing the Federal Reserve Act
which created the Federal Reserve Bank
, America's central bank
.
He was appointed a delegate to the Parliamentary Peace Conference at Brussels
in 1905. He was appointed by President Benjamin Harrison
to codify the navigation laws of the United States
. He was officer of, or a delegate to, the Republican National Conventions from 1892 to 1924, with the exception of the year 1912.
. In December, 1917 he became United States Government Director of War Savings during the First World War.
Following his political career, Burke resumed the practice of law, practicing for 10 years as a criminal lawyer at the Allegheny county bar. Additionally, he was elected General Counsel of the Republican National Committee
in December 1927 and served until his death. He was parliamentarian of the Republican National Convention
at Kansas City, Missouri
, in 1928.
Burke wrote a number of treatises, including "The Powers of the President", investigating the roll of the President during wartime, and a history of the World Peace Conference entitled "Perplexing Problems of the World's Peace Conference".
where he had a summer house. At one point the United States Golf Association
asked him to prepare a set of rules which was ultimately presented to the international committee at St Andrews in Scotland.
In 1895 Burke married Josephine Birch Scott of Detroit, Michigan, and had two children, James Scott Burke and Josephine Frances Burke. He died in Washington, D.C.
, and is buried in the Roman Catholic Calvary Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the U.S. House of Representatives
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...
for Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Early life
James Burke was born in Petroleum CenterPetroleum Center, Pennsylvania
Petroleum Center is a populated place in Cornplanter Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania, United States. In the 19th century the name was also spelled "Petroleum Centre". The town today is almost deserted.-Geography:...
, Pennsylvania in 1867. He studied law at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
at Ann Arbor where he graduated 1892. While at Michigan he organized the American Republican College League, the predecessor to the College Republicans
College Republicans
The College Republican National Committee is a national organization for college and university students who support the Republican Party of the United States...
. Petitioning then president, Republican William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
Burke won approval for the organization and hosted an inigural banquet attended by McKinley along with 1,500 college students The organization quickly spread to almost every college in the country. In 1888 at age 21, Burke was made secretary of the committee in charge of the dedication of the then-new Allegheny County Court House, at which President Rutherford B. Hays made the dedicating address.
Legal career
After graduating from Michigan he was admitted to the Allegheny County bar the same year. Subsequently he was admitted to the Superior and Supreme courts of Pennsylvania, and later to the United States Supreme Court, and commenced practice in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. He was the secretary of the Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
in 1892, resigning during the same year to devote his entire time to his duties as president of the American Republican College League.
Political career
Burke ran for congress in 1904 and was elected by a wide majority. He subsequently served five consecutive terms. He was chairman of the congressional committee which inaugurated William Howard Taft as President.During his time in congress, Burke served on a number of committees, including:
- Committee on EducationUnited States House Committee on Education and the WorkforceThe Committee on Education and the Workforce is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. From 1947 until 1994 and again from 2007 to 2011, during Democratic control of the House, it was known as the Committee on Education and Labor.-History of the Committee:Attempts were...
- Chairman - Military Affairs Committee
- Committee on Banking and Currency
He had a hand in a number of important pieces of legislation, including taking an active role in framing the Federal Reserve Act
Federal Reserve Act
The Federal Reserve Act is an Act of Congress that created and set up the Federal Reserve System, the central banking system of the United States of America, and granted it the legal authority to issue Federal Reserve Notes and Federal Reserve Bank Notes as legal tender...
which created the Federal Reserve Bank
Federal Reserve Bank
The twelve Federal Reserve Banks form a major part of the Federal Reserve System, the central banking system of the United States. The twelve federal reserve banks together divide the nation into twelve Federal Reserve Districts, the twelve banking districts created by the Federal Reserve Act of...
, America's central bank
Central bank
A central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is a public institution that usually issues the currency, regulates the money supply, and controls the interest rates in a country. Central banks often also oversee the commercial banking system of their respective countries...
.
He was appointed a delegate to the Parliamentary Peace Conference at Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
in 1905. He was appointed by President Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...
to codify the navigation laws of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He was officer of, or a delegate to, the Republican National Conventions from 1892 to 1924, with the exception of the year 1912.
Post-Congress career
He was not a candidate for renomination in 1914United States House election, 1914
The U.S. House election, 1914 was an election for the United States House of Representatives in 1914 which occurred in the middle of President Woodrow Wilson's first term....
. In December, 1917 he became United States Government Director of War Savings during the First World War.
Following his political career, Burke resumed the practice of law, practicing for 10 years as a criminal lawyer at the Allegheny county bar. Additionally, he was elected General Counsel of the Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
in December 1927 and served until his death. He was parliamentarian of the Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
at Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, in 1928.
Burke wrote a number of treatises, including "The Powers of the President", investigating the roll of the President during wartime, and a history of the World Peace Conference entitled "Perplexing Problems of the World's Peace Conference".
Personal
Burke was an avid golfer and belonged to a number of golf and country clubs. He was founder of the Beaumaris Yacht Club, in Beaumaris, OntarioBeaumaris, Ontario
Beaumaris is a small settlement in Ontario, Canada, on Lake Muskoka which once served as an important transit point during the steamship era on the lake, and once hosted a summer hotel, called the Beaumaris Hotel and a post office...
where he had a summer house. At one point the United States Golf Association
United States Golf Association
The United States Golf Association is the United States' national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf. The USGA also provides a national handicap system...
asked him to prepare a set of rules which was ultimately presented to the international committee at St Andrews in Scotland.
In 1895 Burke married Josephine Birch Scott of Detroit, Michigan, and had two children, James Scott Burke and Josephine Frances Burke. He died in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and is buried in the Roman Catholic Calvary Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Calvary Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Calvary Catholic Cemetery is located at 718 Hazelwood Avenue in the Greenfield and Hazelwood neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.It was founded in 1886 with the purchase of a 200-acre tract. The first official interment occurred in 1888, though there are graves with earlier dates. As of...
.