Lafayette Young
Encyclopedia
Lafayette Young (May 10, 1848 November 15, 1926) was a newspaper reporter and editor, and (briefly) a Republican
Senator
from Iowa
.
Young was born in Monroe County, Iowa
. His early education was acquired in the public schools and in printing offices at Albia, Iowa
and Des Moines, Iowa
. His first business establishment was a newspaper in Atlantic, Iowa
, which he named the Telegraph.
In 1873, he was elected as a Republican to seat in the Iowa State Senate representing Adair, Cass, Adams and Union counties, and was re-elected in 1877, and (after a six-year absence) in 1885. In all, he served in the Iowa Senate from 1874 to 1880, and 1886 to 1888.
In 1890 Young moved to Des Moines and purchased a daily newspaper known as the Daily Iowa Capital or (after 1901) the Des Moines Capital. In 1893, Young was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor of Iowa, losing to Frank D. Jackson
. He served as a war correspondent
during the Spanish-American War
.
When Iowa Senator Jonathan P. Dolliver
died suddenly in October 1910, Young was appointed by Iowa Governor Beryl F. Carroll
as Dolliver's immediate replacement. Soon after his appointment, his position was up for election in the 1911 Iowa General Assembly, where the Republicans held a large majority but were deeply divided among a long list of candidates for Young's seat. The inability of any candidate to receive the required majority of 76 legislators forced the General Assembly to re-vote each morning of the session. Young was the principal Republican opponent of Fort Dodge attorney William S. Kenyon until the 23rd ballot, when Young lost most of his support to other candidates. Kenyon was ultimately elected on the final day of the session on the 67th ballot. In all, Young served in the U.S. Senate from November 1910 to April 1911.
After his Senate service, Young returned to Des Moines and his newspaper. He again became a war correspondent, travelling to southeastern Europe in 1913 to cover the Second Balkan War
. In 1915, he again returned to Europe, this time to assess the early stages of World War I
(before the United States' entry). During that trip he was detained in Innsbruck
by Austria-Hungary
, but was later released.
After the United States declared war in 1917, he was appointed chairman of the Iowa State Council for Defense
. As the Council's chairman, Young urged that "disloyal" persons should be impoverished and imprisoned, arguing that "[a]ny man who has lived under the protection of our laws and has accumulated wealth and is now disloyal should be deprived of every dollar he possesses and he should be interned in a stockade until the end of the war and at that time his fate should be considered carefully." He also campaigned against the teaching of any foreign language in any public school or college, and for the imposition of English literacy tests for voting.
In recognition of his work in raising funds in Iowa for the children of Belgium, Young was made a Knight of the Order of Leopold II
of Belgium. He continued to edit his newspaper until his death in Des Moines on November 15, 1926. He was interred there in Woodlawn Cemetery.
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...
Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
.
Young was born in Monroe County, Iowa
Monroe County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 7,970 in the county, with a population density of . There were 3,884 housing units, of which 3,213 were occupied.-2000 census:...
. His early education was acquired in the public schools and in printing offices at Albia, Iowa
Albia, Iowa
Albia is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,706 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Albia's longitude and latitude coordinatesin decimal form are 41.026600, −92.805262....
and Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
. His first business establishment was a newspaper in Atlantic, Iowa
Atlantic, Iowa
Atlantic is a city in and the county seat of Cass County, Iowa, United States, located along the East Nishnabotna River. The population was 7,112 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 7,257 population in the 2000 census. -History:...
, which he named the Telegraph.
In 1873, he was elected as a Republican to seat in the Iowa State Senate representing Adair, Cass, Adams and Union counties, and was re-elected in 1877, and (after a six-year absence) in 1885. In all, he served in the Iowa Senate from 1874 to 1880, and 1886 to 1888.
In 1890 Young moved to Des Moines and purchased a daily newspaper known as the Daily Iowa Capital or (after 1901) the Des Moines Capital. In 1893, Young was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor of Iowa, losing to Frank D. Jackson
Frank D. Jackson
Frank Darr Jackson was the 15th Governor of Iowa, serving one term from 1894-96. -Biography:...
. He served as a war correspondent
War correspondent
A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone. In the 19th century they were also called Special Correspondents.-Methods:...
during the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
.
When Iowa Senator Jonathan P. Dolliver
Jonathan P. Dolliver
Jonathan Prentiss Dolliver was a Republican orator, U.S. Representative, then U.S. Senator from Iowa at the turn of the 20th century...
died suddenly in October 1910, Young was appointed by Iowa Governor Beryl F. Carroll
Beryl F. Carroll
Beryl Franklin Carroll was the 20th Governor of Iowa from 1909 to 1913.-Biography:Carroll was born in Davis County, Iowa; he graduated from the Missouri State Normal School in 1884. He worked as a livestock dealer, teacher, and newspaper publisher...
as Dolliver's immediate replacement. Soon after his appointment, his position was up for election in the 1911 Iowa General Assembly, where the Republicans held a large majority but were deeply divided among a long list of candidates for Young's seat. The inability of any candidate to receive the required majority of 76 legislators forced the General Assembly to re-vote each morning of the session. Young was the principal Republican opponent of Fort Dodge attorney William S. Kenyon until the 23rd ballot, when Young lost most of his support to other candidates. Kenyon was ultimately elected on the final day of the session on the 67th ballot. In all, Young served in the U.S. Senate from November 1910 to April 1911.
After his Senate service, Young returned to Des Moines and his newspaper. He again became a war correspondent, travelling to southeastern Europe in 1913 to cover the Second Balkan War
Second Balkan War
The Second Balkan War was a conflict which broke out when Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, on 29 June 1913. Bulgaria had a prewar agreement about the division of region of Macedonia...
. In 1915, he again returned to Europe, this time to assess the early stages of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
(before the United States' entry). During that trip he was detained in Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
by Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, but was later released.
After the United States declared war in 1917, he was appointed chairman of the Iowa State Council for Defense
Iowa State Council for Defense
The Iowa State Council for Defense was created by Iowa Governor William L. Harding one month after the United States entered World War I, and was disbanded soon after the end of the war...
. As the Council's chairman, Young urged that "disloyal" persons should be impoverished and imprisoned, arguing that "[a]ny man who has lived under the protection of our laws and has accumulated wealth and is now disloyal should be deprived of every dollar he possesses and he should be interned in a stockade until the end of the war and at that time his fate should be considered carefully." He also campaigned against the teaching of any foreign language in any public school or college, and for the imposition of English literacy tests for voting.
In recognition of his work in raising funds in Iowa for the children of Belgium, Young was made a Knight of the Order of Leopold II
Order of Leopold II
The Order of Leopold II is an order of Belgium and is named in honor of King Léopold II. The decoration was established on 24 August 1900 by Leopold II as king of the Congo Free State and was in 1908, upon Congo being handed over to Belgium, incorporated into the Belgian awards system...
of Belgium. He continued to edit his newspaper until his death in Des Moines on November 15, 1926. He was interred there in Woodlawn Cemetery.