Albert J. Beveridge
Encyclopedia
Albert Jeremiah Beveridge (October 6, 1862 - April 27, 1927) was an American historian
and United States Senator from Indiana
.
and his parents moved to Indiana soon after his birth, and his boyhood was one of hard work. Securing an education with difficulty, he eventually became a law clerk in Indianapolis. He was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1887 and practiced law in Indianapolis.
Beveridge graduated from Indiana Asbury University (now DePauw University
) in 1885, with a Ph.B. degree. He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon
fraternity. He was known as a compelling orator, delivering speeches supporting territorial expansion by the U.S.
and increasing the power of the federal government
.
and was prominent in later campaigns, particularly in that of 1896, when his speeches attracted general attention. In 1899, Beveridge was elected to the U.S. Senate as a Republican
and served until 1911. He supported Theodore Roosevelt
's progressive views and was the keynote speaker at the new Progressive Party
convention which nominated Roosevelt for U.S. President in 1912.
Beveridge is known as one of the great American imperialists. He supported the annexation of the Philippines
and along with Republican leader Henry Cabot Lodge
he campaigned for the construction of a new navy. After Beveridge's re-election in 1905 to a second term, he became identified with the reform-minded faction of the GOP. He championed national child labor legislation, broke with President William Howard Taft
over the Payne-Aldrich tariff, and sponsored the Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906, adopted in the wake of the publication of Upton Sinclair
's The Jungle
.
He lost his senate seat to John Worth Kern when the Democrats took Indiana in the 1910 elections; in 1912, when former president Theodore Roosevelt left the Republican party to found the short-lived Progressive Party
, Beveridge left with him, and ran campaigns as that party's Indiana nominee in the 1912 race for governor and the 1914 race for senator, losing both. When the Progressive party disintegrated, he returned to the Republicans with his political future in tatters; he eventually ran one more unsuccessful race for Senate in the 1922 primary against Harry S. New, but would never again hold office.
(AHA). His four-volume set The Life of John Marshall
, published from 1916 to 1919, won Beveridge a Pulitzer Prize
.
Beveridge spent most of his final years after his 1922 defeat writing a two volume biography of Abraham Lincoln
which was published in 1928, the year after his death (he died in Indianapolis, Indiana
, aged 64). That same year the AHA established the Beveridge Award
in his memory, through a gift from his wife, Catherine Beveridge and donations from members.
There is a famous lost film of Leo Tolstoy
made a decade before he died. In 1901, the American travel lecturer Burton Holmes
visited Yasnaya Polyana with Albert J. Beveridge. As the three men conversed, Holmes filmed Tolstoy with his 60-mm movie camera. Afterwards, Beveridge's advisers succeeded in having the film destroyed, fearing that documentary evidence of a meeting with the Russian author might hurt Beveridge's chances of running for the U.S. presidency.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and United States Senator 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...
.
Early years
Albert J. Beveridge was born October 6, 1862 in Highland County, OhioHighland County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 40,875 people, 15,587 households, and 11,394 families residing in the county. The population density was 74 people per square mile . There were 17,583 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
and his parents moved to Indiana soon after his birth, and his boyhood was one of hard work. Securing an education with difficulty, he eventually became a law clerk in Indianapolis. He was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1887 and practiced law in Indianapolis.
Beveridge graduated from Indiana Asbury University (now DePauw University
DePauw University
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, USA, is a private, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the Great Lakes Colleges Association...
) in 1885, with a Ph.B. degree. He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon
Delta Kappa Epsilon
Delta Kappa Epsilon is a fraternity founded at Yale College in 1844 by 15 men of the sophomore class who had not been invited to join the two existing societies...
fraternity. He was known as a compelling orator, delivering speeches supporting territorial expansion by the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and increasing the power of the federal government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
.
Political career
Beveridge entered politics in 1884 by speaking on behalf of Presidential candidate James G. BlaineJames G. Blaine
James Gillespie Blaine was a U.S. Representative, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, U.S. Senator from Maine, two-time Secretary of State...
and was prominent in later campaigns, particularly in that of 1896, when his speeches attracted general attention. In 1899, Beveridge was elected to the U.S. Senate as a Republican
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...
and served until 1911. He supported Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
's progressive views and was the keynote speaker at the new 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....
convention which nominated Roosevelt for U.S. President in 1912.
Beveridge is known as one of the great American imperialists. He supported the annexation of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and along with Republican leader Henry Cabot Lodge
Henry Cabot Lodge
Henry Cabot "Slim" Lodge was an American Republican Senator and historian from Massachusetts. He had the role of Senate Majority leader. He is best known for his positions on Meek policy, especially his battle with President Woodrow Wilson in 1919 over the Treaty of Versailles...
he campaigned for the construction of a new navy. After Beveridge's re-election in 1905 to a second term, he became identified with the reform-minded faction of the GOP. He championed national child labor legislation, broke with President William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
over the Payne-Aldrich tariff, and sponsored the Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906, adopted in the wake of the publication of Upton Sinclair
Upton Sinclair
Upton Beall Sinclair Jr. , was an American author who wrote close to one hundred books in many genres. He achieved popularity in the first half of the twentieth century, acquiring particular fame for his classic muckraking novel, The Jungle . It exposed conditions in the U.S...
's The Jungle
The Jungle
The Jungle is a 1906 novel written by journalist Upton Sinclair. Sinclair wrote the novel with the intention of portraying the life of the immigrant in the United States, but readers were more concerned with the large portion of the book pertaining to the corruption of the American meatpacking...
.
He lost his senate seat to John Worth Kern when the Democrats took Indiana in the 1910 elections; in 1912, when former president Theodore Roosevelt left the Republican party to found the short-lived 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....
, Beveridge left with him, and ran campaigns as that party's Indiana nominee in the 1912 race for governor and the 1914 race for senator, losing both. When the Progressive party disintegrated, he returned to the Republicans with his political future in tatters; he eventually ran one more unsuccessful race for Senate in the 1922 primary against Harry S. New, but would never again hold office.
Historian
As his political career drew to a close, Beveridge dedicated his time to writing historical literature. He was a member and secretary of the American Historical AssociationAmerican Historical Association
The American Historical Association is the oldest and largest society of historians and professors of history in the United States. Founded in 1884, the association promotes historical studies, the teaching of history, and the preservation of and access to historical materials...
(AHA). His four-volume set The Life of John Marshall
John Marshall
John Marshall was the Chief Justice of the United States whose court opinions helped lay the basis for American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court of the United States a coequal branch of government along with the legislative and executive branches...
, published from 1916 to 1919, won Beveridge a Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
.
Beveridge spent most of his final years after his 1922 defeat writing a two volume biography of 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...
which was published in 1928, the year after his death (he died in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, aged 64). That same year the AHA established the Beveridge Award
Beveridge Award
The Albert J. Beveridge Award was established in 1939 in memory of United States Senator Beveridge of Indiana, former secretary and longtime member of the American Historical Association , through a gift from his wife, Catherine Beveridge and donations from AHA members from his home state...
in his memory, through a gift from his wife, Catherine Beveridge and donations from members.
There is a famous lost film of Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist...
made a decade before he died. In 1901, the American travel lecturer Burton Holmes
Burton Holmes
Burton Holmes was an American traveler, photographer and filmmaker, who coined the term "travelogue".Travel stories, slide shows, and motion pictures were all in existence before Holmes began his career, as was the profession of travel lecturer; but Holmes was the first person to put all of these...
visited Yasnaya Polyana with Albert J. Beveridge. As the three men conversed, Holmes filmed Tolstoy with his 60-mm movie camera. Afterwards, Beveridge's advisers succeeded in having the film destroyed, fearing that documentary evidence of a meeting with the Russian author might hurt Beveridge's chances of running for the U.S. presidency.
Works
- "In Support of an American Empire" (1900)
- "The Russian Advance" (1903)
- The Young Man and the World (1905) at Project GutenbergProject GutenbergProject Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...
. - The Life of John Marshall, in 4 volumes (1919), Volume I, Volume II, Volume III and Volume IV at Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
. - The Meaning of the Times and other Speeches (Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1909) at Open LibraryOpen LibraryOpen Library is an online project intended to create “one web page for every book ever published”. Open Library is a project of the non-profit Internet Archive and has been funded in part by a grant from the California State Library and the Kahle/Austin Foundation.-Books for the blind and...
. - Americans of Today and Tomorrow (1908)
- Pass Prosperity Around (1912)
- What is Back of the War? (Indianaopolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1916) at Internet Archive.
- Abraham Lincoln 1809–1858, 2 vols. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin) (1928)
- Who is David Saad (1957)