Edwin Upton Curtis
Encyclopedia
Edwin Upton Curtis was an American attorney and politician from Massachusetts
who served as the 34th Mayor of Boston in 1895. As Boston Police Commissioner from 1918–1922, Curtis' refusal to recognize the union formed by the department's officers provoked the 1919 Boston Police Strike
.
After attending the grammar and Latin schools in Roxbury, Curtis went to the little Blue Family School for Boys in Farmington, Maine. He graduated from Bowdoin College
.
, Curtis studied law and took the bar. He and a Bowdoin classmate formed the law firm Curtis & Reed. He also became active in politics as a member of the Republican Party
.
After serving as Boston city clerk from 1889-1890, Curtis was elected Boston mayor in 1895. In the 1895 election Curtis was defeated for re-election by Josiah Quincy.
After leaving the mayoralty, Curtis was successively Boston's Assistant United States Treasurer and then the Collector of the Port
.
by Governor Samuel McCall.
In 1919, in response to rumors that policemen of the Boston Police Department
planned to form a union
,
Curtis issued a statement denying that police officers had any right to form a union, much less one affiliated with a larger organization like the American Federation of Labor
(AFL). In August of that year, the AFL issued a charter to the Boston Police Union. Curtis said the union's leaders were insubordinate and planned to relieve them of duty, but said that he would suspend the sentence if the union was dissolved by September 4. Boston mayor Andrew James Peters
convinced Curtis to delay his action for a few days, but Curtis ultimately suspended the union leaders on September 8.
The following day, about three-quarters of the policemen in Boston went on strike. That night and the next, there was sporadic violence and riot
ing in the lawless city. Mayor Peters, concerned about sympathy strike
s, had called up some units of the Massachusetts National Guard
stationed in the Boston area and relieved Curtis of duty. Massachusetts Governor Calvin Coolidge
, furious that the mayor had called out state guard units, finally acted. He called up more units of the National Guard, restored Curtis to office, and took personal control of the police force.
Samuel Gompers
of the AFL recognized that the strike was damaging the cause of labor in the public mind and advised the strikers to return to work. Commissioner Curtis remained adamant and refused to re-hire the striking policemen, and Coolidge called for a new police force to be recruited.
Curtis served as Police Commissioner until his sudden death in 1922.
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
who served as the 34th Mayor of Boston in 1895. As Boston Police Commissioner from 1918–1922, Curtis' refusal to recognize the union formed by the department's officers provoked the 1919 Boston Police Strike
Boston Police Strike
In the Boston Police Strike, the Boston police rank and file went out on strike on September 9, 1919 in order to achieve recognition for their trade union and improvements in wages and working conditions...
.
Early life and education
Curtis was the son of George and Martha Ann (Upton) Curtis, who were seventh-generation Bostonians.After attending the grammar and Latin schools in Roxbury, Curtis went to the little Blue Family School for Boys in Farmington, Maine. He graduated from Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
.
Career
After apprenticing with former Massachusetts governor (and former Boston mayor) William GastonWilliam Gaston (Massachusetts)
William Gaston was the 29th Governor of Massachusetts in 1875-1876.William Gaston had established a successful legal practice in the City of Roxbury, Massachusetts before entering politics. He served as a Representative in the State Legislature , as Roxbury's City Solicitor , and as its Mayor...
, Curtis studied law and took the bar. He and a Bowdoin classmate formed the law firm Curtis & Reed. He also became active in politics as a member of the Republican Party
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...
.
After serving as Boston city clerk from 1889-1890, Curtis was elected Boston mayor in 1895. In the 1895 election Curtis was defeated for re-election by Josiah Quincy.
After leaving the mayoralty, Curtis was successively Boston's Assistant United States Treasurer and then the Collector of the Port
Customs officer
A customs officer is a law enforcement agent who enforces customs laws, on behalf of a government.-Hong Kong:4 931 posts, of which nine are directorate officers, 3 804 are members of the Customs and Excise Department, 504 are Trade Controls Officers and 614 are staff of the General and Common...
.
Police commissioner
In December 1918 Curtis was appointed as the Commissioner of the Boston Police DepartmentBoston Police Department
The Boston Police Department , created in 1838, holds the primary responsibility for law enforcement and investigation within the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the oldest police departments in the United States...
by Governor Samuel McCall.
In 1919, in response to rumors that policemen of the Boston Police Department
Boston Police Department
The Boston Police Department , created in 1838, holds the primary responsibility for law enforcement and investigation within the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the oldest police departments in the United States...
planned to form a union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
,
Curtis issued a statement denying that police officers had any right to form a union, much less one affiliated with a larger organization like the American Federation of Labor
American Federation of Labor
The American Federation of Labor was one of the first federations of labor unions in the United States. It was founded in 1886 by an alliance of craft unions disaffected from the Knights of Labor, a national labor association. Samuel Gompers was elected president of the Federation at its...
(AFL). In August of that year, the AFL issued a charter to the Boston Police Union. Curtis said the union's leaders were insubordinate and planned to relieve them of duty, but said that he would suspend the sentence if the union was dissolved by September 4. Boston mayor Andrew James Peters
Andrew James Peters
Andrew James Peters was an American politician. He was born on April 3, 1872 in Jamaica Plain, a section of Boston. His family had been in Massachusetts since the first Andrew Peters arrived there in 1657. Peters attended Harvard University and Harvard Law School. He served two terms in the...
convinced Curtis to delay his action for a few days, but Curtis ultimately suspended the union leaders on September 8.
The following day, about three-quarters of the policemen in Boston went on strike. That night and the next, there was sporadic violence and riot
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
ing in the lawless city. Mayor Peters, concerned about sympathy strike
Sympathy strike
Secondary action is industrial action by a trade union in support of a strike initiated by workers in another, separate enterprise...
s, had called up some units of the Massachusetts National Guard
Massachusetts National Guard
The Massachusetts National Guard was founded as the Massachusetts Bay Colonial Militia on December 13, 1636, and contains the oldest units in the United States Army. It is currently headquartered in Milford, Massachusetts and commanded by Major General Joseph C...
stationed in the Boston area and relieved Curtis of duty. Massachusetts Governor Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
, furious that the mayor had called out state guard units, finally acted. He called up more units of the National Guard, restored Curtis to office, and took personal control of the police force.
Samuel Gompers
Samuel Gompers
Samuel Gompers was an English-born American cigar maker who became a labor union leader and a key figure in American labor history. Gompers founded the American Federation of Labor , and served as that organization's president from 1886 to 1894 and from 1895 until his death in 1924...
of the AFL recognized that the strike was damaging the cause of labor in the public mind and advised the strikers to return to work. Commissioner Curtis remained adamant and refused to re-hire the striking policemen, and Coolidge called for a new police force to be recruited.
Curtis served as Police Commissioner until his sudden death in 1922.