Robert Hayes Gore
Encyclopedia
Robert Hayes Gore was a Florida
politician
and newspaper
publisher who also served as the 11th civilian Governor of Puerto Rico
from July 1933 to January 1934. He was born in Knottsville, Kentucky
and became a newspaper writer, editor-publisher in the Scripps chain, soon heading newspapers in Evansville, Indiana
, and Terre Haute, Indiana
. While the editor-publisher of the Terre Haute Post, Gore conceived the idea of "giving away" $1,000 travel life insurance policies with new newspaper subscriptions. After securing an underwriter, Gore took his program nationwide. Within a year, he was extremely wealthy, establishing a publishing house in Terre Haute and an insurance
agency in Chicago
to handle the business. While residing in Terre Haute, Gore met Franklin D. Roosevelt
campaigning for Vice President of the U.S. That fortuitous meeting ultimately resulted in Gore's appointment as Governor of Puerto Rico
. Prior to his stint in Puerto Rico, he split his time between his interests in Terre Haute, Chicago
and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. According to The Washington Post, Gore was a campaigner for Franklin D. Roosevelt
in the 1932 election, which may have influenced his decision to appoint him as Governor the following year. Indeed, according to his biography, he was a key Roosevelt supporter. He had nine children.
During his inaugural speech as Governor, on July 1, 1933, he outlined his platform for the protectorate in three major components: eventual statehood
, being against birth control
, and legalized cockfight
ing which he believed would benefit tourism
. (His plan included a yearly "great carnival of cockfighting" which would bring in mainland tourists.) Instead of birth control, he advocated a plan by which overcrowded Puerto Ricans
would be allowed to settle in Florida. He also spoke for greater links with his home of Chicago and to minimize government spending.
After his stint as Governor, he served as an alternate delegate
to the 1944 Democratic National Convention
.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
publisher who also served as the 11th civilian Governor of Puerto Rico
Governor of Puerto Rico
The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Since 1948, the Governor has been elected by the people of Puerto Rico...
from July 1933 to January 1934. He was born in Knottsville, Kentucky
Knottsville, Kentucky
- Settlement :Knottsville is a small unincorporated community in eastern Daviess County, Kentucky. Knottsville was laid out in 1836 by William R. Griffith and James Millay. The first house was built by Leonard Knott in the fall of 1827, for which the town was named. The town was so named...
and became a newspaper writer, editor-publisher in the Scripps chain, soon heading newspapers in Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
, and Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
. While the editor-publisher of the Terre Haute Post, Gore conceived the idea of "giving away" $1,000 travel life insurance policies with new newspaper subscriptions. After securing an underwriter, Gore took his program nationwide. Within a year, he was extremely wealthy, establishing a publishing house in Terre Haute and an insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
agency in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to handle the business. While residing in Terre Haute, Gore met Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
campaigning for Vice President of the U.S. That fortuitous meeting ultimately resulted in Gore's appointment as Governor of Puerto Rico
Governor of Puerto Rico
The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Since 1948, the Governor has been elected by the people of Puerto Rico...
. Prior to his stint in Puerto Rico, he split his time between his interests in Terre Haute, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. According to The Washington Post, Gore was a campaigner for Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
in the 1932 election, which may have influenced his decision to appoint him as Governor the following year. Indeed, according to his biography, he was a key Roosevelt supporter. He had nine children.
During his inaugural speech as Governor, on July 1, 1933, he outlined his platform for the protectorate in three major components: eventual statehood
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
, being against birth control
Birth control
Birth control is an umbrella term for several techniques and methods used to prevent fertilization or to interrupt pregnancy at various stages. Birth control techniques and methods include contraception , contragestion and abortion...
, and legalized cockfight
Cockfight
A cockfight is a blood sport between two roosters , held in a ring called a cockpit. Cockfighting is now illegal throughout all states in the United States, Brazil, Australia and in most of Europe. It is still legal in several U.S. territories....
ing which he believed would benefit tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. (His plan included a yearly "great carnival of cockfighting" which would bring in mainland tourists.) Instead of birth control, he advocated a plan by which overcrowded Puerto Ricans
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
would be allowed to settle in Florida. He also spoke for greater links with his home of Chicago and to minimize government spending.
After his stint as Governor, he served as an alternate delegate
Delegate
A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization (e.g., a government, a charity, an NGO, or a trade union) at a meeting or conference...
to the 1944 Democratic National Convention
1944 Democratic National Convention
The 1944 Democratic National Convention was held at the Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois from July 19 - July 21, 1944. The convention resulted in the re-nomination of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt for an unprecedented fourth term. Senator Harry S. Truman of Missouri was nominated for...
.