Guide to the Scrapbooks of John Dalzell, 1886-1911
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Scrapbooks of John Dalzell
- Creator
- John Dalzell
- Collection Number
- MSS#175
- Extent
- 5 cubic feet (27 volumes)
- Date
- 1886-1911
- Abstract
- The Honorable John Dalzell was elected to the United States Congress for thirteen consecutive terms spanning the years between 1888 and 1911. The twenty-seven scrapbooks in this collection contain newspaper clippings, satirical cartoons, photographs and pictures relating to Dalzell's twenty-three year career in the House of Representatives.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Sponsor
- This finding aid has been encoded as a part of the Historic Pittsburgh project, a joint effort of the University of Pittsburgh and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Funding for this portion of the project has been donated by the Hillman Foundation.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
Biographical Sketch of John Dalzell (1845-1927)
The Honorable John Dalzell was elected to the United States Congress for thirteen consecutive terms spanning the years between 1888 and 1911. John Dalzell was born in New York City on April 19, 1845. His parents immigrated to the United States from County Down, Ireland in the early 1840's. The family moved to Pittsburgh in 1847 where his father was a shoemaker. John Dalzell went to local schools, eventually earning a degree from Western University (now the University of Pittsburgh). He then went on to Yale and earned a law degree. He was admitted to the Allegheny County bar in 1867 and formed a partnership with John H. Hampton. Early in his career, John Dalzell's refined oratorical skills and knowledge of law helped land his firm exclusive legal representation of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and the Westinghouse Company.
As one of the foremost railroad lawyers in the country and as a man whose personal interests were closely tied to big business, Dalzell was persuaded to run for Congress. He took up the challenge and defeated General James S. Negley on a protectionist platform to gain a seat in the House of Representatives in the 50th Congress. John Dalzell was a lifelong Republican. He quickly made a name for himself on the floor when he captivated the House with a fine speech on the Union Pacific Funding Bill. From this auspicious beginning, John Dalzell would rise to the top of the institution in his thirteen consecutive terms. Along the way, John Dalzell was mentioned for Governor of Pennsylvania, United States Supreme Court Justice and even President. Also, he ran for United States Senator, State Republican Caucus Chair, and most notably, Speaker of the House. He followed the political machine closely on the national, state, and local levels.
His oratorical skills not only distinguished him in the House, but also in his political campaigns, commemorative banquet speeches, and legal briefs. His protectionist philosophy also included major pushes for internal improvements to his district, the industrious Monogeahela valley. In his first term he embraced the Union Pacific Railroad Bill, the River and Harbor Bill and especially Monogehela River improvements, including free passage rights. In regards to committees, he landed a seat on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. He would hold this seat for his entire Congressional tenure. He developed a close working relationship with the industrial magnate, Andrew Carnegie, whose industrial base encompassed the Congressman's district. He was easily reelected to his second term in 1889.
John Dalzell became instrumental in the powerful Republican state party machine after opposing its political boss, Matthew Stanely Quay (R-Beaver). Dalzell and Quay would square off numerous times throughout their political careers. In Allegheny County, Dalzell was aligned with the powerful leaders Christopher Magee and William Flynn. His own political power came from his protectionist platforms. He parlayed these issues into a solid political base. From here he launched and succeeded in getting his candidate, Robert E. Patterson, elected as governor, defeating Quay's candidate, Delemater. Dalzell also got his candidates Federal appointments in the Postmasters and Internal Revenue positions over Quay's men. These appointments came from President Benjamin Harrison. Surprisingly, Harrison was elected with Quay's help. Quay chaired and controlled the Republican National Committee. John Dalzell was elected to his third term in 1891.
Dalzell's state political power came from the overwhelming desire of the Western Pennsylvania politicians to reverse the monopoly held by the Philadelphia Republicans (Senator Quay was their leader). Rep. Dalzell's name was mentioned for governor during this period to oppose Quay's candidate. Also, it was during this time that Dalzell ran, unsuccessfully, for the state's Republican chairmanship against Quay's man, Rep. John B. Robinson. But the most important race for Dalzell was the direct challenge for Senator Quay's seat in 1894 while simultaneously running for his House seat. Rep. Dalzell rode the "Anti-Quay" wave with the label of "brains (Dalzell) versus queer political method (Quay)." Dalzell's campaign was instrumental in exposing Senator Quay's entrenched political corruption even at the personal threat of political suicide from his powerful opponent. Dalzell's campaign was so successful that Quay's protegee John B. Robinson, the man who beat Dalzell for the state's Republican chair, entered the race as a third candidate to draw off Dalzell votes thus ensuring Quay's renomination.
Dalzell was reelected to a fifth term with the Republicans' retaking of the White House by William McKinley. Dalzell's archrival Quay attempted to gain the nomination away from the successful McKinley. Afterwards, the President would side with his Pennsylvanian supporter, Rep. Dalzell. Again Dalzell ran for the Senate seat vacated by Don Cameron but lost to Quay's man and heir apparent, Boies Penrose. Penrose held this seat for twenty-four years. A major success for "the little giant from Pittsburgh" came in the dissolution of the Monogehela Navigation Company, thus ending fifty-six years of tolls on the river. He was instrumental in having the Army Corp of Engineers condemn the lock system and then consequently bought out the navigation company. A major development for Dalzell was his run for Speakership of the House in 1902. He came quite close but ended up supporting the eventual winner, Joseph Cannon. As Majority Whip he was the second ranking Republican in the House of Representatives. By 1904, with his close friend Theodore Roosevelt in the White House, Dalzell fought relentlessly on his protectionist tariff policy.
Dalzell experienced the first major opposition to his House seat and his protectionist platform in the election of 1906. With the vast majority of his district represented by organized labor, the Hon. W. E. Thompson, Allegheny Controller, unsuccessfully challenged for the seat in 1904. With the success of the opposition, a Dr. Black came close to upsetting Dalzell in the election of 1906. Only a late infusion of contributions from United States Steel and the Pennsylvania and Reading Railroad Company saved his seat. Issues facing the Congressman at that time were the Philippines Trade Bill of 1905, and fighting for sole supply of United States goods for the Panama Canal project. In the twilight of his career, Dalzell fought hard to retain his seat in the elections of 1909 and 1910. He rode the Republican tide until 1912 when he was eventually defeated.
John Dalzell, after twenty-three years in Congress, was swept from the House along with President Taft's re-election defeat of 1911. It was here that John Dalzell's political career ended. His career spanned from the 50th Congress to the 61st. He was not nominated for the 63rd Congress in 1913. A defeated Dalzell withdrew from public life and retired to his Washington, D.C., townhouse. He died in Los Angeles on October 2, 1927. John Dalzell, an ardent protectionist to the end, is interned in Allegheny Cemetery.
John Dalzell married Mary Duff, the daughter of Peter Duff, the founder of the country's first commercial college. Together they had five children, four of whom survived childhood. The eldest, William, followed his father to Yale Law School and eventually became senior partner of the firm his father founded. The other children were Bessie, Samuel, and Robert Duff.
Scope and Content Notes
The twenty-seven scrapbooks that comprise this collection consist of newspaper clippings, satirical cartoons, photographs and pictures relating to Dalzell's twenty-three year career in the House of Representatives. John Dalzell's scrapbooks provide a plethora of political material on the Federal, state, and local levels from 1887-1912. The scrapbooks are filled with columns of political issues, legislation, and other sundry items that were important for the Congressman to keep. These clippings primarily span the Representative's political career from 1887 to 1911. John Dalzell collected both positive and negative articles pertaining to his career. Also, a large amount of political cartoon satires are featured in the scrapbooks. Pictures and photographs of all the relevant political leaders are prominent throughout the scrapbooks. Major bills Dalzell supported during his tenure were the Arsenal Marine Hospital, Ohio and Lake Erie Canal, River and Harbor Bill of 1888, Youghigany River Dam Project, and the Federal takeover of the Monogehela Navigation Company.
John Dalzell had utilized professional newspaper clipping services to collect a national sample of columns related to his political career. He dated and labelled the sources on most clippings. The singular inclusion of only newspaper clippings can be a strength or a weakness to this collection. Weakness in the collection could be construed from the sensationalism of the Nineteenth Century press. Strength comes from the fact that those issues of great value to the Representative are expounded upon in depth. However, a particular strength comes from the fact that the scrapbooks were filled by the Representative himself. It should be noted that many of the volumes overlap in dated material. Consequently, close scrutiny of volume dates will be necessary.
Dalzell's Republican, big business background focuses his collection of material. He not only collected material that portrayed him in a positive light but also included attacking opposition opinions quite regularly. He was fond of including information on friends and foes alike. Also, he included all the gala material that went along with his position in the political hierarchy on all levels. Commemorative banquets, social gatherings, community dedications and national holidays are included in his scrapbooks.
Arrangement
The John Dalzell Scrapbooks (1870-1911) are wrapped separately and are arranged chronologically by volume.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
These materials came in one accession.
Acc# 1933.148 -- Transferred from the University of Pittsburgh Library, 1933.
Preferred Citation
Scrapbooks of John Dalzell, 1886-1911, MSS #175, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania.
Processing Information
Original organization for this collection was provided by Historical Society Staff c. 1933.
This collection was processed by Carl J. Lanke on March 18, 1995.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Jennifer Marshall on August 4, 1999.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or publish, please contact the curator of the Archives.
Subjects
- Congress--House of Representatives--1887-1912
- Dalzell, John -- 1845-1927
- Cameron, J. Don -- 1833-1918
- Cannon, Joseph -- 1836-1926
- Carnegie, Andrew -- 1835-1919
- Cochran, Bourke
- Delamater, George
- Flynn, William -- 1851-1924
- Hastings, Daniel Hartman -- 1849-1903
- Knox, P. C. -- 1853-1921
- Magee, Christopher -- 1848-1901
- McKean, John
- Miller, George W.
- Pattison, Robert E. -- 1850-1904
- Penrose, Boies -- 1860-1921
- Quay, Mathew Stanley -- 1833-1904
- Robinson, John B.
- Scott, William L.
- Shiras, George Jr. -- 1832-1924
- Legislation--United States--Arsenal Marine Hospital
- Legislation--United States--Ohio and Lake Erie Canal Bill
- Legislation--United States--River and Harbor Bill of 1888
- Legislation--United States--Youghigany River Dam Project
- Navigation--Allegheny County--Monogehela Navigation Company
- Presidents--United States