WALTER ELI QUIGLEY

Quigley was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota in 1890 and graduated from the University of North Dakota Law School (1912). He worked as an organizer for the Nonpartisan League (1916-1919); a reporter for the Minneapolis Journal (1917-1921); was a law partner of Charles A. Lindbergh, Sr. (1921-1924); participated in campaigns for many Farmer-Labor Party candidates including Floyd B. Olson; and practiced law in Minneapolis where he died on January 5, 1962. More biographical information is filed at the beginning of the reminiscences.

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The reminiscences (typed, 106 pp.) contain detailed information on the formation of the Nonpartisan League by Arthur Townley; economic conditions in North Dakota at the time; and the growth of the League and its support of labor groups. Townley, a North Dakota socialist, originated the League and proposed a socialistic government for North Dakota, calling for state ownership of banks, grain elevators, and similar entities. The League's first victory was in the election (1916) of Lynn Frazier as governor of North Dakota and the election of other state leaders and legislators. The reminiscences detail the activities of the League organizers in gaining members for the organization. Following the 1916 election, Townley turned his attention to Minnesota, particularly the Red River Valley region, the Twin Cities, and Duluth, where labor was a strong force.

During 1917-1918, the League's activities slowed because of the loyalty issue during the First World War, of which the League ran afoul at the 1917 convention in St. Paul when Senator Robert M. LaFollette of Wisconsin stated his opposition to America's entry into the war. Quigley details the many instances of violence against the League and its members during this period, and includes a description of Charles A. Lindbergh's 1918 gubernatorial primary campaign against J. A. A. Burnquist. He gives lengthy quotations from Lindbergh's "Why Your Country is at War" and his resolution calling for an investigation of the role of the Roman Catholic Church in public affairs, all of which led to Lindbergh's defeat.

After 1920, as the League lost members, Quigley became active in the Farmer-Labor Party of Minnesota, and the reminiscences detail the 1920 political campaigns, in particular the special election in 1923 following the death of U.S. Senator Knute Nelson. Quigley worked on Charles A. Lindbergh's race for that office, describing the use in that campaign of Charles Lindbergh, Jr.'s airplane. Lindbergh ran again for governor in 1924, but died before the election.

The remainder of the reminiscences describes the national Committee of 48 convention (1928) at which Robert M. LaFollette was nominated for president; the 1929 depression; the election of Floyd B. Olson as governor of Minnesota (1930); and Farmer-Labor programs in Minnesota.

The manuscript's date is questionable. Although the year 1931 appears on the first page, internal evidence suggests it may have been written in 1932.

At the beginning of the folder are filed copies of the following: Quigley's obituaries from the Minneapolis Star and St. Paul Dispatch (January 6, 1962), and a newspaper article on Quigley's disbarment from the Minneapolis Journal, July 21, 1939.

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]Walter Eli Quigley. Out Where the West Begins. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples

Accession Information:

Accession number: 4482

Processing Information:

Processed by: Kathryn A. Johnson, July 1998

Catalog ID number: 09-00321462

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This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

Agriculture and politics -- Minnesota.

Agriculture and politics -- North Dakota.

Elections -- Minnesota.

Elections -- North Dakota.

Governors -- Minnesota -- Election.

Governors -- North Dakota -- Election.

Legislative bodies -- Minnesota.

Legislative bodies -- North Dakota.

Loyalty.

Political conventions -- Minnesota.

Political conventions -- North Dakota.

Political parties -- Minnesota.

Political parties -- North Dakota.

Radicalism -- Minnesota.

Radicalism -- North Dakota.

Socialism -- Minnesota.

Socialism -- North Dakota.

Third parties (United States politics).

World War, 1914-1918 -- Public opinion.

Persons:

Burnquist, Joseph Alfred Arner, 1879-1961.

Frazier, Lynn J. (Lynn Joseph), 1874-1947.

LaFollette, Robert M. (Robert Marion), 1855-1925.

Lindbergh, Charles A. (Charles August), 1859-1924.

Olson, Floyd Bjornstjerne, 1891-1936.

Townley, A. C. (Arthur Charles), 1880-1959.

Organizations:

Committee of 48 (U.S.).

Farmer-Labor Party (Minn.).

Minnesota. Commission of Public Safety.

National Nonpartisan League.

North Dakota. Legislative Assembly.

Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- ).

Places:

Minnesota -- Politics and government, 1858-1950.

North Dakota -- Economic conditions.

Document Types:

Reminiscences.

Occupations:

Politicians

Politicians

Radicals

Radicals

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