|
Dromo's Den
|
|
[Up] [Dromo's Den] Robert Owen Biography OWEN,
Robert Latham (1856- [1947]) An American lawyer, legislator, and financial
expert. He was born at Lynchburg, Va., graduated from Washington and Lee
University in 1877, studied law, and practiced in Virginia and finally in
Muscogee, Okla. In 1884 he became owner and editor of the Indian
Chieftain and from 1885 to 1889 he was United States agent for the five
civilized tribes. During this time he was also active in politics, serving as a
member of the Democratic National Committee from 1892 until 1896 and as vice
chairman of that committee in 1906. He organized the First National Bank of
Muscogee and was its president from 1890 to 1900. In 1891 he drafted a bill
which later became law granting United States citizenship to all the Indians of
the Territory. On Oklahoma's admission to statehood Owen was appointed to the
United States Senate, in 1907 was elected, and in 1913 was reëlected. When the
Democratic party secured control of the Senate in 1913 Owen was selected for the
chairmanship of the important committee on banking and currency and was one of
the framers of the Glass-Owen Currency Act creating the regional reserve banking
system, one of the constructive achievements of the Wilson administration. Owen
was regarded as an advocate of progressive and advanced legislation such as the
initiative, referendum, and recall, and was president of the National Popular
Government League. As one of the lawyers in the notable case of the Pacific
Coast Telephone and Telegraph Company v. Oregon he argued that the adoption of
the initiative and referendum amendment to the State constitution did not
operate to deprive Oregon of a republican form of government, and the Supreme
Court upheld the contention. The New International
Encyclopaedia, Vol.
XVII
(New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1920)
651.
|