James G. Maguire


James George Maguire was an American attorney, politician and Georgist who served in the California State Assembly from 1875 to 1877, the San Francisco County Superior Court from 1883 to 1889, and the United States House of Representatives 1893 to 1899. He was the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for Governor of California in 1898, losing to Republican Henry T. Gage. Short in stature but weighing over two hundred pounds, Maguire was nicknamed the "Little Giant," a sobriquet that came to be used by friends and foes alike.

Early life and education

James George Maguire was born on February 22, 1853, in Boston, Massachusetts. His parents were both Irish immigrants, his father from Donegal and his mother from Kildare. Maguire moved with his parents to California in February 1854, attending the public schools of Watsonville in Santa Cruz County and the private academy of Joseph K. Fallon. Maguire apprenticed for four years as a blacksmith and taught school for a year and a half. He served as a Lieutenant in the California National Guard from 1875 to 1879, during which he was called upon to help suppress the San Francisco Riots.

Political career

Maguire entered public life through the Knights of Father Mathew, in which he was active as early as 1874 and as late as 1880. He served as a member of the California State Assembly from 1875 to 1877, one of 20 members from the five San Francisco districts. At just 22 years old, he was the youngest member of the Legislature. He studied law and was admitted to the Bar by the Supreme Court of California in January 1878, commencing practice in San Francisco. One of his students and clerks was assemblyman Jeremiah J. McCarthy.
Following the adoption of a fusion agreement between the Democratic and Workingmen's Parties, Maguire sought their nomination for judge of the San Francisco County Superior Court in 1880 and city attorney of San Francisco in 1881, but did not gain either. He ran for judge again in 1882 and was elected, serving from 1883 to 1889. Around this time, he became disillusioned with the Democratic Party, which he believed was under the control of political bosses and landlords. In 1887, he left the party for Henry George's United Labor Party, in which he was active until its dissolution in 1888. He rejoined the Democratic Party soon after.

U.S. Congress

Maguire was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 4th congressional district in 1892, serving in the 53rd, 54th, and 55th Congresses from March 4, 1893, to March 3, 1899. He was the ranking member of the House Committee on Immigration and Naturalization during his first term and the House Committee on Elections during his third. He authored the Maguire Act, which abolished the practice of imprisoning sailors who deserted from coastwise vessels.
Maguire supported Chinese exclusion, arguing that their "semibarbarism" threatened the "Caucasian civilization" of the United States. He also blamed "coolie labor" for low wages and high unemployment, stating:
In line with this and the Democratic Party's anti-imperialism plank, he opposed the annexation of Hawaii. Ironically, he was also involved with the California Afro-American League.
On January 31, 1894, Maguire proposed an amendment to the Wilson–Gorman Tariff Act that would have established a national single tax. Intended as a substitute for the bill's proposed income tax, it would have levied a direct tax of $31,311,125 on land values nationwide. Only five others voted in favor: Michael D. Harter and Tom L. Johnson of Ohio, Charles Tracey and J. De Witt Warner of New York, and Jerry Simpson of Kansas. After this was rejected, Maguire voted in favor of the original version of the bill and the final version sent back by the Senate several months later.

1898 California gubernatorial campaign

In 1898, Maguire ran for Governor of California on a Democratic-Populist-Silver Republican Fusion ticket. He ran on a platform of anti-monopolism, support for the war with Spain, and opposition to the War Revenue Act of 1898. He lost to Republican Henry T. Gage with 45% of the vote, having been opposed by every major newspaper save for William Randolph Hearst's San Francisco Examiner.
During the campaign, Maguire was denounced by Irish Catholic priest Peter Yorke for a book he wrote ten years prior, Ireland and The Pope, Adrian IV to Leo XIII, in which he argued that the subjugation of Ireland by the British Empire had been orchestrated by certain medieval Popes. Yorke's attacks were so severe that Patrick William Riordan, the Archbishop of San Francisco, had to distance himself, stating to the press: "Father Yorke is alone responsible for his utterances."

Later career and death

After his loss, Maguire resumed his law practice in San Francisco. He served as a delegate to the 1900 and 1912 Democratic National Conventions, pledged to speaker Champ Clark at the latter. Maguire did not seek re-election to the House until 1908, when he ran on a Democratic-Union Labor-Independence Fusion ticket but was defeated by incumbent Julius Kahn. He ran for public office one last time in 1911, campaigning for District Attorney of San Francisco but losing in the primary to incumbent Charles Fickert.
Maguire died in San Francisco on June 20, 1920. A member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows since 1877, his funeral was directed by the organization. He is interred at Greenlawn Memorial Park in Colma, California. A liberty ship, James G. Maguire, was named for him and launched in 1943.

Works

Books

Single-tax vs. Socialism: Debate between James G. Maguire and Job Harriman, June 16, 1895. With Job Harriman. San Francisco: American Section, Socialist Labor Party. 1895.

Articles

  • St. Louis: The Mirror, 1906.
  • St. Louis: The Mirror, 1906.
  • St. Louis: The Mirror, 1906.
  • Chicago: The Public, 1909.
  • Chicago: The Public, 1909.
  • New York: Single Tax Review, 1920.

Speeches

  • Speeches of Hon. James G. Maguire of California in the House of Representatives of the United States, January 11, 1894; October 13 and 14, 1893; August 23, 1893; August 26, 1893.
  • Speech of Hon. James G. Maguire of California in the House of Representatives, Friday and Saturday, October 13 and 14, 1893.
  • Speech of Hon. James G. Maguire of California in the House of Representatives, Friday, August 25, 1893.
  • Speech of Hon. James G. Maguire of California in the House of Representatives, Saturday, August 26, 1893.