Francis Burton Harrison

Francis Burton Harrison

Francis Burton Harrison (born December 18, 1873 in New York City , † November 21, 1957 in Flemington , New Jersey ) was an American politician and Governor General of the Philippines .

Studies and Spanish-American War

The son of the private secretary to the President of the Confederate States of America Jefferson Davis studied law at Yale University and at the New York Law School. After graduating, he was a lecturer at the evening law school in New York from 1897 to 1899. In 1899 he joined the army during the Spanish-American War and rose to become captain and deputy adjutant general.

Congressman

From March 4, 1903 to March 3, 1905, he represented the 13th Congressional constituency of New York for the Democratic Party in the United States House of Representatives . In 1904 he ran unsuccessfully as Lieutenant Governor of New York State. Between 1905 and 1907 he practiced as a lawyer before he was again a member of the House of Representatives for the 16th and 20th District of New York from 1907 to 1913. As such, he brought, among other things, a law on the taxation and control of drugs, which bears his name ("Harrison Narcotics Tax Act").

Governor General and Presidential Advisor to the Philippines

After resigning as a member of Congress, he succeeded William Cameron Forbes or the incumbent Governor General Newton Gilbert on October 6, 1913 , Governor General of the Philippines . He held this office until he was replaced by Charles Yeater on March 5, 1921. During his tenure, he particularly campaigned for the adoption of Filipino nationals in the administrative service, which, however, earned him criticism from the American residents of the Philippines. In 1915 he ordered a military expedition to eradicate the independence of the Jolo Sultanate . On October 30, 1919, he signed the Law on the Law of the Philippine National Flag. With a seven and a half year tenure, Harrison was the US Governor General with the longest tenure.

In 1920 Harrison ran unsuccessfully as a candidate for the Democratic Party presidential nomination. He then withdrew from politics and lived in Scotland until 1934 .

In November 1935, the first President of the President of the Philippines Manuel Quezon appointed him his adviser. He held this office until September 1936. In May 1942 Quezon reappointed him to his advisory staff. From November 1946 to February 1947 he was the civil service officer for the United States Army for damages. After the final independence of the Philippines on July 4, 1946, he was also adviser to the presidents Manuel Roxas , Elpidio Quirino , Ramon Magsaysay and Carlos P. Garcia until his death . He did not return to the USA until August 1957. His grave is in the Manila Cemetery.

Publications

• "Rizal as a Patriot, Author, and Scientist" Manila 1919

The writings of Francis Burton Harrison are in the Library of the United States Congress.

Web links

• Francis Burton Harrison in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)
• Report on the time as governor general