Matthew Empson Welsh (15 September 1912 - 28 May 1995) was Indiana's 41st Governor and Democrat, serving from 1961 to 1965. His post as governor saw a massive increase in state-wide taxation, including the first state sales tax, and the passage of several important civil rights laws, made Indiana one of the most friendly countries for ethnic and religious minorities at the time. The increase in taxes led to a close tax rebellion in the state, and people started writing "Indiana - Land of Taxes" on their license plates, at the entrance to the state, in shops, and other public places. The situation killed every chance he sought a higher position and earned him the moniker "Matt's Sales Tax". Despite his many reforms and popularity in the Democratic Party, he was defeated in deciding when he ran for governor again in 1972. After leaving his post, he served as chairman of the Democratic Party of Indiana, as a member of the Democratic National Committee from 1964 to 1968, and as a federal commissioner at the Joint Commission of the International from 1966 to 1970. Throughout his life, Welsh was known for his personal motto, "There is no cost to becoming a gentleman." After retiring in 1972, he returned to Indianapolis, where he remained until his death in 1995.
Early life
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Matthew Welsh was born on September 15, 1912, in Detroit, Michigan, son of Matthew William and Inez Empson Welsh. His parents are natives of Jackson County, Indiana and recently moved to Detroit where his father worked as a secretary and legal counsel for an insurance company. He has three brothers, Mary, John and Margaret. When the outbreak of World War I, his father was employed as an industrial expedition by the federal government and began to travel frequently. Welsh and his mother moved to Brownstown, Indiana, where her parents live. After the war ended, Welsh's father joined them at Brownstown, where he became president of a local bank. In 1926, the family moved again to Vincennes, where Welsh's father took on a new job as president of an investment company.
Welsh's father has been active in local democracy politics for years, and from an early age Welsh is also interested in politics. He studied at a public school in Vincennes and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1930. He enrolled at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1934. He enrolled at Indiana University School of Law the same year. While there, he wrote an article with Law Professor (and future IU Dean) Frank Horack, describing Indiana's practice of enacting a special law as a "twilight zone" of Indiana law. Welsh met Mary Virginia Homann while attending IU, and the couple started a relationship. After two years at IU, Welsh was transferred to the University of Chicago Law School, where he graduated with a law degree in 1937. That same year, he married Mary and the couple settled in Vincennes.
Politics and World War II
At Vincennes, Welsh opens law practice and buys new homes. He and his wife had twin daughters, Kathryn and Janet, in 1942. Welsh was involved in politics and ran for the Indiana Representative Office and won the election in 1940. He was re-elected to his seat in 1942 but resigned after the first session of the General Assembly to enlist in the navy, when World War II broke out. Welsh saw little action during the war and spent most of his time patrolling the American shoreline. In 1946, he stepped out of the navy and returned home to continue his legal practice. In 1950, President Harry Truman appointed him to serve as US Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, a position he held until he resigned in 1952 to return to his legal practice.
Welsh had decided not to reenter politics but in 1954 he changed his mind and ran for the Indiana Senate, winning the election. As the General Assembly was dominated by Republicans at the time, Welsh had a very small impact during his time as a senator. In 1956, his name was included as a candidate for governor at the State Democracy Convention, but he narrowly lost the vote by Ralph Tucker, mayor of Terre Haute. In 1957, he became a minority leader in the state senate, a position he held until 1959.
Video Matthew E. Welsh
Governor
Selection
Using the power of his new position, Welsh was able to maneuver into a future governor candidate at the state convention in 1960. This time his popularity had increased so high that he easily overcame his opposition to secure the nomination. In elections, he faces Lieutenant Governor Crawford F. Parker, a Republican candidate. The campaign primarily focuses on the shadowy budget deficit and second on nationally-debated civil rights issues. Although his party lost Indiana in the presidential election, the Welsh won a narrow victory at the polls, winning by some 23,000 votes out of 2.1 million players.
Tax increase
After taking office, Welsh was soon confronted with a state budget deficit of $ 18.2 million. His predecessor, Harold Handley, has overcome the deficit with a combination of reforming the tax system, and an increase in gasoline taxes. The public, however, was unhappy with the tax hike, and was Handley's defeat factor for the United States Senate in 1958. Despite previous public reactions, Welsh recommended an additional tax increase to cover the deficit. Indiana's General Assembly, however, is divided by the very Republicans controlling the House of Representatives, and Democrats with only a two-vote majority in the Senate. This created an impasse in most of the taxing acts in Wales. He was able to advocate for the enactment of the Property Tax Assessment Act of 1961 which increased the efficiency of the revenue department, obtained government money in administrative savings, and reintroduced small property state taxes; the state property tax has just been revoked in the state. The second reform bill was passed to create a Tax Inspection Division that has the power to review and reassess property taxes across the state. The Audit Division was also created, which for the first time allowed the government to audit tax data and collect it forcibly and also began to re-examine state taxes with federal tax returns. Hired warrant officers who, with the help of a local sheriff, can foreclose money and property to pay taxes payable in arrears. This has led to thousands of people across the state having unpaid taxes confiscated by the government. Apart from all activities, state revenues still fail to force governments to use their reserve funds; larger deficits are estimated for the 1958 tax year.
In the 1962 election, Republicans strengthened their majority in the House and recaptured the Senate. To persuade them in action, Welsh submitted to the budget for them. A "balanced budget" makes a drastic cut in education and state services. The second "budget requirement" continues adequate funding from the state government, and increases funding and expenditure in various fields, generating a $ 447 million difference between two biennial budgets. The General Assembly abandoned both Welsh budgets, claiming that he was trying to make the budget process political by giving the assembly two bad choices; they believe there is a better third option. They pass their own budget, which cuts spending significantly, but does not authorize any new taxes. Assembly leaders recommend using a reserve fund to cover the deficit until the national economy can recover.
After the General Assembly was postponed, Welsh launched a campaign to advocate for tax increases. He argues that the country can not take risks awaiting economic recovery, and that the long-term deficit will use up all the reserve funds and leave the country in a desperate state. He advocates a tax hike plan in every area he calls "2-2-2". It will impose a 2% sales tax for the first time in the state, raising the state income tax to 2% on net income for individuals, and 2% on net income. In addition, he advocated increased taxes on cigarettes to build two new bridges in the state. After announcing his plan, he called a 38-day special session from 12 March 1963, from the General Assembly to consider and adopt his plan. After the House of Representatives has been disputing on this issue for two weeks, they have escaped the plan. In the Senate, the corpse had a tie vote in which the Republican lieutenant governor threw a pause sound, bypassing the move. The bill is largely unchanged from Welsh's original proposal, and named one of the new bridges in the Welsh honor, Matthew E. Welsh Bridge.
Welsh, lieutenant governor and party leader all pay a high political price for passing a massive tax increase, mainly because sales taxes are almost universally opposed by the public. Welsh opponents named him "Matt Sales Tax" and a statewide tax rebellion took place. In the state, the motto "Indiana - Land of Taxes" begins to appear on the car license plate, bumper sticker, placed on a large billboard at the entrance to the state, in many businesses, and a number of other high spots.
Government reorganization
Welsh has an easier time to persuade Republicans to make some reforms for state agencies and departments. The new Administration Department, placed under the control of Indiana State Ministers, was formed to streamline many state institutions. State highway departments are forced to reorganize, by substituting commissions that run them with executive directors who are required to become civil engineers, and replace patronage positions with a system of achievement.
The Department of Mental Health was created to consolidate state management of eight mental health hospitals under a supervisory board. The Council is also being overseen in a number of other areas including education for mentally disabled, and state statewide medical centers. The Correction Department also indicates a change to focus on rehabilitating prisoners. A new juvenile prison was built as a key feature of the new Rehabilitation Policy. The country's first art commission was made by an executive order in 1964 and accused of promoting the arts in Indiana.
The consolidation of the state education system, beginning in 1959, was accelerated and largely completed during the Welsh period. He aggressively pursued the consolidation agenda on the recommendation of his education adviser. By the time he left the office, he had reduced the number of public schools in Indiana from 966 to 466. Welsh was also concerned about the lack of access to higher education in the state and urged the establishment of a commission to investigate problems and make recommendations to improve the situation. The General Assembly shall, and the commission be made and recommended making a state scholarship program, extending Purdue and Indiana University to include satellite campuses across the state, and to build several new vocational schools. Welsh supported the plan, which was adopted by the legislature during his final year at the office.
Civil rights
During his tenure, Welsh is a civil rights advocate for African Americans and other vocal minorities. In 1960 he successfully advocated the passage of the Just Labor Protection Act to ensure that minorities were not discriminated against in recruitment and employment. Penalties are increased for existing offenders. Welsh issued an executive order across state governments to end discrimination in hiring for executive positions and ordered an anti-discrimination clause added to all state contracts.
In 1963, a second law was passed to establish Indiana Civil Rights Commission and was given the power to investigate allegations of discrimination, stopping and stopping questions, arresting offenders, and issuing fines. In June of the same year, Welsh issued an executive order requiring all state departments to use their licensing powers to prohibit discrimination by adding an anti-discrimination clause to their licensing agreements.
In the presidential election of 1964, the ruling president, Lyndon Johnson, refused to enter the main race to campaign for his own sake as he had enough delegates in the nomination nominations to win the nomination. Indiana is one of the states that holds primary elections, and challenger Johnson, Alabama Segregationist Governor George C. Wallace, broke into Indiana's primary territory to show that northerners also support their segregation platform. Although Johnson did not approach Welsh to take any action, Welsh feared that he would hurt the country Democrats should Wallace win the main state - and he would surely win because he ran without a fight. Welsh decides to personally fight Wallace only to deny his victory in Indiana, because Johnson has enough support in the state of caucus to win the nomination. Welsh silenced the country that her civil rights heritage and demeaned Wallace. The slogan is "Clear the path for LBJ, select the fifth Welsh in May." During the main campaign, Welsh had taken part in the Civil War Centennial Tour where he visited the capital of each southern state, except Alabama, and returned the war flag captured by Hoosier soldiers during the American Civil War in official ceremonies. Wallace refused to hold such ceremonies and the battle flag captured by Alabama was still on display at the Indiana World War Memorial. In the main election, Welsh won victory over Wallace, 376,023 to 172,646. Wallace also won two delegates when he won the Northwest First Congress of Gary, Indiana. However, at the national convention, Hoosiers delegation refused to give two votes to Wallace. They chose Welsh on the first vote; afterwards, Welsh directed his supporters to choose Johnson.
One of Welsh's most effective long-term changes is his gradual effort to change the state's position in receiving money from the federal government. Since 1947, Indiana has been under a law that prevented him from receiving money from the federal government except in cases specifically authorized by the General Assembly. This law was enacted after the Great Depression and the government's fear at that moment of dominance that had come after receiving large sums of money from the federal government, and the strings that came attached to it. Welsh was able to get the law upside down, with a bit of fanfare.
Louise, Louie
Welsh is also known for banning radio stations in Indiana from playing 1963 hit songs, Louie, Louie, for his allegedly obscene lyrics.
Maps Matthew E. Welsh
Next year
Constitutionally prevented from seeking a consecutive term, Welsh left office in January 1965 and returned to his legal practice at Vincennes. He remained active in the Democratic Party, and had been a member of the national committee in 1964, a position he held until 1968. In 1965, President Johnson appointed him to the International Joint Commission overseeing issues affecting Canada and Britain. The states, he continued the commission until 1970. During 1969 he also served on the Indiana Revolutionary Constitution Committee who wrote a series of amendments that reorganized the state courts that expanded the powers of the governor, and made several new constitutional bodies.
In 1972, Welsh was nominated by his party to run for a second term as governor. The campaign fought hard and focused heavily on Welsh records as governor. His Republican opponent, Dr. Otis R. Bowen, attacked him over his tax plan, saying it was a failure, and the country still suffered the consequences. Welsh praised his experience and support of civil rights, but ultimately lost the election by a decisive margin.
Welsh spent his last years in Vincennes, but died after seeking medical treatment in Indianapolis on May 28, 1995, aged eighty-two. Throughout his life he often repeats his motto, "There is no cost to being a gentleman," and many friends and acquaintances say he lives accordingly. His body was buried in Vincennes' Memorial Park Cemetery.
Electoral history
See also
- List of Indiana Governors
References
Note
Bibliography
- Congressional Congressional Guidelines for the US Elections . Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1976. ISBNÃ, 0-87187-072-X.
- Gray, Ralph D (1995). The History of Indiana: The Book of Reading . Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN: 0-253-32629-X.
- Gugin, Linda C.; St. Clair, James E, eds. (2006). Indiana Governor . Indianapolis, Indiana: Indiana Historical Society Press. ISBN: 0-87195-196-7.
External links
- National Association of Governors
- New York Times Obituary
- Cariagrave
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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