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Municipal Ownership League facts for kids

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Municipal Ownership League
Chairman William Randolph Hearst
Founded 1904 (1904)
Dissolved 1906 (1906)
Succeeded by Independence Party
Headquarters New York City, NY
Newspaper New York Journal-American
Ideology Reformism
Progressivism
Labor rights
Political position Left-wing
Colors      Bronze (party's medal color)

The Municipal Ownership League was a political group in the United States. It was started in 1904 by William Randolph Hearst. He was a famous newspaper owner and a member of Congress. The League's main goal was to win elections in New York City.

What Was the Municipal Ownership League?

The Municipal Ownership League was a "third party" in American politics. This means it was not one of the two main parties, like the Democrats or Republicans. William Randolph Hearst, a powerful newspaper owner, created it. He wanted to challenge the way New York City was governed.

Why Was the League Formed?

Hearst was a lifelong member of the Democratic Party. However, he formed this new party to fight against Tammany Hall. Tammany Hall was a very powerful group within the Democratic Party. It controlled much of New York City's politics at the time. Hearst especially wanted to defeat George B. McClellan, Jr.. McClellan was a Tammany Hall ally and was running for mayor again.

Fighting for Public Ownership

Besides fighting Tammany Hall, the League had another big goal. They wanted "municipal ownership" of public services. This means they believed that services like water, electricity, and transportation should be owned by the city government. At that time, many of these services were controlled by large companies called "trusts." The League felt that city ownership would be better for everyone.

Hearst's Run for Mayor

William Randolph Hearst did not originally want to run for mayor himself. He worried that a loss might hurt his dream of becoming President of the United States. He tried to convince others, like lawyer Charles Evans Hughes, to run. But when they said no, Hearst decided to become the League's candidate for mayor. His running mates included John Ford for Comptroller. Also, James Graham Phelps Stokes, a wealthy writer and activist, ran for President of the Board of Aldermen.

The Close Election of 1905

During the election, Hearst faced many challenges. Tammany Hall, both major political parties, and most big newspapers were against him. Only his own newspaper supported him. Despite this, Hearst built a strong group of supporters. This group included trade union members, immigrants, and Progressive reformers. Many Democrats and Republicans who were unhappy with their own parties also joined him.

On Election Day, November 7, 1905, the election was very close. Hearst received 224,929 votes. This was about 37.16% of all votes. However, Mayor McClellan won with 228,397 votes, or 37.74%. He was re-elected by a very small number of votes. After the election, there were many claims of election fraud against McClellan and Tammany. But the results were not changed.

Early Wins and a New Party

Even though Hearst lost the mayoral race, the League had some success. They ran candidates for other city jobs, like the city council. Many of these candidates lost by very small amounts. These close results were likely due to the election fraud. However, the League did manage to elect five members to the New York Legislature. They also elected several aldermen and a borough president in Brooklyn.

After this, Hearst started a new political party. He called it the Independence League. This new group joined forces with the Democrats in 1906. Hearst led their combined ticket as the candidate for Governor of New York. The Independence League grew beyond New York. It expanded to Massachusetts and California by 1907. In 1908, it became a national party, the Independence Party. It even nominated candidates for President and Vice-President.

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