On the Labor Font: Uncovering Dallas's Union Legislators 1890-1920

Abstract

Dallas, Texas, has long held a reputation as a stronghold of conservative Democratic rule. Such rhetoric reflects the nature of Texas politics throughout the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, as Texas was essentially a state of one-party rule. Meanwhile, minimal historical analysis has been given to the scope and influence of third-party movements such as the Farmer's Alliance, Populists, and various labor organizations. This trend is even more evident in Dallas County, where a conservative, corporate elite supposedly had its way in civic affairs. Nonetheless, a string of pro-labor, union members who served in the Texas state legislature as representatives from Dallas County seem to contradict this ongoing narrative. Specifically, Patrick Henry Golden, John Francis Reiger, James William Parks, and James A. Florer, between 1893 and 1917 pursued progressive platforms at the state level and represented the strength of farmers and laborers in Dallas County. This research will seek to highlight the careers of labor legislators to analyze the influence and impact of labor voices between 1890 and 1920 in Dallas and to argue that a little-understood system of coalition building was common among conservative business leaders and workingmen in the city. By fully understanding the legislators' careers and uncovering the political landscape in Dallas, this research will determine the overall effectiveness of the labor presence in the political forum.