Julius Meier

Julius L. Meier
Born	Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Died	14 July 1937(1937-07-14) (aged 62)
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, lawyer, politician
Known for	20th Governor of Oregon; only independent elected governor in Oregon; first Jewish governor of Oregon

Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox officeholder Julius L. Meier (December 31, 1874 – July 14, 1937) was a prominent American entrepreneur, community leader, and political figure in Oregon. As the son of the founder of the well-known Meier & Frank department store, he initially pursued a legal career before joining the family enterprise in Portland, Oregon. Running as an independent, Meier held office as the 20th Governor of Oregon from 1931 until 1935. He remains the only independent ever elected to this position in Oregon and was also the state's first governor of Jewish heritage.

Early life

Born in Portland to Jewish German immigrant parents—Aaron Meier, a businessman who established Oregon's largest department store, Meier & Frank, and Jeannette (Hirsch) Meier—Julius had three siblings. He fathered three children: Jean Ellen Meier Ehrman Reichert, Elsa Frances Meier Ganz, and Julius L. (Jack) Meier, Jr. On December 25, 1901, he wed Grace Mayer, humorously noting that Christmas was the one day he could take off from working at the store.

Meier earned his law degree from the University of Oregon School of Law in 1895 and practiced alongside George W. Joseph for four years before transitioning into the family business. Family lore suggests that he adopted the middle initial "L" during this period after a sign painter insisted that distinguished lawyers used middle names; Meier chose "L" arbitrarily.Template:Fix/category

Political career

Prior to seeking elected office, Meier dedicated three decades to civic engagement. He was recognized for his philanthropy and leadership across numerous initiatives. During World War I, he led Liberty Loan campaigns, served as regional director for the Council of National Defense, and contributed to postwar reconstruction efforts in France. Additionally, he chaired the Oregon Commission for the 1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition held in San Francisco and made efforts in 1922 to host a world's fair in Portland by 1925.Template:Fix/category

One of his significant achievements was spearheading the Columbia River Highway Association—a citizen group lobbying for political backing to construct the Historic Columbia River Highway. The project extended westward from Portland to Astoria between 1912 and 1915 and eastward from Portland to The Dalles from 1913 through 1922. His daughter Jean later recounted that he personally traversed every segment of the proposed highway route on foot or by crawling.Template:Fix/category

During the 1920s, as a practicing lawyer and active participant in Portland’s Republican Party, Meier assumed responsibilities previously managed by Henry L. Corbett relating to party relations with city officials. This role involved receiving monthly payments from organized crime syndicates associated with Prohibition-era liquor and gambling operations. The total amount paid monthly was $175,000; Meier’s share was delivered in cash by florist Tommy Luke, a close associate of Mayor George Luis Baker.

In the 1930 governor’s race, George W. Joseph—who had been disbarred following a protracted conflict with the Oregon Supreme Court over E. Henry Wemme’s will—secured the Republican nomination but passed away shortly thereafter. When Meier declined to accept this nomination, the party selected Phil Metschan Jr., son of a former state treasurer and linked to the Ku Klux Klan, as their candidate. Metschan opposed public hydroelectric development along the Columbia River, diverging sharply from Joseph’s platform.

Running as an independent candidate championing Joseph's policies, Meier won decisively despite opposition from The Oregonian, Oregon’s leading newspaper. He garnered 54.5% of votes cast, defeating Democratic contender Edward F. Bailey by a margin of approximately 135,608 to 62,434 votes. This overwhelming support reflected strong public endorsement for publicly owned hydropower projects.

While governor (1931–1935), Meier actively pursued corruption wherever it existed among his political adversaries. For example, Phil Metschan Jr., his Republican rival during the campaign, served on the board of the Port of Portland. Meier dispatched forensic accountant Frank Akin to investigate suspected fraud at that institution. Although Akin uncovered evidence of wrongdoing and had begun probing into issues at the Portland Water Bureau, he was murdered just prior to presenting his findings to the state legislature. Meanwhile, allegations against Port official James H. Polhemus were publicized leading to calls for his resignation; Polhemus was ultimately cleared.

Meier opted not to seek re-election due to health concerns after completing one term. During his administration’s initial legislative session, he employed George W. Joseph Jr., son of his former law partner, as a legal advisor and personally covered his salary. Among his key initiatives were founding the Oregon Liquor Control Commission following Prohibition's repeal; establishing the Oregon State Police; creating both a State Board of Agriculture and a State Unemployment Commission; advocating for nonpartisan judicial elections; and applying his business expertise to help Oregon manage economic challenges during the Great Depression. Although proposals for implementing a sales tax and expanding public power infrastructure did not succeed immediately, federal legislation enacted in 1933 authorized public development projects such as the Bonneville and Grand Coulee dams.

Later years

According to a 1937 report by Time magazine, Meier invested the majority of his wealth in what was described as his "favorite financial interest," the American National Bank of Portland. This bank ceased operations in June 1933, with its assets and liabilities taken over by the First National Bank. Following his tenure as governor, Meier retired to his estate named "Menucha," situated above the Columbia River in Corbett, Oregon. This residence, crafted by architect Herman Brookman, was where he passed away in 1937. He was laid to rest at Beth Israel Cemetery located in Portland.

In 1950, Meier's family sold Menucha to the First Presbyterian Church of Portland, which currently manages the property as a retreat and conference facility. The department store enterprise founded by the Meier and Frank families was sold to the May Company in 1966. Subsequently, when May was acquired by Federated in 2005, the remaining stores were rebranded as "Macy's" outlets in September 2006.

See also

• Independent (politician)#Governor

External links

• Menucha Retreat & Conference Center Website