Washington (State). Governor (1893-1897 : McGraw)

John McGraw was born in Penobscot County, Me., in 1850. After only the most elementary education he became the manager of a general store at the age of 17 and was a partner at 21. However, the store failed during the 1873 depression, and McGraw left for the Far West in 1876. After first going to San Francisco, he arrived in Seattle in Dec. 1876, penniless. His first job in Seattle was as a clerk at the Occidental Hotel. Not long afterwards he became the proprietor of the American House near Yesler's Wharf. After losing his property in a fire, he subsequently became a policeman, city marshall, Seattle Chief of Police, and King County Sheriff. McGraw was re-elected sheriff a number of times. During his tenure, the 1886 anti-Chinese riots occurred in Seattle. McGraw tried to protect the rights of the Chinese and as a result he lost popularity. He was defeated in his next bid for re-election as sheriff. He had studied law while sheriff and after his defeat at the polls, he became a member of the law firm of Greene, Hanford and McGraw. In 1888 McGraw was again elected sheriff and also became president of the First National Bank of Seattle shortly thereafter.

In 1892 McGraw was persuaded to run for governor and won; he took office in 1893. He was in office throughout the severe economic depression of 1893 to 1897. Widespread unemployment and commercial failures were intensified by the poor financial condition of the state which had resulted from the extravagancies of the first sessions of the legislature. The Panic of 1893 made it necessary for the state to reform its financial methods and Governor McGraw in his message to the 1895 legislature stated that the state's finances had to be put on a better foundation. McGraw insisted on rigid economies in the state departments and vetoed a number of appropriation bills. Improvements followed upon the governor's recommendations, but he lost much of his popularity. A major issue was the Deficiency Judgment Bill, which meant that in any property foreclosure the creditor would have to refund the debtor's equity. It was a popular bill and the legislature passed it, but the governor vetoed it on the basis that it would cause wholesale repudiation of debts and drive capital investment from the state.

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