Everything about William Langer totally explained
» For the Harvard University historian, see William L. Langer.
William "Wild Bill" Langer (
September 30 1886 –
November 8 1959) was a prominent
American politician from
North Dakota. Langer is one of the most colorful characters in North Dakota history, most famously bouncing back from a scandal that forced him out of office and into prison. He served as the
Governor of North Dakota from 1933 to 1934 and from 1937 to 1939. Langer also served in the
United States Senate from 1940 to 1959 when he died in office.
Personal life
Langer was born on September 30, 1886 near
Casselton, North Dakota to Frank and Mary (Weber) Langer. His father, Frank Langer, was a member of the first legislature of the state of North Dakota. William was valedictorian of Casselton High School upon graduation in 1904. He obtained a bachelor of laws from the
University of North Dakota in
Grand Forks, but was too young upon graduation to practice law. He therefore continued his undergraduate education at
Columbia, where he graduated at the top of his class in 1910. Although he was offered a position at a prominent New York law firm, he elected to return to North Dakota, where he practiced law in the town of
Mandan before starting his career in politics. He married
Lydia Cady, the daughter of a New York architect, in 1918, and had four daughters, Emma, Lydia, Mary, and Cornelia.
Biography
In 1914, Langer was appointed state's attorney of Morton County, ND and was one of a few non-farmers on the
Non-Partisan League Republican 1916 state ticket. He was elected state Attorney General as the newly-formed NPL party swept to victory in the 1916 election, but soon clashed with the party's founder and mercurial leader
A.C. Townley. By 1920, Langer was publicly accusing Townley of
Bolshevism, and failed in a primary campaign to replace the incumbent NPL governor
Lynn Frazier as the party's gubernatorial candidate. Langer's break with the NPL leadership was a reflection of the infighting that limited the party's eventual influence on North Dakota politics.
Langer eventually mended his rift with the NPL and was elected governor of North Dakota in 1932. However, he was removed from office by the North Dakota Supreme Court for allegedly pressuring recipients of governmental aid to donate money to his private newspaper and for allegedly forcing state employees to give funds to the state Republican party.
(External Link
). He was found guilty of
fraud in
1934. The North Dakota Supreme Court ordered him removed from office due to his conviction on a felony charge, and on
July 17,
1934, the Court declared Lieutenant Governor
Ole H. Olson the legitimate governor. Langer gathered with about ten friends, declared North Dakota independent, declared martial law, and barricaded himself in the
governor's mansion until the Supreme Court would meet with him.
(External Link) Langer eventually relented, and Olson served the remainder of Langer's term as Governor.
Langer's wife Lydia ran for governor in 1934, but lost.
(External Link). However, Langer was acquitted of fraud charges after a new trial in 1935, and successfully ran for governor in 1936 and eventually was elected to the U.S. Senate
(External Link).
The 1940 election was a very dramatic one. Langer defeated incumbent Lynn Frazier in the Republican primary, and then faced both the Democratic candidate, Charles Vogel, and Republican/NPL Congressman
William Lemke, who declined to run for reelection to Congress in order to run for Senate as an independent. Langer won the election with 38% of the vote.
Senator Langer was an isolationist, wanting to minimize America’s involvement in World War II. At home, he concentrated on making life easier for the farmers of North Dakota by raising wheat prices and doling out government relief, although amidst rumors of great scandal. He was also very adamant about implementing affordable healthcare for everyone. As a senator, he served on the Post Office, Civil Service and Indian Affairs committees. He and
Henrik Shipstead of Minnesota were the only Senators to vote against the United Nations Charter in 1945.
(External Link).
Following the merger of the Non-Partisan League with the state Democratic party, Langer remained on the Republican ticket in the 1958 senate elections, and won without making a single campaign appearance in the state. Langer died in Washington, DC on November 8, 1959.
Langer was a strong critic of
shadow government saying that small groups of "millionaire monopolists, international bankers, or crooks" were selecting the presidential nominees of both the Democratic and Republican parties.
(External Link)
Political offices
Further Information
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