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  Van Lear, Thomas
CANDIDATE DETAILS
AffiliationIndependent Socialist  
 
NameThomas Van Lear
Address
Minneapolis, Minnesota , United States
EmailNone
WebsiteNone
Born April 26, 1869
DiedMarch 04, 1931 (61 years)
ContributorThe Oncoming Storm
Last ModifedJuan Croniqueur
Sep 09, 2023 02:27am
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InfoThomas Van Lear was the Socialist mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota, serving from January 1, 1917 to January 6, 1919. A leader of the local machinists union, he led two unsuccessful campaigns for the mayoralty before he was elected on November 7, 1916, with over 33,000 votes. Van Lear did not win control of the city council, and Sheriff Otto Langum worked closely with the Minneapolis Citizens' Alliance, an anti-labor coalition of wealthy business magnates. Main planks of the Socialist platform included factory safety inspections, municipal control of utilities, and opposition to law enforcement involvement in repressing strike actions. In office Van Lear welcomed the People's Council of America for Democracy and Peace to Minneapolis and refused to approve an instruction that would effectively ban the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). The only Socialist mayor in the city's history was defeated for re-election in 1918, amid accusations that he and his supporters secretly desired a German victory in World War I. Van Lear was expelled from the Socialist Party in 1918 and later helped to form a local section of the Non-Partisan League that firmly supported the policies of Democratic President Woodrow Wilson.


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DISCUSSION
Importance? 8.00000 Average

FAMILY
Son Ralph O. Van Lear 1893-1952

INFORMATION LINKS
MNopedia  Discuss
RACES
  06/13/1921 Minneapolis Mayor Lost 45.19% (-9.62%)
  11/05/1918 Minneapolis Mayor Lost 48.84% (-2.32%)
  11/07/1916 Minneapolis Mayor Won 51.47% (+2.93%)
  11/03/1914 MN - District 05 Lost 33.34% (-7.32%)
  11/05/1912 Minneapolis Mayor Lost 45.78% (-5.55%)
  11/08/1910 Minneapolis Mayor Lost 30.72% (-3.14%)
  11/04/1902 MN Governor Lost 0.95% (-56.58%)
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