9/30/2009:
One of North Dakota's most controversial governors, William Langer, was born this date in 1886 in northern Dakota Territory. Graduating from Casselton High School in 1904, Langer studied law before settling in Mandan where he started his own law firm. Within a few years, Langer left private practice and was elected North Dakota's Attorney General in 1916. Following a successful reelection campaign in 1918, and an unsuccessful campaign for governor in 1920, Langer returned to his law firm where both his name recognition and talent in the courtroom made his practice one of the most successful in the state.
Throughout the 1920s Langer maintained a close connection with the Non-Partisan League; a progressive wing of the Republican Party dedicated to fighting perceived influence and meddling in North Dakota by large, out-of-state businesses. Langer was a heavy supporter of the NPL, contributing over $21,000 between 1928 and 1932 alone. While Langer's contributions to the Non-Partisan League largely resurrected the party, the former Attorney General was not universally admired within the League itself. Nevertheless, he and his supporters were able, after a short fight, to secure his name on the top of the NPL ticket in the 1932 general election.
Throughout the campaign Langer focused on the problems faced by farmers suffering during the Great Depression. He pledged to lower taxes and fight corruption in government. His rough and tumble campaign style didn't hurt either; attracting large numbers of German-Russians, who were almost instinctively suspicious of other 'well-groomed' politicians. The 1932 election was a landslide for the NPL, and William Langer was swept into office.
Once in office he cut funding to nearly all aspects of state government and worked to artificially raise the price of wheat by forbidding wheat shipments from leaving the state. Within a matter of months, the price of wheat shot up 23 cents. While the embargo would raise the cost of foodstuffs for families and was eventually struck down by a federal judge, it accomplished its goal, helping out the farmers devastated by low wheat prices.
Langer was also aggressive in his political fundraising. Working to finance future campaigns, Langer regularly solicited state employees to buy subscriptions to his own newspaper, The Leader. While the Governor saw no legal problem with the practice, the federal courts disagreed. Since some of the subscriptions were paid from federal funds, a grand jury indicted Langer for soliciting and collecting federal money for political purposes. On June 17, the federal court in Bismarck, presided over by one of Langer's long time enemies, Judge Andrew Miller, found the governor guilty; fining Langer $10,000 and sentencing him to 18 months in jail.
William Langer, now a convicted felon, was stripped of his office one month later. On July 17, 1934, as crowds marched through Bismarck shouting "We Want Langer," Lieutenant Governor, Ole H. Olson was sworn in.
Dakota Datebook written by Lane Sunwall
Sources
"North Dakota Governors Online Exhibit", State Historical Society of North Dakota http://history.nd.gov/exhibits/governors/ (accessed August 14, 2009).
Robinson, Elwyn B. History of North Dakota. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1966.
US Senate, "The Expulsion Case of William Langer of North Dakota (1942)", U.S. Federal Government http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/expulsion_cases/123WilliamLanger_expulsion.htm (accessed September 9, 2009).
"William Langer Papers: Biographical Sketch", University of North Dakota http://www.und.nodak.edu/dept/library/Collections/Langer/og19.html (accessed September 9, 2009).