Political Life
Murphy was active in Republican politics. He chaired the New Jersey Republican State Committee from 1892 to 1904 and again from 1907 to 1910. He ran for Governor of New Jersey in 1901, and defeated his Democratic opponent James M. Seymour by a vote of 183,814 to 166,681. His 1902–1905 gubernatorial administration was a kind of Square Deal in miniature, as he implemented many Progressive policies, such as improved child labor laws, the abolition of the fee system that existed in state and county offices, and the establishment of New Jersey's first state primary laws. He was prohibited by the then-current provision of the New Jersey State Constitution from succeeding himself, so he yielded the Governorship at the end of his term to Edward C. Stokes.
From 1883 to 1886 he was a member of the Common Council of Newark and was at one time president of the Council. He was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1885; while in office as parks commissioner he laid out and completed the parks of Essex County; from March 24, 1886 to 1889, he was a trustee for the Reform School for Boys. President McKinley appointed him one of the commissioners to the Paris Universal Exposition in 1900. He held official positions in numerous financial institutions, social, and civic bodies.
There is a life size statue of him in Weequahic Park in Newark.
Read more about this topic: Franklin Murphy (governor)
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