Henry McBride (February 7, 1856 – October 7, 1937) was an American politician who served as the fourth lieutenant governor of Washington from 1900 to 1901 and as the fourth governor of Washington from 1901 to 1905.

McBride came to Washington State in 1882. He worked as a teacher while studying law, and was admitted to the bar in 1884 in La Conner, Washington. In 1888, he became the Republican candidate for and was elected to the position of Prosecuting Attorney for Skagit, Whatcom, and Snohomish counties. In 1891, he became the first Superior Judge for the newly established judicial district of Skagit and Island counties. He ran for re-election in 1896, but, like every Republican candidate that year, was defeated by a candidate from the Fusionists party (a combination of Populists, Democrats, and Silver Republicans).

McBride was elected lieutenant-governor in 1900, but didn't finish his term as he became governor after the death of Governor Rogers in 1901. McBride was the first Washington State governor born in the west, the first candidate to become governor as a result of the previous office-holder's death, and the first to succeed to the position from the lieutenant-governor office. From the beginning, McBride promoted the establishment of the State Railroad Commission and new railroad regulations. He advocated for the separation of politics from institutions' activity, in particular decreasing the railroads' monopolistic practices in the Legislature. This placed him in strong opposition to the railroad lobbyists who effectively controlled the Legislature and political parties. The outcome of McBride's confrontation with the railroads was mixed. On one hand, the lobbyists successfully prevented McBride's re-election in 1904. On the other hand, eventually the commission was established and the Legislature cleared of powerful railroad lobbies. McBride ran for governor again in 1908 and 1916, but wasn't re-elected.

As his political influence dwindled, McBride kept following political events and supported the Republican party, but decided to pursue a career in banking and law in Seattle. He was a partner in the law firm McBride, Stratton & Dalton, until he left it to become a labor conciliator. In later years and until his retirement, McBride was president of the Provident Savings & Loan Association, which he co-founded with Herbert S. Conner.

Early life and family

Henry McBride was born in February 1856, in Farmington, Utah. His parents were Ruth Ann Miller, born in Indiana, and George McBride, born in New York. McBride's ancestors were from Scotland and Ireland on his father's side, and England on his mother's side.

In 1858, McBride's father was killed by Shoshonee Indians at Fort Lemhi, Idaho. Many of the attacking Indians lived around the Fort and "had previously been very friendly." A member of Governor Stevens' surveying party fought with the natives.

After his father's death, McBride lived with his mother, who lived to be at least seventy years old. McBride's family was known for longevity; his maternal grandmother reached at least one hundred years old.

Education

McBride began his education in the public schools of Utah, and attended an Episcopalian high school in Logan. He wanted to pursue a career in Episcopal ministry, so he went to study in the preparatory school in Trinity College, located in Hartford, Connecticut. He planned to attend Episcopalian theological school after that.

At Trinity College, McBride contracted malaria, becoming a "physical wreck," and was later transferred to Hobart College in New York, another Episcopalian institution. McBride's health failed during his time in New York. The president of Hobart College suggested McBride had less than a year to live, and advised him to return home to the west.

Eventually, McBride left Hobart College and returned home. In 1880, he moved to California, where he spent two years recuperating.

In 1882, McBride moved to Washington Territory. He wanted to start career in law, and went to La Conner (at the time the county seat of Skagit County) to pursue better educational opportunities. He had been learning law for three years.

Teaching and legal career

Teaching and becoming a lawyer (1882–1884)

Coming to Washington, McBride was "literally fighting for existence" until he passed a teacher's examination and started teaching in Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island. There, he also worked as an operator in a telegraph office. Later, McBride moved from Island to Skagit County, settling in La Conner and becoming a school teacher there. He spent three years combining teaching with his study of the law. As an educator, McBride was a member of the examining board during the first teachers' examination held in Skagit County.

In 1884, McBride was admitted to the bar in La Conner by Territorial Judge Roger S. Greene. McBride entered the practice alongside older specialists, whose "reputation and patronage were already assured," and received essential experience and skills in the field.

Legal career in 1886–1896

In 1886, McBride was a nominee for the position of Probate Judge in Skagit County on a Republican ticket, but he lost the election to Democrat Harrison Clothier. McBride proceeded with his legal practice, and the following year moved to Mount Vernon to partner with E. M. Carr and Harold Preston, co-owners of a law firm in Seattle. For two years, he handled the firm's branch office in Mount Vernon. After two years, the partnership ended and the firm was dissolved.

In 1888, McBride became Prosecuting Attorney for Skagit, Whatcom, and Snohomish Counties, serving at the position for one term.

In 1891, McBride became one of the charter members for the newly established Bar Association of Skagit County. That year, the Superior Court of the new judicial district for Skagit and Island Counties was formed, and McBride was appointed to become its first Superior Judge.

He was first appointed to the office on March 10, 1891, to work until 1892 as a substitute for Judge Winn, who was transferred to Whatcom County. At the end of this term, McBride travelled around the counties on a bicycle, campaigning for re-election. He was re-elected for the full term of four years and stayed in the office until 1896.

At the end of his four-year term as Superior Judge, McBride ran for re-election on the Republican ticket, but was defeated, as was every other Republican nominee that year, due to the "fusion" between the Populists, Democrats and Silver Republicans, who "swept the county" that year. After McBride left the Superior Court, he dedicated his time to practicing law in Mount Vernon.

Over the years, McBride gained recognition on the state level due to his part in a number of important court proceedings and sensational murder cases.

Career in politics

Early political activity

From the start of his legal career, McBride lead an active political life. He was a member of the Republican party, attending party conventions and promoting the party. By 1888, he became a "recognized leader" in political circles of Washington State.

In 1884, McBride was a member of the Republican Central Committee. That year, the towns of La Conner and Mount Vernon competed to become the county seat of Skagit County, and McBride took an active part in the event. He personally rode to Sedro-Woolley to prevent potential voter fraud there in favor of Mount Vernon. Nevertheless, Mount Vernon received the majority of votes to become the county seat instead of La Conner, which had played the role of temporary county seat.

In 1898, McBride became a chairman of the Republican County Central Committee. He was in charge of a county campaign, and his work was esteemed as "well planned and efficiently carried." That year, the campaign resulted in the victory of the entire Republican ticket.

Lieutenant-governor and becoming governor (1900–1901)

In 1900, McBride became a Skagit County nominee for governor of Washington State. However, at the party convention, it was decided to make John M. Frink a governor candidate instead, and McBride was up for the lieutenant-governor. McBride received public support and won the election by a vast majority of votes.

Prior to 1900, all state offices were under control of Populists, Democrats, and Silver Republicans elected in 1896. However, the picture changed completely: in 1900, members of the Republican ticket won every office except for the governor. Governor Rogers was the only Democratic candidate to succeed. His victory was a surprise for Republicans, especially after the "upsurge" of their party at the 1898 elections.

Governor Rogers died within a year, on December 26, 1901. By constitutional rule, McBride was appointed in his place, becoming the 4th Washington State governor. He didn't find out about his appointment right away due to a storm that broke down communications.

McBride officially started his governor term in January 1902, giving the Republican party full control of official positions for the 1901–1905 term.

Governorship (1901–1905)

McBride was the first governor of Washington State, born in the U.S. west, the first who succeeded to the office from the position of the lieutenant-governor, and the first man in Washington State to become governor as a result of the death of the previous office-holder.

Starting his term as governor, McBride believed the Legislature was throttled by "certain interests" and that "business meddled too much with politics." His aim was to defeat the lobbyists' "death grip on the Legislature." His other interest was the demarcation of educational institutions from politics, but he was mostly known as the "recognized leader" fighting against the railroad monopoly and supporting the railroad reform. In this he followed in the footsteps of his former law partner, Harold Preston, who advocated for the new railroad regulations between 1887 and 1901.

Railroad Commission promotion (1901–1903)

In the 1890s, the question of regulating the railroads was raised by many politicians, but was seen as a "revolt against the established order." By the time McBride became governor, a number of railroad companies operated in the state and competed to dominate the state government. Railroad control of the Legislature became one of the biggest political issues of that time, and McBride was in active opposition to it. He started to promote the establishment of the State Railroad Commission, claiming it was his "first priority." Despite the fact that Democrats as well as Republicans supported the creation of the commission at first, the opposition, led by powerful railroad lobbyists and influential politicians, "restrained" the Legislature from any action in regard to it. Legislature failed to pass a number of commission bills, and some "questionable rulings in favor of the anti-commission" were met with near-riots.

McBride's campaign against the railroad lobby caused the most notable gathering of "famous transportation chiefs" in the history of the inland Northwest on August 4, 1902. The meeting discussed softening McBride's hit on the railroad lobby and soothing "people's clamor" in regard to regulating common carriers. McBride hoped to persuade the Republican state convention in September 1902 to accept the Railroad Commission and create it in 1903; the subject was a "notable plank" in the Republican platform of that year. However, that campaign promise disappeared from the official committee report presented at the convention, and was replaced by one in favor of "equitable railroad legislation."