ADAMS, John Taylor

ADAMS, John Taylor. (Dubuque, IA, Dec. 22, 1862-Dubuque, IA, Oct. 28, 1939). President, CARR, RYDER AND ADAMS COMPANY; Republican Party leader. Adams, a twelve-year member of the Republican National Committee, served as its chairperson from 1921 until 1924. He rose to importance in Republican circles as the manager of the last campaign for William B. ALLISON. Adams delivered Iowa, in 1912, for President William Howard Taft, later directed President Harding's "front door campaign," and led the 1924 campaign of President Coolidge.

In 1859 Adams earned $3.00 per week as an office boy at Carr, Ryder and Wheeler. In 1886 he joined the FARLEY AND LOETSCHER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, but returned to Carr-Ryder when given the opportunity of organizing and establishing distribution branches of the company. By 1891 he was secretary of the company, secretary-treasurer in 1896, operating head in 1897, and manager and vice-president in 1899.

Among the first to warn local lumber companies of decreasing supplies of timber from northern forests, Adams acquired large timber holdings on the West Coast beginning in 1901. He is also remembered for establishing one of the West Coast's first cutting mills. In 1904 Adams returned to Dubuque from California with Charles J. SPAHN, Sr. and George ROSE to establish the SPAHN AND ROSE LUMBER COMPANY. In the same year, Adams became president of Carr, Ryder and Adams Company, a position he held until his death.

Adams served on the board of FIRST NATIONAL BANK, board of trustees of the UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE, chaired the Dubuque Chapter of the American Red Cross, and was president of the FINLEY HOSPITAL board.

Adams believed the greatness of the United States depended on its ability to guard its independence of action and its freedom of entangling alliances. For two months prior to his death, doctors, fearing the effects international events might have on their patient, refused to allow Adams to read newspapers or listen to the radio. Members of the family avoided discussing current events during visits. Adams died unaware of the outbreak of World War II in Europe or of efforts to revise the United States Neutrality Act, created in 1916 when he successfully added a neutrality plank to the Republican platform. While not a strict isolationist, Adams wrote the" America First" statement which proved important in keeping the United States out of the World Court.

It was Adams' interest in foreign affairs that initially cost him the national chairmanship of the Republican Party. Prior to World War I, Adams had traveled through Germany and wrote a letter to a Dubuque newspaper outlining Germany's war aims. This letter was used against him four years later when, attempting to obtain the party leadership post, Adams was portrayed as "pro-German."

Adams was opposed in 1912 by Theodore Roosevelt but was retained as vice chairman. He did not secure the chairmanship until June 7, 1921, when he won in spite of the opposition of President Warren Harding. Adams had opposed Harding's plan to make the United States adhere to decisions of the World Court. Adams worked much more closely with President Calvin Coolidge and, with his wife, was a frequent guest at the White House.

In 1924 Adams retired from the Republican National Committee but kept a low-key interest in political affairs. He initially opposed the nomination of Herbert Hoover in 1928, but publicly supported him in 1932. Hoover appointed Adams to the Inland Waterways Corporation in 1931. Adams, considered an expert on American history, owned what was considered one of the finest private libraries in Iowa. After leaving high school, Adams began a life of self-education that included teaching himself French and German.