Frank Elbridge Webb

Colonel Frank Elbridge Webb (September 1, 1869 – June 15, 1949) was an American industrial engineer who served as the Farmer–Labor Party's presidential candidate in 1928 and as the presidential candidate for a wing of the Liberty Party^[a] in 1932. He also led many unsuccessful efforts to build bridges that spanned the San Francisco Bay.

Frank Elbridge Webb was born on September 1, 1869,^[b] in Angels Camp, part of the California Mother Lode, to Annie Settle and Elbridge Webb.^[2][3][4] Some of his paternal ancestors had arrived on the Mayflower,^[2] a fact Webb mentioned frequently.^[5] He was also a descendant of Revolutionary War veterans and belonged to the Sons of the American Revolution.^[4][6] His father died when Webb was young.^[3]

He served in the United States Army and United States National Guard, taking part in the Spanish–American War as a recruiting sergeant and in the Philippine–American War.^[7] During World War I, Webb was an intelligence officer for Major General Leonard Wood and served in the army quartermaster.^[6] After serving from 1914 to 1920, Webb eventually retired with the rank of colonel.^[4]

In 1921, Webb, who had managed the properties of Harold Vanderbilt for a few years,^[8] headed a syndicate that agreed to purchase Vanderbilt's Idle Hour estate and convert it into a country club.^[9] The agreement was severed in 1923 after the syndicate fell behind on payments to Vanderbilt.^[10]

After the death of John A. Bensel, a longtime associate of his, Webb became the head of Bensel's eponymous engineering firm.^[11] In 1922, Webb orchestrated an effort to develop Little Coyote Point, San Mateo, California.^[12][13] Later that year, he outlined a plan to build a toll bridge that spanned the San Francisco Bay, from Coyote Point to the coast of Alameda County.^[11] In 1923, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors granted Webb a franchise to build the bridge and it received the approval of the War Department.^[14] In 1925, the board transferred the franchise to Frank C. Towns after complaints were made about the speed of progress and Webb struggled to secure capital.^[15][16] After losing the franchise, Webb continued with similar efforts, including unsuccessfully seeking a franchise to build a transbay bridge at the nearby Candlestick Point.^[17]

In 1926, Webb sued Colonel Robert Mackay, who had served in the British Army, for $8,000 ($150,282 in 2024) which he had loaned him in 1922. Webb loaned the money to Mackay, a recent acquaintance, because he knew him to be "the wealthiest bachelor in Scotland".^[18] During the trial, it was revealed that Mackay had introduced Webb to Richard H. Cole, a friend of President Warren G. Harding's who had expected to be appointed to a diplomatic post in Mexico.^[19] Through that post, Cole believed he could control Mexican investments into the United States and receive valuable concessions, and Webb agreed to raise a $100,000 fund to lobby Mexican and American officials to secure this reality.^[19][20] In 1922, Webb and Cole hosted a 75-person dinner which cost $3,000 ($56,356 in 2024) that was attended by many prominent figures, including former Speaker of the House Joe Cannon, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, another 35 members of the United States Senate, and some prominent Mexican officials.^[20] President Harding had been expected to attend, but Webb warned him against attending, saying he was "being used".^[8][21][22] The scheme's failure was variably attributed to Mexican political instability and the fact that the dinner's extravagance attracted press coverage, leading to a government inquiry, scaring off Webb's investors.^[20] Webb was awarded $6,000 by the judge when the trial ended, with the judge finding that Webb had previously received $2,000 from Mackay.^[22][23]

In the 1928 presidential election, Webb bolted from the Republican Party and received the Farmer–Labor Party's nomination.^[3] His selection came as a surprise to those familiar with him, as he had seldom involved himself in politics besides having a close friendship with many Republican leaders.^[24] Just months prior to his nomination, Webb felt that bolting from the Republican Party would make him a laughingstock among his associates, but he sought and received the nomination nonetheless.^[3]

Webb refused to run alongside Senator J. Thomas Heflin of Alabama, chiefly because he believed Heflin had attended cheap burlesque shows.^[25] Senator James A. Reed of Missouri was nominated as the party's candidate for vice president; however, he declined, remarking "Who the hell is Webb?" and making clear his support for Al Smith.^[26][27][25] This remark was embraced by the party, with Webb and the Farmer–Labor Party including the remark in campaign literature, such as pamphlets and party bulletins.^[2][28] Dr. Henry Quincy Alexander of North Carolina was then nominated as the party's candidate for vice president, however he later withdrew his name from the ticket and endorsed Al Smith.^[28][4][29] Leroy R. Tillman of Georgia was then nominated as the party's candidate for vice president, with him being nominated because no more prominent individual could be found who was willing to serve.^[28]

Webb campaigned on farm relief, public ownership of utilities, no changes in immigration law, a nonpartisan cabinet, and a national referendum on prohibition, among other positions.^[3]

Webb appeared on the ballot in Colorado, Iowa, Oklahoma, and South Dakota. He received 6,390 votes.^[30][c]

In April 1932, Webb was again nominated as the Farmer–Labor Party's nominee for president, with Jacob S. Coxey being nominated for vice president.^[32] His nomination met significant opposition due to his wealth.^[33] In June 1932, he was erased from the ticket after refusing to endorse the party platform in whole, and after it was charged that he lived in Washington, D.C., and not San Francisco, California.^[33][d] The party reached the conclusion that he was "a spy for Hoover".^[33]

In July 1932, Ronald E. Bruner, who claimed to be the national chairman of the Liberty Party's executive committee,^[e] called a unity convention in Kansas City, Missouri, to fuse together the "old Liberty, the Farmer–Labor, the Progressive and the Socialist parties and the Monetary League and the Farmers' Union" in order to solidify the opposition to the Democrats and Republicans.^[39][40] After considering the nominations of Smith W. Brookhart, Norman Thomas, Coin Harvey, and Jacob S. Coxey,^[41] among others, the convention nominated Webb for president and Andrae Nordskog for vice president.^[42] The nomination of Webb and Nordskog was ridiculed as they were both Californians, and therefore constitutionally ineligible of being awarded California's electoral votes.^[43][44] In September 1932, Reverend Otis L. Spurgeon, a Baptist minister and the national secretary of Bruner's Liberty Party, replaced Nordskog as the vice presidential nominee.^[45][46] The Socialist and Farmer–Labor parties, and most other organizations claimed to fuse at the convention, disavowed any claims of fusion.^[47][48][49] The old Liberty Party called the convention illegitimate and said that Bruner was falsely representing himself as the chairman of its executive committee.^[50] In April 1932, the old Liberty Party had merged with the Jobless Party, planning to nominate a single candidate for president at an August convention of the "Jobless-Liberty" Party.^[51] The merger collapsed shortly after the convention began, with the Liberty Party delegates present at the convention renominating Coin Harvey for president.^[52][51][f] Bruner's Liberty Party demanded Harvey cease claiming to be the Liberty Party nominee, promising litigation if he refused.^[53][54] The existence of two Liberty parties severely impeded the campaign, with the party only fundraising $350 ($8,066 in 2024).^[46][55] In November 1932, prior to the election, Bruner's Liberty Party declared that it would not win, blaming the poor fundraising.^[46] Spurgeon endorsed Hoover and Webb declared that it would be better for the country if Herbert Hoover was reelected rather than if Franklin D. Roosevelt won the presidency, though he refrained from making a formal endorsement.^[56]

The platform of the Liberty Party, with the exception of its first plank, was described as very similar to Franklin D. Roosevelt's then-proposed New Deal.^[57] The seventh plank originally called for government ownership of public utilities but it was changed to instead call for supervision at the request of Webb, who believed that government should not directly involve itself in business, except for matters concerning banking.^[58]

Roosevelt defeated Hoover's bid for reelection and won the presidency with 42 states and 57.41% of the popular vote.^[59] The Liberty Party appeared on just ten state ballots, and Harvey was present on the ballot or reputed as the nominee in eight of those states, with Webb not appearing on any state ballots. In California and New Mexico, where the presidential short ballot had not yet been adopted, the state Liberty Parties professed support for neither Webb nor Harvey.^[60][61][h] In California, the highest vote total for a Liberty Party elector was 9,827 votes,^[62] and in New Mexico, the highest vote total for a Liberty Party elector was 389 votes.^[63]

In February 1933, Webb wished the incoming Roosevelt administration the best of luck and said he would serve in it if called upon.^[64] In the years following the 1932 election, Webb organized and participated in various third party efforts, though they would not approach the scale or success of his previous efforts. For instance, he served as the chairman of the Constitutional Party, but it never appeared on any ballots and did not garner significant media attention.^[65]

Webb died suddenly on June 15, 1949, at his home in Washington, D.C. He was 79 years old.^[7] When he passed Webb was described as forgotten,^[66] though when he was remembered, it was mostly for his efforts to build a bridge that spanned the San Francisco Bay.^[67]