John Riley Tanner

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21^st Governor of Illinois
John Riley Tanner

In office 1897 – 1901
Preceded by	John Peter Altgeld
Succeeded by	Richard Yates

Born	April 4, 1844 Warrick County, Indiana
Died	May 23, 1901 Springfield, Illinois
Political party	Republican

John Tanner's tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery

John Riley Tanner (April 4, 1844 - May 23, 1901) was a U.S. political figure. Born in 1844 in Warrick County, Indiana, he served as the Republican governor of Illinois from 1897 to 1901. He is said to have "loved pomp and circumstance." But he also was one of the most remarkable governors in the 19th century in respect to workers' rights. He refused to use troops to break strikes, going further than had Governor Altgeld in his position on this issue. He proclaimed: "The laboring man's only property is the right to labor, which is as dear to him as the capitalist's millions, and he has the same right to carry arms in defense of his property as the capitalist has to protect his millions." (From an interview with John R. Tanner of Illinois. St. Louis Post-Dispatch 10 October 1898.) He died shortly after leaving office in 1901 in Springfield, Illinois. He is interred in Oak Ridge Cemetery.[1]

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Preceded by John Peter Altgeld	Governor of Illinois 1897–1901	Succeeded by Richard Yates

v • d • e Governors of Illinois

Bond • Coles • Edwards • Reynolds • Ewing • Duncan • Carlin • Ford • French • Matteson • Bissell • Wood • Yates, Sr. • Oglesby • Palmer • Oglesby • Beveridge • Cullom • Hamilton • Oglesby • Fifer • Altgeld • Tanner • Yates, Jr. • Deneen • Dunne • Lowden • Small • Emmerson • Horner • Stelle • Green • Stevenson • Stratton • Kerner • Shapiro • Ogilvie • Walker • Thompson • Edgar • Ryan • Blagojevich