NTDMG010 Guide to Borah (William Edgar) Collection William Edgar Borah Scrapbooks Finding aid prepared by Judith Nielsen; updated by Sara Szobody University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives 1985, 2021
libspec@uidaho.edu
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2022-04-07. Description is written in: English, Latin script Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition. University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives William Edgar Borah Scrapbooks Borah, William Edgar, 1865-1940 MG 010 5 cubic feet 5 boxes; 102 folders 1903-1947 William Edgar Borah was a Republican Senator from Idaho, born in Fairfield, Illinois, June 29, 1865. This collection contains scrapbooks housing newspaper clippings, magazine articles, and some letters about Senator Borah; also photographs of Borah and recordings of four of his speeches. English .

The 56 scrapbooks and 34 folders of mounted newspaper clippings which deal with the political career of William Borah span the years 1903 to 1947, with the bulk of the items from the years 1910-1939. The bound volumes contain, in addition to newspaper clippings and journal articles, some correspondence.

In addition to the clippings, there are photographs of Borah and audio recordings of four of his speeches.

William Edgar Borah, Republican Senator from Idaho, was born in Fairfield, Illinois, June 29, 1865, the seventh of ten children born to William Nathan and Elizabeth (West) Borah. He was educated in the public schools near Fairfield and at Enfield College. He spent two years, 1885-1887, at the University of Kansas, but had to withdraw because of illness. He then studied law in the office of his brother-in-law and was admitted to the Kansas bar in 1890.

In 1891 he moved west and settled in Boise, Idaho, where he opened a law office. On April 21, 1895, he married Mary McConnell the daughter of Governor William J. McConnell.

He first became a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1903, but was defeated by Weldon Heyburn. He was elected in 1907 and served in that body until his death in 1940. In 1924 he became chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee; he also served on the Judiciary Committee. He was often mentioned as a presidential candidate, but not until 1936 did he actually enter any primaries; his defeat at the convention by Alf Landon was not unexpected.

William E. Borah died January 19, 1940, following a stroke.

Collection is open for research.

[Description of Item], William Edgar Borah Scrapbooks, MG 010, Special Collections and Archives, University of Idaho Library, Moscow, Idaho.

 Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.) Legislators Government and Politics Political Campaigns Politics and Politicians Sound Recordings Photographs Idaho Clippings and Scrapbooks 1903-1947 Mounted Clippings 1906-1947 578 items. 1 1-34 Scrapbooks by Subject 1903-1939 Politics - Miscellaneous 1906-1907 2 35

1 item

 Politics - Campaign of 1904 1904 2 36-37

2 items.

 Politics - Campaigns of 1904, 1906 1904, 1906 2 38 Politics 1905-1906 2 39 Haywood Trial 1907 2 40 Haywood Trial; Borah Trial for Fraud 1907 2 41 Borah Trial for Fraud 1907 2 42 Politics 1907 2 43 Politics and Miscellaneous 1907-1908 Oversized 44 Brownsville Affair 1908 2 45 Taft-Sherman Campaign of 1908 1908 Oversized 46 Politics and Miscellaneous 1908-1910 2 47 Public Land Laws and Public Land Policy 1908-1909 2 48 Politics - Direct Election of Senators 1910-1913 2 49-50 Personal 1911-1912 2 51

Contains photo of Borah's birthplace.

 Convention and Campaign of 1912 1912 Oversized 52

Contains photo of Borah and President Taft.

 Politics - Speculation on Borah for President 1912-1916 Oversized 53 Memoranda Relative to Republican Policies and Party Action 1912-1916 3 54 Borah for President, Convention of 1916, Contemplated Retirement 1914-1917 3 55 Untitled 1922-1928 3 56 Untitled 1918-1928 3 57 Chairman Senate Foreign Relation Committee 1922-1928 3 58 Editorial comment on radio address of Senator Borah July 23, 1932 3 59-61 Supreme Court Reorganization 1937 4 62-63 License Bill Monopoly 1937-1939 4 64 Borah for President 1935-1936 Oversized 65 Scrapbooks by Date 1920-1939 Scrapbooks 1-3 December 1920-June 1924 4 66-68 Scrapbooks 4-25 July 1924-November 1939 Oversized 69-90 Other Material Lists of Items in Borah Family Gifts to the Library 1950-1966 5 91 Invitations 1914-1945 5 92 Date Book belonging to Mrs. Borah 1943 5 93 Bound volume entitled "Politics" containing handwritten notes by W.E. Borah 5 94 Photographs 5 95

12 items.

 Aluminum phonodiscs of four of Borah's speeches 1938, 1939 5 96 Reel to Reel tape recordings of above speeches 5 97

4 items

 The Biggest Steal in the World's History, compiled by Warren G. Davenport 1937 5 98 Printing block for William Edgar Borah Memorial Library bookplate 5 99 Certificate of appreciation from the employees of the Chief Clerks Offices, Royal Hungarian Ministry of Justice 1931 Oversized 100 Wood plaque presented to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee re: Roosevelt's attempt to pack the court 1937? Oversized 101 Cassette tape recordings of Borah's speeches 2 cassettes Box 5 102