Clyde Howard Tavenner
| Clyde Howard Tavenner | |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 14th district |
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In office 1913–1917 |
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| Preceded by | James McKinney |
| Succeeded by | William J. Graham |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
February 4, 1882 Cordova, Illinois, United States |
| Died | February 6, 1942 (aged 60) Washington, D.C., United States |
| Resting place | Congressional Cemetery, Washington, D.C., United States |
| Political party | Democratic |
Clyde Howard Tavenner (February 4, 1882 – February 6, 1942) was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.
Tavenner was born in Cordova, Illinois on February 4, 1882. He attended the public schools of Cordova and engaged in the printing trade starting at the age of 8 starting his career as a newspaper sales boy and type setter. At age 14 Tavenner starting printing a small paper titled “The Boys’ Bulletin.” He moved to Chicago and began writing for the City Press Association gaining wide spread praise for his honest credibility across the city. He moved to Washington, D.C. as a political correspondent for the Rock Island Argus writing letters known as “Tav’s Articles” which had been circulated to over 1200 newspapers all across the nation from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast. In 1910 he was hired by Democratic congressional leader Champ Clark as director of publicity for the Democratic National Congressional Committee. In 1910 he had won the nomination for U.S. Congress from Illinois’ 14th Congressional district. In the past the district voted heavily Republican but in 1910 Tavenner waged an energetic campaign for the seat. He had the support and backing of Champ Clark and other prominent Democrats in Washington. Tavenner successfully challenged the Republican incumbent James McKinney on his vote in favor of the Payne-Aldrich tariff which produced high tariff rates on goods entering the country and angered many members of the Republican Party who felt that tariff rates should be lower. Despite his efforts Tavenner lost the election by a close margin.
In early 1912 Tavenner announced that he would again seek the Democratic nomination for Congress after Congressman McKinney announced that he would not seek another term in the House. Tavenner won the nomination over Dr. John P. Riggs of Media, Illinois. The Republicans nominated a Rock Island, Illinois businessman and former city alderman Charles J. Searle. Searle was seen as a popular favorite to win the election due to the districts strong Republican leanings but Searle refused the support of the Progressive wing of the Republican Party which turned its support to Tavenner. Tavenner used his experience as a journalist to his advantage writing brief bulletins titled “Tavenner’s Daily Bulletin” that appeared in every daily newspaper in the district explaining his experience as the best candidate for the office. He pledged to reduce taxes, reduce tariff rates and used his experience as a Washington insider. Tavenner’s wife was also an active campaigner on her husband’s behalf during the campaign. In November Tavenner benefitted from the Democratic sweep that granted the Democrats the control of the House of Representatives and the presidency. He was the first Democrat since 1892 to be elected from the district. He was reelected to a second term in 1914 by a wider margin due to the split in the Republican Party between tradition Republicans and Progressive Republicans.
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