Donald Lapthorp Munro, May 6, 1859 (St. John, NB) - March 8, 1934 (Cradock, Va.)
VP candidate for Socialist Labor Party (1908)
Running mate with nominee: August Gillhaus (1867-1932)
Popular vote: 14,031 (0.09%)
Electoral vote: 0/483
The campaign:
At ever at war with other groups, a proposed unification with the Socialist Party of America failed to materialize and the SLP also had problems with the IWW.
SLP leader Daniel De Leon nominated Morris (“Morrie”) R. Preston (1882-1935) for President. Donald L. Munro was selected as his running mate. The only problem was that Preston had been locked up in a Nevada prison since 1907, serving a 25-year sentence for killing a man during a picketing struggle. There is some question as to whether Preston was even a member of the SLP. In any case, he declined the nomination and August Gillhaus was substituted.
Preston, by the way was released in 1917, died as a result of falling off a telephone pole in 1935, and was posthumously pardoned by the Nevada State Supreme Court in the 1980s when the evidence was revisited. Some sources call him Martin Preston.
With votes counted in 16 states, the SLP won 0.32% in Connecticut and it went downhill from there. Gillhaus will emerge later as a SLP VP candidate in 1912 and 1920.
Election history:
1898 - US House of Representatives (Penn.) (Socialist Labor) - defeated
1900 - US House of Representatives (Penn.) (Socialist Labor) - defeated
1902 - Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania (Socialist Labor) - defeated
Other occupations: machinist, toolmaker, presidential elector for Socialist Labor Party in Va. 1924-1928
Buried: Olive Branch Cemetery (Portsmouth, Va.)
Notes:
Presbyterian
Buried in the same cemetery as the author V.C. Andrews.
His Canadian birth possibly disqualified him for the VP office had he been elected.
