Frederick George Payne (July 24, 1904 – June 15, 1978) was an American businessman and politician. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a U.S. senator from Maine from 1953 to 1959. He previously served as the 60th governor of Maine from 1949 to 1952.

Early life and education

Frederick Payne was born in Lewiston, Maine, to Frederick and Nellie (née Smart) Payne. He received his early education at public schools in his native city, graduating from Jordan High School. As a child, he worked as a newsboy, grocery clerk, theater usher, and dishwasher. He studied at the Bentley School of Accounting and Finance in Boston, Massachusetts, graduating in 1925. He defeated incumbent senator Owen Brewster in the Republican primary, and went on to defeat Democrat Roger P. Dube in the general election.

During the late 1950s, after a series of lurid magazine articles and Hollywood films helped to sensationalize youth gangs and violence, Payne supported legislation to ban automatic-opening or switchblade knives. During congressional hearings, Payne suggested that he believed immigrants to be the source of gang violence: "Isn't it true that this type of knife, switchblade knife, in its several different forms, was developed, actually, abroad, and was developed by the so-called scum, if you want to call it, or the group who are always involved in crime?" However, while switchblade imports, domestic production, and sales to lawful owners soon ended, later legislative research demonstrated that youth gang violence rates had in fact rapidly increased, as gang members turned to firearms instead of knives. Payne did not vote on the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

Payne Lost re-election in 1958 to Democratic Governor Ed Muskie. by 61,182 votes [https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=30521]

Death

He died in 1978 in Waldoboro, Maine, aged 73. He is buried in Waldoboro's German Lutheran Cemetery.

See also

  • List of mayors of Augusta, Maine

References

  • Political Graveyard