Denver, History of Colorado, BIOS: MCGAURAN, John B.  (published 1918)
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"History of Colorado", edited by Wilbur Fisk Stone, published by The S. J. 
Clarke Publishing Co. (1918)  Vol. II


p. 420, 422
photo p. 421



	JOHN B. McGAURAN.

	John B. McGauran, United States surveyor general for Colorado, 
was born on the 19th of January, 1872, in Dubuque county, Iowa, a son 
of Thomas J. McGauran, deceased, who was a native of Ireland. About 
1869 his father settled in Iowa, coming to Denver in 1879, where he was 
employed by the Union Pacific and also by the old Kansas Pacific 
Railroad Companies. He continued in railroad service until his 
retirement from active business life in 1897 and he resided in Denver 
until his death, which occurred in 1903, when he was seventy-three 
years of age. In early manhood he had married Emily M. FitzGerald, who 
was born in Ireland, and who came to the new world with her parents in 
her infancy. Coming to Colorado in the year following her husband's 
arrival in this state she resided here until her demise, which occurred 
in 1888, when she was forty-two years of age.

	John B. McGauran was the only child born to his parents. He was 
educated in public and private schools in Denver, completing his 
education in the College of the Sacred Heart. He worked in a drygoods 
store, studied law, took up journalistic work and was reporter on the 
News after which he assumed the editorship of the Denver Catholic 
Register, serving in that capacity for three years. In 1889 he became 
deputy city auditor under Hon. Edward Keating. He held a position in 
the county treasurer's office for two years. In 1910 Mr. McGauran was 
elected a member of the upper branch of the Denver city council. He was 
president of the board In 1912 and 1913. While a member of the board of 
supervisors he followed a very consistent course:

	1. Opposing the grant of exclusive privileges in the streets to 
any railroad not enjoyed by all other railway companies. He made an 
unsuccessful effort to open two streets in the lower business district 
on terms of equality to every railway entering the city.

	2. Fought the proposal of having the telephone company or any 
other utility pay any sum into the city treasury on the ground that 
such payments were against the public interest inasmuch as they 
increased the utility's cost of efficiency and tempted public officials 
to squander money. He contended that as the public must ultimately pay 
all taxes on public utilities either in poorer service or higher cost 
that the way of advancement lay in the direction of reduced charges 
with public ownership as the ultimate goal.

	3. He combated a widely prevalent notion that the licensing power 
of the city government should be used as a means to obtain revenue, 
claiming that licenses should be for regulation only-license as a means 
of raising revenue not discriminating between the wealth of one and the 
poverty of another. It is a fine upon production and enterprise.

	4. He objected to the crude methods of making assessments and 
collecting taxes to defray the expense of public work. Instead of the 
old worn-out method of making assessments in local improvement 
districts he favored assessing the ground values of the entire city. In 
this manner no land would be taxed that was not benefited. When 
improvement districts are created, supposed to derive the larger share 
of benefit from public improvements it is inevitable that a certain 
zone which secures some advantage is relieved of the burden. While it 
is unjust to tax personal property or houses that are not enhanced in 
value by public improvements it is equally unjust to tax the land 
values of the outlying districts of the city disproportionately in 
order to pay for them.

	In the political affairs of the state Mr. McGauran is well known, 
having been prominently identified with the movement that resulted in 
the adoption of the constitutional amendments providing for the 
Initiative and referendum and home rule for cities. With these and some 
other exceptions he is more proud of his defeats than of his victories. 
Having been a candidate for office five times, three times were 
occasions when what he conceived to be vital principles were at stake 
and he did not hesitate to help lead forlorn hopes. He is a member of 
the executive committees of the District Legislation League, the Anti-
Saloon League and president of the Consumers League of Colorado. He has 
been active in promoting what he considers secondary and ameliorative 
measures although he is firmly convinced that no legislative or 
political reforms will afford a remedy for evils that proceed from 
economic maladjustments.

	In June, 1914, he was appointed United States surveyor general, 
which office he has since acceptably filled, his record in that 
connection being most satisfying and commendable. In politics he has 
always been what he chooses to style himself "a Jeffersonian republican 
or a Lincoln democrat." He has made addresses throughout Colorado in 
both state and national campaigns, being associated in this work with 
men of national reputation, laboring to advance the Interests of the 
democratic party.

	Mr. McGauran abhors glittering generalities and has a healthy 
distrust of theories that do not permit of practical application. He 
adopts as his own the motto, "be specific," never inquiring whether a 
policy or plan is radical or conservative, considering it more 
Important to know whether it is right. Believing that the same law of 
honesty should govern public business (or politics) that is supposed to 
apply to private business affairs he was a moving spirit in the Honest 
Election League, and was the author of the first legislative measure 
that abolished the use of emblems on the ballot.

	He is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the 
Democratic Club, and is one of the best known members of the Knights of 
Columbus in the west, having served as chancellor and grand knight of 
the Denver Council. He took a prominent part in the institution of the 
Council in Mexico City, and has been assigned by the national board to 
speak at the Washington Day celebrations in various cities of the 
United States.

	Mr. McGauran does not believe that government should interfere 
with production or trade nor in any manner whatsoever dabble in private 
business, consequently he antagonizes the theory that available land 
should be rendered non-available through a system of taxation that 
discourages the use of land. A prominent advocate of the untaxing of 
land use Mr. McGauran has attended most of the national meetings of the 
single tax organization which is devoted to securing freedom of 
production and trade. He is famous throughout the country as a lecturer 
on economic subjects.