Credit: Library of Congress
A nationally renowned businessman, philanthropist, and former United States Postmaster General, John Wanamaker was also committed political reformer. In the 1890s Wanamaker waged a very public and unsuccessful war against state Republican boss Matthew Quay. Running against candidates allied with Quay, Wanamaker lost in the Republican primaries for the U.S. Senate in 1896 and for governor in 1898.
