POLITICAL REALIGNMENTS IN THE 1890s America: Past and Present Chapter 20

Politics of Stalemate n Politics a major fascination of late nineteenth century n White males make up bulk of electorate –Women may vote in national elections only in Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Colorado –Black men denied vote by poll tax, literacy tests

The Party Deadlock n Post-Civil War Democratic party divides electorate almost evenly with Republicans n One-party control of both Congress, White House rare n Federal influence wanes, state control rises

Experiments in the States n State government commissions investigate, regulate railroads, factories n Munn v. Illinois (1877) upholds constitutionality of state investigations n Wabash case (1886) prompts establishment of Interstate Commerce Commission

Reestablishing Presidential Power n Presidency hits nadir under Johnson n Later presidents reassert executive power – Hayes ends military Reconstruction – Garfield asserts leadership of his party – Arthur strengthens navy, civil service reform – Cleveland uses veto to curtail federal activities

Republicans in Power: the Billion-Dollar Congress n Republicans control both White House and Capitol Hill n Adoption of Reed rules permits enactment of “billion dollar” program

Tariffs, Trusts and Silver n McKinley Tariff raises duties to historic high n Sherman Anti-Trust Act regulates big business n Sherman Silver Purchase Act backs paper money with silver n By million Union pensions granted

The 1890 Elections n Republicans also assert activist government policies on state level – Sunday closing laws – prohibition – mandatory English in public schools n alienated voting blocks turn out Republican legislators

The Rise of the Populist Movement n Discontented farmers of West and South provide base of support n The National Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union the result

The Farm Problem n Worldwide agricultural economy causes great fluctuations in supply and demand n Farmers’ complaints – lower prices for crops (actual prosperity rising) – rising railroad rates (rates actually declining) – onerous mortgages (loans permit improvement) n Conditions of farmers vary by region n General feeling of depression, resentment

Selected Commodity Prices

The Fast-Growing Farmers' Alliance n 1875—Southern Alliance begins n 1889—Southern Alliance absorbs Northwestern Alliance n Alliance Captures local Democratic parties in South n After 1890 Runs its own candidates in North and West

Ocala Demands, 1890 n System of government warehouses to hold crops for higher prices n Free coinage of silver n Low tariffs n Federal income tax n Direct election of Senators n Regulation of railroads

The People's Party n Southern Alliance splits from Democrats to form Populist party n Southern Populists recruit African-Americans, give them influential positions n Populist presidential candidate James Weaver draws over one million votes n Alliance wanes after 1892 elections

The Crisis of the Depression n Democrats sweep elections of 1890, 1892 n Control both the White House and Congress during Panic of 1893

The Panic of 1893 n February failure of major railroad sparks panic on New York Stock Exchange n Investors sell stock to purchase gold n Depleted Treasury shakes confidence n May, market hits record low, business failures displace 2 million workers n corn crop fails

Coxey's Army and the Pullman Strike n Jacob Coxey leads “Coxey’s Army” to Washington to demand relief n Pullman strikes by Eugene Debs’ American Railway Union close Western railroads n President Cleveland suppresses strikes with federal troops

The Miners of the Midwest n United Mine Workers strike 1894 n “Old miners”--English and Irish workers, owners of small family mines n “New miners”--1880s immigrants n Strike pits new miners against old

A Beleaguered President n Cleveland repeals Sherman Silver Purchase Act to remedy Panic of 1893 n Repeal fails to stop depression n Repeal makes silver a political issue n Democrats renege on promise of lower tariff

Breaking the Party Deadlock n Election of 1894 reduces Democrats to a sectional southern organization n Republicans sweep congressional elections n Republicans become majority elsewhere

Changing Attitudes n Depression of 1893 forces recognition of structural causes of unemployment n Americans accept the need for government intervention to help the poor and jobless

“Everybody Works but Father” n Women and children paid lower wages, displace men during depression n Employers retain women and children after depression to hold down costs

Changing Themes in Literature n Depression encourages “realist” school n Mark Twain’s characters speak in dialect n William Dean Howells, Stephen Crane portray grim life of the poor n Frank Norris attacks power of big business n Theodore Dreiser presents humans as helpless before vast social, economic forces

The Presidential Election of 1896 n Free coinage of silver the main issue – Boost the money supply – Seen as solution to depression n Silver symbolizes America, common people

The Mystique of Silver n “Free and independent coinage of silver” –Set ratio of silver to gold at 16:1 –U.S. mints coin all silver offered to them –U.S. coins silver regardless of other nations’ policies n Silverites believe amount in circulation determines level of economic activity n A moral crusade for the common people

Republicans and Gold n Candidate: William McKinley n Silverite Republicans defeated on convention floor n Promises gold standard to restore prosperity

The Democrats and Silver n Candidate: William Jennings Bryan n Free silver promised in "Cross of Gold" speech n Democrats enthusiastic

Campaign and Election n Populist party endorses Bryan n Bryan offers return to rural, religious U.S. n McKinley defends urban, industrial society n Election is a clear victory for McKinley, utter rout of Populist party

The McKinley Administration n McKinley takes office at depression’s end n An activist president n Dingley Tariff raises rates to record highs n U.S. placed on gold standard n McKinley wins landslide reelection against William Jennings Bryan

A New Century and a New President n September, McKinley assassinated n Theodore Roosevelt becomes president