CHAPTER XIII

THE CAMPAIGN OF 1912

Long before the opening of the campaign of 1912, the dissenters in the

Republican party who had added the prefix of "Progressive" to the old

title, began to draw together for the purpose of resisting the

renomination of Mr. Taft and putting forward a candidate more nearly in

accord with their principles. As early as January 21, 1911, a National

Progressive Republican League was formed at the residence of Senator La

Follette in Washington and a program set forth embracing the indorsement

of direct primaries, direct elections, and direct government generally

and a criticism of the recent failures to secure satisfactory

legislation on the tariff, trusts, banking, and conservation. Only on

the changes in our machinery of government did the League take a

definite stand; on the deeper issues of political economy it was silent,

at least as to positive proposals. Mr. Roosevelt was invited to join the

new organization, but he declined to identify himself with it.

For a time the Progressives centered their attacks upon Mr. Taft's

administration. Their bill of indictment may be best stated in the

language of Senator La Follette: "In his campaign for election, he [Mr.

Taft] had interpreted the platform as a pledge for tariff revision

downward. Five months after he was inaugurated he signed a bill that

revised the tariff upward.... The President started on a tour across the

country in September, 1909. At the outset in an address at Boston he

lauded Aldrich as the greatest statesman of his time. Then followed his

Winona speech, in which he declared the Payne-Aldrich bill to be the

best tariff ever enacted, and in effect challenged the Progressives in

Congress who had voted against the measure.... During the succeeding

sessions of Congress, President Taft's sponsorship for the

administration railroad bill, with its commerce court, its repeal of the

anti-trust act in its application to railroads, its legalizing of all

watered railroad capitalization; his course regarding the Ballinger and

Cunningham claims, and the subterfuges resorted to by his administration

in defense of Ballinger; his attempt to foist upon the country a sham

reciprocity measure; his complete surrender to the legislative

reactionary program of Aldrich and Cannon and the discredited

representatives of special interests who had so long managed

congressional legislation, rendered it utterly impossible for the

Progressive Republicans of the country to support him for

reelection."[84]

A second positive step in the organization of the Progressive

Republicans was taken in April, 1911, at a conference held in the

committee room of Senator Bourne, of Oregon, at the Capitol. At this

meeting a number of Republican Senators, Representatives, newspaper men,

and private citizens were present, and it was there agreed that the

Progressives must unite upon some candidate in opposition to Mr. Taft.

The most available man at the time was Senator La Follette, who had been

an uncompromising and vigorous exponent of progressive doctrines since

his entrance to the Senate in 1906; and the members of this conference,

or at least most of them, assured him of their support in case he would

consent to become a candidate for nomination. The Senator was informed

by men very close to Mr. Roosevelt that the latter would, under no

circumstances, enter the field; and he was afforded the financial

assistance necessary to open headquarters for the purpose of advancing

his candidacy. No formal announcement of the adherence of the group to

Mr. La Follette was then made, for the reason that Senator Cummins, of

Iowa, and some other prominent Republicans declined to sign the call to

arms.[85]

In July, 1911, Senator La Follette began his active campaign for

nomination as an avowed Progressive Republican, and within a few months

he had developed an unexpected strength, particularly in the Middle

West, which indicated the depth of the popular dissatisfaction with Mr.

Taft's administration. In October of that year a national conference of

Progressive Republicans assembled at Chicago, on the call of Mr. La

Follette's campaign manager, and indorsed the Senator in unmistakable

language, declaring him to be "the logical Republican candidate for

President of the United States," and urging the formation of

organizations in all states to promote his nomination. In spite of these

outward signs of prosperity, however, Mr. La Follette was by no means

sure of his supporters, for several of the most prominent, including Mr.

Gifford Pinchot and Mr. James R. Garfield, were not whole-hearted in

their advocacy of his cause and were evidently unwilling to relinquish

the hope that Mr. Roosevelt might become their leader after all.

Indeed, Senator La Follette came to believe that many of his supporters,

who afterward went over to Mr. Roosevelt, never intended to push his own

candidacy to the end, but employed him as a sort of "stalking horse" to

interest and measure progressive sentiment for the purpose of putting

the ex-President into the field at the opportune moment, if the signs

proved auspicious. This was regarded by Mr. La Follette not merely as

treachery to himself, but also as treason to genuine progressive

principles. In his opinion, Mr. Roosevelt's long administration of seven

years had failed to produce many material results. He admitted that the

ex-President had done something to promote conservation of natural

resources, but called attention to the fact that the movement for

conservation had been begun even as early as Harrison's

administration.[86] He pointed out that Mr. Roosevelt had vigorously

indorsed the Payne-Aldrich tariff in the New York state campaign of

1910; and that during his administration the formation and

overcapitalization of gigantic combinations had gone forward with

unprecedented speed, in spite of the denunciation of "bad trusts" in

executive messages. Furthermore, the Senator directly charged Mr.

Roosevelt with having used the power of the Federal patronage against

him in his fight for progressive reforms in Wisconsin.

So decided was Senator La Follette's distrust of Mr. Roosevelt's new

"progressivism," that nothing short of a lengthy quotation can convey

the spirit of it. "While Mr. Roosevelt was President," says the Senator,

"his public utterances through state papers, addresses, and the press

were highly colored with rhetorical radicalism. His administrative

policies as set forth in his recommendations to Congress were vigorously

and picturesquely presented, but characterized by an absence of definite

economic conception. One trait was always pronounced. His most savage

assault upon special interests was invariably offset with an equally

drastic attack upon those who were seeking to reform abuses. These were

indiscriminately classed as demagogues and dangerous persons. In this

way he sought to win approval, both from the radicals and the

conservatives. This cannonading, first in one direction and then in

another, filled the air with noise and smoke, which confused and

obscured the line of action, but when the battle cloud drifted by and

quiet was restored, it was always a matter of surprise that so little

had really been accomplished.... He smeared the issue, but caught the

imagination of the younger men of the country by his dash and mock

heroics. Taft cooperated with Cannon and Aldrich on legislation.

Roosevelt cooperated with Aldrich and Cannon on legislation. Neither

President took issue with the reactionary bosses of the Senate upon any

legislation of national importance. Taft's talk was generally in line

with his legislative policy. Roosevelt's talk was generally at right

angles to his legislative policy. Taft's messages were the more directly

reactionary; Roosevelt's the more 'progressive.' But adhering to his

conception of a 'square deal,' his strongest declarations in the public

interest were invariably offset with something comforting for Privilege;

every phrase denouncing 'bad' trusts was deftly balanced with praise for

'good' trusts." It is obvious that a man so deeply convinced of Mr.

Roosevelt's insincerity of purposes and instability of conviction could

not think of withdrawing in his favor or of lending any countenance to

his candidacy for nomination. To Senator La Follette the "directly

reactionary" policy of Mr. Taft was far preferable to the "mock heroics"

of Mr. Roosevelt.

Nevertheless, at the opening of the presidential year, 1912, all

speculations turned upon the movements of Mr. Roosevelt. His long trip

to Africa and Europe and his brief abstention from politics on his

return in June, 1910, led many, who did not know him, to suppose that he

might emulate the example set by Mr. Cleveland in retiring from active

affairs. If he entertained any such notions, it was obvious that the

exigencies of affairs in his party were different from those in the

Democratic party after 1897. Indeed, during the very summer after his

return, the cleavage between the reformist Hughes wing of the

Republicans in New York and the "regular" group headed by Mr. William

Barnes had developed into an open breach; and at the earnest entreaty of

the representatives of the former faction, Mr. Roosevelt plunged into

the state contest, defeated Vice President Sherman in a hot fight for

chairmanship of the state convention, and secured the nomination of Mr.

H. A. Stimson as the Republican candidate for governor. The platform

which was adopted by the convention was colorless enough for the most

conservative party member and gave no indication of the radical drift

manifested two years later at Chicago. The defeat of Mr. Stimson gave no

little satisfaction to the ex-President's opponents, particularly to

those who hoped that he had at last been "eliminated."

They had not, however, counted on their man. During the New York

gubernatorial campaign, he made a tour of the West, and in a series of

remarkable speeches, he stirred that region by the enunciation of

radical doctrines which were listened to gladly by the multitude. In an

address at Ossawatomie, Kansas, on August 31, 1910, he expounded his

principles under the title of "the New Nationalism." He there advocated

Federal regulation of trusts, a graduated income tax, tariff revision

schedule by schedule, conservation, labor legislation, the direct

primary, recall of elective officers, and the adjustment of state and

Federal relations in such a form that there might be no neutral ground

to serve as the refuge for lawbreakers.[87] In editorials in the

_Outlook_, of which he was the contributing editor, and in his speeches,

Mr. Roosevelt continued to discuss Mr. Taft's policies and the current

issues of popular government. At length, in February, 1912, in an

address before the constitutional convention of Ohio, he came out for a

complete program of "direct" government, the initiative, referendum,

and recall; but with such careful qualifications that the more radical

progressives were still unconvinced.[88]

Notwithstanding his extensive discussion of current issues and his great

popularity with a large section of the Progressive group, Mr. Roosevelt

steadily put away all suggestions that he should become a candidate in

1912. In a letter to the Pittsburgh _Leader_, of August 22, 1911, he

said: "I must ask not only you, but every friend I have, to see to it

that no movement whatever is made to bring me forward for nomination in

1912.... I should esteem it a genuine calamity if such a movement were

undertaken." Nevertheless, all along, men who were very close to him

believed that he would not refuse the nomination if it were offered to

him under proper circumstances. As time went on his utterances became

more pronounced, particularly in his western speeches, and friendly as

well as unfriendly newspapers insisted on viewing his conduct as a

distinct appeal for popular support for the Republican nomination.

The climax came in February, 1912, when seven Republican Governors,

Glasscock, of West Virginia, Aldrich, of Nebraska, Bass, of New

Hampshire, Carey, of Wyoming, Stubbs, of Kansas, Osborn, of Michigan,

and Hadley, of Missouri, issued a statement that the requirements of

good government demanded his candidature, that the great majority of

Republican voters desired it, that he stood for the principles and

policies most conducive to public happiness and prosperity, and finally

that it was his plain duty to accept regardless of his personal

interests or preferences. To this open challenge, he replied on February

24 by saying that he would accept the nomination if tendered and abide

by this decision until the convention had expressed its preference. The

only political doctrine which he enunciated was belief "in the rule of

the people," and on this principle he expressed a desire for direct

primaries to ascertain the will of the party members.

_The Nomination of Candidates in 1912_

A new and unexpected turn was given to the campaign for nomination by

the adoption of the preferential primary in a number of states, East as

well as West. As we have seen, the direct primary[89] was brought into

action by men who found themselves outside of the old party

intrenchments. La Follette, in Wisconsin, Stubbs, in Kansas, Hughes, in

New York, and the other advocates of the system, having failed to

capture the old strongholds, determined to blow them up; the time had

now come for an attack on the national convention. President Taft and

the regular Republican organization were in possession of the enormous

Federal patronage, and they knew how to use it just as well as had Mr.

Roosevelt in 1908 when he forced the nomination of Mr. Taft. True to

their ancient traditions, the Republican provinces in the South began,

early in 1912, to return "representatives" instructed to vote for a

second term for President Taft. But the Progressives were forearmed as

well as forewarned.

As early as February 27, 1912, Senator Bourne had warned the country

that the overthrow of "the good old ways" of nominating presidential

candidates was at hand. In a speech on that date, he roundly denounced

the convention and described the new Oregon system. He declared that

nominations in national conventions were made by the politicians, and

that the "electorate of the whole United States is permitted only to

witness in gaping expectancy, and to ratify at the polls in the

succeeding November." The flagrancy of this abuse, however, paled into

insignificance, added Mr. Bourne, "in the presence of that other abuse

against partisan conscience and outrage upon the representative system

which is wrought by the Republican politician in hopelessly Democratic

states and by the Democratic politician in hopelessly Republican states

in dominating the national conventions with the presence of these

unrepresentative delegations that represent neither party, people, nor

principle."

The speaker then elaborated these generalities by reference to details.

He pointed out that the southern states and territories which (except

Maryland) gave no electoral votes to Mr. Taft had 338 delegates in the

convention, only 153 less than a majority of the entire party assembly,

four more than the combined votes of New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois,

Ohio, Massachusetts, Indiana, and Iowa with 334 delegates. Moreover,

equal representation of states and territories on the national committee

and on the committee on credentials--the two bodies which, in the first

instance, pass upon the rights of delegates to their seats--gave undue

weight to the very states where wrongs were most likely to be

committed. As to the power of the Republican President of the United

States to control these delegates from the South, the Senator was in no

doubt.

To the anomalous southern delegates were added the delegates selected in

northern states by the power of patronage. Mr. Bourne was specific:

"Three years ago," he said, "we had a convincing exhibition of the power

of a President to dictate the selection of his successor. At that time,

three fourths of the Republican voters of my state were in favor of the

renomination of Mr. Roosevelt, and believing that their wishes should be

observed, I endeavored to secure a delegation from that state favorable

to his nomination for a second elective term. But through the tremendous

power of the Chief Executive and of the Federal machine the delegates

selected by our state convention were instructed for Mr. Taft. After all

the delegates were elected and instructed, a poll was taken by one of

the leading newspapers in Portland, which city contains nearly one third

of the entire population of the state. The result indicated that the

preference of the people of the state was 11 to 1 in favor of Mr.

Roosevelt as against Mr. Taft." It was this personal experience with the

power of Federal patronage that induced Mr. Bourne to draft the Oregon

presidential primary law which was enacted by the use of the initiative

and referendum in 1910.

The provisions of the Oregon law follow:

(1) At the regular primary held on the forty-fifth day before the first

Monday in June of the presidential year, each voter is given an

opportunity to express his preference for one candidate for the office

of President and one for that of Vice President, either by writing the

names or by making crosses before the printed names on the ballot.

(2) The names of candidates for the two offices are placed on the ballot

without their consent, if necessary, by petitions filed by their

supporters, just as in the case of candidates for governor and United

States Senator.

(3) The committee or organization which places a presidential aspirant

on the primary ballot is provided, on payment therefor, four pages in

the campaign book issued by the state, and electors who oppose or

approve of any such aspirant for nomination are likewise given space in

the campaign book.

(4) Delegates to national conventions and presidential electors must be

nominated at large at the primary.

(5) Every delegate is paid his expenses to the national convention; in

no case, however, more than $200.

(6) Every delegate must take an oath to the effect that he will "to the

best of his judgment and ability faithfully carry out the wishes of his

political party as expressed by its voters at the time of his election."

The initial move of Oregon to secure a preferential vote on candidates

and the instruction of delegates was followed in 1911 by New Jersey,

Nebraska, California, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, and in 1912 by

Massachusetts, Illinois, and Maryland.

The other presidential primary laws show some variations on the Oregon

plan although they agree in affording the voter an opportunity to

express his preference. Nebraska, for example, refused to disregard the

Republican system of district representation, and provided that "four

delegates shall be elected by the voters of the state at large; the

remainder of the delegates shall be equally divided between the various

congressional districts in the state and district delegates shall be

elected by the voters of the various congressional districts in the

state." Massachusetts follows Nebraska in this rule, but California

prefers the Oregon plan of election at large. It was this provision in

the law of California that caused the controversy over the seating of

two district delegates at Chicago in June, 1912. Although Mr. Roosevelt

carried the state, one of the districts went for Mr. Taft, and the

convention seated the delegates from this district, on the ground that

the rules of the party override a state statute.

The Illinois law does not attempt to bind the delegates to a strict

observance of the results of the primary. On the contrary it expressly

states "that the vote for President of the United States as herein

provided for shall be for the sole purpose of securing an expression of

the sentiment and will of the party voters with respect to the candidate

for nomination for said office, and the vote of the state at large shall

be taken and considered as advisory to the delegates and alternates at

large to the national conventions of the respective political parties;

and the vote of the respective congressional districts shall be taken

and considered as advisory to the delegates and alternates of the said

congressional districts to the national convention of the respective

political parties."

* * * * *

The existence of these laws in several strategic states made it

necessary for the Republican and Democratic candidates to go directly

before the voters to discuss party issues. The country witnessed the

unhappy spectacle of two former friends, Mr. Taft and Mr. Roosevelt,

waging bitter war upon each other on the hustings. The former denounced

the Progressives as "political emotionalists or neurotics." The latter

referred to his candidacy in the words, "My hat is in the ring"; and

during his campaign fiercely turned upon Mr. Taft. He gave to the public

a private letter in which Mr. Taft acknowledged that Mr. Roosevelt had

voluntarily transferred to him the presidential office, and added the

comment, "It is a bad trait to bite the hand that feeds you."

Mr. Roosevelt's candidature was lavishly supported by Mr. G. W. Perkins,

of the Steel and Harvester Trusts, and by other gentlemen of great

wealth who had formerly indorsed Mr. Hanna's methods; and all of the old

engines of politics were brought into play. While making the popular

appeal in the North, Mr. Roosevelt's managers succeeded in securing a

large quota of "representatives" from the southern Republican provinces

to contest those already secured by Mr. Taft. As the matter was put by

the Washington _Times_, a paper owned by Mr. Munsey, one of Mr.

Roosevelt's ardent supporters: "For psychological effect, as a move in

practical politics, it was necessary for the Roosevelt people to start

contests on these early Taft selections, in order that a tabulation of

strength could be put out that would show Roosevelt holding a good hand

in the game. A table showing 'Taft, 150, Roosevelt, 19; contested none,'

would not be likely to inspire confidence. Whereas one showing 'Taft,

23, Roosevelt, 19; contested, 127,' looked very different."

The results of the Republican presidential primaries were astounding.

Mr. Roosevelt carried Illinois by a majority of 100,000; he obtained 67

of the 76 delegates from Pennsylvania; the state convention in Michigan

broke up in a riot; he carried California by a vote of two to one as

against Mr. Taft; he swept New Jersey and South Dakota; and he secured

the eight delegates at large in Massachusetts, although Mr. Taft carried

the preferential vote by a small majority. Connecticut and New York were

strongly for Mr. Taft, and Mr. La Follette carried Wisconsin and North

Dakota. Mr. Taft's supporters called attention to the fact that a very

large number of Republicans had failed to vote at all in the

preferential primaries, but they were speedily informed by the

opposition that they would see the shallowness of this contention if

they inquired into the number who voted for delegates to the conventions

which indorsed Mr. Taft.

When the Republican convention assembled in Chicago, 252 of the 1078

seats were contested; 238 of these were held by Mr. Taft's delegates and

14 by Mr. Roosevelt's supporters. The national committee, after the

usual hearings, decided the contests in such a manner as to give Mr.

Taft a safe majority. No little ingenuity was expended on both sides to

show the legality or the illegality of the several decisions. Mr.

Taft's friends pointed out that they had been made in a constitutional

manner by the proper authority, the national committee "chosen in 1908

when Roosevelt was the leader of the party, at a time when his influence

dominated the convention." Mr. Roosevelt's champions replied by cries of

"fraud." Independent newspapers remarked that there was no more

"regularity" about one set of southern delegates than another; that the

national committee had followed the example set by Mr. Roosevelt when he

forced Mr. Taft's nomination in 1908 by using southern delegations

against the real Republican states which had instructed for other

candidates; and that what was sauce for the goose was sauce for the

gander. Whatever may be the merits of the technical claims made on both

sides, it seems fair to say that Mr. Roosevelt, according to all

available signs, particularly the vote in the primaries in the strategic

states, was the real choice of the Republican party.

The struggle over the contested seats was carried into the convention,

and after a hot fight, Mr. Taft's forces were victorious. When at

length, as Mr. Bryan put it, "the credentials committee made its last

report and the committee-made majority had voted itself the convention,"

Mr. Roosevelt's supporters on Saturday, June 22, after a week's

desperate maneuvering, broke with the Republican assembly. A statement

prepared by Mr. Roosevelt was read as a parting shot. "The convention,"

he said, "has now declined to purge the roll of the fraudulent delegates

placed thereon by the defunct national committee, and the majority which

has thus indorsed the fraud was made a majority only because it

included the fraudulent delegates themselves who all sat as judges on

one another's cases.... The convention as now composed has no claim to

represent the voters of the Republican party.... Any man nominated by

the convention as now constituted would merely be the beneficiary of

this successful fraud; it would be deeply discreditable to any man to

accept the convention's nomination under these circumstances; and any

man thus accepting it would have no claim to the support of any

Republican on party grounds and would have forfeited the right to ask

the support of any honest man of any party on moral grounds."

Mr. Roosevelt's severe arraignment of men who had been his bosom friends

and chief political advisers and supporters filled with astonishment

many thoughtful observers in all parties who found it difficult to

account for his conduct. In Mr. Roosevelt's bitter speech at the

Auditorium mass meeting on the evening of June 17, 1912, a sharp line

was drawn between the "treason" of the Republican "Old Guard" and the

"purity" of his supporters. Of this, Mr. Bryan said, with much irony:

"He carried me back to the day when I first learned of this world-wide,

never-ending contest between the beneficiaries of privilege and the

unorganized masses; and I can appreciate the amazement which he must

feel that so many honest and well-meaning people seem blind or

indifferent to what is going on. I passed through the same period of

amazement when I first began to run for President. My only regret is

that we have not had the benefit of his powerful assistance during the

campaigns in which we have protested against the domination of politics

by predatory corporations. He probably feels more strongly stirred to

action to-day because he was so long unconscious of the forces at work

thwarting the popular will. The fact, too, that he has won prestige and

position for himself and friends through the support of the very

influences which he now so righteously denounces must still further

increase the sense of responsibility which he feels at this time.... He

ought to find encouragement in my experience. I have seen several

campaigns end in a most provoking way, and yet I have lived to see a

Republican ex-President cheered by a Republican audience for denouncing

men who, only a few years ago, were thought to be the custodians of the

nation's honor."[90]

When Mr. Roosevelt definitely broke with the Republican convention, most

of his followers left that assembly, and the few that stayed behind

there refused to vote on roll call. The substantial "rump" which

remained proceeded with the business as if nothing had happened, and

renominated Mr. Taft and Mr. Sherman as the candidates of the Republican

party. The regulars retained the battle field, but they could not fail

to recognize how forlorn was the hope that led them on.

On examining the vote on Mr. Root and Mr. McGovern, as candidates for

temporary chairman, it becomes apparent that the real strength of the

party was with Mr. Roosevelt. The former candidate, representing the

conservative wing, received the overwhelming majority of the votes of

the southern states, like Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and

Virginia, where the Republican organization was a political sham; he did

not carry the majority of the delegates of a single one of the strategic

Republican states of the North except Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and New

York. Massachusetts and Wisconsin were evenly divided; but the other

great Republican states were against him. Minnesota, Nebraska, New

Jersey, North and South Dakota were solid for McGovern. Ohio gave

thirty-four of her thirty-eight votes for him; Illinois, forty-nine out

of fifty-eight; California, twenty-four out of twenty-six; Kansas,

eighteen out of twenty; Oregon, six out of nine; Pennsylvania,

sixty-four out of seventy-six. In nearly every state where there had

been a preferential primary Mr. Roosevelt had carried the day. Mr. Root

won by a vote of 558 to 501 for Mr. McGovern. It was a victory, but it

bore the sting of death. When he stepped forward to deliver his address,

the applause that greeted him was broken by cries of "Receiver of stolen

goods."

If the supporters of Mr. Taft in the convention had any doubts as to the

character of the methods employed to secure his nomination or the

conduct of the convention itself, they were more than repaid for their

labors by what they believed to be the salvation of the party in the

hour of a great crisis. To them, the attacks on the judiciary,

representative institutions, and the established order generally were so

serious and so menacing that if high-handed measures were ever justified

they were on that occasion. The instruments which they employed were

precisely those which had been developed in party usage and had been

wielded with kindred results in 1908 by the eminent gentleman who

created so much disturbance when he fell a victim to them. Mr. Taft's

supporters must have foreseen defeat from the hour when the break came,

but they preferred defeat in November to the surrender of all that the

party had stood for since the Civil War.

The Republican platform was not prolix or very specific, but on general

principles it took a positive stand. It adhered to the traditional

American doctrine of individual liberty, protected by constitutional

safeguards and enforced by the courts; and it declared the recall of

judges to be "unnecessary and unwise." It announced the purpose of the

party to go forward with a program of social legislation, but it did not

go into great detail on this point. President Taft's policy of

submitting justiciable controversies between nations to arbitration was

indorsed. The amendment of the Sherman law in such a manner as to make

the illegal practices of trusts and corporations more specific was

favored, and the creation of a Federal trade commission to deal with

interstate business affected with public use was recommended. The

historic views of the party on the tariff were restated and sound

currency and banking legislation promised. The insinuation that the

party was reactionary was repudiated by a declaration that it had always

been a genuinely progressive party, never stationary or reactionary, but

always going from the fulfillment of one pledge to another in response

to public need and popular will.

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Taft took issue with all the radical

tendencies of the time and expressed his profound gratitude for the

righteous victory at Chicago, where they had been saved from the man

"whose recently avowed political views would have committed the party to

radical proposals involving dangerous changes in our present

constitutional form of representative government and our independent

judiciary." The widespread popular unrest which forced itself upon the

attention of even the most indifferent spectators, Mr. Taft attributed

to the sensational journals, muckraking, and demagogues, and he declared

that the equality of opportunity preached by the apostles of social

justice "involves a forced division of property and that means

socialism." In fact, in his opinion, the real contest was at bottom one

over private property, and the Democratic and Progressive parties were

merely aiding the Socialists in their attack upon this institution. He

challenged his opponents to show how the initiative, referendum, and

recall would effect significant economic changes: "Votes are not bread,

constitutional amendments are not work, referendums do not pay rent or

furnish houses, recalls do not furnish clothes, initiatives do not

supply employment, or relieve inequalities of condition or of

opportunity." In other words he took a firm stand against the whole

range of "radical propositions" advanced by "demagogues" to "satisfy

what is supposed to be popular clamor."

* * * * *

The Democrats looked upon the Republican dissensions with evident

satisfaction. When the time for sifting candidates for 1912 arrived,

there was unwonted bustle in their ranks, for they now saw a greater

probability of victory than at any time in the preceding sixteen years.

The congressional elections of 1910, the division in the Republican

party, and discontent with the prevailing order of things manifest

throughout the country, all pointed to a possibility of a chance to

return to the promised land from which they had been driven in 1897. And

there was no lack of strong presidential "timber." Two of the recently

elected Democratic governors, Harmon, of Ohio, and Wilson, of New

Jersey, were assiduously "boomed" by their respective contingents of

supporters. Mr. Bryan, though not an avowed candidate, was still

available and strong in his western battalions. Mr. Champ Clark, Speaker

of the House of Representatives, and Mr. Oscar Underwood, chairman of

the ways and means committee, likewise loomed large on the horizon as

possibilities.

In the primaries at which delegates to the convention were chosen a

great division of opinion was manifested, although there was a

considerable drift toward Mr. Clark. No one had anything like a majority

of the delegates, but the Speaker's popular vote in such significant

states as Illinois showed him to be a formidable contestant. But Mr.

Clark soon alienated Mr. Bryan by refusing to join him in a movement to

prevent the nomination of a conservative Democrat, Mr. Alton B. Parker,

as temporary chairman of the convention which met at Baltimore on June

25. Although at one time Mr. Clark received more than one half of the

votes (two thirds being necessary to nominate) his doom was sealed by

Mr. Bryan's potent opposition.

Mr. Wilson, on the other hand, gained immensely by this predicament in

which the Speaker found himself. He was easily the second candidate in

the race, as the balloting showed, and his availability was in many

respects superb. He was new to politics, and thus had few enemies. He

had long been known as a stanch conservative of the old school; and

although he apparently had not broken with his party in the stormy days

of 1896, it was publicly known that he had wished Mr. Bryan to be

"knocked into a cocked hat." In his printed utterances he was on record

against the newer devices, such as the initiative and referendum, and he

therefore commanded the respect and confidence of eastern Democrats. As

governor of New Jersey, however, his policies had appealed to the

progressive sections of his party, without seriously alienating the

other wing. He had pushed through an elaborate system of direct primary

legislation, a public utilities bill after the fashion of the Wisconsin

system, and a workmen's compensation law. On a western tour he met Mr.

Bryan on such happy terms that their cordiality seemed to be more than

ostensible, and at about the same time he declared himself in favor of

the initiative and referendum. His friends held that the conservative

scholar had been made "progressive" by practical experience; his enemies

contended that he was playing the political game; and his managers were

able to make use of one record effectively in the West and another

effectively in the East. Having the confidence, if not the cordial

support, of the conservatives and the great weight of Mr. Bryan's

influence on his side, he was able to win the nomination on the

forty-sixth ballot taken on the seventh day of the convention.

The Democratic platform adopted at Baltimore naturally opened with a

consideration of the tariff question, reiterating the ancient principle

that the government "under the Constitution has no right or power to

impose or collect tariff duties except for the purpose of revenue."

President Taft's action in vetoing the tariff bills was denounced, and

an immediate, downward revision was demanded. Recognizing the intimate

connection between the tariff and business, the Democrats proposed to

reach their ultimate ideal by "legislation that will not injure or

destroy legitimate industry." On the trust question, the platform took a

positive stand, demanding the enforcement of the criminal provisions of

the law against trust officials and the enactment of additional

legislation to make it "impossible for a private monopoly to exist in

the United States." The action of the Republican administration in

"compromising with the Standard Oil Company and the Tobacco Trust" was

condemned, and the judicial construction of the Sherman law criticized.

The valuation of railways was favored; likewise a single term for the

President of the United States, anti-injunction laws, currency

legislation, presidential primaries, and the declaration of the nation's

purpose to establish Philippine independence at the earliest practicable

moment.

Mr. Wilson's speech of acceptance partook of the character of an essay

in political science rather than of a precise definition of party

policies. He spoke of an awakened nation, impatient of partisan

make-believe, hindered in its development by circumstances of privilege

and private advantage, and determined to undertake great things in the

name of right and justice. Departing from traditions, he refused to

discuss the terms of the Baltimore platform, which he dismissed with the

short notice that "the platform is not a program." He devoted no little

attention to the spirit of "the rule of the people" as opposed to the

rule by an inner coterie of the privileged, but he abstained from

discussing directly such matters as the initiative, referendum, and

recall. He announced his clear conviction that the only safe and

legitimate object of a tariff was to raise duties, but he cautioned his

party against radical and sudden legislation. He promised to support

legislation against the unfair practices of corporations in destroying

competition; but he gave no solace to those who expected a vigorous

assault on trusts as such.

Indeed, Mr. Wilson refused to commit himself to the old concept of

unrestricted competition and petty business. "I am not," he said, "one

of those who think that competition can be established by law against

the drift of a world-wide economic tendency.... I am not afraid of

anything that is normal. I dare say we shall never return to the old

order of individual competition and that the organization of business

upon a great scale of cooperation is, up to a certain point, itself

normal and inevitable." Nevertheless, he hoped to see "our old free,

cooperative life restored," and individual opportunity widened. To the

working class he addressed a word of assurance and confidence: "The

working people of America ... are of course the backbone of the Nation.

No law that safeguards their lives, that improves the physical and moral

conditions under which they live, that makes their hours of labor

rational and tolerable, that gives them freedom to act in their own

interest, and that protects them where they cannot protect themselves,

can properly be regarded as class legislation." As to the Philippines,

he simply said that we were under obligations to make any arrangement

that would be serviceable to their freedom and development. The whole

address was characterized by a note of sympathy and interest in the

common lot of the common people, and by an absence of any concrete

proposals that might discourage or alarm the business interests of the

country. It was a call to arms, but it did not indicate the weapons.

Mr. Wilson's speech had that delightful quality of pleasing all sections

of his party. The _New York Times_ saw in it a remarkable address, in

spite of what seemed to be a certain remoteness from concrete issues,

and congratulated the country that its tone and argument indicated a

determination on the part of the candidate to ignore the Baltimore

platform. Mr. Bryan, on the other hand, appeared to be immensely pleased

with it. "Governor Wilson's speech accepting the Democratic nomination,"

he said, "is original in its method of dealing with the issues of the

campaign. Instead of taking up the platform plank by plank, he takes the

central idea of the Denver platform [of 1908, Mr. Bryan's own, more

radical still]--an idea repeated and emphasized in the Baltimore

platform--and elaborates it, using the various questions under

consideration to illustrate the application of the principle.... Without

assuming to formulate a detailed plan for dealing with every condition

which may arise, he lifts into a position of extreme importance the

dominating thought of the Baltimore platform and appeals to the country

for its cooperation in making popular government a reality throughout

the land."[91]

* * * * *

While the Republicans and Democrats were bringing their machinery into

action, the supporters of Mr. Roosevelt were busy forming the

organization of a new party. At a conference held shortly after the

break with the Republican convention, a provisional committee had been

appointed, and on July 8, a call was issued for the "Progressive"

convention, which duly assembled on August 5 at Chicago. This party

assembly was sharply marked by the prominence assigned to women for the

first time in a political convention. Eighteen of the delegates were

women, and Miss Jane Addams, of the Hull House, made one of the

"keynote" speeches of the occasion. Even hostile newspapers were forced

to admit that no other convention in our history, except possibly the

first Republican convention of 1856, rivaled it in the enthusiasm and

devotion of the delegates. The typical politician was conspicuous by his

absence, and a spirit of religious fervor rather than of manipulation

characterized the proceedings. Mr. Roosevelt made a long address, his

"Confession of Faith," in which he took a positive stand on many

questions which he had hitherto met in evasive language, and a platform

was adopted which marked a departure from the old party pronouncements,

in that it stated the principles with clarity and in great detail.

The Progressive platform fell into three parts: political reforms, labor

and social measures, and control of trusts and combinations. The first

embraced declarations in favor of direct primaries, including

preferential presidential primaries, popular election of United States

Senators, the short ballot, the initiative, referendum, and recall, an

easier method of amending the Federal Constitution, woman suffrage,

limitation and publicity of campaign expenditures, and the recall of

judicial decisions in the form of a popular review of any decision

annulling a law passed under the police power of the state. The program

of labor and social legislation included the limitation of the use of

the injunction in labor disputes, prohibition of child labor, minimum

wage standards for women, the establishment of minimum standards as to

health and safety of employees and conditions of labor generally, the

creation of a labor department at Washington, and the improvement of

country life.

The Progressives took a decided stand against indiscriminate trust

dissolutions, declaring that great combinations were in some degree

inevitable and necessary for national and international efficiency. The

evils of stock watering and unfair competitive methods should be

eliminated and the advantages and economies of concentration conserved.

To this end, they urged the establishment of a Federal commission to

maintain a supervision over corporations engaged in interstate commerce,

analogous to that exercised by the Interstate Commerce Commission. As to

railway corporations, they favored physical valuation. They demanded the

retention of the natural resources, except agricultural lands, by the

governments, state and national, and their utilization for public

benefit. They favored a downward revision of the tariff on a protective

basis, income and inheritance taxes, the protection of the public

against stock gamblers and promoters and public ownership of railways in

Alaska.

* * * * *

In spite of the exciting contests over nomination in both of the old

parties, the campaign which followed was extraordinarily quiet.[92] The

popular vote shows that the issues failed to enlist confidence or

enthusiasm. Mr. Roosevelt polled about 700,000 more votes than Mr. Taft,

but their combined vote was less than that polled by the latter in 1908,

and slightly less than that received by the former in 1904. Mr. Wilson's

vote was more than 100,000 less than that received by Mr. Bryan in 1896

or 1908. The combined Progressive and Republican vote was 1,300,000

greater than the Democratic vote. If we add the votes cast for Mr. Debs,

the Socialist candidate, and the vote received by the other minor

candidates to the Progressive and Republican vote we have a majority of

nearly two and one half millions against Mr. Wilson. Yet Mr. Wilson,

owing to the division of the opposition, secured 435 of the 531

electoral votes. The Democrats retained possession of the House of

Representatives and secured control of the Senate. The surprise of the

election was the large increase in the Socialist vote, from 420,000 in

1908 to 898,000, and this in spite of the socialistic planks in the

Progressive platform which were expected to capture a large share of the

voters who had formerly gone with the Socialists by way of protest

against the existing parties.

These figures should not be taken to imply that had either Mr. Taft or

Mr. Roosevelt been eliminated the Democrats would have been defeated. On

the contrary, Mr. Wilson would have doubtless been elected if the

Republicans had nominated Mr. Roosevelt or if the Progressives had

remained out of the field. Nevertheless, the vote would seem to indicate

that the Democratic party had no very clear and positive majority

mandate on any great issue. However that may be, the policy of the party

as outlined by its leader and victorious candidate deserves the most

careful analysis.

* * * * *

In the course of the campaign, Mr. Wilson discussed in general terms all

of the larger issues of the hour, emphasizing particularly the fact that

an economic revolution had changed the questions of earlier years, but

always speaking of "restoration" and a "recurrence" to older

liberties.[93] "Our life has broken away from the past. The life of

America is not the life that it was twenty years ago; it is not the life

that it was ten years ago. We have changed our economic conditions,

absolutely, from top to bottom; and with our economic society, the

organization of our life. The old political formulas do not fit present

problems; they read like documents taken out of a forgotten age. The

older cries sound as if they belonged to a past which men have almost

forgotten.... Society is looking itself over, in our day, from top to

bottom; is making fresh and critical analysis of its very elements; is

questioning its oldest practices as freely as its newest, scrutinizing

every arrangement and motive of its life; and it stands ready to attempt

nothing less than a radical reconstruction which only frank and honest

counsels and the forces of generous cooperation can hold back from

becoming a revolution."

One of the most significant of the many changes which constituted this

new order was, in Mr. Wilson's opinion, the mastery of the government by

the great business interests. "Suppose you go to Washington and try to

get at your government. You will always find that while you are politely

listened to, the men really consulted are the men who have the biggest

stake--the big bankers, the big manufacturers, the big masters of

commerce, the heads of railroad corporations and of steamship

corporations.... The government of the United States at present is a

foster-child of the special interests. It is not allowed to have a will

of its own.... The government of the United States in recent years has

not been administered by the common people of the United States."

Nevertheless, while deploring the control of the government by "big

business," Mr. Wilson made no assault on that type of economic

enterprise as such. On the contrary, he differentiated between big

business and the trust very sharply in general terms. "A trust is an

arrangement to get rid of competition, and a big business is a business

that has survived competition by conquering in the field of

intelligence and economy. A trust does not bring efficiency to the aid

of business; it buys efficiency out of business. I am for big business

and I am against the trusts. Any man who can survive by his brains, any

man who can put the others out of the business by making the thing

cheaper to the consumer at the same time that he is increasing its

intrinsic value and quality, I take off my hat to, and I say: 'You are

the man who can build up the United States, and I wish there were more

of you.'" Whether any big business in the staple industries had been

built up by this process, he did not indicate; neither did he discuss

the question as to whether monopoly might not result from the

destruction of competitors as well as from the fusion of competitors

into a trust.

On this distinction between big business and trusts Mr. Wilson built up

his theory of governmental policy. The trust, he said, was not a product

of competition at all, but of the unwillingness of business men to meet

it--a distinction which some were inclined to regard as academic.

Because the formation of no great trusts had been unaccompanied by

unfair practices, Mr. Wilson seemed to hold that no such concern would

have been built up had unfair practices been prohibited. Obviously,

therefore, the problem is a simple one--dissolve the trusts and prevent

their being reestablished by prohibiting unfair practices and the arts

of high finance.

Indeed, such was Mr. Wilson's program. "Our purpose," he says, "is the

restoration of freedom. We purpose to prevent private monopoly by law,

to see to it that the methods by which monopolies have been built up

are made impossible." Mr. Wilson's central idea was to clear the field

for the restoration of competition as it existed in the early days of

mechanical industry. "American industry is not free, as it once was

free; American enterprise is not free; the man with only a little

capital is finding it harder to get into the field, more and more

impossible to compete with the big fellow. Why? Because the laws of this

country do not prevent the strong from crushing the weak."

"Absolutely free enterprise" was Mr. Wilson's leading phrase. "We design

that the limitations on private enterprise shall be removed, so that the

next generation of youngsters, as they come along, will not have to

become proteges of benevolent trusts, but will be free to go about

making their own lives what they will; so that we shall taste again the

full cup, not of charity, but of liberty." The restoration of freedom

for every person to go into business for himself was the burden of his

appeal: "Are you not eager for the time when the genius and initiative

of all the people shall be called into the service of business?... when

your sons shall be able to look forward to becoming not employees, but

heads of some small, it may be, but hopeful business, where their best

energies shall be inspired by the knowledge that they are their own

masters with the paths of the world before them ... and every avenue of

commercial and industrial activity leveled for the feet of all who would

tread it?"

Mr. Wilson's economic system seems to be susceptible of the following

summary. The great trusts are "unnatural products," not of competition,

but of the unwillingness of men to face competition and of unfair

practices. Big business is the product of genuine services to the

community, and it should be allowed to destroy whom it can by fairly

underselling honest goods. The enemy is, therefore, the trust; it is the

trust which prevents everybody who would from becoming his own master in

some small business; it is the trust that has taken away the "freedom"

which we once had in the United States. The remedy is inevitably the

dissolution of the trusts, the prohibition of unfair practices in

competition--then will follow as night the day that perfect freedom

which is as new wine to a sick nation. With competition "restored" and

maintained by government prosecution of offenders, no one need have a

master unless he chooses.

Mr. Wilson's opponents saw in this simple industrial program nothing

more than the old gospel of Adam Smith and Ricardo--the gospel of

_laissez faire_ and individualism. They asked him to specify, for

example, into how many concerns the Steel Trust should be dissolved in

order to permit the man with brains and a few thousand dollars capital

to get into the steel business. They asked him to name a catalogue of

"unfair practices" which were to be prohibited in order to put

competition on a "free and natural" basis. They asked him to state just

how, with the present accumulation of great capitals in the hands of a

relatively few, the poor but industrious person with small capital could

meet the advantages afforded by large capitals. They inquired whether

England in the middle of the nineteenth century, with this perfect

industrial ideal and free trade besides, presented the picture of

utopian liberty which the new freedom promised.

To this demand for more particulars, Mr. Wilson replied that he was not

discussing "measures or programs," but was merely attempting "to express

the new spirit of our politics and to set forth, in large terms, which

may stick in the imagination, what it is that must be done if we are to

restore our politics to their full spiritual vigor again, and our

national life whether in trade, in industry, or in what concerns us only

as families and individuals, to its purity, its self-respect, and its

pristine strength and freedom."

For the concrete manifestation of his general principles Mr. Wilson

referred to his practical achievements in New Jersey, although at the

time of the campaign he had not yet put through his program of trust

legislation--a fact which was not overlooked by his opponents. He

referred to his public service commission law, modeled on that which had

been in effect for some time in Wisconsin. "A year or two ago we got our

ideas on the subject enacted into legislation. The corporations involved

opposed the legislation with all their might. They talked about

ruin,--and I really believe they did think they would be somewhat

injured. But they have not been. And I hear I cannot tell you how many

men in New Jersey say: 'Governor, we were opposed to you; we did not

believe in the things you wanted to do, but now that you have done them,

we take off our hats. That was the thing to do, it did not hurt us a

bit; it just put us on a normal footing; it took away suspicion from

our business.' New Jersey, having taken the cold plunge, cries out to

the rest of the states, 'Come on in! The water's fine.'"

In another place, Mr. Wilson summed up his program of redemption in New

Jersey: a workman's compensation act, a public service corporations law,

and a corrupt practices act. This program of legislation was viewed by

Mr. Wilson as an extraordinary achievement. "What was accomplished?" he

asked. "Mere justice to classes that had not been treated justly

before.... When the people had taken over the control of the government,

a curious change was wrought in the souls of a great many men; a sudden

moral awakening took place, and we simply could not find culprits

against whom to bring indictments; it was like a Sunday School, the way

they obeyed the laws."

It was on his theory of the trusts that Mr. Wilson based his opposition

to all attempts at government regulation. Under the plan of regulation,

put forward by the Progressives, said Mr. Wilson, "there will be an

avowed partnership between the government and the trusts. I take it the

firm will be ostensibly controlled by the senior member. For I take it

that the government of the United States is at least the senior member,

though the younger member has all along been running the business....

There is no hope to be seen for the people of the United States until

the partnership is dissolved. And the business of the party now

intrusted with power is to dissolve it." In other words, the government

was, in his opinion, too weak to force the trusts to obey certain rules

and regulations, but it was strong enough to take their business away

from them and prevent their ever getting together again. Apparently, Mr.

Wilson did not expect to find that cordial cooperation from the national

trust magnates which he found on the part of New Jersey public service

corporations when he undertook to regulate them.

Mr. Wilson's political program was more definite. His short experience

in New Jersey politics had evidently wrought great changes in his

earlier academic views. In 1907, he thought that the United States

Senate, "represents the country as distinct from the accumulated

populations of the country, much more fully and much more truly than the

House of Representatives does." In the presidential campaign, he

advocated popular election of United States Senators, principally on the

ground "that a little group of Senators holding the balance of power has

again and again been able to defeat programs of reform upon which the

whole country has set its heart." He did not attack the Senate as a

body, but he thought sinister influences had often been at work there.

However, Mr. Wilson declared that the popular election of Senators was

not inconsistent with "either the spirit or the essential form of the

American government."

As to those other devices of direct democracy, the initiative,

referendum, and recall, Mr. Wilson admitted that there were some states

where it was premature to discuss them, and added that in some states it

might never be necessary to discuss them. The initiative and referendum,

he approved as a sort of "gun behind the door," to be used rarely when

representative institutions failed; and as to the recall he remarked,

"I don't see how any man grounded in the traditions of American affairs

can find any valid objection to the recall of administrative officers."

The recall of judges, however, he opposed positively and without

qualification, pointing out that the remedy for evils in the judicial

system lay in methods of nomination and election.

Such was the economic and political philosophy of the new Democratic

President inaugurated on March 4, 1913.

FOOTNOTES:

[84] _Autobiography_, p. 476.

[85] La Follette, _Autobiography_, pp. 516 ff.

[86] _Autobiography_, pp. 480 ff., 543 f., 551, 700, 740.

[87] See above, p. 314.

[88] La Follette, _Autobiography_, p. 616.

[89] Above, p. 288.

[90] _A Tale of Two Conventions_, p. 27.

[91] W. J. Bryan, _A Tale of Two Conventions_, p. 228.

[92] The most startling incident was the attempt of a maniac

at Milwaukee to assassinate Mr. Roosevelt.

[93] These speeches were reprinted in _The New Freedom_ after

the election.

APPENDIX

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, 1876-1912

-----+--------------------+------+------+---------+---------+-----+

YEAR | | | | | | |

OF | CANDIDATES | |POLIT-| | |ELEC-|

ELEC-| FOR | | ICAL | POPULAR | |TORAL|

TION | PRESIDENT |STATES|PARTY | VOTE |PLURALITY|VOTE |

-----+--------------------+------+------+---------+---------+-----+

1876 |Samuel J. Tilden |N. Y. |Dem. |4,284,885| 250,935| 184 |

|Rutherford B. Hayes*|O. |Rep. |4,033,950| | 185 |

|Peter Cooper |N. Y. |Gre'nb| 81,740| | |

|Green Clay Smith |Ky. |Pro. | 9,522| | |

|James B. Walker |Ill. |Amer. | 2,636| | |

-----+--------------------+------+------+---------+---------+-----+

1880 |James A. Garfield* |O. |Rep. |4,449,053| 7,018| 214 |

|W. S. Hancock |Pa. |Dem. |4,442,035| | 155 |

|James B. Weaver |Iowa |Gre'nb| 307,306| | |

|Neal Dow |Me. |Pro. | 10,305| | |

|John W. Phelps |Vt. |Amer. | 707| | |

-----+--------------------+------+------+---------+---------+-----+

1884 |Grover Cleveland* |N. Y. |Dem. |4,911,017| 62,683| 219 |

|James G. Blaine |Me. |Rep. |4,848,334| | 182 |

|John P. St. John |Kan. |Pro. | 151,809| | |

|Benjamin F. Butler |Mass. |Gre'nb| 133,825| | |

|P. D. Wigginton |Cal. |Amer. | | | |

-----+--------------------+------+------+---------+---------+-----+

1888 |Grover Cleveland |N. Y. |Dem. |5,440,216| | 168 |

|Benjamin Harrison* |Ind. |Rep. |5,538,233| 98,017| 233 |

|Clinton B. Fisk |N. J. |Pro. | 249,907| | |

|Alson J. Streeter |Ill. |U. L. | 148,105| | |

|R. H. Cowdry |Ill. |U'd L.| 2,808| | |

|James L. Curtis |N. Y. |Amer. | 1,591| | |

-----+--------------------+------+------+---------+---------+-----+

1892 |Grover Cleveland* |N. Y. |Dem. |5,556,918| 380,810| 277 |

|Benjamin Harrison |Ind. |Rep. |5,176,108| | 145 |

|James B. Weaver |Iowa |Peop. |1,041,028| | 22 |

|John Bidwell |Cal. |Pro. | 264,133| | |

|Simon Wing |Mass. |Soc L.| 21,164| | |

-----+--------------------+------+------+---------+---------+-----+

1896 |William McKinley* |O. |Rep. |7,104,779| 601,854| 271 |

|William J. Bryan |Neb. |Dem. }|6,502,925| | 170 |

|William J. Bryan |Neb. |Peop.}| | | |

|Joshua Levering |Md. |Pro. | 132,007| | |

|John M. Palmer |Ill. |N Dem.| 133,148| | |

|Charles H. Matchett |N. Y. |Soc L.| 30,274| | |

|Charles E. Bentley |Neb. |Nat. | 13,969| | |

-----+--------------------+------+------+---------+---------+-----+

1900 |William McKinley* |O. |Rep. |7,207,923| 849,790| 292 |

|William J. Bryan |Neb. |Dem P.|6,358,133| | 155 |

|John G. Woolley |Ill. |Pro. | 208,914| | |

|Wharton Barker |Pa. |MP. | 50,373| | |

|Eugene V. Debs |Ind. |Soc D.| 87,815| | |

|Jos. F. Malloney |Mass. |Soc L.| 39,739| | |

|J. F. R. Leonard |Ia. |UC. | 1,059| | |

|Seth H. Ellis |O. |UR. | 5,698| | |

-----+--------------------+------+------+---------+---------+-----+

1904 |Theodore Roosevelt* |N. Y. |Rep. |7,623,486|2,545,515| 336 |

|Alton B. Parker |N. Y. |Dem. |5,077,911| | 140 |

|Eugene V. Debs |Ind. |Soc. | 402,283| | |

|Silas C. Swallow |Pa. |Pro. | 258,536| | |

|Thomas E. Watson |Ga. |Peop. | 117,183| | |

|Charles H. Corrigan |N. Y. |Soc L.| 31,249| | |

-----+--------------------+------+------+---------+---------+-----+

1908 |William H. Taft* |O. |Rep. |7,678,908|1,269,804| 321 |

|William J. Bryan |Neb. |Dem. |6,409,104| | 162 |

|Eugene V. Debs |Ind. |Soc. | 420,793| | |

|Eugene W. Chafin |Ariz. |Pro. | 253,840| | |

|Thomas E. Watson |Ga. |Peo. | 29,100| | |

|August Gillhaus |N. Y. |Soc L.| 13,825| | |

|Thos. L. Hisgen |Mass. |Ind. | 82,872| | |

-----+--------------------+------+------+---------+---------+-----+

1912 |Woodrow Wilson* |N. J. |Dem. |6,292,718|2,235,289| 435 |

|William H. Taft |O. |Rep. |3,369,221| | 15 |

|Theodore Roosevelt |N. Y. |Prog. |4,057,429| | 81 |

|Eugene V. Debs |Ind. |Soc. | 812,731| | |

|Eugene W. Chafin |Ariz. |Pro. | 170,626| | |

|Arthur E. Reimer |Mass. |Soc L.| 17,312| | |

-----+--------------------+------+------+---------+---------+-----+

-----+---------------------+------+------+-----

YEAR | | | |

OF | CANDIDATES | |POLIT-|ELEC-

ELEC-| FOR | | ICAL |TORAL

TION | VICE PRESIDENT |STATES|PARTY |VOTE

-----+---------------------+------+------+-----

1876 |T. A. Hendricks |Ind. |Dem. | 184

|William A. Wheeler* |N. Y. |Rep. | 185

|Samuel F. Cary |O. |Gre'nb|

|Gideon T. Stewart |O. |Pro. |

|D. Kirkpatrick |N. Y. |Amer. |

-----+---------------------+------+------+-----

1880 |Chester A. Arthur* |N. Y. |Rep. | 214

|William H. English |Ind. |Dem. | 155

|B. J. Chambers |Tex. |Gre'nb|

|H. A. Thompson |O. |Pro. |

|S. C. Pomeroy |Kan. |Amer. |

-----+---------------------+------+------+-----

1884 |T. A. Hendricks* |Ind. |Dem. | 219

|John A. Logan |Ill. |Rep. | 182

|William Daniel |Md. |Pro. |

|A. M. West |Miss. |Gre'nb|

| | | |

-----+---------------------+------+------+-----

1888 |Allen G. Thurman |O. |Dem. | 168

|Levi P. Morton* |N. Y. |Rep. | 233

|John A. Brooks |Mo. |Pro. |

|C. E. Cunningham |Ark. |U. L. |

|W. H. T. Wakefield |Kan. |U'd L.|

|James B. Greer |Tenn. |Amer. |

-----+---------------------+------+------+-----

1892 |Adlai E. Stevenson* |Ill. |Dem. | 277

|Whitelaw Reid |N. Y. |Rep. | 145

|James G. Field |Va. |Peop. | 22

|James B. Cranfill |Tex. |Pro. |

|Charles H. Matchett |N. Y. |Soc L.|

-----+---------------------+------+------+-----

1896 |Garret A. Hobart* |N. J. |Rep. | 271

|Arthur Sewall |Me. |Dem. | 149

|Thomas E. Watson |Ga. |Peop. | 27

|Hale Johnson |Ill. |Pro. |

|Simon B. Buckner |Ky. |N Dem.|

|Matthew Maguire |N. J. |Soc L.|

|James H. Southgate |N. C. |Nat. |

-----+---------------------+------+------+-----

1900 |Theodore Roosevelt* |N. Y. |Rep. | 292

|Adlai E. Stevenson |Ill. |Dem P.| 155

|Henry B. Metcalf |O. |Pro. |

|Ignatius Donnelly |Minn. |MP. |

|Job Harriman |Cal. |Soc D.|

|Valentine Rommel |Pa. |Soc L.|

|John G. Woolley |Ill. |UC. |

|Samuel T. Nicholson |Pa. |UR. |

-----+---------------------+------+------+-----

1904 |Charles W. Fairbanks*|Ind. |Rep. | 336

|Henry G. Davis |W. Va.|Dem. | 140

|Benjamin Hanford |N. Y. |Soc. |

|George W. Carroll |Tex. |Pro. |

|Thomas H. Tibbles |Neb. |Peop. |

|William W. Cox |Ill. |Soc L.|

-----+---------------------+------+------+-----

1908 |James S. Sherman* |N. Y. |Rep. | 321

|John W. Kern |Ind. |Dem. | 162

|Benjamin Hanford |N. Y. |Soc. |

|Aaron S. Watkins |O. |Pro. |

|Samuel Williams |Ind. |Peo. |

|Donald L. Munro |Va. |Soc L.|

|John Temple Graves |Ga. |Ind. |

-----+---------------------+------+------+-----

1912 |Thomas R. Marshall* |Ind. |Dem. | 435

|Herbert S. Hadley |Mo. |Rep. | 15

|Hiram W. Johnson |Cal. |Prog. | 81

|Emil Seidel |Wis. |Soc. |

|Aaron S. Watkins |O. |Pro. |

|August Gillhaus |N. Y. |Soc L.|

-----+---------------------+------+------+-----

* The candidates starred were elected. This table is from the

_World Almanac_. The figures are in some cases slightly different

from those used in the text, which are taken from Stanwood, _History

of the Presidency_.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

_Guide to Literature of Current History_

The best general bibliography for handy use is Channing, Hart, and

Turner, _Guide to the Study and Reading of American History_ (new ed.

1912).

G. E. Howard, _Present Political Questions_ (1913)--a valuable syllabus

of current questions with discriminating and full bibliographies

(published by the University of Nebraska).

The Library of Congress publishes useful bibliographies on special

topics of current political and historical interest. A list may be

obtained by addressing the Librarian, Washington, D.C.

An important annual review of the current literature of American history

is to be found in _Writings on American History_; published by

Macmillan, 1906-1908; by the American Historical Association, 1909-1911;

and now by the Yale University Press.

Excellent topical bibliographies are to be found in each of the volumes

in Hart, American Nation Series. The four volumes by Dunning, Sparks,

Dewey, and Latane should be consulted for the period here covered.

_General Works_

The best general treatment of the period from 1877 to 1907 is to be

found in the four volumes of the American Nation Series edited by A. B.

Hart: W. A. Dunning, _Reconstruction: Political and Economic_; E. E.

Sparks, _National Development, 1877-1885_; D. R. Dewey, _National

Problems; 1885-1897_; J. H. Latane, _America as a World Power,

1897-1907_. Each of these volumes contains an excellent bibliography of

political and economic materials.

H. T. Peck, _Twenty Years of the Republic_ (1906)--readable work

covering the period from Cleveland's first administration to 1905.

Edward Stanwood, _History of the Presidency_ (1896 ed.). A second volume

(1912) brings the work down to 1909 and contains the platforms of

1912--useful for political sketches and the platforms and election

statistics.

_The American Year Book_, published since 1910, contains an annual

survey of American political history and constitutional and social

development.

For political and economic matters see the current publications and

proceedings of the American Political Science Association, the American

Economic Association, and the American Sociological Society.

_Personal and Biographical Works_

J. P. Altgeld, _Live Questions_ (1890)--valuable for the radical

movement within the Democratic party.

F. Bancroft, _Speeches, Correspondence and Political Papers of Carl

Schurz_ (1913), 6 vols.

John Bigelow, _Life of Samuel J. Tilden_ (1896).

G. S. Boutwell, _Reminiscences of Sixty Years_ (1902).

Grover Cleveland, _The Independence of the Executive_ (1900);

_Presidential Problems_ (1904)--particularly valuable for the Chicago

strike and the bond issues; G. F. Parker, _Writings and Speeches of

Grover Cleveland_ (1892); A. E. Bergh, _Addresses, State Papers, and

Letters of Grover Cleveland_ (1909).

J. A. Garfield, _Currency Speeches in the House, 1868-1870_; B. A.

Hinsdale, _Works of J. A. Garfield_ (1882-1883) 2 vols.; _Great Speeches

of J. A. Garfield_ (1881).

Benjamin Harrison, _Public Papers and Addresses_ (Govt. Printing Office,

1893); _This Country of Ours_ (1897)--a popular view of the national

government; J. S. Shriver, _Speeches of Benjamin Harrison_ (1891); M. L.

Harrison, _Views of an Ex-President_ [Harrison] (1901).

G. F. Hoar, _Autobiography of Seventy Years_ (1903).

R. M. La Follette, _Autobiography_ (1913)--particularly valuable for the

history of the radical movement within the Republican party and the

origin of the Progressive party.

Wm. McKinley, _Speeches and Addresses from Election to Congress to the

Present Time_ (1893); _Speeches and Addresses, 1897-1900_ (1900); _The

Tariff--a Review of Its Legislation from 1812 to 1896_ (1904); J. S.

Ogilvie, _Life and Speeches of McKinley_ (1896).

L. A. Coolidge, _An Old-Fashioned Senator_ [O. H. Platt] (1910).

Thomas C. Platt, _Autobiography_ (1910).

Theodore Roosevelt, _The New Nationalism_ (1910) contains the famous

speech on that subject and other essays; _An Autobiography_ (1913)--an

intimate view of his political career.

John Sherman, _Recollections of Forty Years_ (1897).

Edward Stanwood, _James G. Blaine_ (1905).

W. H. Taft, _Political Issues and Outlooks_ (1909); _Presidential

Addresses and State Papers_ (1910).

Woodrow Wilson, _The New Freedom_ (1913). An edited collection of

President Wilson's campaign speeches arranged to exhibit in systematic

form his political and economic doctrines.

_Topical Bibliography_

THE ECONOMIC REVOLUTION: Coman, _Economic History of the United

States_ (1911 ed.)--several useful chapters on the period since the

Civil War; R. T. Ely, _Evolution of Industrial Society_ (1906).

TARIFF: Edward Stanwood, _American Tariff Controversies in the

Nineteenth Century_ (1903); F. W. Taussig, _Tariff History of the United

States_ (1910 ed.).

FINANCE: See the annual review in the _American Year Book_; D.

R. Dewey, _Financial History of the United States_ (1903); A. B.

Hepburn, _History of Coinage and Currency in the United States_ (1903);

J. L. Laughlin, _History of Bimetallism in the United States_ (1897); W.

H. Harvey, _Coin's Financial School_ (1894)--the famous work which did

so much to stir up popular sentiment in favor of free silver; W. J.

Bryan, _The First Battle_ (1897)--invaluable for the political aspects

of the question.

TRUSTS: I. M. Tarbell, _The History of the Standard Oil

Company_ (1904); G. H. Montague, _The Rise and Progress of the Standard

Oil Company_ (1903)--more favorable to trusts than the preceding work;

H. D. Lloyd, _Wealth against Commonwealth_ (1894)--a critical attack on

the evil practices of trusts; J. W. Jenks, _The Trust Problem_ (1905

ed.)--study of the methods and causes of trusts; John Moody, _The Truth

about the Trusts_ (1904)--full of valuable historical and statistical

data; W. Z. Ripley, _Trusts, Pools, and Corporations_ (1905)--a useful

collection of historical and descriptive materials.

RAILWAYS: W. Z. Ripley, _Railroads: Rates and Regulation_

(1913)--a monumental and scholarly treatise; E. R. Johnson, _American

Railway Transportation_ (1903); H. S. Haines, _Restrictive Railway

Legislation in the United States_ (1905); B. H. Meyer, _Railway

Legislation in the United States_ (1903).

CIVIL SERVICE: C. R. Fish, _Civil Service and the Patronage_

(1905, Harvard Studies); L. G. Tyler, _Parties and Patronage_ (1888).

POPULISM: S. J. Buck, _The Granger Movement ... 1870-1880_

(1913, Harvard Studies)--important for all aspects of agrarianism for

the period; F. L. McVey, _The Populist Movement_ (1896).

LABOR: R. T. Ely, _The Labor Movement in America_ (1902); T. V.

Powderly, _Thirty Years of Labor_ (1889); John Mitchell, _Organized

Labor_ (1903); T. S. Adams and H. Sumner, _Labor Problems_ (1906).

IMMIGRATION: Frank Warne, _The Immigrant Invasion_ (1913);

Peter Roberts, _The New Immigration_ (1912)--a study of the social and

industrial life of Southeastern Europeans in America; H. P. Fairchild,

_Greek Immigration_ (1911), and _Immigration: a World Movement and its

American Significance_ (1913); P. F. Hall, _Immigration and Its Effects

on the United States_ (1908); I. A. Hourwich, _Immigration and Labor_

(1912)--a study of the economic aspects of immigration and favorable to

a liberal immigration policy; J. W. Jenks and W. J. Lauck, _The

Immigration Problem_ (1912)--particularly valuable for the data

presented.

SOCIALISM: Morris Hillquit, _History of Socialism in the United

States_ (1910); W. J. Ghent, _Mass and Class_ (1904); J. W. Hughan,

_American Socialism of To-day_ (1912); W. E. Walling, _Socialism as It

Is_ (1912). On the newer aspects of socialism and trades-unionism: John

Spargo, _Syndicalism, Industrial Unionism, and Socialism_ (1913); A.

Tridon, _The New Unionism_ (1913); J. G. Brooks, _American Syndicalism_

(1913); W. H. Haywood and F. Bohn, _Industrial Socialism_ (1911); James

O'Neal, _Militant Socialism_ (1912).

WOMEN: Edith Abbott, _Women in Industry_ (1909); E. D. Bullock,

_Selected Articles on the Employment of Women_ (1911); E. B. Butler,

_Women in the Trades_ (1909); R. C. Dorr, _What Eight Million Women

Want_ (1910); I. H. Harper, _Life and Work of Susan B. Anthony_

(1899-1908), _History of the Movement for Woman Suffrage in the United

States_ (1907); E. R. Hecker, _Short History of Woman's Rights_ (1910);

G. E. Howard, _A History of Matrimonial Institutions_ (1904); Helen

Sumner, _Equal Suffrage_ (1909)--a study of woman suffrage in Colorado;

C. P. Gilman, _Woman and Economics_ (1900).

CONTROVERSY OVER THE JUDICIARY: Gilbert Roe, _Our Judicial

Oligarchy_ (1912)--a criticism of recent tendencies in the American

judicial system; B. F. Moore, _The Supreme Court and Unconstitutional

Legislation_ (1913)--a historical survey; W. L. Ransom _Majority Rule

and the Judiciary_ (1912); F. R. Coudert, _Certainty and Justice_

(1913); G. G. Groat, _Attitude of American Courts in Labor Cases_

(1911); C. G. Haines, _The American Doctrine of Judicial Supremacy_

(1914).

POPULAR GOVERNMENT: G. H. Haynes, _The Election of Senators_

(1906)--valuable for the question of popular election; C. A. Beard and

Birl Shultz, _Documents on the Initiative, Referendum and Recall_

(1912); E. P. Oberholtzer, _Initiative, Referendum, and Recall in

America_ (1911); Walter Weyl, _The New Democracy_ (1912); H. Croly, _The

Promise of American Life_ (1909).

THE SOUTH: A. B. Hart, _The Southern South_ (1910); E. G.

Murphy, _Problems of the Present South_ (1904); H. W. Grady, _The New

South_ (1890); W. G. Brown, _The Lower South_ (1902).

THE NEGRO PROBLEM: The Annals of the American Academy of

Political and Social Science for September, 1913, is devoted to articles

on the progress of the negro race during the last fifty years. A. P. C.

Griffin, _Select List of References on the Negro Question_ (1906,

Library of Congress); R. S. Baker, _Following the Color Line_

(1908)--valuable for the handicaps imposed on the negro in the South; J.

M. Mathews, _Legislative and Judicial History of the Fifteenth

Amendment_ (1909); M. W. Ovington, _Half a Man_ (1911)--status of the

negro in New York; T. N. Page, _The Negro_ (1904)--viewed as a Southern

problem; A. H. Stone, _Studies in the American Race Problem_

(1908)--discouraging view of the economic capacities of the negro; B. T.

Washington, _The Negro in the South_ (1907)--useful for economic

matters; and _The Future of the Negro_ (1900); A. B. Hart, _Realities of

Negro Suffrage_ (1905); G. T. Stephenson, _Race Distinctions in American

Law_ (1910).

THE GROWTH OF THE WEST: H. H. Bancroft, _Chronicles of the

Builders of the Commonwealth_ (1891-1892), 7 vols.; J. C. Birge, _The

Awakening of the Desert_ (1912); C. C. Coffin, _The Seat of Empire_

(1871); Katharine Coman, _Economic Beginnings of the Far West_ (1912), 2

vols.--exploration and settlement; J. H. Eckels, _The Financial Power of

the New West_ (1905); F. V. Hayden, _The Great West_ (1880)--resources,

climate, Mormons, and Indians; J. S. Hittell, _The Commerce and

Industries of the Pacific Coast_ (1882); R. P. Porter and others, _The

West_ (1882)--review of social and economic development from the census

of 1880; L. E. Quigg, _New Empires in the Northwest_ (1889)--Dakotas,

Montana, and Washington; Julian Ralph, _Our Great West_ (1893)--survey

of conditions; Joseph Schafer, _A History of the Pacific Northwest_

(1905); W. E. Smyth, _The Conquest of Arid Arizona_ (1900).

MONROE DOCTRINE: J. B. Moore, _History of American Diplomacy_

(1905); J. W. Foster, _A Century of American Diplomacy_ (1901); J. H.

Latane, _Diplomatic Relations of the United States and Spanish America_

(1900); A. B. Hart, _Foundations of American_ _Diplomacy_ (1901); Hiram

Bingham, _The Monroe Doctrine_ (1913)--a severe criticism of the

Doctrine.

THE SPANISH WAR: F. E. Chadwick, _Relations of the United

States and Spain_--excellent for diplomatic affairs; H. C. Lodge, _The

War with Spain_ (1899)--an interesting popular account; H. D. Flack,

_Spanish-American Diplomatic Relations Preceding the War of 1898_

(1906)--a careful analysis of the causes of intervention; George Dewey,

_Autobiography_ (1913).

IMPERIALISM: D. C. Worcester, _The Philippines: Past and

Present_ (1914), 2 vols.--a great and authoritative work by the former

Secretary of the Interior in the Philippines; H. P. Willis, _Our

Philippine Problem_ (1905)--a study of American Colonial policy; J. A.

Leroy, _The Americans in the Philippines_ (1914)--a large and

authoritative work on the early stages of American occupation; F. C.

Chamberlin, _The Philippine Problem_ (1913); J. G. Schurman, _Philippine

Fundamentals_ (1901); Elihu Root, _Collection of Documents Relating to

the United States and Porto Rico_ (1898-1905, Washington); L. S. Rowe,

_The United States and Porto Rico_ (1904); E. S. Wilson, _Political

Development of Porto Rico_ (1906); W. F. Willoughby, _Territories and

Dependencies of the United States_ (1905)--a general work on the

government of the territories.

THE PANAMA CANAL: J. B. Bishop, _The Panama Gateway_ (1913)--an

authoritative general account; W. F. Johnson, _Four Centuries of the

Panama Canal_ (1906).

THE PEACE CONFERENCES: Joseph Choate, _The Two Hague

Conferences_ (1913); J. B. Scott, _The Hague Peace Conferences of 1899

and 1907_ (1909).

AMERICAN INTERESTS IN THE ORIENT: F. F. Millard, _The New Far

East_ (1906)--special reference to American interests in China; P. S.

Reinsch, _World Politics_ (1900).

INDEX

Aguinaldo, 217

Alabama, disfranchisement of negroes in, 11

Aliens, proportion of, 248

Altgeld, Governor, 108, 160

American Civic Federation, 251

American Federation of Labor, 250

Anti-monopoly party, 138

Anti-trust cases, 331 ff.

Anti-trust law (1890), 134

Arbitration in labor disputes, federal law, 102

Arbitration, treaties, 1911, 329

Archbald, Judge, impeachment of, 326

Arizona, 41 ff.;

contest over recall of judges, 287

Army. _See_ Spanish War

Arthur, Chester A., nomination, 95;

administration, 97

Ballinger, R. A., 328

Blaine, James G., 95;

candidacy in 1884, 98;

on silver question, 121

Bland-Allison bill, 123

Bonds, sales under Cleveland, 106

Bourne, Senator, attacks on convention system, 353 ff.

Bryan, W. J., speech in Democratic convention of 1896, 180;

nomination of, 187;

acceptance speech in 1896, 188;

favors initiative and referendum, 284;

candidacy in 1900, 227;

candidacy in 1908, 318 ff.;

program in 1908, 318;

attacks Taft's judicial appointments, 330

Campaign funds, 239, 240 ff.;

controversy over, in 1904, 268;

in 1908, 320;

in 1912, 357

Campaign, 1896, 195

Canada, reciprocity with, 342

Cannon, Speaker, overthrow of, 336 ff.

Capital, influence of, in politics, 33

Capitalism, in South, 48; evolution of, 229 ff.

_See_ Industry _and_ Labor.

Cervera, Admiral, 210 ff.

China, opening of, 203;

American interests in, 224

Chinese coolies, 35

Cities, growth of population, 34, 247

Civil rights act, 14 ff.

Civil rights cases, 15

Civil service, and Theodore Roosevelt, 104;

law of 1883, 130

Clark, Champ, candidacy of, 365

Clayton-Bulwer treaty, 276

Cleveland, Grover, career of, 97;

nomination and first administration, 98 ff.;

second administration, 105 ff.;

tariff message of 1887, 110;

and income tax, 139;

bond issues, 162;

supports Gold Democrats, 193;

and Venezuela affair, 199;

and negotiations with Spain, 206

Coastwise vessels, exemption of, 276

Colombia, failure of negotiations with, 278

Combinations, in business, origin of, 36

Commerce, growth of, 202;

interstate, 312

Conkling, Roscoe, sketch of, 51 ff.;

and Grant's candidacy, 95

Conservation, Roosevelt's policy, 275

Consolidated Gas case, 81

Constitution, provisions relative to money, 119;

criticism of, 305 ff.

Convention, presidential, attacks on, 353 ff.

Corporations, growth of, 235;

regulation of, 310.

_See_ Trusts.

Court, commerce, 326

Courts, criticism of, 89

Coxey's army, 107

Credit Mobilier affair, 31

Cuba, conditions in, 204;

war over, 209 ff.;

settlement of, after the war, 221;

interference in (1906), 222

Currency, law of 1908, 197

Dakota, 41 ff.

Daniel, J. W., temporary chairman of Democratic convention, 171

Debs, E. V., imprisonment of, 108;

and injunctions, 160;

candidate for President, 298

Debt, national, refunding of, 117

De Lome incident, 207

Democrats, contest against election laws, 4 ff.;

party platforms, 108 ff.;

convention of 1896, 168 ff.;

platform of 1896, 172;

Gold, convention of 1896, 192 ff.;

convention and platform of 1904, 267;

victory in 1910, 339;

in 1912, 372

Dewey, victory at Manila, 209

Dingley tariff, 229

Direct primary, 289

Due process. _See_ Fourteenth amendment.

Economy and efficiency commission, 328

El Caney, 211

Election laws, federal, contest over repeal of, 4 ff.

Employers' liability, federal, 274

Erie Railway, capitalization of, 39

Farmers, discontent of, 162

Farmers' Alliance, 151

Farm population, 40

Farms, increase in number, 40;

size of, in South, 47

Fifteenth amendment, nullification of, in the South, 1;

schemes to avoid, 9 ff.

Finance, high, early experiments in, 39

Fourteenth Amendment, interpretation of, 54 ff.

Free silver, discussion by W. J. Bryan, 180 ff.

Free silver. _See_ Bryan, W. J.

Garfield, nomination and administration of, 94 ff.;

assassination, 96

Georgia, disfranchisement of negroes in, 11

Gold Democrats, 192 ff.

Gold standard, Republicans favor in 1896, 166;

established by law (1900), 197;

Parker telegram on, 267

Gompers, Samuel, 251

Gould, Jay, 38

Granger cases, 67 ff.

Granger movement, 147

Grant, third term contest, 94

Great Britain, and Venezuela affair, 199

Greenback party, on income tax, 137;

doctrines of, 150

Greenbacks, amount of, 117;

reissue of, 123

Guiteau, assassinates Garfield, 96

Hague conference, 281

Hancock, General, candidate for the Presidency, 96

Hanna, M. A., convention of 1895, 165;

and campaign of 1900, 227;

career and policies of, 239 ff.

Harriman, E. H., and controversy with Roosevelt, 270

Harrison, Benjamin, candidacy and administration, 103 ff.

Hawaiian Islands, 203

Hayes, and the South, 1 ff.;

vetoes repeal of election laws, 5;

administration of, 92 ff.

Hay-Pauncefote treaty, 276

Haywood, W. D., 301

Hepburn act, 271

Hill, D. B., in Democratic convention of 1896, 170 ff.

Hobson, R. P., 210

Idaho, 41 ff.

Immigration, 34, 248

Imperialism, 199 ff.;

in American politics, 227

Income tax, law of 1894, 127; 137 ff.;

annulled by Supreme Court, 152 ff.;

W. J. Bryan on, 189;

advocated by Roosevelt, 262;

amendment to federal constitution, 325

Industry, in 1860, 29;

in South, 48. _See_ Labor.

Industrial Workers of the World, 301

Initiative and referendum, origin and growth of, 284 ff.;

in Progressive platform, 371;

favored by Wilson, 380

Injunctions, use of, in labor disputes, 36;

an issue in politics, 158 ff.

Insular cases, 218 ff.

Insurance, regulation of, 310

Japan, opening of, 203;

American interests in, 224

Jenks, J. W., on trusts, 238

Jim Crow cars, 19

Judicial review, growth of doctrine of, 67 ff.

Judiciary. _See_ Supreme Court and Recall.

Knights of Labor, 35, 249

Ku Klux Klan, 1

Labor, number of wage earners, 34;

in South, 48;

in party platforms, 114;

and tariff, 115;

regulation of, 249 ff., 304, 308

Labor legislation and the courts, 87 ff.;

Federal, 141

Labor movement, 249

Labor problem, rise of, 35

Labor, Knights of, 35, 249

Labor Reformers, 35, 145 ff.

La Follette, R. M., candidacy of, 344 ff.

_Laissez faire_, and the Constitution, 54 ff.;

Gold Democrats defend, 192;

decline of, 304;

Wilson's view of, 377

Liberal Republicans, 109

Lincoln, on social equality for the negro, 21

Lochner v. New York, 87

Louisiana, Republican rule in, overthrown, 1 ff.;

disfranchisement of negroes in, 11

_Maine_, the battleship, 207

Manila, naval battle of, 209

Massachusetts, primary law in, 356

McKinley, Wm., tariff bill, 126;

and the gold standard, 167;

election of, 197;

administration of, 199 ff.;

and Spanish war, 206 ff.;

renomination in 1900, 227;

election, 228;

campaign funds of, 241

Merritt, General, 212

Mexico, relations with, 342

Miles, General, 212

Mills, tariff bill, 126

Minnesota rate case, 73 ff.

Mississippi, disfranchisement of negroes in, 10

Mitchell, John, 250

Money question. _See_ Silver question.

Monroe Doctrine, 199 ff.;

Roosevelt on, 262; 280

Montana, 41 ff.

Morgan, J. P., 231

Mormons, 42 ff.

Morrison, W. R., and tariff, 126

Mugwumps, 99

Munn v. Illinois, 67 ff.

Nebraska, primary law in, 356

Negro, disfranchisement of, 1 ff., 7 ff.;

social discriminations against, 14 ff.;

attitude of the North toward, 19 ff.;

problem, 22 ff.; education of, 23;

in industries, 24;

movement, 25

New Mexico, 41 ff.

New nationalism, 314 ff.

North Carolina, disfranchisement of negroes in, 11

North Dakota, 41 ff.

Northern Pacific, 42

Oregon, primary law in, 354

Palmer, J. M., candidate for President, 192

Panama, canal, sketch of, 275 ff.;

revolution in, 278

Paper money. _See_ Greenbacks.

Parcels post, 327

Parker, Alton B., nomination and candidacy of, 267 ff.

Payne-Aldrich tariff, 323 ff.

Pensions, vetoes by Cleveland, 101;

law of 1890, 105

Philippines, military operations in, 209 ff.;

revolt against the United States, 217;

government of, 223;

in American politics, 227;

Republican platform of 1904 on, 265;

Democratic platform of 1904 on, 267

Platt amendment, 221

Poll tax, to disfranchise negroes, 9

Populist party, origin of, 149 ff.

Populists, and disfranchisement of negroes, 9;

on income tax, 138

Porto Rico, conquest of, 212;

government of, 222

Postal savings banks, 326

Primary, direct, origin and growth of, 288;

presidential, 352 ff.;

presidential, in 1912, 358

Progressive party, origin of, 357 ff.; 370 ff.

Progressive Republican League, 344

Prohibition party, 144 ff.

Pullman strike, 107

Pure food law, 273

Railways, construction of, 29 ff.;

land grants to, 30;

frauds connected with, 31;

anarchy among, 39;

state regulation of, 67 ff.;

party platforms on, 113 ff.;

regulation, federal, 133;

state regulation of, 149;

and stock watering, 234;

regulation of, 272;

physical valuation of, 273;

consolidation of, 306

Reagan _v._ Farmers' Loan and Trust Company, 76 ff.

Recall, of judges, origin of, 89;

origin and growth of, 287;

Wilson on, 380

Reciprocity with Canada, 341

Reed, T. B., speakership, 104;

candidate for President, 165

Republicans, platform of 1876, 2;

radical school, 2;

favor new "force" bill, 20;

favor enforcing the Civil War amendments, 21;

doctrines of, 1880-1896, 90 ff.;

party platforms, 108 ff.;

convention of 1896, 164 ff.;

convention of 1900, 226;

convention of 1904, 265;

convention of 1912, 357 ff.

Resumption act, 118

Rockefeller, J. D., 37

Roosevelt, at San Juan Hill, 211;

nominated for Vice President, 227;

succeeds to the Presidency, 228;

administrations of, 254 ff.;

doctrines of, 255 ff.;

characterization of, by Republicans in 1904, 266;

Democratic criticism of, in 1904, 268;

Parker charges as to campaign funds of, 269;

La Follette's criticism of, 347;

candidacy of, in 1912, 349 ff.;

new nationalism, 350;

breaks with Republicans, 360

Rough Riders, 211

Rules committee, powers of, 337

Russo-Japanese war, Roosevelt's part in ending, 281

Samoan Islands, 203

San Juan Hill, 211

Santiago, military and naval operations near, 210 ff.

Santo Domingo, affair of, 279

Senators, U. S., direct election of, 290 ff.;

popular election favored by Wilson, 380

Shafter, General, 211 f.

Sherman, silver purchase act, 124;

anti-trust law, 134

Silver question, party platforms on, 116, 162;

origin and development of, 119 ff.;

in campaign of 1896, 165 ff.

Sixteen to one. _See_ Silver question.

Slaughter-House cases, 59 ff.

Smyth _v._ Ames, 78

Socialism, opposition to, 251;

rise and growth of, 296 f.

Socialist Labor party, 147, 297

Socialist party, rise of, 298;

vote in 1912, 372

Socialists, vote of, increase in 1904, 271

South, Republican rule in, 1 ff.;

new constitutions providing for disfranchisement of negroes, 10 ff.;

over-representation of, in Congress, 20;

economic advance of, 46 ff.;

Republican delegates from, 354

South Carolina, Republican rule in, overthrown, 1 ff.;

disfranchisement of negroes in, 11

South Dakota, 41 ff.;

initiative and referendum in, 284

Southern Pacific, 42

Spain, war with, 204 ff.

Spanish War, close of, 212 ff.

Speakership. _See_ Reed _and_ Cannon.

Standard Oil Company, 37

State socialism, 252

Steel trust, 230

Stock watering, 234

Strikes, of 1877, 35;

Pullman, 107

Suffrage, woman, growth of, 294

Sugar trust, 239

Supreme Court, declares parts of election laws invalid, 6 f.;

and disfranchisement of negroes, 13;

civil rights cases, 15;

and Fourteenth Amendment, 54 ff.;

criticism of, 86;

and income tax, 152;

Democratic attack on, in 1806, 173 ff.;

defense of, 178;

W. J. Bryan on, 189;

Gold Democrats defend, 193;

Taft's appointments, 329

Taft, W. H., on recall of judges, 287;

in Philippines 223;

nomination and election of, 317 ff.;

administration of, 322 ff.;

nomination of, in 1912, 362;

acceptance speech, 364;

Progressive criticism of, 345

Tariff, in Cleveland's first administration, 103;

Wilson bill, 108;

party doctrines on, 1877-1896, 108 ff.;

legislation, 1877-1896, 124 ff.;

Republican platform of 1908 on, 318;

Payne-Aldrich act, 323 ff.;

board, 339 f.;

Democratic attacks on in 1911-1912, 341

Third term contest, 94

Tillman, on negro suffrage, 8;

attack on Cleveland in Democratic convention of 1896, 175

Trusts, origin of, 37;

party platforms on, 112;

law against (1890), 134;

growth of, 229 ff.;

views as to cause of, 237;

Roosevelt on, 257 ff.;

Bryan on, in 1908, 319;

Republican platform of 1912, 363;

Progressive party's platform, 371;

Wilson's view of, 375 ff.

Unemployment, in 1894, 107

Union Labor party, 138, 146

Union Pacific, scandal of, 31

Unions, Trade, 301 ff.

United Labor Party, 146

United States _v._ Cruikshank, 7

United States _v._ Harris, 7

United States _v._ Reese, 7

Utah, 41 ff.;

initiative and referendum in, 285

Vanderbilt, Cornelius, 38

Venezuela affair, 199

Vetoes, by Cleveland, 101 f.

Vilas, Senator, in Democratic convention of 1896, 179

Virginia, disfranchisement of negroes in, 11;

_ex parte_, 17

Wage earners, number of, 34

Washington, state of, 41 ff.

West, development of, 41

Wilson, Wm., tariff bill, 127

Wilson, Woodrow, candidacy of, 365;

acceptance speech, 367;

policies of, 373 ff.

Women in industries, 248

Woman suffrage, growth of, 294 ff.;

endorsed by Progressives, 371

Wyoming, 41 ff.

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