The summer and early fall of 1896 were fraught with one of the most highly contested battles for the Presidency ever seen in the United States of America; William McKinley versus William Jennings Bryan. The issues were plentiful but mostly centered around the economics of time, with the country having suffered through a depression beginning in either 1890 or 1893 depending on whom was asked. The Democrat, WJB believed it was essential to change the standard on which the American currency was based from Gold to Gold and Silver. The Republican, William McKinley called the notion ridiculous and almost certain to weaken the value of the dollar and destroy what little was left of the American economy. He clung to the gold standard and advocated high trade tariffs to stimulate the American economy into domestic growth.
The election cycle marked a number of first in Presidential running. WJB was the youngest man ever nominated for the Presidency by a major political party. At the time it was common for candidates to hold a series of speaking events outside their residences with supporters being brought in by train to listen a speech and have an opportunity to speak with the candidate somewhat privately for a few minutes in exchange for a hefty political donation. WJB decided it was time to take the fight to the people and became the first candidate in history to travel the country while campaigning. He focused his efforts in the South and West where Democrats were already popular. His speaking engagements were said to draw tremendous crowds, with people traveling as much as 100 miles to hear him speak.
His platform pledged a departure from the current democratic president, Grover Cleveland, whose policies more closely resembled those of Republicans of the time period. President Cleveland was extremely popular during his first term from 1884-1888, but he was defeated in his first bid for re-election in 1888. The highly contested election (Cleveland won the popular vote but lost the electoral vote by a landslide) was later to be revealed as a dupe of the American people when evidence surfaced of Benjamin Harrison buying electoral votes in exchange for political favors, Cleveland’s second tern turned out to be less than what people expected. The policies of Harrison’s presidency had set the nation on a course for disaster and Cleveland could do little more than react as the incidents continued to unwind beginning with a run on the banks in 1893 and followed by labor strikes in every major industry across the nation as inflation ate away the paychecks of the average workers leaving many with the hard choice of sending wives and daughters to work or starving.
William McKinley, set a fundraising record for the country and had over 3.5 million dollars available for his campaign. He brought thousands to his home in Ohio for porch front speeches in the typical style of the times. He also waged the first major smear campaign against his opponent. Outspending WJB at a rate of 10 to 1 he was able to give WJB the image of his choosing. He portrayed his opponent as a baby, unprepared for the challenges a President would face, as a heretic against Christianity, and as a conman trying to convince the American people that silver was as good as gold. Despite the new campaign techniques used on both sides, it seems clear that neither made headway in converting the supporters of their opponent.
It was widely recognized at the time, if women had enjoyed the right to vote in 1896, WJB would most certainly have won the Presidency, but instead the race was extremely close with each candidate winning approximately half of the states in the union. In essence the election pitted agriculturalists against industrialists in a familiar setting of American politics dating back before the Civil War. The electoral college was weighted in favor of the industrialists states and once again the agriculture states lost the election and continued to suffer. Many in the South viewed the continuing disparity in politics to be a form of punishment for the Civil War, however more and more of the once powerful plantation owners were learning to take advantage of the political landscape and in time reformed the Southern economy to meld better with the North.
June 25, 2008
Labor Troubles
President Grover Cleveland faced the nations worst economic and labor problems to date during his second term in office. Beginning in February, less than a month after being sworn into office, the nation faced a crippling run on the banks. The event is widely recognized as the first serious sign of an economic depression in America although it has been argued the problems began 1890 with the passage of a series of bills through Congress which ineviteably led to the banking disaster and the labor disputes.
President Cleveland's job was further complicated when the first of the labor strikes his the railroads only a few short months after the banking crisis. At the time, the railroad was the only way to move goods across the country and the strike threatened to derail what little economic stability was left. He made what he later called the hardest decision of his presidencies, to send in Federal Troops to force the strikers back to work.
It should come as no suprise this move was not popular with the working class as the railroad strike was ended without the workers receiving any of their demands. Most importantly, since the banking collapse, the nation had suffered unprecedented inflation leaving these important laborers making less money than they required to feed their families. They were in many cases forced to send their daughters and wives to work which was looked down upon in all social circles of the era.
Throughout the remainder of his term President Cleveland was faced with many strikes in nearly every major industry in the nation. His efforts to repeal a high tarriff passed by congress under the previous term of President Harrison largely failed and left the import and export industries of America in shambles. It seemed no matter what steps President Cleveland attempted to take he was either blocked by congress of made inconsequential by worsening times.
Labor disputes reached a pinnacle in his final year of office with several turning bloody. In May of 1896 a coal miner's strike began in a small town outside of Denver, Colorado. The mine owner, a prominent businessman and mine owner in the state of Virginia, sent in strike breakers with a train load of unemployed men from Missouri who were willing to work the mine.
The Colorado miners formed a barricade around the mine and refused to allow the new workers inside. The strike breakers used techniques of intimidation on the miners, such as threatening their families and damaging or destroying property. This was a standard response at the time to strikes, however the miners' response was not. They took up arms and fought back.
The once quiet town quickly turned into a war zone with dozens of people injured or killed on both sides. The governor of Colorado called in the assistance of Federal troops to bring an end to the fighting. The miners were forced back to work, however they did win new working standards, the most important and long lasting of which was the 8 hour work day.
President Cleveland's job was further complicated when the first of the labor strikes his the railroads only a few short months after the banking crisis. At the time, the railroad was the only way to move goods across the country and the strike threatened to derail what little economic stability was left. He made what he later called the hardest decision of his presidencies, to send in Federal Troops to force the strikers back to work.
It should come as no suprise this move was not popular with the working class as the railroad strike was ended without the workers receiving any of their demands. Most importantly, since the banking collapse, the nation had suffered unprecedented inflation leaving these important laborers making less money than they required to feed their families. They were in many cases forced to send their daughters and wives to work which was looked down upon in all social circles of the era.
Throughout the remainder of his term President Cleveland was faced with many strikes in nearly every major industry in the nation. His efforts to repeal a high tarriff passed by congress under the previous term of President Harrison largely failed and left the import and export industries of America in shambles. It seemed no matter what steps President Cleveland attempted to take he was either blocked by congress of made inconsequential by worsening times.
Labor disputes reached a pinnacle in his final year of office with several turning bloody. In May of 1896 a coal miner's strike began in a small town outside of Denver, Colorado. The mine owner, a prominent businessman and mine owner in the state of Virginia, sent in strike breakers with a train load of unemployed men from Missouri who were willing to work the mine.
The Colorado miners formed a barricade around the mine and refused to allow the new workers inside. The strike breakers used techniques of intimidation on the miners, such as threatening their families and damaging or destroying property. This was a standard response at the time to strikes, however the miners' response was not. They took up arms and fought back.
The once quiet town quickly turned into a war zone with dozens of people injured or killed on both sides. The governor of Colorado called in the assistance of Federal troops to bring an end to the fighting. The miners were forced back to work, however they did win new working standards, the most important and long lasting of which was the 8 hour work day.
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