LAD/Blog #26: William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech

Bryan opened his speech by stating that he was fighting for a honorable cause, that of humanity, that his battle was not about people, but principles. He claimed that the issue being debated was perhaps the most hotly contested issue in American history, the issue over money in America. Bryan then went on to say that the government must also represent the pioneers at the heart of the country and not just the big businessmen on the East Coast. He stated that their fight was one in defense, not on the offensive. He speaks to defend families against "the encroachment of aggregated wealth". He supports the Democratically-introduced income tax law that was recently declared by the Supreme Court to be unconstitutional. Against common Democratic beliefs, he supports the governmental control of money and banking. Bryan's speech begins to gain more momentum as he starts talking about the issue over the gold standard or bimetallism. He describes the gold standard as extremely deadly for many Americans. He then describes how many gold standard supporters have fallen out of favor, like McKinley. He mentions that history is not in favor of the gold standard because no country has ever officially accepted it. He concludes: "Having behind us the commercial interests and the laboring interests and all the toiling masses, we shall answer their demands for a gold standard by saying to them, you shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold."





William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech reminded me of Andrew Jackson's specie circular because both urged American currency to be based off of hard money, silver being a primary option.

LAD/Blog #25: The Dawes Act

The Act gives the power to the President to divide up the communal tribal lands held by the Native American Indians, and split them up into shares for each individual. The amount each Indian receives is determined by his age, gender, and family status. The President may perform this function whenever the land of reservations is deemed advantageous for agricultural purposes. Furthermore, it allows the government to purchase any excess Indian lands and sell them to American settlers. In addition, the Act provides for the assimilation of Indians into American culture. The Act excludes the 5 Civilized Tribes and several others. Finally, it makes it clear that the government retains the right to build railroads, highways, and construct telegraph lines through appointed Indian lands. Senator Henry Dawes of Massachusetts passed the act in an attempt to prevent the extermination of Native Americans throughout the United States. Dawes thought that by helping each family, they would have a much better chance of surviving. Unfortunately, the act wiped out a majority of the Native American population.






The Dawes Act reminded me of the Morrill Land-Grant Acts because both relied on federal power to encourage the sale of land for the benefit of the common man.

LAD/Blog #24: Populist (People's) Party Platform

Preamble: The Populists give an inflamed introduction to their beliefs, primarily emphasizing how they pledge to correct two primary evils: the broad degeneration of society to build up the few wealthy bond-holders, and the faults of a solely gold-based currency.

Platform:
-Labor unions will be permanently supported
-Wealth belongs to the laborer who earned it
-The government will start managing railroads
-Any land held unnecessarily by railroads or by aliens be reclaimed for use by legitimate settlers

Finance:
-Unlimited coinage of silver in addition to gold
-A graduated income tax
-Money remains in public circulation, with the government taking only what it needs
-Savings banks be established by the government for public deposits

Resolutions:
-Support ex-Union soldier pensions
-Sympathize with the working man for shorter hours
-Provide for the direct election of senators
-Support the income tax to reduce tax strains on domestic industries





Donald Trump can be considered a populist candidate because his campaign appealed to the poor farmers of America, promising tax cuts, lower unemployment, and secure borders. This was designed to aid blue collar America by giving the poor working class greater opportunity and less competition from foreigners.

LAD/Blog #23: McKinley's War Message

In 1898, Cubans had been engaging in hostile activity with the Spanish for independence for three years. In March, the U.S., who had been neutral up to this point, demanded that Spain grant an armistice to the Cuban rebels. On April 9th, Spain sent a cable agreeing to the demands. Nevertheless, two days later, President McKinley presented a War Message to Congress to fight on the Cuban's side against the Spanish, only briefly noting at the end of the message that Spain had already agreed to suspend hostilities. Eight days later, Congress adopted a joint resolution to go to war with the Cubans against the Spanish. McKinley stated that intervention was justified "in the cause of humanity", to protect the rights of American citizens in Cuba, because of the damage to commerce and trade, and on the grounds that the conflict is a menace to American peace and an expense to the government. Finally, he requests Congress to grant him the power to "secure a full and final termination of hostilities between the government of Spain and the people of Cuba...", and the ability to secure for the island a stable government.





McKinley's War Message reminded me of the Monroe Doctrine because it aimed to support the interests of Americans, not foreigners.

LAD/Blog #22: Carnegie's Gospel of Wealth

In the beginning of his speech, Carnegie discusses how civilization has changed and revolutionized within the past hundred years in that the homes, lives, and possessions of the wealthy have advanced drastically beyond those of the common laborer. However, he states that the economic inequality is actually a good thing, for it provides for the development of art and the advancement of "civilization", which effects not only the wealthy but also the common laborer. This standpoint reflects subtle hints of a popular philosophical concept at the time called Social Darwinism, defined as the application of the evolutionary concept of natural selection to human society, or more simply, survival of the fittest. As is evident, Carnegie was a major proponent for laissez-faire economics because he believed in the natural circulation and equilibrium of wealth distribution.





Carnegie's philanthropic beliefs remind me of members of the Republican party because they believe in reduced economic regulations reflective of laissez-faire policies, opposite of the democratic party which wants to take money from the wealthy.