A Brief History of the United StatesMcMaster, John Bach
History
A Brief History of the United States
McMaster, John Bach
United States -- History
THE CAMPAIGN OF 1888.--In the campaign of 1888, therefore, the tariff
issue came to the front. The Democrats renominated Grover Cleveland for
President, and called for a tariff for revenue only, and for no more
revenue than was needed to pay the cost of economical government. The
Republicans nominated Benjamin Harrison [20] on a platform favoring a
protective tariff, and elected him.
NEW STATES.--Both the great parties had called for the admission of new
states. Just before the end of Cleveland's term, therefore, an enabling
act was passed for North and South Dakota, Washington, and Montana, which
were accordingly admitted to the Union a few months later (1889). Idaho
and Wyoming were admitted the following year (1890), and Utah in 1896.
NEW LAWS OF 1890.--The administration of affairs having again passed to
the Republican party, it enacted the McKinley Tariff Law, which slightly
raised the average rate of duties; the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, forbidding
combinations to restrain trade; and a new financial measure which also
bore the name of Senator Sherman. The law (p. 409) requiring the purchase
and coinage of at least $2,000,000 worth of silver bullion each month did
not satisfy the silver men. They wanted a free-coinage law, giving any man
the privilege of having his silver coined into dollars (p. 224). As they
had a majority of the Senate, they passed a free-coinage bill, but the
House rejected it. A conference followed, and the so-called Sherman Act
was passed, increasing the amount of silver to be bought each month by the
government. [21]
THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF 1890.--The effect of the increased tariff
rates, the Sherman Act, and large expenditures by Congress was at once
apparent, and in the congressional election of 1890 the Republicans were
beaten. The Democratic minority in the House of Representatives was turned
into a great majority, and in both House and Senate appeared members of a
new party called the Farmers' Alliance. [22]
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN OF 1892.--The success of the Alliance men in the
election of 1890, and the conviction that neither the Democrats nor the
Republicans would further all their demands, led to a meeting of Alliance
and Labor leaders in May, 1891, and the formation of "the People's Party
of the United States of America." In 1892 this People's Party, or the
Populists, as they were called, nominated James B. Weaver for President,
cast a million votes, and secured the election of four senators and eleven
representatives in Congress. The Republicans renominated Harrison for
President. But the Democrats secured majorities in the House and the
Senate, and elected Cleveland. [23]
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