LAD #20: William Jennings Bryan's Cross of Gold Speech
The most famous speech in American political history was delivered by William Jennings Bryan on July 9, 1896, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The issue was whether to endorse the free coinage of silver at a ratio of silver to gold of 16 to 1. (This inflationary measure would have increased the amount of money in circulation and aided cash-poor and debt-burdened farmers.) Backers of the gold standard felt that the protection against inflation was paramount, and the gold standard would prevent runaway inflation. Such an uncontrollable inflation would put a burden on creditors such as banks whose loans' interest rates would then fall under the inflation rate and garner a loss for the creditor. His powerful ending is why this speech received its powerful name:
"Having behind us the producing masses of this nation and the world, supported by the commercial interests, the laboring interests and the toilers everywhere, we will answer their demand 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."
Monday, January 08, 2007
LAD #19: The Populist Party Platform
The Populist Movement emerged from the farmersí alliances of the 1870s and 1880s. In the 1890s the Populist Party appeared to represent a viable third party independent of the Democrats and Republicans. A response to the growth of industrialism, the Populists opposed the "concentrated capital" of banks and big businesses and decried the many of the effects that industrialism was having on American society. They seek to restore the government into the hands of the "poor people" and they stated that corruption was beginning to take form in the ballots, and they needed to do something about that.
"We believe that the power of government in other words, of the people should be expanded... to the end that oppression, injustice, and poverty shall eventually cease in the land." - They believe that if the government is restored back into the hands of the common people, the corruption and the injustice will end.
They demanded many things in the areas of finance, transportation, and land, as well as the government reviving itself and becoming what the writers of the Constitution intended it to be.
The Populist Movement emerged from the farmersí alliances of the 1870s and 1880s. In the 1890s the Populist Party appeared to represent a viable third party independent of the Democrats and Republicans. A response to the growth of industrialism, the Populists opposed the "concentrated capital" of banks and big businesses and decried the many of the effects that industrialism was having on American society. They seek to restore the government into the hands of the "poor people" and they stated that corruption was beginning to take form in the ballots, and they needed to do something about that.
"We believe that the power of government in other words, of the people should be expanded... to the end that oppression, injustice, and poverty shall eventually cease in the land." - They believe that if the government is restored back into the hands of the common people, the corruption and the injustice will end.
They demanded many things in the areas of finance, transportation, and land, as well as the government reviving itself and becoming what the writers of the Constitution intended it to be.
LAD #21: Dawes Act
This act authorized the President of the United States to survey Native American tribal land and divide the area into allotments for the individual Native American. SUMMARY OF SECTIONS:
Section One: it says that the head of any household will receive 160 acres and each single individual above the age of 18 and each orphan will receive 80 acres and each minor will receive 40 acres.
Section Two: each Native American will choose his or her own allotment and the family will choose for each minor child. The Native American agent will choose for orphan children.
Section Three: Native American agent to certify each allotment and provide two copies of the certification to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs
Section Four: Native Americans not residing on their reservation and Native Americans without reservations will receive the equal allotment.
Section Five: Secretary of the Interior will hold the allotments in trust for 25 yrs
Section Six: upon completion of the Land Patent process, the allotment holder will become a United States citizen
Section Seven: water rights on irrigated land.
Section Eight: exempts the Five Civilized Tribes and several others from the act.
Section Nine: appropriates the funds to carry out the act.
Section Ten: Power of Eminent Domain of the Congress over the allotments.
Section Eleven: provision for the Southern Ute Native Americans.
This act authorized the President of the United States to survey Native American tribal land and divide the area into allotments for the individual Native American. SUMMARY OF SECTIONS:
Section One: it says that the head of any household will receive 160 acres and each single individual above the age of 18 and each orphan will receive 80 acres and each minor will receive 40 acres.
Section Two: each Native American will choose his or her own allotment and the family will choose for each minor child. The Native American agent will choose for orphan children.
Section Three: Native American agent to certify each allotment and provide two copies of the certification to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs
Section Four: Native Americans not residing on their reservation and Native Americans without reservations will receive the equal allotment.
Section Five: Secretary of the Interior will hold the allotments in trust for 25 yrs
Section Six: upon completion of the Land Patent process, the allotment holder will become a United States citizen
Section Seven: water rights on irrigated land.
Section Eight: exempts the Five Civilized Tribes and several others from the act.
Section Nine: appropriates the funds to carry out the act.
Section Ten: Power of Eminent Domain of the Congress over the allotments.
Section Eleven: provision for the Southern Ute Native Americans.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
LAD #18: President McKinley's War Message
Public indignation brought pressure upon the President for war. Unable to restrain Congress or the American people, McKinley delivered his message of neutral intervention in April 1898. Congress thereupon voted three resolutions tantamount to a declaration of war for the liberation and independence of Cuba. The intention behind the nation's actions were unselfish, and honest, and had noble reasoning: peace and prosperity. The differences between Spain and the United States had nothing to do with this, and our nation was completely unselfish in this process. The forcible intervention, he stated, was only used as a neutral to stop the war. He explains the grounds for the intervention, naming four key points in his message: (1)the U.S. will fight for the people starving and injured in Cuba, (2)the U.S. will fight for a government in Cuba that will grant the people their natural rights, (3)the right to intervene may be justified by injury in trade or business, and finally, (4)he explains that the present condition of affairs in Cuba are a menace to the people, and it relationships must remain peaceful. He ends on this note: "If this measure attains a successful result, then our aspirations as a Christian, peace-loving people will be realized. If it fails, it will be only another justification for our contemplated action."
Public indignation brought pressure upon the President for war. Unable to restrain Congress or the American people, McKinley delivered his message of neutral intervention in April 1898. Congress thereupon voted three resolutions tantamount to a declaration of war for the liberation and independence of Cuba. The intention behind the nation's actions were unselfish, and honest, and had noble reasoning: peace and prosperity. The differences between Spain and the United States had nothing to do with this, and our nation was completely unselfish in this process. The forcible intervention, he stated, was only used as a neutral to stop the war. He explains the grounds for the intervention, naming four key points in his message: (1)the U.S. will fight for the people starving and injured in Cuba, (2)the U.S. will fight for a government in Cuba that will grant the people their natural rights, (3)the right to intervene may be justified by injury in trade or business, and finally, (4)he explains that the present condition of affairs in Cuba are a menace to the people, and it relationships must remain peaceful. He ends on this note: "If this measure attains a successful result, then our aspirations as a Christian, peace-loving people will be realized. If it fails, it will be only another justification for our contemplated action."
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