Political maneuvering of the
late 19th century
Benjamin Harrison and the
Republicans 1889-1893
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Republicans reclaim the White House
and Congress.
Thomas (Czar) Reed. Republican
Speaker of the House. Responsible
for reorganizing House rules for the
majority party.
Billion-dollar Congress.
Domestic legislation
Reduce the Surplus in the budget.
 Pension Act of 1890. Increased
pensions for Civil War vets.
Money matters.
 Sherman Silver Purchase Act of
1890. Increased government
purchases and coinage of silver.
Supported by Southern and Western
“Silver and gold”
Farmers. Thought it would raise prices
and ease debt payments.
 Inflation
 McKinley Tariff Bill of 1890. Raised
tariffs to a peacetime high. Caused a
backlash in the Mid-West which
could be seen in the election of 1890.
The Populist Challenge
Mainly farmers from the West and
South.
Platform
 Free and unlimited coinage of silver
16:1
 Graduated income tax.
 Government ownership of the
telephone, telegraph and railroads.
Election of 1892
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James Weaver. Good showing in the
election. 22 electoral votes and over
1 million popular votes. All farming
states. (mid-west and west)
White Southerners did not support
due to Southern African-American
farmers supporting the Populist
Party.
Grover wins again.
Significance of the Election of
1892
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Disenfranchisement of blacks and
Jim Crow.
Democrats get another crack at the
White House.
Strong showing for a third party, with
the hope of 1896 on the horizon.
Backlash from the Homestead Strike.
Cleveland’s
“Second”Administration
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Depression of 1893 Brought on by
overspeculation, overbuilding, labor
strife, and farm problems.
Gold reserves dropped to a
dangerously low level as people
traded in paper for gold.
Repealed the Sherman Silver
Purchase Act of 1890
More Grover
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Deal with J. P. Morgan.
“When you sup with the
devil, it is best to use a
long spoon.”
Coxey’s Rebellion.
Pullman Strike. Federal
troops used. The mail?
Eugene V. Debs.
Socialist to be.
Out with Grover
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Wilson-Gorman Act
New slightly lower tariff and a tax of
2% on incomes over $4000. (The
Supreme Court found the tax violated
the direct tax clause of the
Constitution. 16th Amendment)
Election of 1896
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Let’s fill in the blanks.