LAD #21 Bryan's "Cross Of Gold" Speech

No time ever previously in history has a political issue like this been so fought over. A little while previously a group of the Democratic party gave a speech explaining that all of the Democrats who were in favor of the free coinage of silver should be therefore in charge of the Democratic party. Well that caused unrest and conflict among the Democratic party. Even though we are all from Massachusetts we want different things and each person comes up and says something different that they want. A group of the Democrats are no longer going to fight or petition they are simiply just going to defy the others. They keep arguing back and forth one group is saying that the income tax passed by the other was unconstitutional and the group that passed it is saying that it was constitutional at the time etc. The other group is accusing them of resenting national bank currency and they keep arguing. The one group thinks that it is the government who should be coining the money.

LAD #20, Populist Party Platform, 1892

The populists began as a result of the famers alliance in the 1870's, it was a political party that was independent of the Democrats and Republicans. The political party of the Populists resented "concentrated capital." The populist party believes that the nation is demoralized and that public opinion is "silenced." They don't like silver is not as accepted as it used to be because gold has now replaced it. There main goal is to restore power into the hands of "plain people." In there platform they state that we need labor unions, they demand a sound currency. They think that an unsound currency is americas main problem, they want the silver to gold ratio to be 16 to 1, they want a graduated income tax. The populist party also believes that governments should own the railroads not private owners. They also want a fair ballot and a fair count in the elections.

LAD #19, Dawes Act

Any indians that have been alloted land on reservations are getting surveyed or resurveyed. Each person in charge of a family will get 1/4 a section of land, anyone whose single and over 18 will get 1/8 a section of land, any child without parents who is under 18 will get 1/8 a section etc. The land in the reservation is intended to be used for agricultural or grazing purposes. If there is not enough land in a reservation for each person then it will go in class structure who gets land and who does not. The land set aside for reservations and how the sections are divided amongst the indians is to be done by an agent appointed by the president. If an indian belongs to a tribe that does not have a reservation they may apply for land in a local land office. The agent that distributes the land will give out patents that says the name of the owner of the land. Indians even under reservations are still expected to abide by government laws civil and criminal. The secretary of the Interior is allowed to regulate rules on irrigation of the indian lands. Some indian tribes are excluded from this act.

LAD #18 McKinley's War Message

At first the United States kept its neutrality policy when Cuba revolted against its Spanish rulers. The United States had to intervene finally and gave Spain and ultimatum, which Spain accepted. McKinley then told Congress to do whatever they could to end the revolt. Spain then never did the ultimatum, which forced the United States to enter the war on the side of the Cubans. President McKinley then addressed Congress. McKinley explained that a war is going on in Cuba and the United States needed to intervene. The revolt that is currently going on has been fought by Cubans against there conquerors Spain for many years now. Because of this war in Cuba, United States trade and investments within Cuba have suffered. McKinley does not think that if the Cubans won the war anything different would happen to change their situation. He made a previous address to Congress last December where he also discussed the Cuban insurrection. Last December he said that the annexation of Cuba would be considered "criminal aggression." Earlier in 1875 President Grant made a statement saying that the United States could not recognize Cuba as and independent nation. McKinley still to this day agrees with President Grants thoughts on Cuba. He said that there are two different ways they can enter the war either making the two sides compromise or by fighting on one specific parties side. At the beginning when the war first started happening the United States tried the compromise idea, but that failed to work since Spain usually ignored there requests. Set by earlier precedents it is ok for the United States to intervene to stop a war in neighboring states and countries. McKinley then gave possible reasons for interventions. One was to put an end to bloodshed and hostilities. A second reason for intervention is that the Cubans were being deprived of their legal protection and it is our job to protect the Cubans legal rights. A third reason for intervention was because of the suffering of commerce and trade. A fourth reason is that Cuba is very close to the United States and the war and revolt could spread. Another reason for United States intervention was the destruction of the Maine which was docked in a Havana harbor. He then said that the issue was up to Congress for them to decide what to do.