Mr. Harrison is the grandson of the ninth President, and the greatgrandson of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He is a native of Ohio, is well educated, and was for many years one of the leading lawyers of Indiana. He entered the Union. army in 1862, and was promoted until, near the close of the war, he reached the rank of Brigadier-General. He was made a United States Senator in 1880, and came to the Presidency well equipped for the discharge of its duties.

During his four years of service many events took place which have had great weight in moulding the future of the country. A Congress of the American Republics met in Washington, in 1889, and devised measures by which it is hoped to bring about a closer commercial union between the Americas; six new states were added to the Union; the tariff laws were revised and clauses added granting to such nations as offer us reciprocal advantages free admission for certain of their exports; the country is being rapidly furnished with a new and efficient navy; the long-standing difficulty with England concerning seal fishing in Behring Sea was adjusted by a treaty providing for arbitration, and annoying difficulties with Germany, Italy and Chili were happily settled.

REPUBLICAN LAND-SLIDE

The presidential campaign of 1892 was remarkable in several respects. The leading candidates, ex-President Cleveland and President Harrison, were both men of the highest character and integrity, each of whom had served the country with notable ability as President for a term of four years. The people were, therefore, so well acquainted with the candidates that personalities entered little into the campaign, and the canvass was conducted with less popular enthusiasm and excitement than ever before. The question most largely discussed was that of the McKinley tariff, but other important questions, such as the free coinage of silver and the revival of state banks, entered largely into the discussion, and had much to do with influencing the result, especially in the Western States, where party lines were very largely broken up. The result

of the election was almost a political revolution, ex-President Cleveland being elected by an overwhelming majority. The Populists also polled a very large vote.

The result of the election was generally accepted as meaning a condemnation of the McKinley tariff. For the first time in thirty years the Democratic party had full possession of all branches of the Government.

GROVER CLEVELAND, 1893-1897. PANIC OF 1893

In the spring and summer of 1893 the country experienced an unexpected and remarkable stringency in the money market, which was largely attributed to the operations of what is known as the Sherman law, by which the Government was compelled to purchase 4,500,000 ounces of silver every month. President Cleveland called an extra session of Congress to meet early in August, for the purpose of repealing the purchasing clause of the "Sherman Law." This appeared to bring some relief in the way of restoring confidendce, but it did not come until the country had suffered greatly from the general depression of trade and the withdrawal of credits. The banks in New York, Philadelphia and Boston declined to pay large sums on the checks of their customers in currency, but insisted upon payments being accepted in Clearing House certificates. President Cleveland was very generally commended for his wise and patriotic action in dealing with the questions affecting the public interest during this critical period, though he met with serious opposition within his own party.

THE HAWAIIAN DIFFICULTY

One of the most unusual and important events of 1893 was the movement for the annexation of the Sandwich Islands. Early in the year, by a successful revolution, without bloodshed, the native Queen, Lilioukalani, was overthrown and a provisional government established, the chief officers of which were Americans by birth or parentage. A proposition for annexation was made by them to the United States, and a treaty looking to that end was

negotiated under the administration of President Harrison, and sent to the Senate for ratification. On President Cleveland's accession to office in March, he withdrew the treaty, and sent Hon. James H. Blount as commissioner to Hawaii to make further investigation. After some months Mr. Blount made a report, stating that the Hawaiian revolution had been accomplished by the active aid of the American minister, who had used American war vessels and troops for that purpose. The President thereupon made a demand upon the provisional government that the Queen should be restored, and in a special message to Congress urged that view. The provisional government of Hawaii, however, declined to comply, and Congress took no measures to restore the monarchy. The affair occasioned intense feeling in the United States, public opinion in regard to annexation and the policy of the President being sharply divided.

CHINA AND JAPAN

During the war between China and Japan, in 1894, President Cleveland had a conspicuous opportunity to show the world the great advantage this country enjoys as a mediator between other belligerent nations, owing to our well-known policy of avoiding foreign entanglements.

CONFLICT BETWEEN LABOR AND CAPITAL

In July, 1894, occurred the most tremendous conflict between capital and labor that has ever taken place in this country. The American Railway Union, a labor organization of railway employees, ordered a general strike on all railroads running Pullman cars. For two weeks traffic was almost at a standstill, and a reign of terror existed in Chicago, and also in parts of California and other States of the West. The railroad tracks entering Chicago were besieged by a violent mob; cars were derailed and burned, switches torn up, miles of loaded freight cars set on fire, and every means employed to stop completely the movement of trains. President Cleveland finally sent troops of the regular army to Chicago, and the riot was soon quelled. In December, 1894,

Eugene V. Debs and other leaders of the strike were sentenced to terms of imprisonment.

ANOTHER POLITICAL REVOLUTION

The autumn of 1894 brought a political revolution even greater than that of 1892-the Republicans being nearly everywhere victorious, The universal depression of business, and the failure of Congress to deal with the tariff and financial measures, created a great revulsion of feeling against the Democrats, who were overwhelmingly defeated in nearly every State of the Union. The extent of the revolution is shown by the fact that while the House of Representatives elected in 1892 contained 219 Democrats and 127 Republicans, the House elected in 1894 contained 104 Democrats and 246 Republicans.

The Presidential nominations of 1896 showed that the President did not have the full support of his party. His administration was not endorsed except by the gold wing, which held a convention at Indianapolis.

William McKinley was inaugurated March 4th, 1897, having Congress in both branches of the same political faith as himself. The Senate of the 55th Congress stood Democrats 34, Republicans 46, Independents and Populists, 10. The House, Democrats 134, Republicans 206, Independents and Populists 16. In the 56th Congress it, stood, Senate Democrats 26, Republicans 55, Independents 9. In the House, Democrats 163, Republicans 185, Independents 9. The chief events of his administration are set forth in full in another chapter.

The twenty-four men who have filled the presidential chair have been varied in ability; they have represented all classes of our American people and widely different schools of political thought, but in the century of their aggregate terms no country of the world has had better men as chief executives.

CHAPTER XIV.

The People's Party-Their Candidates and Platforms

ΤΗ

'HE People's Party, on May 10, 1900, held two conventions to nominate Presidential candidates, and to adopt platforms embodying principles on which the campaign is to be fought. The convention held at Sioux Falls, S. D., represented that portion of the party which favored the nomination of William Jennings Bryan, for President, with the expectation that he would also be the candidate of the Democratic Party.

The convention which met on the same day, at Cincinnati, Ohio, favored a separate and distinct party ticket, and a platform of principles embodying the distinctive views held by that portion of the party, commonly designated as the "middle of the road" party.

THE POPULIST NATIONAL CONVENTION, AT SIOUX FALL

The Populist National Convention, at Sioux Falls, S. D., was called to order May 10, 1900, 9.45 A. M., by temporary chairman, Ringdal.

The Committee on Credentials presented its report, declaring that there were no contesting delegations, and recommending that the vote of Missouri be increased by two votes, that of Ohio by two votes, and that of South Dakota by three votes. The report was adopted.

The Committee on Permanent Organization reported the name of Thomas M. Patterson, of Colorado, for Permanent Chairman; T. H. Curran, of Kansas; Leo Vincent, of Colorado, and E. M. Deisher, as Permanent Secretaries. Mr. Patterson's name was