disliked banks and other large corporations; he feared what we should now call "the interests." Therefore he was opposed to the United States Bank, or any national bank; he did not believe it was the business of the Federal Government to spend money on "internal improvements"; he was not in favor of an extremely high tariff. When he found that some members of his cabinet had different views from his on these subjects, he squeezed them out; and at all times he preferred the advice of a group of his friends, known as the Kitchen Cabinet."

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And Jackson had plenty of enemies. Some, like John Quincy Adams, whom he had defeated for the Presidency in 1828, looked on him as a rough frontiersman unfit to be president. Others, like Henry Clay of Kentucky, opposed him because they favored a strong Federal Government that should do a lot of things for the people at large. Others, like John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, got into personal quarrels with Jackson, and never would support him afterwards. The result was that in 1832, the group known as "Jackson's friends " put him up for President again.

New National Parties

In the next few years the Jackson party took the name of Democrats and the other side that of Whigs. Thus were founded two two national parties which strove against each other, to elect not only a President but senators, members of the House, and state and even city officers. From 1836 to 1852 the Demo

crats and the Whigs alternated in electing a President. Thus the Democrats elected Van Buren in 1836, and Polk in 1844, and Pierce in 1852. The Whigs elected Harrison in 1840 and Taylor in 1848. Harrison and Taylor both died in office, and were succeeded by Tyler and Fillmore, both Vice-Presidents.

The party principles of the Whigs were in general for a bank, for a high tariff, and for internal improvements. When they came into power they carried out those principles so far as they could; when the Democrats came in they repealed the Whig laws so far as they could. By and by in 1848 there arose a third party, the Free Soilers, whose platform was opposition to slavery. In 1856 they were changed over into the Republican party, which in many respects took the place of the Whigs, and in 1860 it beat the Democrats by electing Abraham Lincoln President.

Spoils System

These parties did not run themselves; they had to be supported by voters, and the voters had to be spurred up by public meetings and orators and newspapers and campaign documents. Therefore all parties set up a system of national, state and local political committees, which raised money to carry on campaigns and get out the vote. Many of the workers did their part from public spirit; but it was found that to carry elections it was desirable that somebody should be looking after matters all the time. Hence both parties got into the habit of relying on the office holders and

to make that system work, the office holders were expected to be in favor of the party that was

in power.

Jackson was easily persuaded to apply in the National Government methods of dealing with Government employees who did not agree with the head of the Government, which had long been used in New York, Pennsylvania and other states. Many of Jackson's friends and supporters wanted office and he found room for them by turning out those already in office who had not voted for him. This was the so-called "spoils system," and was the regular thing for all parties, in state and national offices, for more than fifty years. Senator Marcy of New York openly declared that "to the victors belong the spoils of the enemy "-that is, the offices.

Politicians by this time began to understand better how to organize and manage big parties. Each held every four years a national convention to nominate candidates for the Presidency. This party organization, combined with the "spoils system," which rewarded party workers by giving them offices, did not change much for many years.

Public Lands and Immigrants

A great question that brought out strongly the difference of feeling between the East and the West was the disposition of the public lands.

The country seemed very large with its 1,780,000 square miles of territory, much of which was still unsettled. The public land policy was very liberal. The original idea had been to sell the public lands and make money

But this desert area is getting smaller and smaller. The mighty magician Uncle Sam waves his wand IRRIGATION and, behold, thousands of acres add each season their harvests of fruits and grains to the wealth of the United States.

At present there are nearly 183,000,000 acres of vacant public lands in the United States-desert lands, swamp lands and mountainous regions. These lands are to be found principally in the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming.

out of the transaction, then to encourage emigrants. Naturally the Western settlers wanted to buy the land cheap, and wanted to be sure that the actual settlers should have the best chance.

The old Northern states were not very eager to stand for a system which would mean drawing many of their people out beyond the mountains. The friends of cheap land had a majority in Congress which in 1841 passed the pre-emption act, under which every grown man ΟΙ woman had the right once in a lifetime to take up 160 acres of public land at $1.25 an acre.

The cheapness of the public land, and the great demand for labor drew multitudes of immigrants. By 1820 throngs of people began to come to the United States from Germany, from the Scandinavian countries, from England, Scotland and from Ireland. Between 1830 and 1860 about 5,000,000 immigrants landed. Many of them stayed in the Eastern cities and states; many more flocked out to the wonderful rich lands of the West; and helped to build up new cities and states.

Westward Expansion (1836-1851)

The more people, the greater pressure for land, and the stronger the desire for new territory. We have already seen how the United States got the start of other nations in exploring Oregon. The British also entered that country, and there was a dispute for many years as to who should own it. The matter was settled in 1846 by agreeing on a boundary between English and American territory where it now lies, on the 49th

parallel west to the Pacific Ocean.

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On the South and Southwest likewise the United States was gaining. Besides Louisiana, transferred by Napoleon, Spain in 1819 yielded Florida. In 1830 American settlers in Texas set up the Republic of Texas. 1845 Texas was annexed to the United States. This led to a dispute as to the boundaries between Texas and Mexico, and President Polk, elected in 1844, led in a war upon Mexico. As a result we acquired, through the Treaty of 1848, not only the region claimed by Texas but also New Mexico and the splendid prize of California.

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Two long disputes with Great Britain were settled by the Ashburton Treaty on the Maine boundary; and the Treaty of 1846, making the 49th parallel the boundary to the Pacific Ocean. In 1853 a strip of territory called the Gadsden Purchase bought to round off the southern boundary of New Mexico. By these additions the United States was enlarged to the present "continental area," and acquired a magnificent new region out of which seven states have since been created.

The National Bank

The first great question that Jackson laid hold of was the United States Bank, the richest and most powerful corporation then existing in the country, in which were always kept the current balances of Government money. Jackson said that the Bank was in politics against him. That was not the case, at this time, but it did later use its political influence to oppose the