William H. Taft.
700. The Election of 1908.—The Republican Convention met in Chicago in June, and on the first ballot nominated for President, Secretary William H. Taft,[[317]] of Ohio, for whose candidacy the administration had exerted all its influence. Representative James S. Sherman, of New York, was nominated for Vice President. The Convention in its plank with regard to the issuing of writs of injunction[[318]] by the Federal Courts in cases involving labor disputes failed to satisfy some of the labor leaders, who subsequently supported the Democratic party. The convention of the latter party met in Denver in July and nominated Mr. W. J. Bryan on the first ballot. John W. Kern of Indiana was nominated for Vice President. The Democratic platform was more specific than the Republican on tariff reduction, railway regulation, and anti-monopoly legislation; but it did not secure enthusiastic support, especially from convinced tariff reformers, and its proposal of the creation of a fund for securing depositors in insolvent national banks was not regarded with favor in conservative circles. The minor parties also made nominations, and expected to play a larger part in the election than they succeeded in doing. On the whole, the campaign was spiritless, despite the regrettable sensation caused by the production of letters associating the names of several public men with the Standard Oil Company. It was soon apparent that Mr. Taft would receive the solid support of the Eastern States, and that, while Mr. Bryan would probably reduce the Republican vote in the West, he would not be strong enough to carry many States. In the election on November 3, 1908, Mr. Taft secured three hundred and twenty-one electoral votes, including those of Missouri and West Virginia; Mr. Bryan one hundred and sixty-two, including those of Nebraska, Colorado, and Nevada, and six of the eight votes of Maryland. Judge Taft defeated Mr. Bryan by about 1,250,000 votes, but the Democratic candidate himself surpassed by even more than this the vote received by Judge Parker in 1904. The chief parties made gains, and that there was considerable independent voting was proved by the election of Democratic governors in Ohio, Minnesota, and Indiana. The Republicans were still left with a comfortable majority in Congress.
701. The Country at the Close of 1908.—Some revival of business has been noted since the election, and the country has settled down to await quietly the beginning of the new administration, with little expectation that Congress, which has shown itself to be greatly exasperated with the President, will accomplish much besides routine business. An entente arranged by our Department of State with the Japanese authorities has dissipated much of the popular alarm with respect to the sinister intentions of Japan toward American interests in the Pacific. Many fourth-class postmasters in the North and West have been brought by President Roosevelt under civil service rules—an action which cannot fail to lessen the power of the political bosses. The government has maintained a very calm attitude toward Holland and Venezuela, the relations of which have been strained, and measures have been taken to secure the quiet and prompt withdrawal of American troops from Cuba. The chances of a real revision of the tariff seem to have increased. An important decision against prominent labor leaders, who had flouted an injunction of a court, has rendered it likely that the law with regard to boycotts will be more clearly enunciated and understood in the future, and that the respective rights of capital, labor, and the general public will be more thoroughly safeguarded. Perhaps no better illustration of the strength and essential soundness of the country can be pointed to than the generosity and promptitude with which America has responded to the appeals in behalf of the sufferers in the Calabrian earthquake of December, 1908.
References.—Wheeler, The Santiago Campaign (1898); Roosevelt, The Rough Riders (1899); H. T. Peck, Twenty Years of the Republic, 1885–1905 (1906); year-books and other manuals of information, and magazines of the period, particularly The Political Science Quarterly in its “Record of Political Events.”
| [295] | It is still too early to pass definite judgment upon this and other points. |
| [296] | The Act of May 25 fixed the opening of the war as taking place on April 21. |
| [297] | Born in Vermont, 1837. Entered United States Naval Academy in 1854 and graduated in 1858; was midshipman in the Mediterranean till outbreak of the war in 1861; was assigned to the West Gulf Squadron; was with Farragut at the passing of Forts St. Philip and Jackson; served later on several vessels of the North Atlantic Squadron; promoted to be commander, 1872; captain, 1884; commodore, 1896; appointed to command the Asiatic Squadron, January, 1898; fought the battle of Manila, May 1, 1898; upon his return to America was greeted with great demonstrations of favor in New York and other cities; rear admiral, 1898; admiral, 1899. |
| [298] | Born in Michigan, 1835. Entered Union army, 1861; brevet brigadier general, 1865; entered regular army as lieutenant colonel, 1867; colonel, March, 1879; brigadier general, May, 1897; called to Tampa, Florida, at the outbreak of the Spanish War; led expedition against Santiago de Cuba; commanded Departments of California and Columbia, 1899–1901; retired, 1901. |