LAD#21 - Dawes Act

The Dawes Act was approved by Congress on February 8th, 1887. It is divided into eleven sections which provide and declare the acts and provisions of the removal and relocation of Native Americans to designated reservations. It states that any tribe or band of Indians shall hereafter be located upon any reservation created for their use. It would be advantageous for agricultural and grazing purpose, even reservation land can be surveyed or resurveyed if necessary. IT then proceeds to declare how much each family member or single person shall receive upon relocation to the reservation. The highest being the head of a family, who would have received one-quarter of a section, and the lowest being a single person under eighteen years, who would have only received one-sixteenth of a section. In the case that there is not sufficient land in any of said reservations, each individual of each of said classes pro rata shall be allotted land in accordance with the provisions of this act. It provides that any Indian not residing upon a reservation shall make settlements upon any surveyed or unsurveyed lands of the United States, upon the same amount of land they would have been allotted if they had been relocated to a reservation. It is declared that the United States does and will hold the land thus allotted for the period of twenty-five years in trust for the sole use and benefit of the Indians. At the end of this said period, they are discharged of all charge or incumbrance, yet it is within the right of the President to extend this period. After land haves been allotted to all Indians, it shall be the best interests of the tribe to negotiate with the secretary of the Interior for purchase and release by the tribe. The Dawes Act guarantees that Indians shall have the benefit of and be subject to the laws, both civil and criminal of the State or Territory which they reside in. It further provides equal protection of the Indians under the law. Section 8 relays the tribes or bands of Indians who have been exempted from relocation to a reservation by the Dawes Act. Though the land is supposedly the Native Americans' is it stated that Congress has the right and the power to grant right of way through any lands granted, for railroads, highways, telegraph lines, or for public use.

LAD#20 - branch "Cross of Gold" Speech

Deliver by William Jennings Bryan on July 9th, 1896 at the Democratic National Convention, the "Cross of Gold" speech addressed the issue of whether to allow free coinage of silver at a ratio of silver to gold of 16 to 1. The would have helped increased the amount of money in circulation and aided cash-poor and debt-burdened farmers. Bryan tells the Convention he came to speak to them in the "holy" defense of the cause of humanity. The issue of silver coinage rendered brother against brother. The question is not a question of persons; but of principle. That at the convention they stand to represent the people who are equals before the law. He indirectly addresses the big business men and capitalists, saying that they have been too limited in its definition of a business man. "The man who is employed for wages is as much a businessman as his employer." Bryan assures them that he does not come as an aggressor and that it is not a war of conquest. He relates that what the nation needs is an Andrew Jackson to stand against the encroachment of aggregated wealth. It is blantantly stated that Bryan is in favor of an income tax. Many who oppose the silver standard are in favor of a gold standard, and generally come from large cities. Yet Bryan reminds them that it is their cities and their gold which relies on the backs of the farms in the prairies who desperately need the silver coinage. In destroying the plains one is destroying the cities. He passively threatens them ending his speech statings, "You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold."

LAD#19 - Populist Party Platform

In the 1890s the POpulist Party emerged independent of the Democrats and Republicans. They opposed the "concentrated capital" of banks and big businesses. Their party platform was drawn up and publicized in 1892. The Preamble covers their main points. They felt that Corruptiong dominates the ballot-box of a nation on the verge of moral, political, and material ruin. A nation which now bred two great classes of tramps andm illionaires. That the supply of currency is purposel limited in order to fatten the pockets of creditors. Democrats adn Republicans have done nothing to prevent or correct the dreaful conditions which have and are developing. The Populist Party thus sought to restore the government to the hands of the "plain people". Thus the power of the government, moreover of the people, should be expanded in order to eventually cease opression, injustice, and poverty. The nation will never move forward until every wrong is righted and equal rights and privileges are guaranteed to all men and women. This platform declared three main parts pertaining to finance, transportation, and land. But also covered the fact that labor unions should be permanent and perpetual and that wealth should remain in the hands of its creator. In dealing with finance, the Party demanded that a nation curreny, safe, sound, and flexible be issued with free adn unlimited coinage of silver and gold with a ratio of 16 to 1. They also demanded that the amount of ciculating medium be increased, a graduated income tax be collected, that money shoudl be kept in the hands of the people, and for the creation of postal savings banks for the comman people. They felt since transportation should be open to the general public, that the government should own adn operate the railroads as well as the telegraph and the telephone. The party felt that land should not be monopolized for speculative purposes and that alien ownership of land should be prohibited. Nine resolutions were present in an Expression of Sentiments. These nin resolutions called for many different changes in nation: a free ballot and a fair ount in all elections; that revenure from the graduated income tax be used to reduce industrial taxation; that to protect American labor, there be further restrictions on the flow of immigrants which threaten American labor; and that the Pinkerton system be abolished. The Populist Party also stated their support for pension to ex-Union military men and their sympathy with the effort to shorten the hours of labor.

LAD#18 - McKinley's War Message

On March 1898, the government sent an ultimatum to Madrid demanding Spain to cease all fighting. On April 11th, President McKinley asked Congress to take step to bring an end to the conflict in Cuba. McKinley explained that the Cuban conflicts have subjected the United States to great effort and expense in enforcing its neutrality. Also many American interests suffered because of the uprisings. He stated in his annual message of December that only recognition of the insurgents, recognition of Cuban independence, or intervention as an ally were the only options of pacifying the situation. Several statements supported the forcible intervention of the United States as a neutral. That it would be for all humanity to end the bloodshed and misery of the United States’ neighbor. To protect the life and property of Cubans since there is no rightful government to do it for them. Also intervention would be on the behalf of American economy, protecting interests on the island. In conclusion, McKinley felt that the conflicts in Cuba were a constant menace to “our peace and entails upon this government an enormous expense”. He gave an example of how elements of danger and disorder had already found the shores of the United States, in the sinking of the Main, which proved the state was Cuba was intolerable. McKinley urged Congress to authorize and empower the President to take measure of intervention even though, the Queen Regent of Spain had proclaimed a suspension of hostilities. He felt it was an empty promise and declared that if it failed, “it will be only another justification for our contemplated action”.