Date: 4-26-2001
THE MAKING OF A NATION #138 - ELECTION OF 1888
By FRANK BEARDSLEYVOICE ONE:
THE MAKING OF A NATION -- A PROGRAM IN SPECIAL ENGLISH BY THE
VOICE OF AMERICA. (THEME)
I'M SHIRLEY GRIFFITH. TODAY, RAY FREEMAN AND I TELL THE STORY OF
THE AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF EIGHTEEN-EIGHTY-EIGHT.
VOICE TWO:
ONE POLITICAL ISSUE PLAYED A MAJOR PART IN THE ELECTION OF
EIGHTEEN-EIGHTY-EIGHT. THAT ISSUE WAS TARIFFS -- TAXES ON
IMPORTS.
AT THAT TIME, TARIFFS WERE HIGH ON MANY PRODUCTS. THE HIGH
TARIFFS PROTECTED AMERICAN GOODS FROM COMPETING WITH LOWER-PRICED FOREIGN PRODUCTS. THEY PROTECTED MILLIONS OF JOBS IN AMERICAN INDUSTRY.NOT EVERYONE, HOWEVER, SUPPORTED HIGH TARIFFS. THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, GROVER CLEVELAND, DID NOT.
VOICE ONE:
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND BELIEVED THAT HIGH TARIFFS HURT MORE
AMERICANS THAN THEY PROTECTED. HIGH TARIFFS, HE SAID, LED TO
HIGH PRICES ON ALL PRODUCTS. HE ALSO OPPOSED HIGH TARIFFS
BECAUSE THEY BROUGHT IN MORE MONEY THAN THE GOVERNMENT NEEDED.
THE EXTRA MONEY WAS KEPT IN THE PUBLIC TREASURY. AND THIS,
CLEVELAND BELIEVED, SLOWED THE AMERICAN ECONOMY.
THE PRESIDENT'S DEMOCRATIC PARTY UNITED TO SUPPORT HIS POLICY OF
LOWERING TARIFFS. WHEN THE PARTY HELD ITS PRESIDENTIAL
NOMINATING CONVENTION IN EIGHTEEN-EIGHTY-EIGHT, DELEGATES QUICKLY
RE-NOMINATED CLEVELAND.
VOICE TWO:
AT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY CONVENTION, DELEGATES WERE EXPECTED TO
NOMINATE SENATOR JAMES BLAINE. BLAINE HAD BEEN THE PARTY'S
CANDIDATE FOUR YEARS EARLIER. HE HAD LOST TO CLEVELAND IN A VERY
CLOSE ELECTION.
SENATOR BLAINE PUBLICLY CRITICIZED THE PRESIDENT'S POLICY ON
TARIFFS. HE SAID HE LOOKED FORWARD TO A FULL DEBATE ON THE
ISSUE. REPUBLICANS THOUGHT THIS MEANT THAT BLAINE WANTED TO BE
NOMINATED FOR PRESIDENT AGAIN. THEY TOLD HIM HE WAS SURE TO WIN.
THEY SAID IT WOULD BE SUCH AN EASY VICTORY THAT HE WOULD NOT HAVE
TO CAMPAIGN.
VOICE ONE:
IN FACT, BLAINE DID NOT WANT THE NOMINATION. HE ASKED THAT HIS
NAME NOT BE PUT BEFORE THE CONVENTION. HE MET WITH REPORTERS TO
TALK ABOUT HIS DECISION. HE SAID: "A MAN WHO HAS ONCE BEEN THE
CANDIDATE OF HIS PARTY -- AND DEFEATED -- OWES IT TO HIS PARTY
NOT TO BE A CANDIDATE AGAIN."
MANY REPUBLICANS REFUSED TO ACCEPT BLAINE'S DECISION. THEY FELT
THAT IF BLAINE WERE NOMINATED, HE WOULD RUN. BLAINE REPLIED:
"IF THE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION IS OFFERED TO ME, I COULD NOT AND
WOULD NOT ACCEPT IT."
THAT WAS FINAL. BLAINE'S SUPPORTERS HAD TO FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO
NOMINATE FOR PRESIDENT.
VOICE TWO:
FOURTEEN MEN DECLARED THEMSELVES TO BE CANDIDATES FOR THE
REPUBLICAN NOMINATION. A LEADING CANDIDATE WAS SENATOR JOHN
SHERMAN OF OHIO. ANOTHER WAS FORMER SENATOR BENJAMIN HARRISON OF
INDIANA.
CONVENTION DELEGATES VOTED SEVERAL TIMES. NO MAN RECEIVED ENOUGH
VOTES TO WIN THE NOMINATION. THEN A MESSAGE CAME FROM JAMES
BLAINE. IT SAID: "NOMINATE HARRISON." ON THE EIGHTH VOTE, THE
DELEGATES DID.
BENJAMIN HARRISON WAS THE GRANDSON OF THE NINTH PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES, WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON. BENJAMIN WAS A LAWYER.
HE HAD BEEN A GENERAL IN THE UNION ARMY DURING AMERICA'S CIVIL
WAR OF THE EIGHTEEN-SIXTIES.
VOICE ONE:
AFTER NOMINATING HARRISON, THE REPUBLICANS APPROVED A STRONG
POLICY STATEMENT ON THE TARIFF QUESTION. THE STATEMENT SAID:
"WE FULLY SUPPORT THE AMERICAN SYSTEM OF PROTECTION. PRESIDENT
CLEVELAND AND HIS PARTY SERVE THE INTERESTS OF EUROPE. WE WOULD
SUPPORT THE INTERESTS OF AMERICA. WE WOULD SEE ALL OTHER TAXES
ENDED BEFORE WE SURRENDER ANY PART OF THE PROTECTIVE TARIFF
SYSTEM."
VOICE TWO:
BENJAMIN HARRISON'S CAMPAIGN WAS WELL-ORGANIZED.
HIS CAMPAIGN WORKERS WENT TO BUSINESSMEN WHO HAD BECOME RICH
BECAUSE OF HIGH PROTECTIVE TARIFFS. THEY ASKED FOR SUPPORT, AND
THE BUSINESSMEN GAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THE CAMPAIGN. THE
BUSINESSMEN ALSO PUT PRESSURE ON THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED FOR THEM.
THEY WARNED WORKERS THAT IF CLEVELAND WERE RE-ELECTED, THERE
MIGHT BE NO MORE JOBS.
REPUBLICAN PARTY LEADERS TOOK AN ACTIVE PART IN THE CAMPAIGN OF
EIGHTEEN EIGHTY-EIGHT. THEY MADE SPEECHES AND LED PARADES ACROSS
THE COUNTRY. THE PARTY ALSO PRINTED MILLIONS OF PAMPHLETS THAT
WARNED AGAINST WHAT IT CALLED "CLEVELAND'S FREE TRADE POLICIES."
VOICE ONE:
GROVER CLEVELAND'S CAMPAIGN WAS NOT WELL-ORGANIZED. IT STARTED
SLOWLY. IT DID NOT RAISE MUCH MONEY. NO EFFORT WAS MADE TO
ANSWER REPUBLICAN ATTACKS ON THE TARIFF ISSUE. AND THE PRESIDENT
HIMSELF REFUSED TO CAMPAIGN. HE SAID HE HAD MORE IMPORTANT
THINGS TO DO.
THE DEMOCRATS ALSO FAILED TO STOP THE REPUBLICANS FROM BUYING
VOTES ON ELECTION DAY. IN INDIANA, FOR EXAMPLE, MEN WERE PAID
FIFTEEN DOLLARS TO VOTE FOR THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE. THE
DEMOCRATS BOUGHT VOTES, TOO. BUT THEY HAD LESS MONEY TO SPEND
THAN THE REPUBLICANS.
WHEN THE POPULAR VOTES WERE COUNTED, CLEVELAND HAD ABOUT
ONE-HUNDRED-THOUSAND MORE THAN HARRISON. BUT HARRISON HAD MORE
ELECTORAL VOTES. HE WON THE ELECTION.
VOICE TWO:
GROVER CLEVELAND HAD MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT HIS DEFEAT. HE WANTED
TO WIN, BECAUSE HE BELIEVED HIS POLICIES WERE BEST FOR THE
COUNTRY. HE SAID HE WAS NOT SORRY THAT HE HAD MADE TARIFFS THE
MAJOR ISSUE IN THE CAMPAIGN. "I DO NOT REGRET IT," HE SAID."IT
IS BETTER TO BE DEFEATED BATTLING FOR AN HONEST IDEA, THAN TO WIN
BY A COWARDLY TRICK."
WHEN PRESIDENT CLEVELAND AND HIS WIFE LEFT THE WHITE HOUSE,
MISSUS CLEVELAND SAID GOODBYE TO THE SERVANTS. SHE TOLD ONE OF
THEM: "I WANT YOU TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF ALL THE FURNITURE AND
OTHER THINGS IN THE HOUSE. I WANT TO FIND EVERYTHING THE SAME
WHEN WE COME BACK...FOUR YEARS FROM NOW."
VOICE ONE:
THE NEW PRESIDENT, BENJAMIN HARRISON, HAD BIG POLITICAL DEBTS TO
RE-PAY. HE UNDERSTOOD THIS WHEN HE BEGAN ORGANIZING HIS
ADMINISTRATION. "WHEN I CAME TO POWER," HARRISON SAID, "I FOUND
THAT MY PARTY'S LEADERS HAD TAKEN ALL THE POWER FOR THEMSELVES.
I COULD NOT NAME MY OWN CABINET. THEY HAD SOLD EVERY CABINET
POSITION TO PAY FOR THE ELECTION."
VOICE TWO:
THE POSITION OF SECRETARY OF STATE WENT TO JAMES BLAINE, WHO HAD
REFUSED HIS PARTY'S REQUESTS TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT. BLAINE HAD
SERVED AS SECRETARY OF STATE UNDER PRESIDENTS JAMES GARFIELD AND
CHESTER ARTHUR.
THE POSITION OF POSTMASTER GENERAL WENT TO JOHN WANAMAKER.
WANAMAKER HAD RAISED MOST OF THE MONEY FOR HARRISON'S CAMPAIGN.
HE HAD GIVEN FIFTY-THOUSAND DOLLARS OF HIS OWN MONEY. HE PLANNED
TO RE-PAY PARTY SUPPORTERS WITH JOBS IN THE POST OFFICE
DEPARTMENT.
VOICE ONE:
DURING THE CAMPAIGN, HARRISON HAD PROMISED TO ENFORCE THE CIVIL
SERVICE LAW THAT PROTECTED THE JOB RIGHTS OF GOVERNMENT WORKERS.
HE PROMISED THAT WORKERS WOULD BE REMOVED ONLY IN THE INTERESTS
OF BETTER GOVERNMENT.
WANAMAKER AND OTHER PARTY LEADERS CRITICIZED HARRISON. THEY SAID
THEY COULD NOT BUILD A STRONG PARTY ORGANIZATION WITHOUT
PROMISING GOVERNMENT JOBS TO VOTERS.
SO, PRESIDENT HARRISON SUSPENDED THE CIVIL SERVICE LAWS THAT
PROTECTED POSTAL WORKERS. WITHIN A YEAR, THIRTY-THOUSAND
DEMOCRATS WERE REMOVED FROM THE DEPARTMENT. THEIR JOBS WENT TO
REPUBLICANS. THE PRESIDENT THEN ANNOUNCED THAT THE POST OFFICE
WOULD, ONCE AGAIN, BE PROTECTED BY THE CIVIL SERVICE LAWS.
VOICE TWO:
FORMER PRESIDENT CLEVELAND HAD BEEN TROUBLED BY THE EXTRA MONEY
IN THE FEDERAL TREASURY. THIS WAS TAX MONEY THE GOVERNMENT
COLLECTED, BUT DID NOT USE. MOST OF THE EXTRA MONEY CAME FROM
HIGH PROTECTIVE TARIFFS ON IMPORTED PRODUCTS. CLEVELAND WANTED
TO REDUCE THE SURPLUS BY REDUCING THE TARIFFS.
PRESIDENT HARRISON DECIDED TO REDUCE THE SURPLUS, TOO. BUT HE
WOULD DO IT BY INCREASING GOVERNMENT SPENDING...NOT BY CUTTING
TAXES. CONGRESS AGREED. IT BECAME THE FIRST CONGRESS TO SPEND
ONE-THOUSAND-MILLION DOLLARS.
VOICE ONE:
MUCH OF THE MONEY WAS SPENT ON PAYMENTS TO MEN WHO HAD FOUGHT IN
THE UNION ARMY DURING THE CIVIL WAR. THESE PAYMENTS COST THE
GOVERNMENT MORE THAN ONE-HUNDRED-MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
CONGRESS ALSO APPROVED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR GOVERNMENT
PROJECTS IN THE HOME STATES OF IMPORTANT CONGRESSMEN. THIS WAS
CALLED "PORK BARREL" SPENDING. IT PAID FOR NEW ROADS, BRIDGES,
AND GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS -- FOR ALMOST ANYTHING THE CONGRESSMEN
WANTED.
CONGRESS REDUCED THE SURPLUS EVEN MORE BY APPROVING MONEY TO
BUILD COASTAL DEFENSES AND TO BUY WARSHIPS FOR THE NAVY.
VOICE TWO:
THE AMERICAN CONGRESS PASSED SEVERAL HISTORIC PIECES OF
LEGISLATION DURING BENJAMIN HARRISON'S ADMINISTRATION: THE
SHERMAN ANTI-TRUST ACT. THE SHERMAN SILVER PURCHASE ACT.AND
THE MCKINLEY TARIFF.
THAT WILL BE OUR STORY NEXT WEEK.
(THEME)
VOICE ONE:
YOU HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO THE MAKING OF A NATION, A PROGRAM IN
SPECIAL ENGLISH BY THE VOICE OF AMERICA. YOUR NARRATORS WERE
SHIRLEY GRIFFITH AND RAY FREEMAN. OUR PROGRAM WAS WRITTEN BY FRANK BEARDSLEY.
Source: www.voa.gov/special/