LAD #26

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have  Dream" speech highlighted the continued mistreatment of African Americans by the American society that existed in the 1950s and 1960s. He compares their struggle for equality to a fight that the nation as a whole was engaged in for freedom. In this way, the civil rights movement becomes a continuation of the American Revolution. According to King, the country will stand on its foundation of liberty and freternity only when all races are considered equal. He goes further, saying that the continued struggle for equality must be nonviolent. He urges African Americans to shed their own prejudices against white Americans and work with them to achieve their goal. King also said that the civil rights movement could not stop until absolute equality was reached. Throughout the speech, King appeared optimistic. In his eyes, racial equality was the tangible last step toward freedom in the United States.

LAD #25

The Dawes Severalty Act of 1887 established a plan to relocate thousands of Native Americans to reservations. The President, Glover Cleveland at the time, was given the power to appoint "special agents" to oversee the process. These "special agents" would be responsible for surveying land and delegating varying amounts of land to individual Native Americans. This would destroy the Native American practice of communal land ownership. Native Americans who were not already placed on reservations would also be entitled to land and this land would be given for free. However, the Federal Government still wished to have some jurisdiction over the land that was set aside for Native Americans, or at least the potential for future jurisdiction. As a result, the Dawes Act also allowed the Federal Government to buy back reservation land if the need arose. This land that was bought back could then be given to American settlers. The laws of the state or territory in which a reservation was established would also apply to the individuals settled on the reservation. Religious and educational institutions already established on land that was set aside to become a reservation would be able to continue their practice. The Dawes Act also declared that if there was a need for irrigation of the land that had been given to a group of Native Americans, and there often was such a need, the Federal Government could help. The assimilation of Native Americans into American society was encouraged and preferred; still, all Native Americans living on reservations were guarenteed equal protection under the law. Certain tribes were excluded from the treaty. The Dawes Act effectively served to undermine Native American interests in the United States and increased the Federal Government's control over their way of life.

LAD #24

 

 

In William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech, Bryan declared his support for bimetallism. He began by stating that a laborer was much a businssman as his employer. According to Bryan, the interests of the laborer, or common man, were just as important, if not more important, than those of the industrialist. This was because the prosperity of the country and the industrialists, represented by cities, depended on the success of the laborers. Because of this, the country did not only need the income tax, less powerful banks, and more transparency in government, but also greater representation of the common man in government. The issue of the gold standard was of particular importance to the country's working class and highlighted the deepening divide between the country's economic classes. The Republicans appeared to be representing the industrialists in regards to the issue, advocating for the gold standard. In their eyes, bimetallism could only be implemented when international agreement had been reached and if the wealthiest members of American society were propsering, their wealth would trickle down to members of lower classes. These ideas were intolerable to Bryan. Bimetallism, or the free coinage of silver at a ratio of sixteen to one with gold, would increase the amount of money in circulation and rescue farmers and workers from debt and poverty. This would make for a stronger foundation of the country and allow the country to excel as a whole. The Federal Government would also recieve money needed for carrying out reforms. Waiting for foreign powers to agree to bimetallism was simply un-American in Bryan's eyes. Instead, the United States should set the example for Europe and the rest of the world. The Democratic Party would rally around these ideas, endorsed by Bryan, and represent the working class on the issue of the gold standard. 

LAD #23

The Populist Party emerged in the late eighteen hundreds as a reaction to the growing power of the industrialists and the continued exploitation of workers. In the Preamble of the "Populist Party Platform," the Populists discussed the conditions surrounding the formation of their party. They describe corruption surrounding voting procedures, impoverished workers, and greedy robber barons who reaped fortunes from the labor of workers. Their is also a note of xenophobia in their argument. Immigrants are also to blame for the plight of the American working class because they take American jobs and work for lower wages. According to the Populists, the Federal Government passively allowed these ills to exist and neither the Republicans nor the Democrats had any plan to correct them. The Populist Party proposed several measures that could serve as a solution. It advocated for an increase in the amount of money in circulation, a graduated income tax, a postal savings bank for workers, and an unlimited coinage of silver and gold at the ratio of sixteen to one. The Populists also said that the Federal Government must take control of the railroads, telephones, and telegraph and repossess excess land held by corporations so that it could be delegated to settlers. They also formally established a permanent labor union to represent their interests. Their document ended with a list of sentiments in which they resolved to remain actively seized in the matter. Condemning the Pinkerton system and unwanted immigration, they asked that the President and Vice President be able to serve only one term and said that the election of senators should be carried out directly by the American people. The secret ballot and pensions for soldiers and sailors also needed to be established by the Federal Government. In this way, the Populists essentially demanded reform.

LAD #22

 

McKinley's War Message is essentially a piece of rhetoric designed to excite Congress to intervene militarily in the conflict between Spain and Cuba. President McKinley begins the speech by giving some historical background on the conflict and explaining how the conflict has affected the United States. According to McKinley, the Cubans have revolted against their Spanish oppressors multiple times and the United States has been forced to take on significant measures to pursue a policy of neutrality. War crimes have shocked the American people, Cuban investments have been lost, and the conflict did not seem to be reaching any forseeable conclusion. McKinley assures his listeners that his primary interest is to see peace in Cuba, but that President Grant's policy of neutrality is not the appropiate way to mediate the problem. In fact, he declares that it is America's duty to prevent the atrocities of war so near its borders. He goes on to state four justifications for American intervention in Cuba. The first is the American responsibility to stop the aforementioned atrocities of war. The second is to protect "our citizens in Cuba." The third is to protect America's financial interests in Cuba. The fourth justification is to put an end to a war that has threatened the peace and security of the United States. McKinley describes the seizure of American ships and property. He finishes the speech by implying that a Spanish missile blew up the American Maine and briefly mentions that Spain had agreed to a cease-fire.

LAD #21

 

In Andrew Carnegie's piece "Wealth" from North American View, he discusses the proper way that society might go about leveling the uneual distribution of wealth. This is his "Gospel of Wealth." Though one might expect the billionaire to horde his riches and protect them from the public, Carnegie urges his fellow business tycoons to donate parts of their income. He says that the elevation of a minority above the living standard is a natural progression of society, but that returning some of those earnings to the public will benefit society as a whole. To prove this, he analyzes three modes by which fortunes are spent. First, he discusses those that spend the money on themselves during their lifetimes and leave the rest of their fortunes to their families. This is not only selfish according to Carnegie, but a burden on the family. The children of these billionaires often lose their fortune. In this way, the fortunes are not best kept in the hands of the few. The second option involves a death tax, in which the government takes money from the estates of the wealthy upon their death in the form of a tax. Surprisingly, Carnegie supports the idea of a death tax, though he does not see it as the most effective way to distribute wealth. He argues that the death tax is a beneficial thing because it brings money back to the public, but notes that time is wasted during the lifetime of the billionaire to do public good with the money. This brings him to his final point: Wealthy individuals should be philanthropists throughout their lifetime. In this way, everyone is able to benefit from the fortune and it is the responsibility of the few who have political power to see that this happens. The distribution of wealth throughout a tycoons lifetime would be society's equalizer in an age where the gap between the rich and poor was widening.

LAD #20

Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation freed all slaves in states in open rebellion with the Federal Government of the United States. According to Lincoln, this was a measure of "military necessity." States would be found in open rebellion if they did not have an elected representative in Congress on January 1 following the speech. The states that had chosen to secede would fall under this category. Slaves held by individuals in Border States or areas where the President sought to retain political support would not be freed by the proclamation. Through this statement it becomes clear that Lincoln saw value in the addition of ex-slaves to his military force. Freed slaves were not only encouraged to pursue fair employment opportunities, but were informed that they would be openly recieved by the Government's armed services. This document would come at the turning point of the war and would be met by criticism from many fronts.