A brief history of the united states

and the Farmers' Alliance and Cooperative Union. In 1889 these and others

were united in a convention at St. Louis into the Farmers' Alliance and

Industrial Union.
[23] The electoral vote was: for Cleveland, 277; Harrison, 145; Weaver,

22. The popular vote was: Democratic, 5,556,543; Republican, 5,175,582;

Populist, 1,040,886; Prohibition, 255,841; Socialist Labor, 21,532.
[24] Cleveland objected to certain features of the bill, and refused to

sign it; but he did not veto it. By the Constitution, if the President

neither signs a bill nor returns it with his veto within ten days (Sunday

excepted) after he receives it, the bill becomes a law without his

signature, provided Congress has not meanwhile adjourned. If Congress

adjourns before the ten-day limit expires and the President does not sign,

then the bill does not become a law, but is "pocket vetoed."
[25] Because Congress had made the tax uniform--the same on incomes of the

same amount everywhere--instead of fixing the total amount to be raised

and dividing it among the states according to population, as required by

the Constitution in the case of direct taxes.

educational qualifications; but, on the other hand, in four states it has

been extended to women on the same terms as men--in Wyoming (since 1869),

Colorado (since 1893), Utah (since 1895), and Idaho (since 1896). In

nearly half the states, women can now vote in school elections. In Kansas

they vote also in municipal elections.

at the present legal ratio of 16 to 1"; that is, that out of one pound of

gold should be coined as many dollars as out of sixteen pounds of silver.
[28] William McKinley was born in Ohio in 1843, attended Allegheny College

for a short time, then taught a district school, and was a clerk in a

country post office. When the Civil War opened, he joined the army as a

private in a regiment in which Hayes was afterwards colonel, served

through the war, and was brevetted major for gallantry at Cedar Creek and

Fishers Hill. The war over, he became a lawyer, entered politics in Ohio,

and was elected a member of seven Congresses. From 1892 to 1896 he was

governor of Ohio.

the National party, and the Socialist Labor party also named candidates.

But none of these parties cast so many as 150,000 popular votes or secured

any electoral votes.

rearing their young on our islands in that sea were our property; that

even though they temporarily went far out into the Pacific Ocean they were

under our protection. Our revenue cutters had therefore seized Canadian

vessels taking seals in the open sea.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

THE CUBAN REBELLION.--In February, 1895, the Cubans, for the sixth time in

fifty years, rose in rebellion against Spain, and attempted to form a

republic. These proceedings concerned us for several reasons. American

trade with Cuba was interrupted; American money invested in Cuban mines,

railroads, and plantations might be lost; our ports were used by the

Cubans in fitting out military expeditions which our government was forced

to stop at great expense; the cruelty with which the war was waged aroused

indignation. During the summer of 1897 the suffering of Cuban non-

combatants was so great that our people began to send them food and

medical aid.
[Illustration: CUBA AND PORTO RICO.]
DESTRUCTION OF THE MAINE.--While our people were engaged in this humane

work, our battleship _Maine_, riding at anchor in the harbor of Havana,

was blown up (February 15, 1898) and two hundred and sixty of her sailors

killed. War was now inevitable, and on April 19 Congress adopted a

resolution demanding that Spain should withdraw from Cuba, and authorizing

the President to compel her to leave if necessary. [1] Spain at once

severed diplomatic relations, and (April 21, 1898) war began.
THE BATTLE AT MANILA BAY.--A fleet which had assembled at Key West sailed

at once to blockade Havana and other ports on the coast of Cuba. Another

under Commodore Dewey sailed from Hongkong to attack the Spanish fleet in

the Philippine Islands. Dewey found it in Manila Bay, where on the morning

of May 1, 1898, he attacked and destroyed it without losing a man or a

ship. The city of Manila was then blockaded, and General Merritt with

twenty thousand men was sent across the Pacific to take possession of the

Philippines.

Admiral Cervera (thair-va'ra), sailed from the Cape Verde Islands. Acting

Rear-Admiral Sampson, with ships which had been blockading Havana, and

Commodore Schley, with a "flying squadron," went in search of Cervera,

who, after a long hunt, was found in the harbor of Santiago on the south

coast of Cuba, and at once blockaded. [2]

defended by strong forts. In an attempt to make the blockade more certain,

Lieutenant Hobson and a volunteer crew of seven men took the collier (coal

ship) _Merrimac_ well into the harbor entrance and sank her in the

channel (June 3). [3] The little band were made prisoners of war and in

time were exchanged.

water, it was decided to capture Santiago and so force him to run out.

General Shafter with an army was therefore sent to Cuba, and landed a few

miles from the city (June 22, 23), and at once pushed forward. On July 1

the Spanish positions on two hills, El Caney (el ca-na') and San Juan

(sahn hoo-ahn'), were carried by storm. [4]

fleet dashed from the harbor and attempted to break through the blockading

fleet. A running sea fight followed, and in a few hours all six of the

Spanish vessels were shattered wrecks on the coast of Cuba. Not one of our

ships was seriously damaged.
Two weeks later General Toral (to-rahl') surrendered the city of Santiago,

the eastern end of Cuba, and a large army.

He landed on the south coast (August 1) near Ponce (pon'tha), and was

pushing across the island when hostilities came to an end.
PEACE.--Meanwhile, the French minister in Washington asked, on behalf of

Spain, on what terms peace would be made. President McKinley stated them,

and on August 12 an agreement, or protocol, was signed. This provided (1)

that hostilities should cease at once, (2) that Spain should withdraw from

Cuba and cede Porto Rico and an island in the Ladrones to the United

States, and (3) that the city and harbor of Manila should be held by us

till a treaty of peace was signed and the fate of the Philippines settled.

[5]
The treaty was signed at Paris, December 10, 1898, and went into force

upon its ratification four months later. Spain agreed to withdraw from

Cuba, and to cede us Porto Rico, Guam (one of the Ladrone Islands), and

the Philippines. Our government agreed to pay Spain $20,000,000.
HAWAII, meanwhile, had steadily been seeking annexation to the United

States. Many causes prevented it; but during the war with Spain the

possibility of our holding the Philippines gave importance to the Hawaiian

Islands, and in July, 1898, they were annexed. In 1900 they were formed

into the territory of Hawaii. About the same time several other small

Pacific islands were acquired by our country. [6]

government which went into effect May 1, 1900, and made the island a

dependency, or colony--a district governed according to special laws of

Congress, but not forming part of our country. [7]

introducing many sanitary reforms, turned the cities over to the Cubans.

The people then elected delegates to a convention which formed a

constitution, and when this had been adopted and a president elected, our

troops were withdrawn, and (May 20, 1901), the Cubans began to govern

their island.

native troops under Aguinaldo (ahg-ee-nahl'do), who had revolted against

Spanish rule, held Luzon [8] and most of the other islands. Aguinaldo now

demanded that we should turn the islands over to his party, and when this

was refused, attacked our forces in Manila. War followed; but in battle

after battle the native troops were beaten and scattered, and in time

Aguinaldo was captured. The group of islands is now governed as a

dependency.

in 1900 members of a Chinese society called the Boxers began to kill

Christian natives, missionaries, and other foreigners. The disorder soon

reached Peking, where foreign ministers, many Europeans, and Americans

were besieged in the part of the city where they were allowed to reside.

Ships and troops were at once sent to join the forces of Japan and the

powers of Europe in rescuing the foreigners in Peking. War was not

declared; but some battles were fought and some towns captured before

Peking was taken and China brought to reason. [9]
[Illustration: SETTLED AREA IN 1900.]
THE CENSUS OF 1900.--At home in 1900 our population was counted for the

twelfth time in our history and found to be 76,000,000. This census did

not include the population of Porto Rico, Guam, or the Philippines. In New

York the population exceeded that of the whole United States in 1810; in

Pennsylvania it was greater than that of the whole United States in 1800,

and Ohio and Illinois each had more people than the whole country in 1790.

rapidly till nearly 800,000 foreigners came in one year, in 1882. Then the

wave declined, but for the rest of the century every year brought several

hundred thousand. In 1900 another great wave was rising, and by 1905 more

than 1,000,000 immigrants were coming every year. For some years these

immigrants have come mostly from southern and eastern Europe.

cities. In 1790 there were but 6 cities of over 8000 inhabitants each in

the United States, and their total population was but 131,000. In 1900

there were 545 such cities, and their inhabitants numbered 25,000,000--

about a third of the entire population; 38 of these cities had each more

than 100,000 inhabitants. By 1906 our largest city, New York, had more

than 4,000,000 people, Chicago had passed the 2,000,000 mark, and

Philadelphia had about 1,500,000.

interest. For many years after 1860 the South had gone backward rather

than forward. From 1880 to 1900 her progress was wonderful. In 1880 she

was loaded with debt, her manufactures of little importance, her railways

dilapidated, her banks few in number, and her laboring population largely

unemployed. In 1900 her cotton mills rivaled those of New England. Since

1880 her cotton crop has doubled, her natural resources have begun to be

developed, and coal, iron, lumber, cottonseed oil, and (in Texas and

Louisiana) petroleum have become important products. Alabama ranks high in

the list of coal-producing states, and her city of Birmingham has become a

great center of the iron and steel industry. Atlanta and many other

Southern cities are now important manufacturing centers.

schools. Throughout the South separate schools are maintained for white

and for negro children; and great progress has been made in both.
THE ELECTION OF 1900.--One of the signs of great prosperity in our country

has always been the number of political parties. In the campaign for the

election of President and Vice President in 1900 there were eleven

parties, large and small. But the contest really was between the

Republicans, who nominated William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, and

the Democrats, who nominated William J. Bryan and Adlai E. Stevenson,

indorsed by the Populist and Silver parties.
[Illustration: THEODORE ROOSEVELT.]
MCKINLEY ASSASSINATED.--McKinley and Roosevelt were elected, and duly

inaugurated March 4, 1901. In that year a great Pan-American Exposition

was held at Buffalo, and while attending it in September, McKinley was

shot by an anarchist who, during a public reception, approached him as if

to shake hands. Early on the morning of September 14 the President died,

and Vice-President Roosevelt [10] succeeded to the presidency.

(December, 1901) lie dealt with many current issues. One of his requests

was for further legislation concerning Chinese laborers. The Chinese

Exclusion Act accordingly was (1902) applied to our island possessions,

and no Chinese laborer is now allowed to enter one of them, nor may those

already there go from one group to another, or come to any of our states.

President was the irrigation [11] of arid public lands in the West in

order that they might be made fit for settlement. Great reservoirs for the

storage of water should be built, and canals to lead the water to the arid

lands should be constructed at government expense, the land so reclaimed

should be kept for actual settlers, and the cost repaid by the sale of the

land. Congress in 1902 approved the plan, and by law set aside the money

derived from the sale of public land in thirteen states and three

territories as a fund for building irrigation works. The work of

reclamation was begun the next year, and by 1907 eight new towns with some

10,000 people existed on lands thus watered.
ISTHMIAN CANAL ROUTES.--The project of a canal across the isthmus

connecting North and South America, was more than seventy-five years old.

But no serious attempt was made to cut a water way till a French company

was organized in 1878, spent $260,000,000 in ten years, and then failed.

Another French company then took up the work, and in turn laid it down for

want of funds. So the matter stood when the war with Spain brought home to

us the great importance of an isthmian canal. Then the question arose,

Which was the better of two routes, that by Lake Nicaragua, or that across

the isthmus of Panama? [12] Congress (1899) sent a commission to consider

this, and it reported that both routes were feasible. Thereupon the French

company offered to sell its rights and the unfinished canal for

$40,000,000, and Congress (1902) authorized the President to buy the

rights and property of the French company, and finish the Panama Canal;

or, if Colombia would not grant us control of the necessary strip of land,

to build one by the Nicaragua route.
[Illustration: PANAMA CANAL ZONE.]
THE PANAMA CANAL TREATY.--In the spring of 1903, accordingly, a treaty was

negotiated with Colombia for the construction of the Panama Canal. Our

Senate ratified, but Colombia rejected, the treaty, whereupon the province

of Panama (November, 1903) seceded from Colombia and became independent

republic.
Our government promptly recognized the new republic, and a treaty with it

was ratified (February, 1904) by which we secured the right to dig the

canal. The property of the French company was then purchased, and a

commission appointed to superintend the work of construction. [13]

depended on an old treaty between Russia and Great Britain. When gold was

discovered in Canada in 1871, a dispute arose over the boundary, and it

became serious when gold was discovered in the Klondike region in 1896.

Our claim placed the boundary of southeastern Alaska thirty-five miles

inland and parallel to the coast. Canada put it so much farther west as to

give her several important ports. The matter was finally submitted to

arbitration, and in 1903 the decision divided the land in dispute, but

gave us all the ports. [14]
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1904.--The campaign of 1904 was opened by the

nomination by the Republican party of Theodore Roosevelt and Charles W.

Fairbanks. The Democrats presented Alton B. Parker and Henry G. Davis, and

in the course of the summer seven other parties--the People's, the

Socialist, the Socialist Labor, the Prohibition, the United Christian, the

National Liberty, and the Continental--nominated candidates. Roosevelt and

Fairbanks were elected. [15]
OKLAHOMA.--Among the demands of the Democratic party in 1904 was that for

the admission of Oklahoma and Indian Territory as one state, and of New

Mexico and Arizona as separate states. In 1906 Congress authorized the

people of Oklahoma [16] and Indian Territory to frame a constitution, and

if it were adopted by vote of the people, the President was empowered to

proclaim the state of Oklahoma a member of the Union, which was done in

1907. The same act authorized the people of New Mexico and Arizona to vote

separately on the question whether the two should form one state to be

called Arizona. At the election (in November, 1906) a majority of the

people of New Mexico voted for, and a majority of the people of Arizona

against, joint statehood, so the two remained separate territories.
PURE FOOD AND MEAT INSPECTION LAWS.--At the same session of Congress

(1906) two other wise and greatly needed laws were enacted. For years past

the adulteration of food, drugs, medicines, and liquors had been carried

on to an extent disgraceful to our country. The Pure Food Act, as it is

called, was passed to prevent the manufacture of "adulterated or

misbranded or poisonous or deleterious foods, drugs, medicines, and

liquors" in the District of Columbia and the territories, or the

transportation of such articles from one state to another. Foods and drugs

entering into interstate commerce must be correctly labeled.
The meat inspection act requires that all meat and food products intended

for sale or transportation as articles of interstate or foreign commerce,

shall be inspected by officials of the Department of Agriculture and

marked "inspected and passed." All slaughtering, packing, and canning

establishments must be inspected and their products duly labeled.
INTERVENTION IN CUBA.--As the year 1906 drew to a close, we were once more

called on to intervene in affairs in Cuba. The elections of 1905 in that

island had been followed by the revolt of the defeated party, and the

appearance of armed bands which threatened the chief towns and even

Havana. An attempt to bring about an understanding with the rebels was

repudiated by President Palma, who declared martial law and called a

meeting of the Cuban congress, which body gave him supreme power.
President Roosevelt, under our treaty with Cuba, was bound to maintain in

that island a government able to protect life and property. Secretary-of-

War Taft was therefore sent to Havana to examine into affairs, and while

he was so engaged President Palma resigned, and the Cuban congress did not

elect a successor. Secretary Taft then assumed the governorship of the

island and held it till October, when Charles Magoon was appointed

temporary governor. [17]
PANIC OF 1907.--The wonderful prosperity which our country had enjoyed for

some years past came to a sudden end in the fall of 1907. Distrust of

certain banks led to a run on several in New York city. When they were

forced to stop paying out money, a panic started and spread over the

country, business suffered, and hard times came again.
THE ELECTION OF 1908.--During the summer of 1908 seven parties nominated

candidates for President and Vice President. They were the Republican,

Democratic, Prohibition, Populist, Socialist, Socialist Labor, and

Independence. The Republicans nominated William H. Taft and James S.

Sherman; and the Democrats, William J. Bryan and John W. Kern. Taft [18]

and Sherman were elected.

investigate the condition of the half-finished Panama Canal. He was

inaugurated President on March 4. In the selection of his cabinet

officers, and in his public addresses, he showed a determination to avoid

sectionalism and narrow partisanship. One of his first acts as President

was to convene Congress in special session beginning March 15, for the

purpose of framing a new tariff act.

SUMMARY
1. Our foreign relations since 1898 have been most important. In 1898

there was a short war with Spain.
2. The chief events of the war were the battle of Manila Bay, the sinking

of the _Merrimac_, the battles near Santiago, the destruction of Cervera's

fleet, the invasion of Porto Rico, and the capture of Manila.
3. Peace brought us the Philippines, Porto Rico, and Guam, and forced

Spain to withdraw from Cuba.

Cuba became a republic. Later events forced us to intervene in 1906.

in 1903 our dispute with Great Britain over the Alaskan boundary was

settled; and in 1904 a treaty with Panama gave us the right to dig the

Panama Canal.

President McKinley (1901); the Irrigation Act of 1902; the pure food and

meat inspection laws of 1906; and the admission of the state of Oklahoma.

FOOTNOTES

disclaims any disposition or intention to exercise sovereignty,