History of the United States Volume Vi Part 11

Opening Day at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.

President D. K. Francis delivering the opening address.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Large building with closely s.p.a.ced columns.]

The Varied Industries Building.

THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE EXPOSITION.

The Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis was opened April 30, 1904, and continued for seven months. It commemorated the acquisition of the Louisiana territory which was consummated April 30, 1803, marking one of the greatest events in American history. Out of this area had been carved thirteen States and two territories wherein over 17,000,000 people were making their homes.

The design for the exposition represented the work of ten of the most distinguished architects of the country. The buildings, grouped in perfect taste, mostly of n.o.ble style, had 128 acres of floor s.p.a.ce, far beyond that at the disposal of any preceding fair. The grounds also were unprecedentedly ample and beautifully diversified, containing about 1,200 acres. The total attendance, 18,741,073, fell short of that at Chicago in 1893 by over 8,000,000.

The general plan of the exposition was intended to symbolize the history of the Louisiana territory representing the successive occupants of the soil--the wild animals; the Indians; the discoverers; the explorers; the hunters; the trappers, and the pioneers. The aim was to make it one vast educational object lesson. To that end there were extensive exhibits from thirty States and from the chief cities of work done in the primary and secondary schools and in the universities and colleges of the country. This feature culminated in the International Congress of Arts and Sciences. Over 100 of the leading scholars from England, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, j.a.pan, the United States, and a number of other countries made addresses and took part in the various discussions. All the fields of human knowledge were represented by these specialists.

One feature of this exposition was unique: it represented to an unprecedented extent processes in lieu of products or in addition to them. Every day at almost every point something was literally doing, going on. Machinery whizzed, mines were operated, artists were at work, experts showed their craft; Indians, Filipinos, the blind, deaf, and dumb were taught.

CHAPTER III

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1904

[1904]

The Republican convention met at Chicago, June 21, and on June 23 nominated Theodore Roosevelt for President. President Roosevelt's nomination was a certainty from the beginning. This action was demanded by the rank and file of Republicans, for his achievements were popular.

Among the problems which he had helped to solve were those growing out of the war with Spain; settlement of the anthracite coal strike; creation of the Department of Commerce and Labor; and the investigation and prosecution of dishonesty in the post-office department.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Portrait.]

Charles W. Fairbanks, Vice-President of the United States.

Plans for the convention had all been matured in advance with the exception of the selection of a candidate for Vice-President. By the time the convention a.s.sembled the opinion was general that for geographical reasons some one from Indiana should be named for this office. Charles Warren Fairbanks, a leading lawyer in Indianapolis, who was serving his second term in the United States Senate, was nominated without any real opposition. He had served as a member of the Joint High Commission to adjust international questions of moment between the United States and Great Britain. Grover Cleveland and William Jennings Bryan had declared they would not be candidates for the presidency and the Democratic party was in a dilemma. Both the conservative and the radical elements of the party declared they would write the platform and name the candidates. Alton Brooks Parker, Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals of New York, who was supported by Grover Cleveland, came gradually into prominence as the candidate of the conservatives and William Randolph Hearst of the radicals.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Several thousand people in a large auditorium.]

The Republican convention at Chicago, 1904.

The chief contest came in the Democratic convention of New York. There Judge Parker was supported by David B. Hill, ex-United States senator, and August Belmont, a New York banker. In consequence it was declared by the opposition that Judge Parker was the candidate of the trusts, Wall Street magnates, and a cla.s.s of politicians of which Hill was the type.

This view was taken by Bryan. In spite of the opposition of Tammany leaders and the Hearst faction, twice as many Parker as Hearst delegates were chosen.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Portrait.]

William R. Hearst.

In the convention, which met at St. Louis, July 9, Judge Parker received 658 votes for President on the first ballot, Hearst received 200, and there were a few scattering votes. The requisite two-thirds came to Parker before the result of the ballot was announced. Henry G. Davis, of West Virginia, was named for the office of Vice-President.

He had served two terms in the United States Senate, had declined the office of Post-Master General under President Cleveland, was very wealthy, and noted for his philanthropy.

Bryan demanded that the platform should be silent on the question of the money standard, but Parker declined the nomination unless it should be understood that he would maintain the gold standard, and his declaration was endorsed by the convention.

There were no distinguis.h.i.+ng issues between the two leading parties. The money question had disappeared and both parties were outspoken in their declarations against trusts and combinations of capital.

The Populist party, in a convention made up of delegates from one-half the States, nominated Thomas E. Watson, of Georgia, and Thomas H.

Tubbles, of Nebraska, for President and Vice-President, respectively.

There were two Socialist conventions: one, that of the Social Democratic party, nominated Eugene V. Debs, of Indiana, for President, and the Socialist Labor party named Charles H. Corregan, of New York, for the same office. The nominees of the Prohibitionist party were Silas C.

Swallow, of Pennsylvania, for President, and George W. Carroll, of Texas, for Vice-President.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Several thousand people in a large auditorium.]

The Democratic convention at St. Louis, 1904.

The campaign was noteworthy on account of the apathy which was very general. Heated discussions so characteristic of previous political contests were seldom heard, and arguments were addressed to the intelligence of voters rather than to pa.s.sion and prejudice.

It has been called a reading rather than a speaking campaign. The leading Republican doc.u.ment was a pamphlet containing two notable addresses. One of these was delivered by John Hay at Jackson, Mich., on the occasion of the celebration of the semi-centennial of the founding of the Republican party. He attributed to that party the success in the conduct of public affairs since 1860, and praised President Roosevelt as a man and great administrator. The other speech was similar in content, and was delivered by Elihu Root as temporary chairman of the Republican convention.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Portrait.]

Alton B. Parker.

Toward the close of the campaign, the charge was made that the Republicans were endeavoring to win through a wholesale purchase of votes. It was a.s.serted that George B. Cortelyou, manager of the campaign, having obtained secrets of the conduct of some of the great corporations, was using that knowledge to force them to contribute to the Republican fund. A second charge proclaimed that the administration had changed its att.i.tude toward certain corporations and that the magnates of Wall Street, having decided to elect Roosevelt, were contributing generously to the Republican campaign fund. Shortly before the day for the election, Judge Parker in a series of speeches announced his belief in these reports. President Roosevelt declared that no proof for the statements could be produced, and ended as follows: "The statements made by Mr. Parker are unqualifiedly and atrociously false.

As Mr. Cortelyou has said to me more than once during this campaign, if elected I shall go into the presidency unhampered by any pledge, promise, or understanding of any kind, sort or description, save my promise, made openly to the American people, that so far as in my power lies I shall see to it that every man has a square deal, no less and no more." In his reply, Judge Parker reiterated the charge, but gave no concrete instances of money having been obtained from corporations.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Large crowd outside, Was.h.i.+ngton, D.C.]

Photograph by Clinedinst, Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C.

Inauguration of President Roosevelt, March 4. 1905.

Out of a total vote of 13,544,705, Roosevelt received 7,630,893 votes, or 2,524,244 more than his leading compet.i.tor. His majority was 1,717,081. Debs received 397,308 votes; Swallow, 258,039; Watson, 114,306; Corregan, 32,516. Thirty-three States gave Roosevelt majorities and twelve Southern States returned majorities for Parker. In the electoral college Roosevelt received 336 votes and Parker 140. A surprising feature of the election was the large number of independent votes cast, as shown by the fact that Minnesota, Ma.s.sachusetts, Missouri, and Montana, while giving majorities for the Republican candidates, elected Democratic governors, and in several other States a similar tendency was manifest in the divergence between the vote for the national candidates and local candidates.

CHAPTER IV

AMERICA AND THE CHINESE OPEN DOOR

[1905]

The aggressive policy of President Roosevelt continued throughout the four years succeeding March 4, 1905, when he again took the oath of office as President. In his suggested reforms he continued to be a real leader of the people. John Hay, who for seven years had so efficiently performed his duties as Secretary of State, was continued in that office. William H. Taft, after his return from the Philippine Islands, where he had held the office of first civil governor, succeeded Elihu Root as Secretary of War.

The United States, having become a world power after the war with Spain, a.s.sumed leaders.h.i.+p in the adjustment of Chinese problems. At the close of the century American manufacturers had built up in China a market for their cotton goods which they desired to extend. At the same time strife arose among some of the European nations for trade advantages in that empire. Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and Italy were demanding for their citizens concessions, leases, franchises, and special trade privileges in various parts of that country. Gradually, spheres of influence covering certain regions were acquired and it seemed probable that China would be part.i.tioned among the European Powers as Africa had been in the previous decade. This would be a blow to American export trade. Now the acquisition of the Philippine Islands gave us a vantage point from which we could consistently exert influence in Oriental affairs. In September, 1899, John Hay addressed a note to the European Powers interested, asking recognition of the policy of the "open door,"

which means that no power should exclude the citizens of other nations from equal trade rights, within its sphere of influence, in China.

Without winning complete acceptance from all the nations, the justice of this policy was, in the main, approved.