Other Conventions of 1900.

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nominee for the Vice-Presidency for the term beginning March 4, 1901.

The announcement was received with a noisy demonstration most complimentary to the candidate for Vice-President. After appointing committees to notify the nominees, and various acknowledgments to officers of the convention and the city of Philadelphia, the convention adjourned without day.

The Democratic National Convention met on July 4th at Kansas City, Missouri, the temporary chairman being Governor Thomas of Colorado, while the permanent president of the convention was Judge John B. Richardson of Tennessee. On the second day of the convention William Jennings Bryan was nominated for President by acclamation. On the vote for Vice-President Adlai E. Stevenson of Illinois received 5591⁄2 votes to 200 for David B. Hill of New York, 891⁄2 for C. A. Towne of Minnesota, and 87 scattering. The platform contained the following plank:

We reaffirm and indorse the principles of the national Democratic platform adopted at Chicago in 1896, and we reiterate the demand of that platform for an American financial system made by the American people for themselves, which shall restore and maintain a bimetallic price level, and as part of such system the immediate restoration of the free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold at the present legal ratio of 16 to 1, without waiting for the aid or consent of any other nation.

Several other political conventions were held during the year, the first on February 6th, when the fourth annual session of the Supreme Council of the Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union was held in Washington, D. C. The support of the Farmers' Alliance was pledged to the candidates to be chosen by the Democratic party, and a platform was approved demanding "the free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold at the legal ratio of 16 to 1."

On March 6th, at Indianapolis, the Social Democrats held their convention and nominated Eugene V. Debs of Indiana for President and Job Harriman of California for VicePresident.

The Union Reform party, endorsing its own policy of direct legislation, sent out through a canvassing board ballots to members of the party for votes for candidates for President and Vice-President. The voting continued through February and March, and in April the canvassing board announced as their nominations, Seth H. Ellis of Ohio for President, and Samuel T. Nicholson of Pennsylvania for Vice-President.

The United Christian party met on May 2d at Rock Island, Illinois, and nominated for President Silas C. Swallow of Pennsylvania, and for Vice-President John G. Woolley of Illinois. These candidates withdrew, and the names of F. R. Leonard of Iowa and David H. Martin of Pennsylvania were substituted, respectively, for President and Vice-President.

On May 10th, at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the Fusion wing of the People's Party held their convention, and William Jennings Bryan was nominated for President by acclamation. Charles A. Towne of Minnesota was nominated for VicePresident by acclamation, but withdrew on August 8th, when Stevenson, the Democratic candidate for Vice-President, was substituted in his place.

The Middle-of-the-Road People's party held their convention at Cincinnati, Ohio, on May 10th. On the second ballot for President, Wharton Barker of Pennsylvania received 370 votes to 336 for Milford W. Howard of Alabama. Ignatius Donnelly of Minnesota was nominated for Vice-President by acclamation.

The Socialist-Labor party held their convention in New York City on June 6th, and nominated Joseph F. Maloney of Massachusetts for President and Valentine Remmel of Pennsylvania for Vice-President.

The Prohibition party met in national convention June 28th at Chicago, Illinois, and nominated John G. Woolley of Illinois for President, Mr. Woolley receiving on the first ballot 380 votes to 329 for Silas C. Swallow of Pennsylvania. Henry B. Metcalf of Rhode Island was nominated for Vice-President. The Silver Republican National Convention met on July 6th at Kansas City, Missouri, and endorsed the candidates of the Democratic party, Bryan and Stevenson.

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The national committee of the Gold Democracy met at Indianapolis July 25th and adopted the following resolutions:

Resolved, That in the opinion of this committee the nomination of candidates by the national Democratic party for the offices of President and Vice-President is unwise and inexpedient.

Second, that we reaffirm the Indianapolis platform of 1896.

Third, we recommend the State committees in their respective States to preserve their organization and take such steps as in their opinion may best subserve the principles of our party, especially in the maintenance of a sound currency, the right of private contract, the independence of the judiciary, and the authority of the President to enforce Federal laws, a covert attack on which is made under the guise of the denunciation of government by injunction.

We urge the voters not to be deceived by the plea that the money question has been finally settled. The specific reiteration of the demand for the free coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1 by the Kansas City convention and the history known of all men in connection therewith emphasize the danger of this demand. We indorse the action of Congress in passing a bill embodying the gold standard as a step in the right direction. We feel it would be dangerous to elevate to executive power any one hostile to the maintenance and enforcement of this law.

The Anti-Imperialist League met at Indianapolis, Indiana, August 16th and endorsed Mr. Bryan. About one hundred delegates from different States met in Carnegie Hall, New York, September 5th and nominated for President Donelson Caffery of Louisiana, and for Vice-President Archibald Murray Howe of Massachusetts. Senator Caffery and Mr. Howe, however, declined, and no other nominations were made.

Although there were no less than eight distinct tickets in the field, the campaign was in no way an exciting one, and the election of McKinley and Roosevelt was conceded throughout by all impartial judges. The Democrats were on the defensive from the start, while the Republicans had only to point to their splendid record and, making prosperity the issue of the campaign, won easily, Mr. McKinley having more than 800,000 plurality over Mr. Bryan. The popular and electoral vote will be found on the following page:

CHAPTER XVI.

DEATH OF MCKINLEY-ADMINISTRATION OF ROOSEVELT

THE

PROSPERITY-RECIPROCITY-ARBITRATION.

HE second session of the Fifty-sixth Congress opened December 3, 1900. President McKinley's annual message to Congress, which was destined to be his last, in spite of his re-election, was taken up largely with the Chinese legislation and a review of the events of the year. Concluding this subject the President said:

The policy of the United States through all this trying period was clearly announced and scrupulously carried out. A circular note to the powers dated July 3d proclaimed our attitude. Treating the condition in the north as one of virtual anarchy, in which the great provinces of the south and southeast had no share, we regarded the local authorities in the latter quarters as representing the Chinese people, with whom we sought to remain in peace and friendship. Our declared aims involved no war against the Chinese nation. We adhered to the legitimate office of rescuing the imperilled legation, obtaining redress for wrongs already suffered, securing wherever possible the safety of American life and property in China, and preventing a spread of the disorders or their recurrence.

As was then said, "The policy of the Government of the United States is to seek a solution which may bring about permanent safety and peace to China, preserve Chinese territorial and administrative entity, protect all rights guaranteed to friendly powers by treaty and international law, and safeguard for the world the principle of equal and impartial trade with all parts of the Chinese Empire."

Faithful to those professions which, as it proved, reflected the views and purposes of the other co-operating governments, all our efforts have been directed toward ending the anomalous situation in