LAD #29: Keating-Owen Child Labor Act of 1916

     A 1900 census revealed that 2 million children were employed by mills, factories, and various other forms of labor.  This announcement led to an increase in effort to put a stop to cruel child labor since it had proven to be so detrimental to the health and well being of children.  The National Child Labor Committee employed Lewis Hine in to photograph and report on children.  Dickens then published a novel depicting the poverty and unhealthy conditions that plagued London in the 1850s.  
Then, in 1916, the Keating-Owen Child Labor Law was passed, becoming the nation's first child labor bill. Employing children less than fourteen to work in factories was deemed illegal and mines were not allowed to hire children under 16.  Furthermore, children under the age of 16 were not allowed to work for more than 8 hours in a day. Although passed by congress and Wilson, the Act was declared unconstitutional by the supreme court.  Instead the Child Labor Tax Law was passed in 1919 which also regulated child labor but was again deemed unconstitutional.  Child Labor laws were not passed until the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938.  This upheld constitutionality in the supreme court and is still enforced today. 

LAD #28: Wilson's First Inaugural

The democratic candidate, Woodrow Wilson, was able to achieve victory in the election of 1912 because the republican party was split between candidates, William Howard Taft and Teddy Roosevelt.

In his inaugural address, Wilson begins by mentioning the change that has occurred over the past few years.  A government which had been republican for decades was replaced with a democratic congress, president, and vice president.  He goes on to further define the term "change" stating that it had greater meaning than just the change in politics.  He claims that with wealth, evil has come as well.    In other words, the growth of the nation has also spurred corruption.  Americans have been too proud about their achievements in industry and business to pay attention to the human cost that has come along with national growth.  He mentions the suffering of men, women, and children, all whom work in factories and face grueling conditions.  Wilson then states his main goal "to correct the evil without impairing the good." He sought to restore order and repair the capitalist system.  He mentions things that need to be changed including tariffs, the banking system, and the industrial system.  Government should act out of the interest of humanity "in safeguarding the health of the nation."  Wilson expresses that there needs to be a multitude of acts passed to ensure health, not only in terms of working conditions but also consumer products.  He concludes by stating that with the help of god and man, he will accomplish these tasks and return the nation to a place of not only industrial prosperity, but also a place that promotes the prosperity of humanity.

LAD # 27: Clayton Anti-Trust Act

     The Major purpose of this law was the regulate monopolies or other unlawful restraints.  One of the major points of the Act was the portion that stated that "it was unlawful to discriminate in price between different purchasers." This also prohibited railroads from the corrupt practice of charging more for short trips than long trips.  Furthermore, the Clayton Anti-Trust Act forbid the granting of rebates to force competitors out of business or issue lower prices for a certain company.  This portion of the Act was intended on preventing trade-restrictive monopolies.  Lastly, the Act aims at encouraging free trade and limiting company control over a particular field.  To accomplish this, it forbids companies to maintain stock in another company in efforts to consolidate and wipe out competition.    

LAD # 25: Dawes Severalty Act of 1877

     Published in 1877, The Dawes Act allows the President the right to take the communal tribal lands, divide them up, and then divide them into shares to be held by individual residents.  Age, gender, and family status will then determine how much land each individual is granted.  This may be done by the president any time in which the land appears to be useful for agricultural and farming purposes.  Through this act, it is also now legal for this land to be purchased by the government and sold to American citizens who have a desire to settle it.  Assimilation is another key aspect mentioned in the Act, as it is expected for the natives to adopt the white culture.  However, the five civilized tribes are excluded from this request.  As a final thought, the Act gives the American government the right to place railroads, highways, ect. on the land designated for the Indians.

LAD # 24: William Jennings Bryan's Cross of Gold Speech

     In 1896, William Jennings Bryan performed his "Cross of Gold" speech at the Democratic convention in Chicago.  In his speech, he incorporated various ideals of the populist party including bimetallism, the idea that the U.S. mint should coin silver and gold.  He opens his speech by emphasizing the current importance of this currency issue and states that the Democrats are here out of interest of sharing their stance with the common public.  He also makes clear that the democrats do not intend to be hostile towards the republicans, even though their stance on the issue is drastically different and has created, in essence, a political battle.  Bryan goes on to defend some attacks on bimetallism that have been made by the republican party, specifically that it would hurt business.  He states that the republicans are actually guilty of ruining business as farmers and factory laborers have suffered crushed enterprise due to the practices of the republican big business.  Bryan then defends the graduated income tax law, which the republicans claim is unconstitutional.  On the other hand, Bryan claims that contributions must be made by everyone in order for everyone to deserve the protection that the nation provides.  Bryan compares himself to Jefferson, because he also believes that money is a government aspect that should not be up to the banks to distribute or even print.  Finally, Bryan attacks the republicans constant contradictions of their own policies.  They claim that they support the gold standard, yet at the same time they are trying to replace it.  A suspicion aroused that they were merely trying to mimic Britain  which implements the gold standard in their nation, yet foreign pressure should not dictate American monetary decisions. This oration is extremely successful, allowing Bryan to combine populist and democratic standpoints.

LAD # 23: The Populist Party Platform

     In this document, the Populist Party brings up all of the problems scattered through the nation as a result of rapid industrialization.  They point out that society is plagued with corruption, especially in regards of the vote, poor conditions, demoralization, and too much power in the hands of greedy capitalists.  The result is the formation of two classes "tramps and millionaires." The party then states that the power should return to the common people rather than these money-hungry business men.  The party then goes on to list their demands, which they believe will reverse the damage so far done by the industrializing nation including creating permanent labor unions, government ownership of railroads, sound finance through the free coinage of silver, government owned and operated communication, and land held for settlers only.  They conclude by resolving for a fair ballot, shortening of labor hours, limiting of presidential and vice presidential terms to only 1, and refusal for government to provide national aid to a private corporation.

   

LAD #22: McKinley's War Message

     McKinley's War Message was written in response to the Cuban revolution against Spain, a conflict that McKinley desperately wanted to end.  In his letter to Congress, he addresses his resentment towards this battle which has been occurring for over half a century and required the United States to continuously enforce its neutrality laws, greatly angering the citizens.  The war has had many negative impacts on the United States economy, especially impairing trade.  He encourages Congress to end the war through either a reasonable compromise or even an endorsement of one particular side.  McKinley determines that he would most likely side against Cuba, in effort to end their hostile actions but prefers to go forward with a more neutral approach.  He first must recognize the Cubans rights of life and property protection.  The U.S. is then called to bring an end to hostilities that threaten our own country, which is in a reasonably close proximity.  Since the two nations are so interdependent from an economic and political standpoint, it is the duty of the United States to ease the problems with Cuba.  Congress, however, must determine the final decision to appease this problem.