William McKinley Survives.....

In 1901, President William McKinley was assassinated. At the time, Teddy Roosevelt was Vice President, put there by Republican political bosses to keep him from getting more power. Obviously, that didn't work out. :)

Well, this is the POD: what if McKinley isn't assassinated? This should have major effects on Roosevelt's, and indeed the nation's, future. Will we be as aggressive in getting a canal in Panama as we were in OTL? Probably. But what about trustbusting? Or the "Great White Fleet"? And is Roosevelt's careerr merely temporarily derailed, making a run at President in 1904?
 
re

If McKinley doesn't get assassinated, a different pretext would be needed for rounding up all the non-yellowdog labor activists. Perhaps no other pretext is found and the Knights of Labor are allowed to become powerful enough to maintain thier challenge against the racist and elitist American Federation of Labor for the loyalty of workers.

The bankruptcy of the US in 1907 (?) or so might've also been averted. Fleet Street wouldn't have taken control of the economy and the Federal Reserve might not have been created.

This, of course, means that the US stays completely out of WWI and the Alliance wins.
 
Hymie Goldberg said:
If McKinley doesn't get assassinated, a different pretext would be needed for rounding up all the non-yellowdog labor activists. Perhaps no other pretext is found and the Knights of Labor are allowed to become powerful enough to maintain thier challenge against the racist and elitist American Federation of Labor for the loyalty of workers.

The bankruptcy of the US in 1907 (?) or so might've also been averted. Fleet Street wouldn't have taken control of the economy and the Federal Reserve might not have been created.

This, of course, means that the US stays completely out of WWI and the Alliance wins.

I didn't think about the labor aspect of American politics, which was very important at the time.

About the lack of a federal reserve: why does this lead to us not being in WWI? Maybe I'm missing something here....after all I'm trying to read a book for Academic Decathlon and watch the NFL playoffs at the same time. :)
 
If McKinley were not murdered he would presumably not run for reelection in 1904. I guess that TR would run - though the VP running was NOT the tradition at that time.

I do not think that McKinley would have made the same efforts to seem progressive ( thought I could be wrong.)

I think TR might not have run so strongly for election in 04 as not being a sitting President.


Would Republicans have been United in 1912 for Taft?

What would Taft's attitude to WW1 in Europe have ben?
 
I don't quite see any reason that would stop the Republicans from nominating Theodore Roosevelt to succeed McKinley. According to Southwick's Presidential Also Rans and Running Mates, 1788-1980, Alton Parker, the Democratic Party Candidate, wouldn't have been too bad of a choice:

"Roosevelt and Parker were both honest, intelligent, deeply principled men. Both enjoyed active, physical lives, loved the outdoors, played as hard as they worked. Parker was more conservative than Roosevelt, and would have had fewer crusades than did the President who called his office a 'bully pulpit'. There would have been differences in their performances, but they both would have been good."

In the end Parker's only limitations would have been no experience in major national affairs and a novice in dealing with Congress. He was also 'lackluster in personal appearances before large audiences.'

Taft's nominated is, as far as I see it, entirely through the graces of Roosevelt. I think the Republicans would have run with Roosevelt because of the persona that he cultivated before being Vice President.
 

Grey Wolf

Gone Fishin'
Donor
In many respects McKinley is the last of the old school, an imperialist by default who picks up chances but at the same regrets the necessity of doing so. I believe he would have run for and won re-election in 1904, but a lot would have been different - e.g. would he have brokered peace between Japan and Russia, or would perhaps the war drag on to the benefit of Russia onland, or perhaps to a worse 1905 revolution in Russia, either of which could be advantageous for Russia in the long run and actually serve to counter any supposed gains for the Kaiser in the no-TR scenario.

1908 - maybe McKinley runs for a fourth time, or maybe TR runs and loses ? Taft never wanted to be president, his dream was to be head of the Supreme Court, it was circumstances which drove him first in the other direction

Grey Wolf
 
Hmm.....I could see McKinley not running for a third term, and not wanting to buck the trend....so then Roosevelt wins in 1904, and probably in 1908. The question is, does he not run in 1912 for a third term, or does he stay in time for the Great War to start?
 
Top