The Rise of Progressivism: A TL

[Dean501]

Okay here goes nothing, my rough draft of the first part of my Rise of Progressivism TL. Im very welcoming to comments and yes, the chapter will be fattened and expanded in due time.

Part 1: A cold day in Buffalo
　
September 6, 1901 Temple of Music, Buffalo NY.

It was a cold day in Buffalo when a Secret Servicemen for President William McKinley named George Foster notices a man acting suspicious, in line to shake President William McKinley’s hand, with his arm wrapped in a white handkerchief. The agent detains the man to find that he is Leon Czolgosz, an unemployed anarchist from Detroit, and that in his hand he had a gun that he planned to assassinate the President McKinley.

William McKinley safely makes it through the rest of his term leaving office with a 64% approval rating.

1904:
July 1-July 4 Republican National Convention

William McKinley declines to run for a third consecutive term but instead endorses his former Vice President Teddy Roosevelt. Roosevelt was the predicted favorite for nomination coming into the Republican National Convention, in Chicago, Illinois. Although just days before the convention veteran of politics and New York Senator, Thomas Collier Plat throws his hat in the race as only the third candidate along with Mark Hanna of Ohio. At the convention Platt turns the tide when he gives his "Experience speech"

"There is no time for indecision within the Republican party, it is not time for inexperience but progress. This is a crucial time when we cannot lose any seat in the house, or senate to the Democrats and especially not the Presidential Election. We cannot unravel the years of progress put in by President McKinley and nomination a politician of 8 years experience will do just that. We cannot fall back to the conservative ways of old but must fight for the ways of new. These years will create American society for years to come and mold the futures of my children, and your children. It is time to nominate another strong willed experienced Republican that can fight for American workers. I believe Im the best candidate for that job. Now is the time to make the decision for the nomination of not just the Republican party but nomination for America's next leader, the leader of the next generation. So make your choice, experience and true leadership or cartful words and false promises."

So the Republicans, afraid of Teddy’s lack of experience and stirred by Thomas's speech, unwittingly nominate veteran of the Senate Thomas Collier Plat narrowly 507 - 490 votes.Teddy declines the invitation to run as Thomas Plats Vice President and instead decides to run for Senate in New York where he easily wins over Democrat Rumsfeild Johnson in a landslide taking Plats place.
Historians later say that the blunder of the nomination costed the Republicans the election.

July 9-July 12th Democrat National Convention
William Jennings Bryan again receives the Democratic nomination, this time with his best hopes yet. Adlai Stevenson is selected as his running mate. At the nomination there is a stir when Conservatives rile up there side of the party. They call for a conservative for the Democratic Nomination, and almost recieve there wish, but it turns out to be to little to late.

Campaign

Thomas Collier Plats poor personality, and un-inspirational campaigning puts him quickly behind veteran William Jennings Bryan. Bryan campaigned on a progressive platform attacking "government by privilege". His campaign slogan, "Shall the People Rule?", was featured on numerous posters and campaign memorabilia. Bryan undercut Plats’ liberal support by accepting some of his reformist ideas and pointing to the shady past of Platt in the New York Political arena.But Bryans consecutive losses in 1896, and 1900 made him seem un-accountable to Moderate voters and through most of the election cycle Bryan was trailing Plat 60% to 40%. Although the debates proved to be a tide changer.

When asked about his comments calling himself the "Godfather of the New York Political world" Platt responded:

"I have been in the world of politics as long as any of the other candidates, including Repersentative Bryan.I have proven that I can lead a political state, and that I am the founder of modern NY progressive politics."

But Bryans famous response was

"America doesnt need a mafia ruler, they need a leader."

That phrase quickly turned into one of Bryans caimpaign slogans and after the debate Bryan shrunk the gap to 45%-55% and kept shrinking it, with barnstorm caimpaigning across the nation.


Bryan at the debates

Platt went into the election leading 52% to 48% but a slight win in Wisconsin and Indiana led to Bryan winning in a upset, taking the electoral college 243-233 and winning the popular vote 48%-47%

1904 Election Map
Blue-Platt
Red- Bryan

[Technocrat]

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread.

[imperialaquila]

Nitpick: when you talk about Bryan's nomination, I assume that you meant that he got the Democratic nomination at the Democratic National Convention.

I'm interested, please continue this.

[Dean501]

Originally Posted by imperialaquila

Nitpick: when you talk about Bryan's nomination, I assume that you meant that he got the Democratic nomination at the Democratic National Convention.

I'm interested, please continue this.

Bump

Gracias, I edited it and added a small part to it.

[Dean501]

Part 2 :The Calm before the Storm

1905

In the first year of William Jennings Bryans presidency much was asked of him. WJB was the first populist Democrat elected to the highest office in the land. But the 4 party system cut him off from reaching to all the Democrats in the party, and many progressive Republicans didn’t vote with Bryan almost out of spite.

On September 27th 1907 President William Jennings Bryan had a problem.
One of his stepping stone policies on the campaign trail of WJB had been that more power should be given to the courts, and he followed those policies during the first year of his presidency passing the “Power Realignment“ bill in 1905 by cooaperating with the Republican congress.The bill secured that trials that make it to the state supreme court can be trial by jury if the supreme court rules in favor of it.

So when liberal Justice Henry Billings Brown retired at the ripe old age of 76 William Jennings Bryan panicked on who to give the position to with pressure from both ends of the party to put there respective candidates in the position. The experienced Attorney General from California, William H. Beatty was the 15th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of California. Previously, he was Chief Justice of the Nevada Supreme Court from 1879-1880. He was popular among the populist side of the Democratic party and was supposed to be the front runner to receive the job.

But as a surprise to most Americans William Jennings Bryan picked a more Conservative Democrat to appease the side of the party that did not totally support him. Thomas Walter Bicket, the Attorney General of North Carolina, was selected for the job. But this pick posed a problem for Progressives, with this pick of a social conservative the Supreme Court shifts to the right 5-4.This would prove to be a larger problem in the future…

But the most irritating dilemma for President Bryan was the rise of the “Prohibition Party”.The party was originally established in the 1876 election by James Black, as a party of “Temperance in the eyes of god, and prohibition in the eyes of our children”. Many found the party to be to extreme, even by the most conservative of Democrats, but with the election of progressive WJB many conservatives fled to the party in search of a right wing alternative. The Democratic Party had betrayed them in there minds and the Prohibitionists provided a safe conservative alternative. With the midterms of 1906 approaching, and the Democrats already a large minority in congress and growing unpopular, many southern areas could slip Prohibitionist.

These prohibitionists riled up thousands of voters across the country, with there first real chance to make a stand in the elections. They proved popular over both Democrats and Republicans all across the south. Eugene. W. Chafin continued to rile up support for the party. Eugene was an ex-Democrat that left the party as the prohibitionist candidate for President in 1904 and had been the face of the party ever since. At 35 he was young, attractive, and evangelical; the perfect man for the job.



1906- The Midterms

The 1906 midterms for the Democrats proved worse then expected. 135 seats were held by Democrats, and 251 were Republican seats, along with 59 Senate seats held by Republicans and 31 held by Democrats. At the end of that, the Democratic split between themselves and the prohibitionists allowed for Republicans to pick up 4 Senate Seats, and the prohibitionists to get 4, with over 38 Democratic representative seats going to either Republicans or Prohibitionists.
　


Senate Map
Pink= Prohibition pick up (1),
Dark Red=Democrat Holds
Dark Blue= Republican Hold
Blue= Republican Pick up (1)


President Bryan would call the midterm losses “An embarrassment, not just for the Democrats, but for progress.”


Part 3: A rough rider, an old guy, and lost Democrat
(Were about to get to Teddy!)

[Van555]

interesting

[Dean501]

Bump...Comments Questions Concerns?

[glenn67]

Keep it coming!

[Whanztastic]

No Teddy? You better explain yourself!

[Dean501]

Originally Posted by Whanztastic

No Teddy? You better explain yourself!

He's not here yet, but he will be...Heres a preview:

*hint hint, the elephants the Republican party*

[Whanztastic]

Originally Posted by Deano1001

He's not here yet, but he will be...Heres a preview:

*hint hint, the elephants the Republican party*

Hahah, fair enough! Keep him out of South America and he should have a longer and healthier life.

[Archangel]

Originally Posted by Deano1001

He's not here yet, but he will be...Heres a preview:

*hint hint, the elephants the Republican party*

Teddy (along with all his fellow ideological companions) will prefer a Moose.

[CCA]

This is still wish-fulfillment albeit one I agree with

[Cylon_Number_14]

Wow, I did Not see the Prohibitionists making their mark, albeit likely a very brief mark. That was a good episode for your TL to keep it fresh and entertaining!

[Dean501]

Part 3: A rough rider, an old guy, and a lost Democrat.
Mid May 1908

Teddy Roosevelt
　
　
Teddy was predicted to come back and win the Republican nomination, as he was rejected just four years before. But Roosevelt was busy with other matters. From his Senators Home in Albany, New York he was sending telegrams and organizing matters. His first message was to his friend Thomas Kearns , another progressive that started the American Party in Utah, in opposition to Mormon Leadership. With a close lost in the Utah Senate race Kearns proved that progressives could do well anywhere and inspired Roosevelt. Roosevelt knew that he was the first person he should tell about his plan

The message went:

THOMAS-stop-I INVITE YOU TO ALBANY-stop-WE SHOULD SPEAK-stop-REPUBLICANS WANT TO NOMINATE ME-stop-START PROGRESSIVE PARTY?- stop- CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP-stop-
　
It was the same message that went out to one William Howard Taft of Ohio, Hiram Johnson of California , and Robert Lafollette of Wisconsin, all close friends of Teddy and fellow progressives. They all came to his house in Albany where he told them of his plan for a new party for America. A Progressive Party. He told them that they should leave the disillusioned Republican Party that betrayed him just four years ago and call all there Progressive colleagues and friends to the Party. With anyone else telling them this they would of simply laughed at him but Roosevelt had a certain way with him, an inspirational swagger that drew everyone too him. They agreed and started networking to build the party before it became official.
Later that week Roosevelt, Johnson, and Taft were invited to the Republican National Convention in Chicago next month. They all, to the GOP’s surprise, turned down the offer.

It was early June when Teddy Roosevelt announced the establishment of the new Progressive Party. He called for all Progressives to swarm to the Burken Convention Hall in Los Angeles, California on July 12. The announcement was made later that day that over 20 Republicans and Populist Democrats in the House, Senate, and the Governors Mansions were asked to leave the Republican Party for the Progressive Party and had accepted. The outcome of the day would end in terrible losses for the Republican Party, not just in there numbers but in there chances in 1908 Election.

June 12-June 15 Republican National Convention; Chicago Arena,
Chicago, Illinois.

The arena had a certain emptiness to it. Many faces that would normally be seen at any Republican Function had disappeared, swept away by the Progressive Party.No Taft, no Roosevelt, no Knox, no Faribanks, no Hughes. But Joseph Gurney Cannon stood strong, and devoted to the GOP. With 40 years of Republican Leadership in the house he was the longest serving Congressmen in U.S history and extremely popular amongst the elders of the Republican party. But he was not without his critics, many said that he was to old, and that he couldn’t efficiently run a nation.

But with only 566 delegates present he was able to receive 355 votes by the 5th ballot and took the GOP nomination, later Frank T. O’ Hair of Michigan was nominated as his VP.
　
　
　
　
　
　
July 7-July 10 Democratic National Convention; Denver Auditorium, Denver, Colorado.

William Jennings Bryan was a President that had great promise for a new era when he came into office. His populist agenda seemed to beckon a new century for America, where the Republicans had failed to reach progressivism many thoughts the Democrats had. But as WJB proved to fold under pressure many saw that he lacked the essential politicking skills to be an effective President.

As his term came near an end many still thought he would take the Democratic Nomination unopposed as his main opposition ,from the Conservative base of the party, had left to the Prohibition Party.
But there was still one Champ Clark-
Political Bio of Champ Clark
Born: September 24, 1850, Lawrenceburg Kentucky
Party: Democrat
Offices Held:
Representative from Missouri’s 9th District, 1893-1903
41st Minority Speaker of the House of Representatives 1903-19--


Clark was born in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky to John Hampton Clark and Aletha Beauchamp. Through his mother he was the first cousin twice removed of the famous lawyer turned murderer Jereboam O. Beauchamp. He graduated from Bethany College (Bethany, West Virginia) and Cincinnati Law School and moved to Missouri in 1875, and opened a law practice the following year. He eventually settled in Bowling Green, Missouri, the county seat of Pike County, from where he was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1892. After a surprise loss in 1894 to William M. Treloar, he regained the seat in 1896, and remained in the House until shortly before his death.
Clark ran for House Minority Leader in 1903, and defeated John Sharp Williams of Mississippi.



　
In the first ballot, only John W. Kern was opposition to William Jennings Bryan. The usual speeches were made, and the Convention proved to be nothing exciting. The delegates yawned at the normal processions and begrudgingly predicted that WJB would be re-nominated, because John Kern was no better, and would lose to some “Progressive” Republican candidate in the election. By the 2nd Ballot Kern was about to step down, to let Bryan get the necessary 2/3rds of the vote and let him take his place. But a creaky old man stepped on to the stage and walked over to the podium. He was Champ Clark, the Democratic Minority leader in the house. A staunch Conservative. All eyes were on him when he begun to speak.

“It is time for a change back to the days of hold for the Democratic Party if we are going to win the white house again. The Democratic Party is divided and a house divided can NOT stand. We’ve seen failed Populist Politics for four years and stood by. We’ve seen failed progressive promises not come through, and the American People and the Democratic Party has suffered for it. The Democratic Party was not a party created to be liberal. It was a party designed by Americas Christian founders; It was a party created by Andrew Jackson; It was a party created by true Americans that wanted to receive the rights that they fought so hard to get.

If we are going to fight for this we cannot re-nominate William Jennings Bryan, we cannot nominate John W. Kern, we cannot nominate a Wolf in sheep’s clothing like we have in the past. We MUST nominate a Conservative . A Conservative that will return our party to Fiscal Responsibility, Social Conservativism , and small government. A Conservative that has years of service for his party In the U.S House of Repersentatives and has fought for these grass roots policies. A Conservative that can call back our friends from the Prohibitionist Party that has called for a good Conservative.That Conservative is me.
Before you vote on your 2nd ballot consider what is best for the American People, and the Democratic Party. Failed populism, or the Conservative values that have worked for the American people since the start of the United States. Think of the world that you want your children to live in, and your children’s children.
Thank you and God Bless America”

The speech was followed by Massive applause. The 2nd ballot was followed by a massive following for Champ Clark. Kern stepped down immediately leaving only Clark and Bryan to vote for. Champ received 88% of the vote and Arthur J. Davis as his running mate.

With the nomination of Clark thousands of Ex-Democrats that went to the Prohibition party came back to the Democrats. Later the Prohibition party would also nominate Clark, making that there last move as a major political party.
　
　
July 13-July 16 Progressive Party Convention; Burken Convention Hall, Los Angeles, California.

The Progressive Party Convention was the most exciting convention, or place to be, in 1904. The hustling, bustling exciting Progressive Party thrilled people across the nation and the Burken Convention Hall was filled with hundreds of young Californians, and delegates from across the nation. It was widely expected that party founder Teddy Roosevelt would be named Progressive nominee but it was still up in the air about his VP nomination, that would expectedly be unanimously nominated there after. After a unanimous nomination of Teddy Roosevelt he thanked everyone for coming, and nominated William Howard Taft as his VP.
　



The election was going to be very interesting…


Coming soon!
Part 4: A new type of politics: The campaign and first term of President Theodore Roosevelt
　
　
　

[Whanztastic]

This seems like a very unstable time, with both major parties deteriorating.

[Dean501]

Originally Posted by Whanztastic

This seems like a very unstable time, with both major parties deteriorating.

It is.
Just a hint, the Progressive Party isnt the last 3rd party to rise.

[Room 101]

This timeline excites me. I shall be keeping an eye on it

[Ariosto]

Just a heads up, there were no Presidential debates until 1960.

[Dean501]

Originally Posted by Ariosto

Just a heads up, there were no Presidential debates until 1960.

No, but there were ocassional Congressional and Senate Debates and it is plausible that the Presidential debate tradition could of started earlier when the two candidates were in such a dead heat.