Its a Great Timeline. I'm eagerly waiting myself the Presidency of Hearst.
America's Silver Era, The Story of William Jennings Bryan
- Thread starter CELTICEMPIRE
- Start date
Its a Great Timeline. I'm eagerly waiting myself the Presidency of Hearst.
Chapter XLVI, President Hearst
After three decades of working behind the scenes, William Randolph Hearst had finally achieved his dream. He was now the 30th President of the United States of America. The Senate was led by John Fitzgerald of Massachusetts and had 50 Democrats and 46 Republicans. The House of Representatives was led by Speaker Oscar Underwood and was made up of 269 Democrats, 218 Republicans, and 13 Socialists. At the time, it seemed like the Hearst administration was going to be a continuation of the Bryan administration. After all, Hearst and Howard were former members of the Populist Party. But soon the American people would learn that there was a great amount of difference between them and Bryan.
-Excerpt from The Guide to the Executive Mansion, an in Depth Look at America's Presidents by Benjamin Buckley, Harvard Press, 1999.
(William Randolph Hearst, 30th President of the United States)
Hearst determined that to keep a few Bryan cabinet members, but to mostly appoint fresh faces. For Secretary of State, former Secretary of War George McClellan Jr. of New York was chosen. For Secretary of the Treasury, Edwin T. Meredith of Iowa was retained. For Secretary of War, John J. Pershing, who was concerned with his electability in his own state, was selected. Former Kentucky governor Augustus O. Stanley, a prominent “wet” was chosen as Attorney General. Hearst’s Postmaster General would be George W. P. Hunt of Arizona. Senator Sidney Johnston Catts of Florida was chosen as Secretary of the Navy to please the dry faction of the party. Fred Dubois was retained as Secretary of the Interior. The new Secretary of Agriculture would be John B. Kendrick of Wyoming. And finally, Thomas Hisgen of Massachusetts stayed on as Secretary of Public Welfare.
One of the first things the Hearst administration did was cave into pressure from the Anti-Saloon League. Several “wet” politicians from both major parties were defeated in 1924. This led to the passage of another prohibition act that banned almost all forms of alcohol. Hearst reluctantly signed it into law. However, the Executive Mansion at this time had its own special bootlegger. Another thing Hearst did was push for votes on statehood for Hawaii and Alaska. Alaska was approved as the 49th state while Hawaiian statehood was rejected. The votes were largely on partisan lines, with Democrats favoring Alaska and Republicans favoring Hawaii. Socialists supported Alaskan statehood but were divided on Hawaii.
Hearst’s foreign policy would mostly revolve around two countries: Mexico and Venezuela. In April 1925 Congress approved the sale of weapons to the Mexican government, which was fighting against far-left revolutionaries. The US Navy’s Pacific squadron was also authorized to launch aerial attacks on rebel positions in Baja California. In Venezuela, on the invitation of the government, America would send troops to fight anti-capitalist and anti-American forces in the country. Some claimed that this was a violation of the Just War Act. But Hearst justified the intervention by claiming it was done in order to protect the innocent people of Venezuela from armed insurrectionists. In addition, it was not considered a war because the Venezuelan rebels were not a legitimately recognized government. Within a year, the rebellion in Venezuela would be put down.
Hearst was worried about keeping the West in the Democratic fold. So he called for a massive expansion in the Rural Relief Bureau. With this, of course, meant an increase in spending and Congress only narrowly approved of it. It was around this time that the Rural Relief Bureau, under Henry S. Johnston of Oklahoma ever since the death of Thomas Watson in 1922, became increasingly corrupt. Nepotism became rampant and three often did work that only required one. The agency was never popular with conservatives but now it was facing criticism from all sides of the political spectrum. Massachusetts Representative Calvin Coolidge introduced a bill to abolish the RRB. The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives wouldn’t allow a vote, but support for abolishing the agency would continue to increase.
(Calvin Coolidge was a brilliant but laconic figure in the conservative movement)
Hearst quickly became embroiled in controversy. He spoke out against the proposed 22nd Amendment, as he planned on staying president for as long as possible. The amendment passed in both houses though, and was ratified by the necessary state legislatures within a year. But Hearst was still convinced that if he was popular enough, he could convince congress to repeal that amendment. The other controversy had to do with the election. Even before his inauguration, rumors were spread that Hearst bribed the Connecticut and New Hampshire delegations at the Democratic National Convention. The rumors were fueled by ex-President David Walsh, who was back in the Senate after narrowly winning a special election to fill the vacancy left by the death of Henry Cabot Lodge. Whether or not the rumors were true, a very large number of Americans believed them. And of course, bribery was punishable by impeachment.
There were already calls for impeachment by the fall of 1925. Witnesses were brought in to testify that bribery took place, but other witnesses denied the claims. However, in January of 1926, a document appeared implicating William Randolph Hearst and members of his campaign staff. A Connecticut delegate confessed to accepting bribes to switch his vote from Walsh to Hearst. The House began impeachment hearings. On February 2, Hearst appeared before the House of Representatives and denied any guilt, claiming that the documents were forged. Debate raged on for a while but on the 8th the House voted to impeach. Most Republicans and a large number of Democrats voted to impeach. The Socialists voted against impeachment as they knew that Vice President Howard was much more anti-Communist than Hearst. Hearst then spoke to the press, claiming that Walsh was "lying because he was a bitter loser who could barely win an election in his home state." He became increasingly paranoid, wondering if his own cabinet was plotting against him.
Supporters of Hearst argued that even if he was guilty he could not be impeached for crimes committed before taking office. Nevertheless, the Senate voted to convict on February 18. Hearst continued to maintain that he was innocent and that this was all a conspiracy against him. The Senate passed a resolution calling upon Hearst to resign his position at the soonest practicable moment. He immediately appealed to the Supreme Court. He claimed that only crimes committed while in office were grounds for impeachment. Chief Justice Taft granted a stay of 30 days until the court came to a decision on the constitutionality of Hearst’s impeachment. The public saw this as Hearst essentially admitting guilt. On March 20, The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in Hearst v. United States that presidents can be impeached for crimes committed before entering office. Clarence Darrow and the newly appointed John Davis were the only dissenters. Hearst left the Executive Mansion the next day. He was determined to get his revenge.
-Excerpt from The Guide to the Executive Mansion, an in Depth Look at America's Presidents by Benjamin Buckley, Harvard Press, 1999.
(William Randolph Hearst, 30th President of the United States)
Hearst determined that to keep a few Bryan cabinet members, but to mostly appoint fresh faces. For Secretary of State, former Secretary of War George McClellan Jr. of New York was chosen. For Secretary of the Treasury, Edwin T. Meredith of Iowa was retained. For Secretary of War, John J. Pershing, who was concerned with his electability in his own state, was selected. Former Kentucky governor Augustus O. Stanley, a prominent “wet” was chosen as Attorney General. Hearst’s Postmaster General would be George W. P. Hunt of Arizona. Senator Sidney Johnston Catts of Florida was chosen as Secretary of the Navy to please the dry faction of the party. Fred Dubois was retained as Secretary of the Interior. The new Secretary of Agriculture would be John B. Kendrick of Wyoming. And finally, Thomas Hisgen of Massachusetts stayed on as Secretary of Public Welfare.
One of the first things the Hearst administration did was cave into pressure from the Anti-Saloon League. Several “wet” politicians from both major parties were defeated in 1924. This led to the passage of another prohibition act that banned almost all forms of alcohol. Hearst reluctantly signed it into law. However, the Executive Mansion at this time had its own special bootlegger. Another thing Hearst did was push for votes on statehood for Hawaii and Alaska. Alaska was approved as the 49th state while Hawaiian statehood was rejected. The votes were largely on partisan lines, with Democrats favoring Alaska and Republicans favoring Hawaii. Socialists supported Alaskan statehood but were divided on Hawaii.
Hearst’s foreign policy would mostly revolve around two countries: Mexico and Venezuela. In April 1925 Congress approved the sale of weapons to the Mexican government, which was fighting against far-left revolutionaries. The US Navy’s Pacific squadron was also authorized to launch aerial attacks on rebel positions in Baja California. In Venezuela, on the invitation of the government, America would send troops to fight anti-capitalist and anti-American forces in the country. Some claimed that this was a violation of the Just War Act. But Hearst justified the intervention by claiming it was done in order to protect the innocent people of Venezuela from armed insurrectionists. In addition, it was not considered a war because the Venezuelan rebels were not a legitimately recognized government. Within a year, the rebellion in Venezuela would be put down.
Hearst was worried about keeping the West in the Democratic fold. So he called for a massive expansion in the Rural Relief Bureau. With this, of course, meant an increase in spending and Congress only narrowly approved of it. It was around this time that the Rural Relief Bureau, under Henry S. Johnston of Oklahoma ever since the death of Thomas Watson in 1922, became increasingly corrupt. Nepotism became rampant and three often did work that only required one. The agency was never popular with conservatives but now it was facing criticism from all sides of the political spectrum. Massachusetts Representative Calvin Coolidge introduced a bill to abolish the RRB. The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives wouldn’t allow a vote, but support for abolishing the agency would continue to increase.
(Calvin Coolidge was a brilliant but laconic figure in the conservative movement)
Hearst quickly became embroiled in controversy. He spoke out against the proposed 22nd Amendment, as he planned on staying president for as long as possible. The amendment passed in both houses though, and was ratified by the necessary state legislatures within a year. But Hearst was still convinced that if he was popular enough, he could convince congress to repeal that amendment. The other controversy had to do with the election. Even before his inauguration, rumors were spread that Hearst bribed the Connecticut and New Hampshire delegations at the Democratic National Convention. The rumors were fueled by ex-President David Walsh, who was back in the Senate after narrowly winning a special election to fill the vacancy left by the death of Henry Cabot Lodge. Whether or not the rumors were true, a very large number of Americans believed them. And of course, bribery was punishable by impeachment.
There were already calls for impeachment by the fall of 1925. Witnesses were brought in to testify that bribery took place, but other witnesses denied the claims. However, in January of 1926, a document appeared implicating William Randolph Hearst and members of his campaign staff. A Connecticut delegate confessed to accepting bribes to switch his vote from Walsh to Hearst. The House began impeachment hearings. On February 2, Hearst appeared before the House of Representatives and denied any guilt, claiming that the documents were forged. Debate raged on for a while but on the 8th the House voted to impeach. Most Republicans and a large number of Democrats voted to impeach. The Socialists voted against impeachment as they knew that Vice President Howard was much more anti-Communist than Hearst. Hearst then spoke to the press, claiming that Walsh was "lying because he was a bitter loser who could barely win an election in his home state." He became increasingly paranoid, wondering if his own cabinet was plotting against him.
Supporters of Hearst argued that even if he was guilty he could not be impeached for crimes committed before taking office. Nevertheless, the Senate voted to convict on February 18. Hearst continued to maintain that he was innocent and that this was all a conspiracy against him. The Senate passed a resolution calling upon Hearst to resign his position at the soonest practicable moment. He immediately appealed to the Supreme Court. He claimed that only crimes committed while in office were grounds for impeachment. Chief Justice Taft granted a stay of 30 days until the court came to a decision on the constitutionality of Hearst’s impeachment. The public saw this as Hearst essentially admitting guilt. On March 20, The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in Hearst v. United States that presidents can be impeached for crimes committed before entering office. Clarence Darrow and the newly appointed John Davis were the only dissenters. Hearst left the Executive Mansion the next day. He was determined to get his revenge.
Ooh, some interesting drama here. I look forward to seeing what Hearst does to get even.
Oh shit! That was unexpected. The GOP will likely take congress in the midterms, but let's home the Ds can hold until the great depression, when Hoover can win 
Oh shit! That was unexpected. The GOP will likely take congress in the midterms, but let's home the Ds can hold until the great depression, when Hoover can win
I think the Democrats will lose in 1928. They don't have a charismatic national figure with the stature and reputation of Bryan, and are increasingly becoming the party of corruption and big government. This will certainly lead to a conservative backlash strong in 28. However, if the conservative economic policies that leads to the G.D. occur ITTL, conservatism will have as quick of a retreat as it will a triumph. The may lead to the rise of younger, more socialist and progressive faces, fighting conservative economics and old stock corruption. However, if the G.D. occurs under the Democratic party, the nation will turn en masse to conservatism, especially if they rally around a charismatic figure (if Reagan was born in 1882 he would kill it in 32).
I think Conservatism may be stronger than in the northeast than in OTL and weaker in the Plains states than OTL. If the rural communities see conservativism as a repudiation of their champion Bryan, politics will be very different in the plains and mountain states. But Mormons will probably be very supportive of conservatism (Idaho and Wyoming may elect Populist anti-Mormon Democratic governors, who replace the word Jew in an anti-Semitic rant with Mormon).
Chapter XLVII, Beer, Communism, and Mexico
America had just seen two presidents serve for approximately one year each. Into this situation came Milford Wriarson Howard. During the impeachment hearings for William Randolph Hearst, some people decided to look into possible charges for the vice president. None were found. Howard had made a name for himself in the 1890s as an opponent of corruption. Americans were hoping for a return to the days of clean government found under William Jennings Bryan. When he assumed office, he made certain that government officials were following the same rules as everyone else. The bootleggers that would deliver to the President and Congress were banished. He also waged a campaign (with mixed success) against corruption in the judicial system. Howard was a largely respected figure among the population as a whole.
-Excerpt from The Guide to the Executive Mansion, an in Depth Look at America's Presidents by Benjamin Buckley, Harvard Press, 1999.
(Milford Wriarson Howard)
The first thing Howard did was increase border security. Communist rebels in Northwestern Mexico were being provided weapons by sympathetic Americans. Moreover, Americans were getting illegal alcohol from Mexico. On April 20, 1926, four Americans were killed by Mexican bootleggers in Eagle Pass, Texas. Howard declared that America would find those responsible and bring them to justice. And sure enough, in May US Cavalry crossed the border into Coahuila and found the individuals believed to be responsible. Six were shot while five were wounded and captured. Mexican President Álvaro Obregón protested the disrespect for Mexico’s borders, but Howard did not care. The American people were happy to see an example made of the criminals.
(Álvaro Obregón)
President Howard had successfully distinguished himself from his predecessor. However, he still knew that the Democrats were still going to have a hard time in the upcoming midterm elections. Hearst was still on people’s minds. In addition, Senate Democrats were defending seats they won during the landslide of 1920. Unbeknownst at the time, Hearst was funneling money into primary challengers and Socialist candidates in Massachusetts (The Massachusetts Democratic Party strongly supported his impeachment) and elsewhere. November went surprisingly well for Democrats. They only lost 5 seats, meaning that control of the Senate would be tied. They lost 26 seats in the House, which left the chamber with no majority party. Democrats had 243 seats, the Republicans had 245, and the Socialists had 13.
Republican and Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate met to determine what to do. There was widespread opposition to allowing Socialists to have any sort of influence on House leadership. In the end, Democrats agreed to give Republicans control of the House while Republicans agreed to confirm whoever Howard appointed as Vice President, which effectively gave the Senate to the Democrats. The New House Speaker would be Charles Dawes. The new Vice President would be Governor George White of Alaska. The Socialists were disappointed, but they had reasons to be happy. While the House elections were a wash (they lost two seats and gained two seats), they won their first governorship. Gil Corey, former Basketball player for the Idaho Silvermen, won his state’s gubernatorial race with 35% of the vote. Socialists would also benefit from the increasingly hard-handed policies of the federal government towards the Southwest.
(Left: George White, Right: Charles G. Dawes)
The violence on the border would not stop. The Mexican government lost control of Tijuana on December 1, 1926. Leon Trotsky, who had been hiding in the Sonoran desert after failing to take the city in 1924, soon returned. The number of American guns going to Mexico and Mexican alcohol going to the United States skyrocketed. Before the fall of Tijuana, liquor smuggling had typically been done through relatively small gangs originating from either side of the border. Now, the leftist rebels got involved in illicit alcohol trade. The rebels took over privately-owned wineries and breweries in Tijuana and sold the alcohol to crime syndicates in the United States. They used the profits to buy more weapons. In 1925, when prohibition began, Tijuana had largely been pacified and Southern Californians had an easy way of obtaining alcohol. Now Americans were afraid to cross the border. Thirsty Californians now had to go to the gangs for refreshment.
Thus began the California Gang Wars. They were most prominent in Los Angeles and San Diego, but people were killed as far north as San Francisco. Local law enforcement was either unable to deal with the increase in crime or was bought off by the mob. In Los Angeles, remnants of the BTS and the White Workers’ Association took the law into their own hands and engaged in vigilantism. The federal government responded by increasing the number of troops on the border. Most of the soldiers went to California. Back east this was largely supported due to fear of Communism. Thousands were arrested, many of whom turned out to be innocent. For some, their only crime was looking Mexican. Residents of Southern California of all races would soon come to describe the situation as “martial law.”
(Some people benefited greatly from prohibition)
While much of what happened during the 1927 crackdown was unethical or even unconstitutional, crime went down. However, the rebels were on the offensive. Larger amounts of the border came under rebel control by the summer. By this point Arizona became the place to smuggle alcohol. The Mexican government, now losing territory, begged for American help. Howard agreed, but Congress had to approve. Some congressmen argued against intervention because the Mexican rebels were not all Communists. Others argued that a war with the Mexican rebels would be much more costly than the war with the Venezuelan rebels. But in August, Congress approved of an invasion of rebel-held territory in Northern Mexico. It took a few days to capture Tijuana and within three months the rebels had been almost entirely vanquished in Baja California and Sonora. American troops had pacified the North and withdrew in 1928.
(US troops in Sonora)
In 1927 Milford Howard met with the German ambassador to discuss American membership in the Alliance of Nations. The Alliance of Nations (AON) was founded in 1925 by Britain and Germany as an organization for international cooperation. One of its goals was to combat the spread of Communism. It was headquartered in Copenhagen and it included the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, Portugal, and Denmark. Congress approved a referendum on membership in the AON for 1928. Congress also narrowly voted against recognition of the Kingdom of Spain as the legitimate Spanish government. However, Secretary of State George McClellan Jr. stated that the United States will keep Puerto Rico from falling to Communism.
The American economy since 1918 had generally been in good shape. This was especially true during the early ‘20s. America was the world’s strongest economy. However, during the Howard administration things began to change. Inflation became a problem towards the end of the Walsh administration, but the rate of inflation was not catastrophic. On November 1, 1927, the most important event of the decade occurred. The stock market crashed. Some economists trace the crash back to crop failures, but others say that it was more complicated. A few have put partial blame on a drop in the price of silver. Nevertheless, the market crash would be disastrous for the US and world economies. Unemployment skyrocketed.
People’s anger at the system was taken advantage of by both the right and the left. Many began to question their support for Bimetallism. Millions of Americans were told that this sort of thing wouldn’t happen in a country with free silver. The Socialists also took advantage of the situation. It was soon noticed that France and Spain were not nearly as negatively affected by this depression as the capitalist nations were. The Howard Administration responded by calling for higher corporate taxes, which barely passed. Congress also approved of some government work programs. The Rural Relief Bureau was bloated even further. It still didn’t solve the economic crisis.
-Excerpt from America's Silver Age, Edward S. Scott, Patriot Publishers, 2017.
-Excerpt from The Guide to the Executive Mansion, an in Depth Look at America's Presidents by Benjamin Buckley, Harvard Press, 1999.
(Milford Wriarson Howard)
The first thing Howard did was increase border security. Communist rebels in Northwestern Mexico were being provided weapons by sympathetic Americans. Moreover, Americans were getting illegal alcohol from Mexico. On April 20, 1926, four Americans were killed by Mexican bootleggers in Eagle Pass, Texas. Howard declared that America would find those responsible and bring them to justice. And sure enough, in May US Cavalry crossed the border into Coahuila and found the individuals believed to be responsible. Six were shot while five were wounded and captured. Mexican President Álvaro Obregón protested the disrespect for Mexico’s borders, but Howard did not care. The American people were happy to see an example made of the criminals.
(Álvaro Obregón)
President Howard had successfully distinguished himself from his predecessor. However, he still knew that the Democrats were still going to have a hard time in the upcoming midterm elections. Hearst was still on people’s minds. In addition, Senate Democrats were defending seats they won during the landslide of 1920. Unbeknownst at the time, Hearst was funneling money into primary challengers and Socialist candidates in Massachusetts (The Massachusetts Democratic Party strongly supported his impeachment) and elsewhere. November went surprisingly well for Democrats. They only lost 5 seats, meaning that control of the Senate would be tied. They lost 26 seats in the House, which left the chamber with no majority party. Democrats had 243 seats, the Republicans had 245, and the Socialists had 13.
Republican and Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate met to determine what to do. There was widespread opposition to allowing Socialists to have any sort of influence on House leadership. In the end, Democrats agreed to give Republicans control of the House while Republicans agreed to confirm whoever Howard appointed as Vice President, which effectively gave the Senate to the Democrats. The New House Speaker would be Charles Dawes. The new Vice President would be Governor George White of Alaska. The Socialists were disappointed, but they had reasons to be happy. While the House elections were a wash (they lost two seats and gained two seats), they won their first governorship. Gil Corey, former Basketball player for the Idaho Silvermen, won his state’s gubernatorial race with 35% of the vote. Socialists would also benefit from the increasingly hard-handed policies of the federal government towards the Southwest.
(Left: George White, Right: Charles G. Dawes)
The violence on the border would not stop. The Mexican government lost control of Tijuana on December 1, 1926. Leon Trotsky, who had been hiding in the Sonoran desert after failing to take the city in 1924, soon returned. The number of American guns going to Mexico and Mexican alcohol going to the United States skyrocketed. Before the fall of Tijuana, liquor smuggling had typically been done through relatively small gangs originating from either side of the border. Now, the leftist rebels got involved in illicit alcohol trade. The rebels took over privately-owned wineries and breweries in Tijuana and sold the alcohol to crime syndicates in the United States. They used the profits to buy more weapons. In 1925, when prohibition began, Tijuana had largely been pacified and Southern Californians had an easy way of obtaining alcohol. Now Americans were afraid to cross the border. Thirsty Californians now had to go to the gangs for refreshment.
Thus began the California Gang Wars. They were most prominent in Los Angeles and San Diego, but people were killed as far north as San Francisco. Local law enforcement was either unable to deal with the increase in crime or was bought off by the mob. In Los Angeles, remnants of the BTS and the White Workers’ Association took the law into their own hands and engaged in vigilantism. The federal government responded by increasing the number of troops on the border. Most of the soldiers went to California. Back east this was largely supported due to fear of Communism. Thousands were arrested, many of whom turned out to be innocent. For some, their only crime was looking Mexican. Residents of Southern California of all races would soon come to describe the situation as “martial law.”
(Some people benefited greatly from prohibition)
While much of what happened during the 1927 crackdown was unethical or even unconstitutional, crime went down. However, the rebels were on the offensive. Larger amounts of the border came under rebel control by the summer. By this point Arizona became the place to smuggle alcohol. The Mexican government, now losing territory, begged for American help. Howard agreed, but Congress had to approve. Some congressmen argued against intervention because the Mexican rebels were not all Communists. Others argued that a war with the Mexican rebels would be much more costly than the war with the Venezuelan rebels. But in August, Congress approved of an invasion of rebel-held territory in Northern Mexico. It took a few days to capture Tijuana and within three months the rebels had been almost entirely vanquished in Baja California and Sonora. American troops had pacified the North and withdrew in 1928.
(US troops in Sonora)
In 1927 Milford Howard met with the German ambassador to discuss American membership in the Alliance of Nations. The Alliance of Nations (AON) was founded in 1925 by Britain and Germany as an organization for international cooperation. One of its goals was to combat the spread of Communism. It was headquartered in Copenhagen and it included the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, Portugal, and Denmark. Congress approved a referendum on membership in the AON for 1928. Congress also narrowly voted against recognition of the Kingdom of Spain as the legitimate Spanish government. However, Secretary of State George McClellan Jr. stated that the United States will keep Puerto Rico from falling to Communism.
The American economy since 1918 had generally been in good shape. This was especially true during the early ‘20s. America was the world’s strongest economy. However, during the Howard administration things began to change. Inflation became a problem towards the end of the Walsh administration, but the rate of inflation was not catastrophic. On November 1, 1927, the most important event of the decade occurred. The stock market crashed. Some economists trace the crash back to crop failures, but others say that it was more complicated. A few have put partial blame on a drop in the price of silver. Nevertheless, the market crash would be disastrous for the US and world economies. Unemployment skyrocketed.
People’s anger at the system was taken advantage of by both the right and the left. Many began to question their support for Bimetallism. Millions of Americans were told that this sort of thing wouldn’t happen in a country with free silver. The Socialists also took advantage of the situation. It was soon noticed that France and Spain were not nearly as negatively affected by this depression as the capitalist nations were. The Howard Administration responded by calling for higher corporate taxes, which barely passed. Congress also approved of some government work programs. The Rural Relief Bureau was bloated even further. It still didn’t solve the economic crisis.
-Excerpt from America's Silver Age, Edward S. Scott, Patriot Publishers, 2017.
When America needs help:
He answers the call! HOOVER 1928!!!!!!
In all seriousness, that deal with the house and the senate was a good one politically.
So Mexico is where the smuggling is coming from? Did Capone move to LA
He answers the call! HOOVER 1928!!!!!!
In all seriousness, that deal with the house and the senate was a good one politically.
So Mexico is where the smuggling is coming from? Did Capone move to LA
I'm sorry if this was already covered, but I was wondering if ITTL the Democratic party is the nation's majority party. Not what their present situation in congress or in gubernatorial mansions, but whether the majority of Americans are registered Democratic (during this time in OTL majority of Americans were registered Republicans, and in my Bryan TL majority of Americans (by 1900) are registered Democratic).
I'm also curious by how the Mormon block is split up politically, as well as the mestizo and black populations as of now.
Also, will West Virginia become a Democratic stronghold with the miners shortly or no? I'm still surprised Hearst lost it.
I'm also curious by how the Mormon block is split up politically, as well as the mestizo and black populations as of now.
Also, will West Virginia become a Democratic stronghold with the miners shortly or no? I'm still surprised Hearst lost it.
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When America needs help:
He answers the call! HOOVER 1928!!!!!!
In all seriousness, that deal with the house and the senate was a good one politically.
So Mexico is where the smuggling is coming from? Did Capone move to LA
For a real poop show for the election of '28, have this "lovely" senator be the Democratic nominee:
Can't confirm how the election will go by every state but I think 20's Dixie will be enthused for the Democratic nominee. And it won't be primarily over the issue of the tariff.
P.S. "Lovely" in this case means evil m*********. And remember, I'm someone who barely cusses.
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America had just seen two presidents serve for approximately one year each. Into this situation came Milford Wriarson Howard. During the impeachment hearings for William Randolph Hearst, some people decided to look into possible charges for the vice president. None were found. Howard had made a name for himself in the 1890s as an opponent of corruption. Americans were hoping for a return to the days of clean government found under William Jennings Bryan. When he assumed office, he made certain that government officials were following the same rules as everyone else. The bootleggers that would deliver to the President and Congress were banished. He also waged a campaign (with mixed success) against corruption in the judicial system. Howard was a largely respected figure among the population as a whole.
-Excerpt from The Guide to the Executive Mansion, an in Depth Look at America's Presidents by Benjamin Buckley, Harvard Press, 1999.
(Milford Wriarson Howard)
The first thing Howard did was increase border security. Communist rebels in Northwestern Mexico were being provided weapons by sympathetic Americans. Moreover, Americans were getting illegal alcohol from Mexico. On April 20, 1926, four Americans were killed by Mexican bootleggers in Eagle Pass, Texas. Howard declared that America would find those responsible and bring them to justice. And sure enough, in May US Cavalry crossed the border into Coahuila and found the individuals believed to be responsible. Six were shot while five were wounded and captured. Mexican President Álvaro Obregón protested the disrespect for Mexico’s borders, but Howard did not care. The American people were happy to see an example made of the criminals.
(Álvaro Obregón)
President Howard had successfully distinguished himself from his predecessor. However, he still knew that the Democrats were still going to have a hard time in the upcoming midterm elections. Hearst was still on people’s minds. In addition, Senate Democrats were defending seats they won during the landslide of 1920. Unbeknownst at the time, Hearst was funneling money into primary challengers and Socialist candidates in Massachusetts (The Massachusetts Democratic Party strongly supported his impeachment) and elsewhere. November went surprisingly well for Democrats. They only lost 5 seats, meaning that control of the Senate would be tied. They lost 26 seats in the House, which left the chamber with no majority party. Democrats had 243 seats, the Republicans had 245, and the Socialists had 13.
Republican and Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate met to determine what to do. There was widespread opposition to allowing Socialists to have any sort of influence on House leadership. In the end, Democrats agreed to give Republicans control of the House while Republicans agreed to confirm whoever Howard appointed as Vice President, which effectively gave the Senate to the Democrats. The New House Speaker would be Charles Dawes. The new Vice President would be Governor George White of Alaska. The Socialists were disappointed, but they had reasons to be happy. While the House elections were a wash (they lost two seats and gained two seats), they won their first governorship. Gil Corey, former Basketball player for the Idaho Silvermen, won his state’s gubernatorial race with 35% of the vote. Socialists would also benefit from the increasingly hard-handed policies of the federal government towards the Southwest.
(Left: George White, Right: Charles G. Dawes)
The violence on the border would not stop. The Mexican government lost control of Tijuana on December 1, 1926. Leon Trotsky, who had been hiding in the Sonoran desert after failing to take the city in 1924, soon returned. The number of American guns going to Mexico and Mexican alcohol going to the United States skyrocketed. Before the fall of Tijuana, liquor smuggling had typically been done through relatively small gangs originating from either side of the border. Now, the leftist rebels got involved in illicit alcohol trade. The rebels took over privately-owned wineries and breweries in Tijuana and sold the alcohol to crime syndicates in the United States. They used the profits to buy more weapons. In 1925, when prohibition began, Tijuana had largely been pacified and Southern Californians had an easy way of obtaining alcohol. Now Americans were afraid to cross the border. Thirsty Californians now had to go to the gangs for refreshment.
Thus began the California Gang Wars. They were most prominent in Los Angeles and San Diego, but people were killed as far north as San Francisco. Local law enforcement was either unable to deal with the increase in crime or was bought off by the mob. In Los Angeles, remnants of the BTS and the White Workers’ Association took the law into their own hands and engaged in vigilantism. The federal government responded by increasing the number of troops on the border. Most of the soldiers went to California. Back east this was largely supported due to fear of Communism. Thousands were arrested, many of whom turned out to be innocent. For some, their only crime was looking Mexican. Residents of Southern California of all races would soon come to describe the situation as “martial law.”
(Some people benefited greatly from prohibition)
While much of what happened during the 1927 crackdown was unethical or even unconstitutional, crime went down. However, the rebels were on the offensive. Larger amounts of the border came under rebel control by the summer. By this point Arizona became the place to smuggle alcohol. The Mexican government, now losing territory, begged for American help. Howard agreed, but Congress had to approve. Some congressmen argued against intervention because the Mexican rebels were not all Communists. Others argued that a war with the Mexican rebels would be much more costly than the war with the Venezuelan rebels. But in August, Congress approved of an invasion of rebel-held territory in Northern Mexico. It took a few days to capture Tijuana and within three months the rebels had been almost entirely vanquished in Baja California and Sonora. American troops had pacified the North and withdrew in 1928.
(US troops in Sonora)
In 1927 Milford Howard met with the German ambassador to discuss American membership in the Alliance of Nations. The Alliance of Nations (AON) was founded in 1925 by Britain and Germany as an organization for international cooperation. One of its goals was to combat the spread of Communism. It was headquartered in Copenhagen and it included the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, Portugal, and Denmark. Congress approved a referendum on membership in the AON for 1928. Congress also narrowly voted against recognition of the Kingdom of Spain as the legitimate Spanish government. However, Secretary of State George McClellan Jr. stated that the United States will keep Puerto Rico from falling to Communism.
The American economy since 1918 had generally been in good shape. This was especially true during the early ‘20s. America was the world’s strongest economy. However, during the Howard administration things began to change. Inflation became a problem towards the end of the Walsh administration, but the rate of inflation was not catastrophic. On November 1, 1927, the most important event of the decade occurred. The stock market crashed. Some economists trace the crash back to crop failures, but others say that it was more complicated. A few have put partial blame on a drop in the price of silver. Nevertheless, the market crash would be disastrous for the US and world economies. Unemployment skyrocketed.
People’s anger at the system was taken advantage of by both the right and the left. Many began to question their support for Bimetallism. Millions of Americans were told that this sort of thing wouldn’t happen in a country with free silver. The Socialists also took advantage of the situation. It was soon noticed that France and Spain were not nearly as negatively affected by this depression as the capitalist nations were. The Howard Administration responded by calling for higher corporate taxes, which barely passed. Congress also approved of some government work programs. The Rural Relief Bureau was bloated even further. It still didn’t solve the economic crisis.
-Excerpt from America's Silver Age, Edward S. Scott, Patriot Publishers, 2017.
Will the Mexican bootleggers rise in influence in Mexico? If they have enough money from the prohibition days (when prohibition ends), they can always fin other criminal ventures.
For a real poop show for the election of '28, have this "lovely" senator be the Democratic nominee:
Can't confirm how the election will go by every state but I think 20's Dixie will be enthused for the Democratic nominee. And it won't be primarily over the issue of the tariff.
P.S. "Lovely" in this case means evil m*********. And remember, I'm someone who barely cusses.
President Ellison Smith? That would be literal Hell on Earth.
A chapter on Latin America is coming before too long.
At least the fires of hell torture those deserving of its flames.
You deserve a nomination.
Thank you very much!
Yeah, within the next five chapters.
Not sure how I missed these two posts.
The majority are still registered Democrat (as of 1927). Darker shades mean larger majorities:
Mormons have become disillusioned with the Democratic Party. The last few administrations have been seen by some as anti-Mormon due to the presence of Fred Dubois (though Fred himself is s Republican). Anti-Mormonism helped fuel the passage of the 19th Amendment (banning plural marriages) during Bryan's third term.
Black voters are still overwhelmingly Republican, but this is slowly changing. Bryan got more than 10% of the black vote in 1920. In 1924, African-Americans voted about 80% for Hughes, 15% for Hearst, and 5% for Haywood.
Hispanics are a very small percentage of the American population at this time and do not vote in large numbers. Bryan and Hearst both won the Hispanic vote. However, Milford Howard is very unpopular with them, so Republicans and Socialists have a chance to gain voters there. Hispanic voters generally oppose prohibition.
West Virginia became a lean-Democrat state early on during this TL. It was very close in 1924 and with the exception of Bryan's two landslides it was a close state in every election since 1896. West Virginia was lost in 1924 during rampant Democratic infighting in the Upper South/Mid-Atlantic. It's also a hotbed of Socialist support.
Sadly, Al Capone was born after the POD.
The majority are still registered Democrat (as of 1927). Darker shades mean larger majorities:
Mormons have become disillusioned with the Democratic Party. The last few administrations have been seen by some as anti-Mormon due to the presence of Fred Dubois (though Fred himself is s Republican). Anti-Mormonism helped fuel the passage of the 19th Amendment (banning plural marriages) during Bryan's third term.
Black voters are still overwhelmingly Republican, but this is slowly changing. Bryan got more than 10% of the black vote in 1920. In 1924, African-Americans voted about 80% for Hughes, 15% for Hearst, and 5% for Haywood.
Hispanics are a very small percentage of the American population at this time and do not vote in large numbers. Bryan and Hearst both won the Hispanic vote. However, Milford Howard is very unpopular with them, so Republicans and Socialists have a chance to gain voters there. Hispanic voters generally oppose prohibition.
West Virginia became a lean-Democrat state early on during this TL. It was very close in 1924 and with the exception of Bryan's two landslides it was a close state in every election since 1896. West Virginia was lost in 1924 during rampant Democratic infighting in the Upper South/Mid-Atlantic. It's also a hotbed of Socialist support.
When America needs help:
He answers the call! HOOVER 1928!!!!!!
In all seriousness, that deal with the house and the senate was a good one politically.
So Mexico is where the smuggling is coming from? Did Capone move to LA
Sadly, Al Capone was born after the POD.
I think the Democratic party will maintain its base in the non-Mormon Mountain states long term, as well as the plains states. The fact that there was a legacy of a successful and highly impactful president in Bryan means that from Topeka and Lincoln to Boise there will be more loyalty to the Democratic party. Also, with the conservative movement becoming gold-dominated, this will put-off Bryan/Silver country. The GOP, transitioning into the nation's conservative party, will probably try to flip the Upper South more than the plains states. They are more electorally rich and would provide the leadership and the roadmap to penetrate the Deep South. The Deep South will likely remain Democratic for some time, but even states like Texas and North Carolina may become Republican leaning over time (this will take a generation or so). But the six states that voted for Al Smith in '28 (Arkansas Louisiana Mississippi Alabama Georgia and South Carolina) are going to stay Democratic.
Also it depends on the strength of labor unions across the upper south, as well as the Democratic party's connection to small town America. And there is a strong chance that the Democratic party remains the majoritarian party of America.
Also it depends on the strength of labor unions across the upper south, as well as the Democratic party's connection to small town America. And there is a strong chance that the Democratic party remains the majoritarian party of America.