Here is a map of the Qing Dynasty in 1820. There are some differences, sure, but it shows the locations of all the cities I mention in the next chapter besides Longnan, which is a little bit to the South of Lanzhou.
America's Silver Era, The Story of William Jennings Bryan
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Chapter XIV, The Emperor Against the Dowager
China is a civilization with a long and proud history. But by the end of the 19th century it was a nation in decline. It was reeling from defeat in the two Opium Wars and the Sino-Japanese War. Only decades earlier, they had dealt with the bloody Taiping Rebellion. Making things worse, the ruling Qing Dynasty was allergic to reform. The Empress Dowager Cixi even had the Guangxu Emperor placed under house arrest after he tried to implement reforms. In many of China’s coastal cities, foreigners ran the show. This caused resentment from the locals that led to the creation of the 義和拳 (Yihequan), or the Fists of Harmony and Justice. This movement was known for its use of violence against foreigners and Christians. Originally the group opposed the Qing as well (seeing as the ruling dynasty was not ethnically Han). However, some members of the Qing court admired the movement’s opposition to the West.
(Yihequan soldiers)
The group’s violent tactics inevitably brought foreign intervention into the country. The real question was whether or not Cixi, who held the real power in the country, would openly support the Yihequan. And Cixi, along with the Qing government, supported the Yihequan. Prince Duan was an influential Qing official who favored this decision. But a large number of Qing officials broke ranks. The foreign powers of Japan, Russia, Britain, France, the United States, Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary were joined by friendly Qing soldiers. They took over much of China’s land. After they captured Beijing the Qing government decided to continue the war against the foreigners and they set up a new capital in Lanzhou. However, as the Qing court was on the road to Lanzhou, the emperor escaped.
(Foreign troops in China)
The Guangxu Emperor and a few men who helped him escape travelled to Kaifeng. He was well received by the locals. He declared that the actions of the Empress Dowager Cixi were illegitimate and so was the government at Lanzhou. On October 1, 1900, the United States became the first nation to establish diplomatic relations with the new Qing government. By the end of the year, most of the world had recognized the Qing government at Kaifeng as the legitimate Qing government. The Kaifeng government made peace with the Eight Nation Alliance. The Qing government at Lanzhou responded by claiming that the emperor was actually at Lanzhou and that the man claiming to be the Guangxu Emperor was a usurper. The so called “usurper” was little more than a puppet of Western powers and Japan, according to official propaganda. The Yihequan that remained within pro-Kaifeng territory would wage a guerilla war against the foreign soldiers and friendly Chinese forces.
(Left: Empress Dowager Cixi, Right: Guangxu Emperor)
The majority of the Chinese population did not believe the propaganda coming from Lanzhou. Much of the Qing military defected. In January of 1901 the city of Luoyang was captured by pro-Kaifeng forces, giving them control of all of Henan. However, to the South, pro-Lanzhou soldiers and Yihequan fighters joined forces and gained ground against pro-Kaifeng forces in Sichuan and Yunnan. They took advantage of the chaos caused by the assassination of several pro-Kaifeng generals by the Yihequan. Prince Duan was then dispatched to the ancient city of Xi’an, which he would fortify. Xi’an became the most important city in China for both sides. Guangxu’s generals believed that the war would end quickly if the city was captured. However, his forces were in no position to do that yet.
Meanwhile, Russian forces invaded China from the North and West, defeating the pro-Lanzhou forces in the region. They would be given a larger sphere of influence in China if the pro-Kaifeng forces won. The Kaifeng government also granted a concession to Spain in exchange for money and weapons. This seemed insignificant at the time but in later years the Spanish presence at Aichow would be the impetus for a much larger event. Of course Cixi made sure that this was put to good use, claiming it proved that the Kaifeng government was a puppet of the foreign powers. The Lanzhou government went on the offensive throughout 1901, hoping to secure as much territory as they could while pro-Kaifeng forces were still disorganized. They won many battles in Southern China, and pushed into Henan province. There they fought the Second Battle of Luoyang on June 1, 1901.
The two sides were roughly equal in numbers, with the Lanzhou forces having a slight advantage when the Yihequan were accounted for. Cixi’s generals hoped for a decisive victory that would open the road to Kaifeng. Before the battle, a Yihequan assassin slipped into the city and killed pro-Kaifeng general Yuan Shikai. Then, the commanding officer of the Lanzhou forces, Dong Fuxiang, ordered an attack. Despite the confusion caused by the death of their general, pro-Kaifeng forces held firm, and Dong’s advance slowed. The stalemate was broken when Japanese and American troops, low on ammunition and cut off from allies, made a heroic bayonet charge. While they took high casualties, their actions scared their enemy and rallied their allies. The tide of the battle began to turn. By June 11, Dong ordered a retreat from the city. Over 20,000 were dead on both sides.
(General Dong Fuxiang)
After the victory at Luoyang, the Kaifeng forces regrouped under Nie Shicheng (who defected early in the war), and then marched towards Xi’an. Portugal was then brought into the conflict when Yihequan attacked Portuguese citizens in Macao. Portuguese troops clashed with Yihequan in Southern China and defeated them. By 1902 the Yihequan ceased to be a threat in Yunnan, Guizhou, and most of Sichuan. Thus, pro-Kaifeng forces began to close in on Xi’an from both the East and the South. The Kaifeng army that arrived from the East fought a few indecisive skirmishes with the Yihequan and Lanzhou forces in the later months of 1901 and the earlier months of 1902. But when the Southern forces arrived, it was time to lay siege to Xi’an. On April 4, 1902, the bombardment of Xi’an began.
A few days later, the numerically superior (325,000 to 220,000) Kaifeng and foreign troops invaded the city. Prince Duan commanded the garrison to fight to the last man against the foreigners and their puppets. Within two days it was clear that the Kaifeng soldiers were gaining the upper hand. While the Yihequan continued to fight ferociously, the regular pro-Lanzhou Qing soldiers began to surrender en-masse. It took about three weeks to secure the city, as some units continued to fight on. At the end of the battle Prince Duan was captured and taken as a prisoner of war. Over 100,000 Lanzhou troops were taken prisoner, many of which decided to switch sides. Around 35,000 Lanzhou troops escaped Xi’an. Meanwhile, Kaifeng casualties were less than 40,000. After the battle the Guangxu Emperor thanked all the foreign soldiers that had helped him thus far. He then requested that the foreign powers begin to withdraw from China’s interior as Chinese soldiers should be the ones who deal the final blow to the Lanzhou government. Most foreign powers were already planning on doing this.
(Left: Prince Duan, Right Nie Shicheng)
There was panic in the Qing court at Lanzhou after the fall of Xi’an. Some advocated surrender, but they were harshly rebuked by the Yihequan leaders who had gained influence in government. Others suggested retreating further into Western China. But Cixi declared that she would not retreat from Lanzhou, and the government came around to her position. Though Dong Fuxiang’s reputation had been damaged by his unsuccessful assault on Luoyang, the Lanzhou government recognized that he was their best general. Thus he was recalled from the North, where he had won some minor victories against the Russians, and tasked with the defense of Gansu province and Lanzhou in particular. Cao Futian, leader of the Yihequan, ordered scorched earth tactics against the advancing Kaifeng forces. Much of the countryside in Shaanxi and Gansu was devastated. In Lanzhou-controlled territory, people suspected of being Kaifeng sympathizers (Christians and people with ties to foreign nations) were rounded up and summarily executed.
The Lanzhou government was given a short reprieve however, as relations between Kaifeng and Moscow broke down. While the other foreign powers were withdrawing their troops to their respective concessions, Russia ignored the Emperor’s request. Russia wanted to annex parts of Qing territory and desired a much larger sphere of influence than the Kaifeng government originally agreed to give them. Chinese soldiers were sent north to persuade the Russians to stay in their allotted sphere of influence. Russian forces refused and battles broke out in Manchuria and Inner Mongolia. Russia was surprised by the strength and resilience of the Chinese soldiers. Japan then sent an ultimatum that threatened war if Russian troops did not withdraw back into Manchuria. Britain also condemned Russian aggression and prepared itself for a possible war. Out of all the major powers, only France took Russia’s side. Tsar Nicholas II decided not to risk a war against two, possibly three nations. He gave in to China’s demands.
Guangxu then turned his attention towards finishing off the Lanzhou government. In November of 1902 Longnan, defended entirely by Yihequan, fell. By 1903 Kaifeng forces were mere kilometers from Lanzhou. Dong Fuxiang’s army was in poor morale, and whittled down by mass desertions. It numbered 70,000. It was no match for the 250,000 Kaifeng troops under the command of Nie Shicheng. Battle came in February and it was short, the outcome a foregone conclusion. General Dong surrendered the city, and a peace treaty was signed. All remaining pro-Lanzhou forces were ordered to surrender, which most did. It was then discovered that the Empress Dowager Cixi had died weeks ago. The Yihequan continued to resist, and their numbers were augmented by some diehard pro-Lanzhou soldiers. They waged a guerilla war for the next few years, but by 1906 they were defeated. The last recorded Yihequan activity was a failed attack on a group of foreign diplomats in Beijing.
Excerpt from Guangxu, Jiang Jieshi, Beijing Books, 1933.
Yeah, a lot of people who have been in exile are going to return to China. The Qing Dynasty is much stronger than it was OTL.
China is the first country in this TL besides America that I have set on a radically different path than OTL. Spain has changed a decent amount as well to be sure. The rest of the world hasn't wildly diverged yet.
Chapter XV, The Admiral Takes Office
George Dewey’s inaugural address, while certainly respectable, was somewhat boring compared to the fiery speeches America had heard from their president for the last eight years. Indeed, Dewey is generally considered to be an ordinary president who served between two extraordinary presidents. Bryan was usually in the middle of the action, directly making the case for his policies to Congress and the American people. Dewey, in contrast to his predecessor and his successor, took a more conservative view of the role of the executive office. During his time in office, he mostly let Congress run the country. Much of the American public was happy with this, as they saw the previous administration as going too far in the opposite direction. Dewey would be a Democrat much more in line with Grover Cleveland than William Jennings Bryan.
-Excerpt from The Guide to the Executive Mansion, an in Depth Look at America's Presidents, Benjamin Buckley, Harvard Press, 1999.
For Secretary of State, Dewey chose Representative John Sharp Williams of Mississippi. His Secretary of the Treasury was Senator David B. Hill of New York. Secretary of War, previously held by former Confederate John T. Morgan, was now held by George McClellan Jr. of New York. For Attorney General; Senator Charles Allen Culberson of Texas was selected. Representative Theodore Bell of California was chosen as the new Postmaster General. The new Secretary of the Navy was Senator Joseph R. Burton of Kansas. The new Secretary of the Interior was Senator Paris Gibson of Montana. And the new Secretary of Agriculture was Benjamin Shively of Indiana.
When Congress convened in 1905, there was a clear Republican majority in both Houses. House Speaker Whitelaw Reid had blocked the admission of new states in the previous Congress, since he saw it as an attempt by Bryan to increase his odds in the Electoral College. With Bryan out of the way, he allowed for a vote. Congress authorized statehood referendums in the Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona Territories. Oklahoma was admitted as the 46th state in 1905. However, the issue of the Indian Territory was not resolved and would not be until well after Dewey’s Presidency. On most maps at the time it was shown as a part of the state of Oklahoma, though legally it remained a separate entity. In 1907 New Mexico and Arizona were admitted as the 47th and 48th states, respectively.
In 1905, the Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed. Now, Senators would be directly elected by the people instead of their state legislatures. This was a major policy agenda for William Jennings Bryan, and it was finally achieved after he left office. This was not the only Bryan policy that was successful under new management. The environmental conservation that had begun under the Bryan Administration and led by Secretary of the Interior Fred Dubois was continued. Large areas of land, mostly in the West, were preserved from exploitation. Bryan supporters had many reasons to be happy with the direction of the country despite the absence of their man in Washington.
-Excerpt from America's Admiral, Arnold Warner, Howard Publishing Co., 1945.
In 1906 supporters of the Gold Standard made a last-ditch attempt to enact their agenda. The majority of Republicans were still pro-Gold Standard, not just those who supported Lodge in 1904. They hoped that enough Conservative Democrats would join them to make up for the votes of pro-Silver Republicans. In the end, they didn’t have the votes for a repeal of Bimetallism. Republicans also passed a bill to increase tariffs. This passed both the House and the Senate. Dewey did not sign the bill but neither did he veto it. This caused some uproar amongst Democrats. Dewey was almost certain that 1908’s convention was not going to be a pleasant affair.
-Excerpt from America's Silver Age, Edward S. Scott, Patriot Publishers, 2017.
Will Dewey pursue an Asia-focused policy? Washington shouldn't pass the opportunity to gain influence within the new Qing government.
Sino-American relations are going to be good. We're going to see a lot more of the Qing Dynasty in future chapters.
Chapter XVI, Mr. Ex-President
William Jennings Bryan’s defeat in 1904 came as a surprise. He strongly believed he was going to win. However, he was not angry. He said that the results were God’s way of telling him he needed to go back home. When he returned to Nebraska he was given a hero’s welcome. Yet, he couldn’t stay still for long. In 1905 he went on a speaking tour of the West. He did this to reward the people of a region that was loyal to him and that he didn’t campaign in. On his tour he emphasized the need for unity. He said that he held no ill will against George Dewey, and that he was a fine president. He also stated in no uncertain terms that he would not run for president in 1908. His brother, Charles W. Bryan, was elected governor of Nebraska as a Democrat, not a Populist.
In 1906 Bryan decided to go and see the world. Cuba was the natural starting point. When he arrived he was immediately hailed as “El Libertador” for helping the island nation win its independence. In the first decade of its independence, Cuba saw the deaths of two presidents. Calixto Garcia lasted less than a year and his successor, Máximo Gómez, died in 1905. It was Cuba’s third president, Emilio Núñez, who met with Bryan. Bryan gave Núñez advice on leading a nation, as he was shown the various sights in Havana. The new Cuban government pursued similar policies as the US government, even adopting Bimetallism. Núñez himself was educated in America. Relations between the two nations would be close for the foreseeable future.
(Emilio Núñez, third President of Cuba)
Next year the ex-President went to Europe. The main stops were Britain, France, Germany, and Russia. Bryan’s mission was to promote peace and mutual understanding. And he was received well. He spoke with royalty and other powerful players in European politics. Some leaders he liked more than others. Despite his anti-Imperialist stance and distaste for monarchy, Bryan got along well with King Edward VII. He also got along fine with Tsar Nicholas II. He had no issues with French President Émile Loubet, either. He was not so impressed with Kaiser Wilhelm, however. In Germany he saw what he believed the imperialists wanted America to be like. In Russia, he met with author Leo Tolstoy, and the two quite enjoyed each other’s company [1]. Before returning to America Bryan visited Vienna and praised Austria-Hungary for not involving itself in the race for colonies. He also developed a lifelong friendship with future Emperor Franz Ferdinand.
(Leo Tolstoy, Russian author)
The trip was considered a success. President Dewey sent Bryan, along with other American politicians, to China in order to strengthen Sino-American ties. The Guangxu Emperor admired America and saw it as the only major foreign power that did not seek to exploit China. The Qing Dynasty was transitioning into a constitutional monarchy and they sought outside advice on writing a constitution. China would look to America in forming a new government, and the European powers and Japan in reforming its military. China held elections for a provisional government in 1906 after the last organized opposition to the emperor was defeated. Bryan met with the Emperor and many of the elected officials of the provisional government. He especially enjoyed the company of Sun Yat-sen, a fellow Christian and reformer. Bryan was influential in putting freedom of speech and religious freedom in the new Constitution. In the end, the Chinese Constitution established a bicameral legislature and an independent judiciary. It was very similar to the US system of government with the important exception of a hereditary executive. Many modern historians claim that Bryan’s influence on the Chinese Constitution is overstated and that the perception of his importance in the project is little more than “White Man’s Burden” mentality.
-Excerpt from Spokesman for America, the diplomacy of William Jennings Bryan, Phyllis Ortwin, Carolina, 2009.
1: Leo Tolstoy and William Jennings Bryan were big fans of each other and met OTL. Tolstoy had a picture of Bryan on his wall.
In 1906 Bryan decided to go and see the world. Cuba was the natural starting point. When he arrived he was immediately hailed as “El Libertador” for helping the island nation win its independence. In the first decade of its independence, Cuba saw the deaths of two presidents. Calixto Garcia lasted less than a year and his successor, Máximo Gómez, died in 1905. It was Cuba’s third president, Emilio Núñez, who met with Bryan. Bryan gave Núñez advice on leading a nation, as he was shown the various sights in Havana. The new Cuban government pursued similar policies as the US government, even adopting Bimetallism. Núñez himself was educated in America. Relations between the two nations would be close for the foreseeable future.
(Emilio Núñez, third President of Cuba)
Next year the ex-President went to Europe. The main stops were Britain, France, Germany, and Russia. Bryan’s mission was to promote peace and mutual understanding. And he was received well. He spoke with royalty and other powerful players in European politics. Some leaders he liked more than others. Despite his anti-Imperialist stance and distaste for monarchy, Bryan got along well with King Edward VII. He also got along fine with Tsar Nicholas II. He had no issues with French President Émile Loubet, either. He was not so impressed with Kaiser Wilhelm, however. In Germany he saw what he believed the imperialists wanted America to be like. In Russia, he met with author Leo Tolstoy, and the two quite enjoyed each other’s company [1]. Before returning to America Bryan visited Vienna and praised Austria-Hungary for not involving itself in the race for colonies. He also developed a lifelong friendship with future Emperor Franz Ferdinand.
(Leo Tolstoy, Russian author)
The trip was considered a success. President Dewey sent Bryan, along with other American politicians, to China in order to strengthen Sino-American ties. The Guangxu Emperor admired America and saw it as the only major foreign power that did not seek to exploit China. The Qing Dynasty was transitioning into a constitutional monarchy and they sought outside advice on writing a constitution. China would look to America in forming a new government, and the European powers and Japan in reforming its military. China held elections for a provisional government in 1906 after the last organized opposition to the emperor was defeated. Bryan met with the Emperor and many of the elected officials of the provisional government. He especially enjoyed the company of Sun Yat-sen, a fellow Christian and reformer. Bryan was influential in putting freedom of speech and religious freedom in the new Constitution. In the end, the Chinese Constitution established a bicameral legislature and an independent judiciary. It was very similar to the US system of government with the important exception of a hereditary executive. Many modern historians claim that Bryan’s influence on the Chinese Constitution is overstated and that the perception of his importance in the project is little more than “White Man’s Burden” mentality.
-Excerpt from Spokesman for America, the diplomacy of William Jennings Bryan, Phyllis Ortwin, Carolina, 2009.
1: Leo Tolstoy and William Jennings Bryan were big fans of each other and met OTL. Tolstoy had a picture of Bryan on his wall.
I find it hard to believe he got along with the czar, the autocratic leader of the "jail house of nations". Even assuming the 1905 revolution did happen and he allowed the formation of the duma, he did alot to undermine and declaw it.
Chapter XVII, A Forgotten President
Though much happened during Dewey’s presidency, he is largely a forgotten president. Most of the significant domestic events during his administration were acts of Congress or state legislatures. The one area where he did get involved was foreign policy. He actively pursued trade and friendship with China and Japan. He essentially continued the Bryan policy of America being the “world’s good guy.” The United States generally tried to keep good will with all nations. One way in which he departed from Bryan on foreign policy was the establishment of an American military presence in the Philippines. President Dewey also denounced the Belgian government for the atrocities committed in the Congo. He even threatened to cut off diplomatic relations with the small European kingdom. Eventually, the Belgian government took control of its African colony away from the crown. However, this was more a result of condemnation from other European powers.
-Excerpt from The Guide to the Executive Mansion, an in Depth Look at America's Presidents, Benjamin Buckley, Harvard Press, 1999.
Dewey had to face the discontented elements of his own party. He thanked God that Bryan wasn’t getting himself involved in this election. The other major Populist rabble-rouser, William Randolph Hearst, decided to not get involved in either the Democratic or Populist Presidential nominations. This meant that the Populist Party was not going to be the threat that it was in 1904. All Dewey had to do was win the nomination and then he would have most Democrats on his side. As Dewey himself challenged a sitting President for the nomination it was only fair that he too would receive a challenge at the convention. Former Colorado Governor William Hope Harvey was a favorite of Western Delegates who felt no love for Dewey. Various favorite sons, mostly from the South, also competed. In the end, Dewey won convincingly. Minnesota Governor John Johnson was selected as his running mate.
(John Johnson)
Most people expected the GOP to nominate Senator Leonard Wood for President, and rising star Representative Theodore Roosevelt for Vice President. But the majority of delegates were convinced that Roosevelt would be a better candidate and they nominated him for President and Wood for Vice President. Unlike in 1904, the Republican Party of 1908 would be unified with only minor exceptions. Dewey was confident of his chances against Wood, but not Roosevelt. In order to win, he would need to carry the entire South and then carry enough States in the West and hope for victory in states like New Jersey or Ohio. And it needed to be an outright victory in the Electoral College. If the election went to the House it would be a clear Republican victory. The election hinged on the loyalty of diehard Bryan supporters. Would they follow Charles Bryan’s advice and remain loyal Democrats or would they fall to Roosevelt and the Republicans?
(Left: Theodore Roosevelt, Right: Leonard Wood)
Technically, there were other options for Bryan voters as well. The Populists nominated Bryan’s 1904 running mate Thomas Watson of Georgia for President and Representative Caldwell Edwards of Montana for Vice President. But the majority of people who voted for the Populist ticket in 1904 only did so out of loyalty to William Jennings Bryan. There was also Socialist candidate Bill Haywood of Utah, with his running mate Carl Thompson, a minister from Wisconsin. In 1904 the Socialist Labor Party fell under the radar as there were four major candidates for President. This year would see their support greatly increase and they won several local elections. However, for most Americans 1908 was a contest between Dewey and Roosevelt.
The main focus of both major party campaigns was the states on the Ohio River. The more sparsely populated West was a mystery even for political experts. Some thought that Bryan’s legacy would be enough to keep most of the region in the Democratic column. Others pointed out that Dewey received few votes in the West in 1904. Roosevelt was popular in the region and some predicted a Republican sweep of those states accordingly. Others thought that that the region would be split, or that the Populists or Socialists might take some states. Ultimately, Dewey was trounced in the West as he was in most places outside the South. Roosevelt was simply a lot more popular than Dewey. Voters also wanted a change after sixteen years of Democrat rule.
-Excerpt from America's Silver Age, Edward S. Scott, Patriot Publishers, 2017.
Theodore Roosevelt (R-NY)/Leonard Wood (R-NH), 6,775,701 votes (49.10%), 300 Electoral Votes
George Dewey (D-VT)/John Johnson (D-MN), 5,620,658 votes (40.73%), 180 Electoral Votes
Thomas Watson (P-GA)/Caldwell Edwards (P-MT), 594,771 votes (4.31%), 7 Electoral Votes [1]
Bill Haywood (S-UT)/Carl Thompson (S-WI), 534,052 votes (3.87%), 0 Electoral Votes
Others[2], 274,616 votes (1.99%), 1 Electoral Vote
Dewey’s last act as President was the modernization of America’s Navy, which he felt had been neglected under the Bryan administration. After leaving office in 1909 he would gradually fade from America’s collective memory. Nearly every American (as well as many foreigners) knows a thing or two about William Jennings Bryan and Theodore Roosevelt. But mentions of George Dewey are often met with blank stares. Few would rank him at the top of America’s greatest Presidents, but even fewer would rank him near the bottom. The economy was in a fair condition and the people were generally happy. He wasn’t a highly effective leader, but America was not facing any major crises that required strong leadership. Some conservative historians in later years came to appreciate Dewey’s hands-off approach to government that distinguished himself from the rest of America’s Presidents in the early 20th century.
-Excerpt from America's Admiral, Arnold Warner, Howard Publishing Co., 1945.
1: 6 faithless electors from Georgia and one from Nevada
2: Mostly Prohibition and various write-ins, the electoral vote was from New Hampshire and it was for for Leonard Wood.
-Excerpt from The Guide to the Executive Mansion, an in Depth Look at America's Presidents, Benjamin Buckley, Harvard Press, 1999.
Dewey had to face the discontented elements of his own party. He thanked God that Bryan wasn’t getting himself involved in this election. The other major Populist rabble-rouser, William Randolph Hearst, decided to not get involved in either the Democratic or Populist Presidential nominations. This meant that the Populist Party was not going to be the threat that it was in 1904. All Dewey had to do was win the nomination and then he would have most Democrats on his side. As Dewey himself challenged a sitting President for the nomination it was only fair that he too would receive a challenge at the convention. Former Colorado Governor William Hope Harvey was a favorite of Western Delegates who felt no love for Dewey. Various favorite sons, mostly from the South, also competed. In the end, Dewey won convincingly. Minnesota Governor John Johnson was selected as his running mate.
(John Johnson)
Most people expected the GOP to nominate Senator Leonard Wood for President, and rising star Representative Theodore Roosevelt for Vice President. But the majority of delegates were convinced that Roosevelt would be a better candidate and they nominated him for President and Wood for Vice President. Unlike in 1904, the Republican Party of 1908 would be unified with only minor exceptions. Dewey was confident of his chances against Wood, but not Roosevelt. In order to win, he would need to carry the entire South and then carry enough States in the West and hope for victory in states like New Jersey or Ohio. And it needed to be an outright victory in the Electoral College. If the election went to the House it would be a clear Republican victory. The election hinged on the loyalty of diehard Bryan supporters. Would they follow Charles Bryan’s advice and remain loyal Democrats or would they fall to Roosevelt and the Republicans?
(Left: Theodore Roosevelt, Right: Leonard Wood)
Technically, there were other options for Bryan voters as well. The Populists nominated Bryan’s 1904 running mate Thomas Watson of Georgia for President and Representative Caldwell Edwards of Montana for Vice President. But the majority of people who voted for the Populist ticket in 1904 only did so out of loyalty to William Jennings Bryan. There was also Socialist candidate Bill Haywood of Utah, with his running mate Carl Thompson, a minister from Wisconsin. In 1904 the Socialist Labor Party fell under the radar as there were four major candidates for President. This year would see their support greatly increase and they won several local elections. However, for most Americans 1908 was a contest between Dewey and Roosevelt.
The main focus of both major party campaigns was the states on the Ohio River. The more sparsely populated West was a mystery even for political experts. Some thought that Bryan’s legacy would be enough to keep most of the region in the Democratic column. Others pointed out that Dewey received few votes in the West in 1904. Roosevelt was popular in the region and some predicted a Republican sweep of those states accordingly. Others thought that that the region would be split, or that the Populists or Socialists might take some states. Ultimately, Dewey was trounced in the West as he was in most places outside the South. Roosevelt was simply a lot more popular than Dewey. Voters also wanted a change after sixteen years of Democrat rule.
-Excerpt from America's Silver Age, Edward S. Scott, Patriot Publishers, 2017.
George Dewey (D-VT)/John Johnson (D-MN), 5,620,658 votes (40.73%), 180 Electoral Votes
Thomas Watson (P-GA)/Caldwell Edwards (P-MT), 594,771 votes (4.31%), 7 Electoral Votes [1]
Bill Haywood (S-UT)/Carl Thompson (S-WI), 534,052 votes (3.87%), 0 Electoral Votes
Others[2], 274,616 votes (1.99%), 1 Electoral Vote
Dewey’s last act as President was the modernization of America’s Navy, which he felt had been neglected under the Bryan administration. After leaving office in 1909 he would gradually fade from America’s collective memory. Nearly every American (as well as many foreigners) knows a thing or two about William Jennings Bryan and Theodore Roosevelt. But mentions of George Dewey are often met with blank stares. Few would rank him at the top of America’s greatest Presidents, but even fewer would rank him near the bottom. The economy was in a fair condition and the people were generally happy. He wasn’t a highly effective leader, but America was not facing any major crises that required strong leadership. Some conservative historians in later years came to appreciate Dewey’s hands-off approach to government that distinguished himself from the rest of America’s Presidents in the early 20th century.
-Excerpt from America's Admiral, Arnold Warner, Howard Publishing Co., 1945.
1: 6 faithless electors from Georgia and one from Nevada
2: Mostly Prohibition and various write-ins, the electoral vote was from New Hampshire and it was for for Leonard Wood.
Supreme Court in 1909
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court:
Melville Fuller
Illinois
Born February 11, 1833
Grover Cleveland Appointee (1888)
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court:
John Marshall Harlan
Kentucky
Born June 1, 1833
Rutherford B. Hayes Appointee (1877)
David Josiah Brewer
Kansas
Born June 20, 1837
Benjamin Harrison Appointee (1889)
George Shiras Jr.
Massachussetts
Born January 26, 1832
Benjamin Harrison Appointee (1892)
Edward Douglass White
Louisiana
Born November 3, 1845
Grover Cleveland Appointee (1894)
Rufus Wheeler Peckham
New York
Born November 8, 1838
Grover Cleveland Appointee (1895)
Walter McKenzie Clark
North Carolina
Born August 19, 1846
William Jennings Bryan Appointee (1899)
John Worth Kern
Indiana
Born December 20, 1849
William Jennings Bryan Appointee (1902)
Alton Brooks Parker
New York
Born May 14, 1852
George Dewey Appointee (1906)
Melville Fuller
Illinois
Born February 11, 1833
Grover Cleveland Appointee (1888)
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court:
John Marshall Harlan
Kentucky
Born June 1, 1833
Rutherford B. Hayes Appointee (1877)
David Josiah Brewer
Kansas
Born June 20, 1837
Benjamin Harrison Appointee (1889)
George Shiras Jr.
Massachussetts
Born January 26, 1832
Benjamin Harrison Appointee (1892)
Edward Douglass White
Louisiana
Born November 3, 1845
Grover Cleveland Appointee (1894)
Rufus Wheeler Peckham
New York
Born November 8, 1838
Grover Cleveland Appointee (1895)
Walter McKenzie Clark
North Carolina
Born August 19, 1846
William Jennings Bryan Appointee (1899)
John Worth Kern
Indiana
Born December 20, 1849
William Jennings Bryan Appointee (1902)
Alton Brooks Parker
New York
Born May 14, 1852
George Dewey Appointee (1906)
It really isn't. It's more the fault of people on this site that he pops in so often. Historically, his rise to President was hilariously accidental given that he was not liked by the old boys in the GOP and was only on there as a sop to populists/progressives, and he'd likely be shuffled away otherwise. It took a deranged person with a gun to change that plan.
Yeah, talk about a Reassignment Backfire; Mark Hanna even warned them this could happen, but the old boys thought that it couldn't (1). Of course, a certain anarchist proved them very wrong...
(1) Lord only knows why, given that, in their lifetimes, two presidents had been shot (Lincoln and Garfield), and their vice-presidents had ascended to the presidency...
(1) Lord only knows why, given that, in their lifetimes, two presidents had been shot (Lincoln and Garfield), and their vice-presidents had ascended to the presidency...
Leon wasn't insane, if anything his trial was insane. He pleaded guilty and the judge overruled him, and despite refusing to speek to the attorneys assigned to him they tried to get him acquit him on insanity.
He knew full well what he was doing and fully accepted that he would be executed. And frankly there are few american presidents more deserving of a bullet than McKinley
Social recluse, hermit, willingly walked in to murder a guy and thus go to his own death too. He ain't no Hinckley, but I wouldn't call him rational.
Well then, that's a pretty choleric response on a guy who I'd honestly just put in the middle given we've had far worse than him in office. Talking to you Franklin Pierce, Warren G. Harding, and Ulysses S. Grant.
Grant gets a bad rep. He did the best he could with Reconstruction after Johnson pandered to the South.