I'll be honest when i thought that Blaine was going to be next, hell i was hoping. But Butler was surprisingly my second choice.
TLIAW(II):A Rigged Deck, for a Rigged System
- Thread starter Nofix
- Start date
The unwritten draft version of this is so different from the end result even I'm speechless. This whole project started out while I was at the dentist and my mind was wondering after reading another TLIAW how I could get obscure third party men like John St. John into power. And it all exploded in a hundred directions after I started to write. Blaine is one of many ideas I wanted to do, but had to decline because other ideas won over.
#23.) Benjamin Harrison - Federalist
(1889-1893)
(1889-1893)
Vice-President:
George Washington Custis Lee, Federalist (1889-1891)
None (1891-1893)
Governor Benjamin Harrison, grandson of former Federalist nominee William Henry Harrison, was the victor over Iowa Governor James Weaver. Harrison, despite being a Federalist, was one of the men who had to deal with the situation in the South, and did so rather well. Northern newspapers told lurid tales of Southern bosses and plantation men abusing, killing, sexually assaulting, and commuting all kinds of crimes on their workers. Reformers took to the stands and demanded the government do something for the workingman and the abuse he endured. Southern leaders ferociously fought back on this, demanding to know why haven't the newspapers of the North looked at the abuse factory workers and miners face, and instead attack only the South for it's crimes. Former acting-President Lamar called for "full defiance" of the domination of the South, lest she become but a colony of the North.
The Harrison Administration was rather troubled on the issue of government oversight on the South. Much of their work was done at the lowest levels, and opposition came from all over the South were venturing their nose could provoke a reaction. Harrison wanted to deploy marshals and attorneys quickly and get Congress to update their labor laws, Vice-President Lee (scion of the prestigious Lee family of Virginia, which had held the governorship for three consecutive generations) opposed this, calling for a more understanding policy. That Southern bosses were innocent and the damage came not from institutionalized abuse, but mere hysteria by Reformers and anti-Southern prejudice. This created an uncomfortable situation where the Vice-President was publicly opposing his administrations policies.
Eventually Congress got to work and passed a new comprehensive labor-relations bill. While not quite the overwhelming set of reforms the Reformers demanded (no 8-hour day, no ban on child labor, etc.) it was good enough that most Americans were in favor of it. The Suffrage War, as some newspapers called it, buckled down in violence as labor reform came, but many came to continue their campaign for reform the Souths archaic Democracy (if it could even be called as such). Orleans had been the first to call in a Constitutional Convention, their second ever, and they planned to include provisions for white and negro suffrage. Called by Governor Bryant W. Bailey, it was violently opposed by the state Federalists and True Whigs.
Existing as a sort of Southern Rights Party, the True Whigs were known to use intimidation and violence against those who "impugned the honor of the South." While the anti-peonage militia were smart enough not to attack Federal installations or agent, the True Whigs made a grievous mistake when they lynched an aide to the district attorney who was heard discussing electoral reform with some men in a restaurant. The Harrison Administration struck back hard, ordering the entire parish under military lockdown and all person caught working to "undermine the foundations of the National Government," hanged for their crimes. And in fact, 14 men were convicted and summarily hanged, which further stoked resentment of anti-suffrage Southerners.
Eventually Harrison bit the bullet and, in his 1891 State of the Union Address, asked Congress to pass a Constitutional Amendment formally enfranchising the populace on all levels. Predictably Southerners were apoplectic at this suggestion, although many of your average voter at the time was tired of the battle. Let them have their franchise, anything just to stop the violence they pleaded. Vice-President Lee resigned in protest and when the amendment came up for a vote non-Reformer Southerners abstained en mass. The 13th Amendment was officially adopted July 4th, 1894, formally enfranchising all American citizens. In a few years the Supreme Court, dominated by Federalists since time immemorial, declared that yes, citizens included women and Negroes and Indians too.
Harrison is remembered as a good President. Not quite great, as many take him to task for being slow and unenthusiastic at pursuing suffrage and labor reform, but others give him accolades for taking unpopular positions in his own party in order to do the right thing. The economy improved during his term, tariffs were lowered slightly despite Federalist desire for them to say high. Harrison lost due to unpopularity within his own party, not due to general unpopularity. In fact, Harrison was so respected his successor, the man who challenged him twice for the office of President, requested that he serve on the Supreme Court when a seat opened up. He declined, preferring to retire home instead.
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Fascinating how race relations are developing in this timeline. Poor whites banding together with poor blacks in the south? Say it ain't so!
The era of personalities is only about to begin.
Slavery dies a "natural" death, and no Reconstruction means that after a half-century of being treated like shit, there's no 'nigger rule' for the rich whites to corral the poor whites against.
#24.) James Baird Weaver - Reform
(1893-1897)
Vice-President:
William A. Poynter, Reform (1893-1897)
Still having high popularity from his 1888 run, James Weaver ran again in 1892 and beat both Harrison and True Whig Benjamin Tillman. Tillman, unlike most True Whigs, was a former member of the Reform Party, working to bring more accountability to the banks and establish campaign finance legislation while in Congress. However, when he saw how radical many Southern Reformers were becoming he jumped to Lamar's faction and won the nomination based on his oratory in Congress. Southern Federalists were horrified when they saw just how much of a "Duty and Honor" man he was, when he openly stated his support of lynching to keep Negroes and whites suspected of miscegenation. They flocked en masse to support Weaver after seeing how low Harrison's support was in the Southern states, and desperate to beat the True Whigs before they ballooned into an actual permanent political presence.
While not quite the most "honest" or deserved of victories, Weaver pledged to do good by his nation and heal the wounds incurred by the the violence in the South. For the first time, the Senate, and thus both houses of Congress, was in control of the Reform Party. Campaign finance laws, child labor bills, and new taxes on factories were implemented. Meanwhile, more serious discussions on Governmental reform were approached. Some, like New Jersey Senator Wilson, advocated a radical change into Unicameral Parliament, while others wanted to abolish the Senate (or at least her powers), but the most popular idea was that of making the Senate elected. This wasn't quite a new idea, James Wilson, one of Washington's first six Supreme Court Justices proposed an elected Senate while drafting the Constitutions. And the idea of came up again and again throughout the years, most recently being voted as part of the 1892 Reform Party platform.
It took 17 years, being finished in 1910, but it would be another victory for the rapidly rising Reform Party. Like the Whigs before them, they outwitted the Federalists and managed to draw diverse groups together and achieve mass success while the Federalists played catch up. Meanwhile, like with the Whigs, there was a significant degree of infighting between their wings. Western Agrarians, represented by the sitting Iowan President and Nebraskan Vice-President, as well as Smith and even Butler to a degree, were rapidly becoming a minority within their own party. Eastern workers began to integrate into the party, having long ago accepted Federalist rule and slow, but eventual, bones thrown their way. Southern whites and blacks began to use their suffrage en masse for the men who fought with them.
In fact, Reformers in Congress tended to be far more to the left then their President. William Dudley Haywood of Utah tended to buck the President on his measures as being too weak, regardless of the chances either man's proposal had, and led the "Radical" wing of the party. The two wings of the party in the 1880's could be summed up as "Western agrarians" and "Eastern industrial labor." In 1892 it would add "anti-True Whigs" for a short time, and later it would also juggled "General radicals" across the US, and the "Southern biracial coalition of the poor." Weaver was seen as progressive by the 1888 election, standard-pat by 1892, and somewhat archaic and even conservative by 1896 on many issues, including his lukewarm support of black votes, who made up a strong amount of their new Southern wing.
When discussing his cabinet about the possibility of a second term, most agreed he was unlikely to happen. Instead, Vice-President Holcomb endorsed a new face for the party. Most of the Reform Party presidential candidates had been old and not quite physically appealing. Instead, Holcomb endorsed his gubernatorial ally, with the caveat that Weaver would retain importance to the new Administration and possible even be appointed to office.
Weaver was considered a mediocre President in his day, regardless of his successes. Historians are kinder, praising him for successfully navigating the Reform Party throughout control of Congress and the Presidency, and not making any key errors like publicly feuding with dissenting Reformers. Others attack his refusal to support black officeholders or make black appointments in the South, even in areas where they would serve in black majority areas. Only after much fighting from the few black members of Congress, and their state allies, did he appoint a few men here and there.
#25.) William Jennings Bryan - Reform
(1897-1905)
Vice-President:
Thomas Edward Watson, Reform (1897-1905)
Governor of Nebraska Bryan, elected in the 1890 gubernatorial election, was nationally popular for his oratory, his merging of the various third parties out west into the Reform fold (not least of which the Prohibitionists who dominated the rural counties of the west) and for being able to counter a 20 to 1 spending disadvantage by the Federalist's who desperately wanted to defeat the young charismatic politician. Bryan's ally, Vice-President Poynter, tapped him for a run in 1896, with permission from President Weaver and the belief that everything will flow smoothly from Weaver's to Bryan's Administration. Bryan agreed, but made it clear he was his own man, and did not intend to be bossed around by his allies.
Former President Harrison turned down another chance at office, instead promoting his former cabinet member, Robert Todd Lincoln. Lincoln too felt not quite right about running for President, as son of the 16th, he always felt like people were expecting too much from him due to his lineage. Instead he preferred to lead from behind and not attract too much attention to himself, rising from famous Representative to Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and later Attorney General. Ironically, if it weren't for his zeal to prove himself as a man in his own right, he might not have ever received the experience or positions he did, and wouldn't have been all but forced to run. He reluctantly accepted the nomination.
The Bryan campaign did quite possibly one of the most clever things in the history of pre-1900 electioneering. They challenged Lincoln to a debate. While lower level races included the candidates debating, be it Mayor, Governor, Senator, or something else, Presidential elections were seen as "above" running like that. In an open letter, Bryan attacked the whole thing as a sham, including the silliness of having candidates "happen" to have speeches written and read on their front porches. The Lincoln campaign refused and was made to look by Reform newspapers as cowards and stodgy old men who refused to keep with the times. They later changed their minds in the last few months of the election in hopes of reversing that image, but all that did was make them look desperate and alienate some of their old members who disdained the levels their party would sink to court a few votes.
Most newspaper coverage was partisan in the days and often read in tandem with other papers to glean some measure of truth from them. Even Federalist papers had to admit the strength of Bryan's clarity, intelligence, and rhetoric. Lincoln wasn't bad per say, but Bryan ran around him faster then the old man could keep up. Lincoln accepted his loss rather gratefully, happy even with his "duty" over. He would remain in Washington as an occasional lawyer and biographer.
Bryan inherited a Reform Congress and a Reform Cabinet, and put to work all of them. Early prohibition attempts were beaten back by the Federalists, but aside from that the Bryan years were quick and long reaching in terms of their laws. The then-highest income taxation, reciprocation agreements with most of Latin and Southern America, national insurance for farm crops, and a blockade of arms to Europe as the Hapsburg Civil War began to involve all of the powers in Europe. While America had remained fairly isolationist since the Van Buren Administration, their embassies have maintained constant presences out in the world. So when Franz Josef was assassinated by a Bosnian anarchist in 1894, the United States was quick to sent their regrets and refuse any arms or money to go to the Bosnian's. The Bryan Administration expanded this from the Bosnian government to the whole of Europe, claiming "Capital is the greatest weapon in war," and greatly limited the borrowing and credit of the warring powers, and wholly restricting the sale of arms and munitions.
In 1900 New York Governor Theodore Roosevelt challenged Bryan on his foreign policy, seeing how popular his economic policy was among the lower classes. Roosevelt charged Bryan with abandoning their European allies and engaging in "foolish moral games" instead having of a true foreign policy. Unfortunately for Roosevelt, his allies cared more about attack Bryan on his strengths, then his weaknesses. Foreign policy under Reform Presidents tended to be not as well formulated as their Federalist counterparts, lacking the many connections that high-ranking Federalists often had in Europe. The Federalists understood the resentment many European powers had against one another, and how far they were willing to crush the others. Bryan remained optimistic he could get them to peace with the help of various other world leaders.
While Bryan worked with the various Southern American Presidents, and strangely enough the Japanese Emperor, to try and bring the warring powers to disengage, the Federalists merely hit him on economics. The peace attempts went nowhere, and could have been propagandized as incompetence. But the Federalists wanted revenge for his "anti-rich" economics and didn't realize the popularity of his economics and the relative ignorance most Americans had on the European War, which translated as widespread support for ending bloodshed. Bryan himself tried to be a statesmen in his actions, and collected allies who felt the same about war, like Mexico's. President Francisco León de la Barra called an end to the "mindless catastrophe in Europe" that had been going on for so long. Eventually Roosevelt lost, but retained much respect even from older Federalists for his ability to combat Bryan and his strength in the lone debate the two had.
Europe's war raged on, Bryan's economics became more and more helpful to the average Americans, and the next 4 years whizzed by. He eventually found a place for Weaver, appointing him to the Supreme Court, and shuffled around the cabinet here and there. He rejected any calls for a third term, despite his youth and popularity, and endorsed Vice-President Watson for his office. Bryan is remembered fairly fondly as far as Reform Presidents go. A trendsetter in modern electioneering, and willing to appoint many Negro men to office, some condemn him for focusing too much on rural poverty and ignoring the growing numbers and pains of the urban working class. Reformers would so undergo a generational shift, with the urban wing becoming ascendant and industrial reform coming to the forefront. Some go as far as to call this the Radical Reform Party and consider it a wholly different party from that of Smith, Butler, Weaver, and Bryan. But the last two men stuck with the party throughout their lives, occasionally bucking standard dogma for younger members, but never running away from it.
#26.) Theodore Roosevelt - Federalist
(1905-1909)
(1905-1909)
Vice-President:
William Howard Taft, Federalist (1905-1909)
The first fifth of American politics in the 20th century was dominated by a select few personalities. Theodore Roosevelt alone would run 4 times from 1900 to 1916. Losing first to Bryan, he would make himself the face of New Federalism. Emphasizing environmental protection, moderate positions on labor unions, Roosevelt managed to force conservative Federalists and businesses to heel on some issues and accept how popular the Reform agenda. The more socialistic tendencies of the Debs candidacy drove moderate Reformers to Roosevelt, as well as the exhaustion of 3 consecutive terms under one party. Something that hadn't happened since the Buchanan and Lincoln administrations.
The Federalists also managed to win back the House of Representatives, ironically making the Senate their biggest difficulty in passing legislation. Roosevelt's term was mostly popular, with continued involvement of the government in the economy but of a different sort. The largest change from Bryan's term was Roosevelt's more aggressive attempts to involvement America into overseas affairs. America hadn't been involved in a war for some half-century, the Native campaigns out west notwithstanding. Roosevelt's militaristic attitude interested some who wanted to see the United States take a larger role in international affairs, and repulsed others who saw him as a war mongering idiot with no idea what he was doing.
Where Bryan popularized the Presidency, Roosevelt brought it back strength. He engaged in one of the first serious Army and Navy reforms in decades, pushed through a repeal of the restrictions of what could and couldn't go to Europe. The Stock Market jumped when it was announced Americans could trade easier with European powers. While the Allies had stalled in Prussia for some year and a half now, the surge of supplies and capital allowed them to clear the way to all of the German states.
Come 1908 Roosevelt would not gain a second consecutive term. His alliance of the Allies mobilized large amounts of the Irish and the ethnic immigrants from Russian-conquered lands to vote against him, humiliating Roosevelt by not only losing the election, but his home state of New York as well. Roosevelt's first term was remembered by historians as a rather good one, continued reform along the lines of a more progressive conservatism, helping out the western Allied Powers for a "world safe for Democracy" according to later interventionists. Conservatives and Isolationists loath the man, then and now. The Federalists who fell under both categories consider him little better then a demagogue and political prostitute with no redeeming qualities.
I think that's the key word . "Consecutive". Is Teddy going to pull a Cleveland and get a non-consecutive second term?
#27.) Eugene Victor Debs - Reform
(1909-1913)
Vice-President:
Robert Marion La Follette Sr., Reform (1909-1913)
The longtime leader of the Reform Party's urban and Socialist wing, he wrested control of the party from the agrarians in 1904 and lead them until his death in 1923. Debs' victory in 1908 came on the back of ethnic voters who, many for the first time, voted in droves for the Reform Party. On the hatred of either Russia, Britain, or occasionally France and Italy, Debs won the largest popular vote thus far, and retook the House. The Debs Administration encountered the most resistance from big business, the Federalists, and even some rural Reformers who were being courted by Roosevelt on his own time and dime.
As Europe began to be redrawn by the victorious powers, Debs wanted Congress to demand an upfront payment of all war loans and to cash their debts. While resisting a complete demand, which would enrage the Allies and possibly lead to confrontations, Congress did pass a new law demanding up front payment for any supplies going toward the usage of war. Debs also engendered much support for the Colonial resistance movements by announcing the support of the Indian National Congress government, which had taken the chance to seize most of India from the British during the Great War. Now that Britain was free from her obligations in Europe, the plan was to retake India within the next few years. With an American President frustrating that plan, they threatened to suspend their ambassadors and consider this "engaging hostilities."
Ironically, the military that Roosevelt build up came into play here when Debs sent out several new battleships out around the Indian coast to meet Indian Ambassador Gopal Krishna Gokhale. Britain, weakened by years of fighting, and exhausted Treasury, and a potentially mutinous populace, wisely decided to give up on India, causing much embarrassment after the loud and hard words were spoken and not backed up on. Colonial Independence leaders would follow and support Debs until his death.
However, even within his own party his decision wasn't very popular. While Federalist denounced him for intervening in the "internal affairs" of another country, Reformers attacked him on the Isolationist and Pacifistic fronts. Jeannette Rankin issued one of the loudest denouncements of Debs' foreign policy for his militaristic ways and his "hypocritical willingness to use violent means to produce a nonviolent end." It was little surprise that the pendulum swung back and re-elected Roosevelt. Even with a rather strong Anti-War Party running, Roosevelt still managed to win a majority of the popular vote. The American public might not having like the British Empire, but they didn't want them to be their enemies quite yet.
Debs is best remembered for being one of the first openly anti-Colonialist and anti-Imperialist world leaders that could actually make an impact on the world. While he caused a great deal of controversy in his day, people around the world held very polarized opinions on his conduct, he managed to earn a great deal of love from Asian and African countries. The Philippines was one that took their chances at independence following the British-American exchange, knowing that both Japan and America would be willing to assist them in their revolt against Spain. African's along the southern coast began revolting against their oppressors. Even Ireland began a campaign that lead to a humiliating British underperformance, and the evacuation of nearly all of her Protestant population. While not achieving much economically until later, The socialist faction of the Reform Party did earn much support from the person's of "oppressed" lineage and would cement itself as knowledgeable on foreign affairs..
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Might Roosevelt have consecutive terms later on?
EDIT: Holy shit, you actually did it. You actually made a President Debbs. I love you now.
EDIT: Holy shit, you actually did it. You actually made a President Debbs. I love you now.
Hey if i can give them to Van Buren, why not others?
I don't think that's legally possible, unless we get Roosevelt to accept a Vice-Presidency a few terms late.
Yes I truly am the greatest.
But really thanks. guinazacity
Banned
This is awesome, President Debs? glorious.
TTL USA is going to be an awesome place.
TTL USA is going to be an awesome place.
#28.) Theodore Roosevelt - Federalist
(1913-1917)
(1913-1917)
Vice-President:
Thomas Woodrow Wilson, Federalist (1913-1916)
None, (1916-1917)
The first non-consecutive Presidency since Van Buren went a lot smoother then Van Buren's. Roosevelt's victory over Debs came with a retaking of both houses of Congress, owing to the many Independent Reform or Anti-War tickets which opposed the standing war Reformers. Over time most of these Anti-War politicians and voters came back into the Reform fold, seeing how they allowed Roosevelt back in and how much more of a warmonger he was the Debs ever could be.
While recognizing that India was not going to simply accept domination again, Roosevelt did his best not to earn the hatred of Europe by supporting the various Independence movements in Africa and Asia. Suspending trade with them, he reversed American course and tried to solidify the world order. And denounced the "socialists, anarchistic, and backwards looking enemies of White culture" who fought for self-rule. Even the Irish, to him, were not competent enough to handle their own affairs, and he publicly predicted ruin and bankruptcy for and independent Ireland.
Roosevelt's position had been debated back and forth today, with enemies calling him the greatest friend white supremacy and European colonization ever had in a North American leader. Supporters call him what he called himself, a progressive conservative. Someone who recognized the need for reform and change, but did not force the issue and preferred to act after widespread support had already been laid down. And seeing how many African and Asian countries were too "backwards" to take care of themselves, the best course of action was to let Europe Christianize and take care of them until they were ready for Independence.
Even in his day he was attacked for this position, hatefully so at times. The Negro Caucus in Congress issued a letter denouncing his "idiotic" belief in how colonies were run. Did he think Europe was going to waste their money and time making Africa better then let them go? Did he even know what as going on in Africa or was he just playing dumb? George W. Murray damned him as "the greatest personal enemy the Negro ever had." Ironically enough, Roosevelt also appointed the first Negro to his cabinet, Representative William T. Vernon as Education Secretary. Many argue whether he appointed Vernon to counter claims of racism, or to move one of the few Negro Federalists out of the way of a likely 1914 loss.
Roosevelt's movement away from supporting the Independence movements going on endeared him somewhat to European leaders, some of which who knew his family personally. But after the Irish successfully seceded from Britain, and extracted a treaty giving them all of Ireland, anti-American sentiment became widespread. Effigies of former President Debs were burned in London, and the Labour Party headquarters was burned down, seen as both unpatriotic in refusing to endorse the war, but as tools of American influence. Leading newspapers of the day said if Debs were re-elected in 1916 there would likely be war between the two English speaking nations.
Despite this veiled threat, Debs announced his fourth run for the office of President, while Roosevelt announced his fifth run. This, technically, would have been a second consecutive term, but many Federalists didn't see it as this. They saw it as a third term. And they rioted. Letters were written condemning him, and Vice-President Wilson resigned in disgust. A few days after Roosevelt resigned an organization of "Anti-Reelection Federalists" was set up, and they threatened hell upon Roosevelt if he dare break Washington' precedent.
Roosevelt countered that their world was far more unstable then in Washington's time, and only he could run now and prevent them from falling into anarchy, as Hungary had; communism, as the German states had; or a military government, as France had. A true three-way race emerged. Many AR Federalists begged Debs to quit and not risk letting Roosevelt back in, Debs replied he wasn't going to just surrender the election. Besides, he mocked, in a race with two Federalists all the better for him no? Eventually the race was sent to the House, after a three-way split in the electoral vote.
Roosevelt's second term isn't very well remembered. Many condemn him for his antiquated race policies, and his seeming repudiation of everything Washington stood for. Siding with Europe over fellow colonies and his attempted breaking of the third term tradition damned him to defeat and a bad reputation among many Americans. The Federalists would be very damaged by Roosevelt's attempted break of precedent and would be licking their wounds for some time to come.
#29.) Charles Evan Hughes - 'Anti-Reelection' Federalist
(1917-1921)
(1917-1921)
Vice-President:
John Milliken Parker, 'Roosevelt' Federalist (1917-1921)
The Anti-Reelection Federalist Party was, technically speaking, a third party. While most everyone involved was originally a Federalist, and thus who were near unanimously returned to the party, plenty of them were Reformer's who figured Debs couldn't stand on his own against Roosevelt again (having only won in 1908 while losing in 1904 and 1912). Whether they were right about Debs losing in a straight match was right or wrong, many abandoned him and embarrassingly pushed him down to third place. Several western states even took Debs off the ballot and had Hughes under a fusion Anti-Reelection Federalist-Reform Party banner. Even some southern and eastern Reform Party officeholders endorsed Hughes over Debs. Many of these men lost their re-elections or were retiring anyways. The Reformer delegations in the House of Representatives eventually gave in and elected Hughes alongside the Anti-Reelection Federalists. Meanwhile, the Roosevelt Federalist was elected as a way to damage the already ailing Hughes Administration, which hadn't even started.
Hughes pursued a moderate path in office, knowing his situation was thanks to the Reformers. The long awaited public utilities bill was signed in by Hughes, despite some reservations, and many acts regulating railroads, banks, and stock gamblers were passed. Overseas Britain began warring with itself, hunting down every trace of "anti-patriotic" persons and ordering a blockade of Ireland to some international indignation. Hughes himself declared it to be a violation of international law and ordered his Ambassador out of Britain, much to the indignation of Roosevelt Federalists.
Meanwhile in France, a strange alliance of Republicans and exile Bonapartists brought down the military government, placing Napoléon V in office as constitutional monarch as an exchange. This was the third time a Napoléon had been crowned over a formerly Republican government. Napoléon I, his son Napoléon II, and now their distant relative Napoléon V. Charles Joseph Bonaparte, former Governor of Maryland and naturalized American, was appointed Ambassador to France. Possibly as a joke by Hughes, but more likely an attempt to use his family connections to get France over to America's side. France meanwhile began a policy of "pacification" of broken down countries. Some reminisced of how Napoléon conquered Europe one hundred years ago, although this time it wasn't actual conquest, merely helping "good governments" take control over "bad" ones.
The Hughes Administration was fairly deadlocked. Reformers became increasingly unhelpful as he moved closer to his original party, in hopes of securing a second term from both sides. The two Federalist Parties reunited when Roosevelt ruled out a fifth run, but would be grappling each other for years. And Hughes failed in his attempt for a second consecutive term. He quickly and publicly ruled out a run in 1924 before the results had even come in. Sadly for him he didn't stand a chance with his party in shambles.
Hughes is remembered as an unfortunate President. Not unqualified, merely hampered by a divided Federalist Party and a resurgent Reform Party. Very little was done, outside of passing a few Reformer bills early on. As an interesting piece of trivia, some say he was the second President who had English as a second language, some claiming he grew up first being taught Welsh by his father, but no conclusive evidence suggests so.
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#30.) Eugene Victor Debs - Reform
(1921-1923)
Vice-President:
Parley Parker Christensen, Reform (1921-1925)
The third man to serve non-consecutive terms in office, Debs reentered office by a landslide. The Federalists had reunited, but took an unprecedented 483 ballots to choose their nominee. There was only a few weeks left to campaign by the time James Cox of Ohio was chosen, and most of that was spend furiously trying to get his name and jumbled platform out. Debs' former Vice-President La Follette turned down to run again, content in the Senate. Running with Debs was Utah Senator Parley P. Christensen. Debs wanted to expand the social services offered by the government, taking a more domestic approach in his second term. The establishment of government run power plants across the South and West was probably the defining moment of his career, as millions of Americans were brought in electricity where corporations saw no need to do so.
Unfortunately a lifetime of hard work had caught up to him, and he died of a heart attack during a cabinet meeting, June 22, 1923. Succeeding him was Vice-President Christensen. Debs was mourned across the world, with many nations paying their respect to the man who backed them over the European empires that had them in a stranglehold. Even Napoléon V paid his respects to the man.
Debs' second term is probably the best of the three non-consecutive terms thus far, but not as good as his first term. No bad, just less important and not as successful, many wonder what he could have done if he lived to 1925. He is ranked highly among the Reformer Presidents, with rural and moderate Reformers finding more in Bryan to like, and urban or more radical Reformers finding Debs more to their liking.
#A.) Parley Parker Christensen - Reform
(1923-1925)
Vice-President:
Himself (1921-1925)
Christensen quickly made it clear he intended to follow up with Debs' platform and leave office in 1925. Averting a possible power struggle with La Follette, widely considered the new party leader, Christensen managed to have a respectable term in office. A national wage was established, an early attempt at an equal rights law was established, and further government power plants were established. Christensen was opposed by his interstate rival "Big Bill" Haywood. Enemies as far back as 1900, Haywood was generally the most radical member of the Reform Party, supporting the Anti-War Ticket and generally dismissing the late Debs' as a "Federalist-in-workingmans-clothing," and Christensen as a "Dog of the interests." Haywood threatened to run on an Independent Socialist ticket if the Reformer clique didn't open up to more "radical" alternatives to capitalism.
Christensen was offered the Vice-Presidency again, under La Follette's candidacy. He turned it down, jokingly claiming that "after time in that office [of President], I would find myself wishing for your [La Follette's] death to come quickly." Instead the nomination went to Nebraska senator, brother of the former President, Charles W. Bryan. William Bryan was ecstatic, and for the first time in years gave his vigorous campaign speeches.
Acting President Christensen is remembered as an ok President. Quickly establishing himself as the man in charge, he also didn't alienate his party or average Americans and continued Debs' work in office. His willingness to step down was seen as a courageous and intelligent act which kept the Reform Party united and not in shambles over factionalism.