1900 United States presidential election | McKinley vs. Bryan, campaigns and results

1900 United States presidential electionAmerican presidential election held on November 6, 1900, during which Republican holder Close. William McKinley defeated Democrat William JenningsBryanwinning 292 electoral votes to Bryan’s 155.

In brief: the election of 1900

A question of imperialism

In March 1898, two years into his first presidential term, William McKinley issued an ultimatum to Spain, which was in the midst of a brutal campaign of repression in Cuba. Spain agreed to most of McKinley’s demands, including a cessation of hostilities against the Cubans, but was reluctant to abandon its last major colony in the New World. On April 25, Congress passed a formal declaration of war in the interest of securing Cuban independence. In brief Spanish-American War— “a splendid little war”, in the words of the Secretary of State John Hay-THE UNITED STATES easily defeated Spanish forces in the Philippines, Cuba and Puerto Rico. THE subsequent Treaty of Parissigned in December 1898 and ratified by the Senate in February 1899, ceded Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States; Cuba became independent.

The conflict proved to be the defining issue of the election. McKinley, who was re-nominated by the Republicans at their national convention in Philadelphia in June 1900 – continued to emphasize an expansionist policy foreign policyarguing that the anti-American rebellion taking place in the Philippines should be suppressed and that American rule should be “supreme” there. He used typical empire-building logic to justify continued military intervention in the Philippine archipelago, claiming that the United States had a moral and the religious obligation to “civilize and Christianize” its inhabitants. His position was improved by the selection as running mate of the time new York governor Theodore Rooseveltwho won all but one vote in the first round. (Garrett Hobartvice president during McKinley’s first term, had died in office the previous year.) Roosevelt had made his name during the war by leading a charge of Rough Riders that took Kettle Hill (often called San Juan Hill, which was nearby) in Cuba; he had returned home as a national hero. His rise to the nomination was aided by New York political leaders, unhappy with his efforts at gubernatorial reform—particularly regarding patronage—and seeking to rid themselves of his intrusive influence.

William Jennings Bryan, McKinley’s Democratic opponent in 1896, was again nominated to the party convention in July 1896. Kansas City, Missouri. Adlai Stevensonwho had been vice-president of Grover Clevelandwas chosen as his running mate. Democrats vehemently denounced the Republicans’ quest for empire and resurrected power. controversial question of the free circulation of silver in a ratio of 16:1 to gold (at Bryan’s request).

The campaign and the elections

Ohio industrial Marc Hannawho had managed McKinley’s campaign and filled his coffers during his first presidential bid in 1896 and whom McKinley had appointed to a vacant Senate seat in 1897, was again perplexed by the incumbent. Roosevelt was also an active campaigner and proved to be a powerful orator and formidable debater as he traveled across the country. Both men were the main faces of the Republican ticket; McKinley was absent from the campaign.

In addition to defending and urging expansionist policies, Republicans have called for maintaining Dingley Tariffinstituted under McKinley in 1897; up to that point, it was the highest protective tariff imposed in the United States. They cited the relative prosperity of the previous four years, using the campaign slogan “Four more years of full dinner.” Reversing their previous position, the Republicans, although still in favor of a canal crossing the Central American isthmus, clearly refused to specify that it should cross Nicaragua. They favored a Panamanian route, a position influenced by large donations from New Zealand. Panama Canal Business. (Democrats had little choice but to continue to favor the Nicaraguan path.) The platform also included a relatively lukewarm condemnation of Southern states’ efforts to block the Democratic Party’s enfranchisement of black voters. . Fifteenth Amendment.

Although Bryan campaigned feverishly, giving more than 600 speeches and visiting more than half of the 45 states, he failed in his efforts to fight imperialism. feeling. His calls for Philippine independence were unpopular; many viewed the country as being in a position of moral guardian of the newly acquired territories. When Bryan moved on to the issue of trusts, Republicans, also officially antitrust, simply threw the question back at him, citing the Cleveland Democrat’s poor record on the issue.

Ultimately, McKinley prevailed, winning 51.7 percent of the popular vote and garnering 292 votes in the runoff. electoral college. Bryan received 45.5 percent of the popular vote and garnered only 155 electoral votes. Candidates from small parties, notably the Socialists and the Prohibition Partyhad little effect on the race.

For previous election results, see 1896 United States presidential election. For the results of the following elections, see 1904 United States presidential election.

Richard Pallardy

1900 election results

The results of the 1900 United States presidential election are shown in the table.