To others it appeared that the voters were willing to accept the protective policy with a promise for honest tariff revision in order to obtain a continuation of the Roosevelt policies.
The popular vote is interesting mainly for what it showed concerning the changed strength of the small parties, During the period 1904 to 1908 the drift had evidently been away from them. The Socialist vote was nearly as large in 1908 as in 1904, which was a consolation to Socialists, for they had held the ground gained by the heavy vote in 1904. The Prohibition vote fell off about ten per cent from that polled in 1904 and the Independence party polled only 82,000 votes.
In the House of Representatives the Sixty-first Congress had 219 Republicans and 172 Democrats; the Senate 60 Republicans and 32 Democrats.
CHAPTER XV
THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT TAFT
[1909]
On March 4, 1909, the date of the inaugural ceremonies, Washington was visited by a heavy snow-storm, and Mr. Taft, departing from the custom of delivering his inaugural address at the east end of the Capitol, spoke in the Senate chamber. Many trains bearing visitors to Washington, from various parts of" the country, were blockaded, This condition served to emphasize the call, many times made, for the transfer of the date of these services to April 30, the day on which President Washington took the oath of office.
President Taft"s inaugural address was wise and temperate and satisfactory to the country at large. He a.s.serted that the most important feature of his administration would be the maintenance and enforcement of the reforms inaugurated by President Roosevelt. He justified appropriations, as his predecessor had done, for maintaining a suitable army and navy; advocated the conservation of our natural resources, the establishment of postal savings banks, and direct lines of steamers between North and South America.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
Copyright by Clinedinst, Washington.
President William H. Taft and Governor Hughes on the reviewing stand at the inauguration, March 4,1909.
The cabinet was made up of men largely gathered from private life, a majority of them being comparatively unknown to the public. Philander C.
Knox was United States senator from Pennsylvania when he was appointed Secretary of State. He had served as Attorney-General in President McKinley"s cabinet. Franklin MacVeagh, of Illinois, who was made Secretary of the Treasury, had been prominent as a merchant in Chicago and active in public affairs. Mr. MacVeagh and Jacob M. d.i.c.kinson, who became Secretary of War, were both members of the Democratic party. By inviting Democrats to become members of his political family, President Taft desired to give recognition to the fact that he had been elected by Democratic votes and had received substantial support in parts of the South. Mr. d.i.c.kinson was also from Chicago. The Secretary of the Navy, George von L. Meyer, of Ma.s.sachusetts, had served as amba.s.sador to Russia, and later as Postmaster-General during Mr. Roosevelt"s administration. Frank H. Hitchc.o.c.k, of Ohio, who was made Postmaster-General, had served as First a.s.sistant Postmaster-General.
George W. Wickersham, an attorney of good standing in New York City, was appointed Attorney-General. Richard A. Ballinger, of Seattle, who had been Commissioner of the General Land Office, 1907-1909, was appointed Secretary of the Interior. James Wilson, of Iowa, who had served as Secretary of Agriculture since 1897, was continued in that office.
Charles Nagel, a noted lawyer of St. Louis, was made Secretary of Commerce and Labor.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
Copyright, 1909, by Brown Bros., N. Y. Reading from left to right: President Taft, Franklin MacVeagh, Sec"y of the Treasury. George W.
Wickersham, Attorney-General. George von L. Meyer, Sec"y of the Navy, Philander C. Knox, Sec"y of State, James Wilson, Sec"y of Agriculture.
Charles Nagel, Sec"y of Commerce and Labor( above). Jacob M. d.i.c.kinson, Sec"y of War (below). Frank H. Hitchc.o.c.k, postmaster-General. Richard A.
Ballinger, Sec"y of the Interior. President Taft and Cabinet, 1909.
With the beginning of the new administration the President"s salary was increased to $75,000 a year; that of the Vice-President to $12,000; and members of the cabinet to $12,000.
From June 1 to October 15 there was held at Seattle the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. The rapid growth of Seattle has been due in no small degree to the fostering of trade with Alaska. The exhibits served to demonstrate the wisdom of the purchase of the territory, which at that time was characterized as Seward"s "folly."
Alaska has for some years been recognized as a country of wealth and opportunity. The gold output each year is more than three times the sum paid Russia for the territory. About one-fifth of the gold produced in the United States comes from Alaskan mines. Products amounting to $33,500,000 were shipped to the States from Alaska during the year 1907, and the return trade for that year amounted to $19,500,000. The value of the fishery products is five-sevenths as great as the output of the gold mines. Alaskan coal-fields are estimated to be even richer than her gold deposits. Other productions of the territory are silver, tin, lead, quicksilver, graphite, marble, lumber, grains, vegetables, and fruits.
The purpose of the exposition was declared to be "to exploit the resources and potentialities of the Alaskan and Yukon territories; to make known and foster the vast importance of the trade of the Pacific Ocean and of the countries bordering thereon, and to demonstrate the marvellous progress of Western America." The energy and determination of the men of the new Northwest was well shown in the preparation made for the exposition. No financial a.s.sistance was asked from the federal government. The necessary $10,000,000 were contributed almost entirely in Seattle and the State of Washington. One million dollars were expended by Seattle, as a preparatory step, on her munic.i.p.al improvements.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
The Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, Seattle.
The Palace of Fine Arts.
The site of the exposition was the campus of the State University, between Lakes Washington and Union. From the grounds, notable for their natural beauty, were visible in the distance Mount Rainier, the loftiest peak in the United States, the snow-covered Olympics to the west, and the Cascade range to the east.
Three permanent buildings were erected by the State of Washington with the understanding that they were afterward to be used by the university.
Most of the structures followed the French Renaissance design. In the forestry building, which was 320 feet long and 140 feet broad, and built of logs in the rough, there were displayed the timber resources of Alaska and the Northwest. An out-door farm ill.u.s.trated the agricultural resources of the region. The j.a.panese exhibit was second only in interest to that of Alaska. The exposition served to demonstrate, as it was intended to do, the possibilities for the investment of capital in the Northwest and the opportunities for those seeking new homes.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Steam powered side-wheeler, about 75 feet long.]
The Hudson-Fulton Celebration.
The Clermont proceeding up the Hudson River under her own steam.
Beginning with September 25 and continuing throughout the first week of October, there was a notable celebration in New York City, and in other cities on the Hudson, commemorative of the discovery of that river by Henry Hudson three centuries before and the trip up the river by Robert Fulton"s steamboat in 1807. The leading feature of the pageant was the a.s.sembling in the harbor of the largest fleet of international character ever brought together at one time, and the cruise up the Hudson as far as Newburg of eighty war vessels selected from the navies of the United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, and other powers. These huge vessels were in striking contrast to the two small ones which were given the place of honor in the pageant, the replicas of the Half Moon and the Clermont. The land parades were likewise spectacular in their effects.
In October, 1909, Commander Robert E. Peary and Dr. Frederick A. Cook, two American travellers, returned to the United States, both making claims to having discovered the north pole. The accomplishment of this task, which had baffled so many arctic explorers, was hailed as a triumph throughout the civilized world. Ardent supporters of each of these men began to champion the right of their favorite to the great honor. It was shown that Commander Peary had for twenty-three years been engaged in arctic exploration. His first voyage was made to Greenland in 1886, and in his numerous expeditions to the frozen north since that time he had secured much scientific data relating to the glaciology, geology, and ethnology of those regions.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
Commander Peary"s ship, The Roosevelt.
When Commander Peary left the Roosevelt, the ship which bore him as far north as navigation permitted, on February 22, 1909, his expedition consisted of 8 white men, 59 Eskimos, 140 dogs, and 23 sledges, with the necessary equipment for arctic travel. Upon returning to the United States after overcoming the many dangers incident to such exploration, he submitted his records to the National Geographical Society. A committee of that body, after pa.s.sing upon these doc.u.ments, declared unanimously that it was their opinion that Peary had reached the north pole, April 6, 1909. This report further commended him for his organization and management of this expedition and for his contributions to scientific knowledge.
Before his return to America, Dr. Cook had been hailed as the discoverer of the north pole by European scientists, especially those of Denmark, who accepted his story of the accomplishment of this task in April, 1908, one year earlier than the date of Peary"s discovery. Many honors were conferred upon him when he reached Copenhagen, September 4, 1909.
He was met by the Crown Prince of Denmark and the American minister, and by explorers, professors, and scientists from various European countries. He was greatly honored also upon his return to New York City.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
Commander Robert E. Peary, and three of his Eskimo dogs, on The Roosevelt.
Commander Peary declared that the claims made by Dr. Cook were without foundation. His decision was based on the evidence given by two Eskimos who had accompanied Dr. Cook, and who a.s.serted that the party went only a two days" journey north from Cape Hubbard and were never beyond the land ice. Further evidence of deception by Dr. Cook was set forth by Edward M. Barrill, who had accompanied him on his ascent of Mount McKinley in 1906. This guide declared that Dr. Cook had not reached the summit of that mountain as claimed, but that the records had been falsified. Later, a commission was appointed by the University of Copenhagen to examine the notes and memoranda submitted to them by Dr.
Cook. After a careful examination of these doc.u.ments, the commission reported that they found no evidence sufficient to warrant the belief that Dr. Cook actually reached the north pole.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
Photograph by Brown Bros., N.Y.
Dr. F. A. Cook on his arrival in New York, September 21, 1909.
By vote of Congress, June 20, 1910, the territories of Arizona and New Mexico were granted permission to form State const.i.tutions. The const.i.tutions which were framed in their conventions and pa.s.sed by majorities of the people contained some unusual provisions. The Arizona const.i.tution included the initiative, referendum, and recall of all elective officers, including judges. The New Mexico const.i.tution contains a referendum clause, but the clause providing for initiative was rejected.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
Copyright by Clinedinst, Washington.
President Taft signing the proclamation making Arizona the forty-eighth State of the Union, at the White House, February 14, 1912.
The const.i.tution of Arizona was attacked in Congress and opposed by President Taft on account of the provision for the recall of judges. The chief objection to the const.i.tution of New Mexico was the unsatisfactory method provided for its amendment. This const.i.tution, however, was approved by President Taft and by the House of Representatives, but the Senate failed to take any action. In August, 1911, the President vetoed a joint resolution to admit the territories of New Mexico and Arizona as States into the Union. He stated his att.i.tude as follows: "The resolution admits both territories to statehood with their const.i.tutions on condition that at the time of the election of State officers New Mexico shall submit to its electors an amendment to its new const.i.tution altering and modifying its provisions for future amendments, and on the further condition that Arizona shall submit to its electors at the time of the election of its State officers a proposed amendment to its const.i.tution by which judicial officers shall be excepted from the section permitting a recall of all elective officers. If I sign this joint resolution, I do not see how I can escape responsibility for the judicial recall of the Arizona const.i.tution. The joint resolution admits Arizona with the judicial recall, but requires the submission of the question of its wisdom to the voters. In other words, the resolution approves the admission of Arizona with the judicial recall, unless the voters themselves repudiate it... . This provision of the Arizona const.i.tution in its application to county and State judges seems to me pernicious in its effect, so destructive of independence in the judiciary, so likely to subject the rights of the individual to the possible tyranny of a popular majority, and therefore to be so injurious to the cause of free government that I must disapprove a const.i.tution containing it."