The Dawes Act was “An Act to Provide for the Allotment of Lands in Severalty to Indians on the Various Reservations, and to extend the Protection of the Laws of the United States and the Territories over the Indians, and for Other Purposes.” The Dawes Act is split up into eleven sections. In the first section says that a Native American family may receive 160 acres if they are to farm, 80 acres if they are to raise cattle and 40 acres for any normal living purposes. The second section states that all allotments set apart under the provisions of this act shall be selected by the Indians. The third section requires the Native American agent to certify each allotment and provide two copies of the certification. The fourth section states that Native Americans not living on the reservation shall receive equal allotment. The fifth statement provides that the Secretary of the Interior will hold the allotments "in trust" for 25 years. The sixth section says that upon the completion of said allotments, the Native Americans will become citizens. The seventh section deals with water rights, the eight exempts the Five Civilized Tribes from certain laws, the ninth deals with how the act will be paid for, the tenth asserts the power of eminent domain, and the eleventh contains a provision for the Southern Ute Native Americans.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
LAD #20: William Jennings Bryan's Cross of Gold Speech
The Cross of Gold speech was made by William Jennings Bryans at a Democratic National Convention in Chicago. His speech basically stated that the gold standard was worthless, and that it should not be used in America. Bryans and the Democratic Party wanted to use the silver standard instead because it was in greater supply than gold. This meant that when inflation occurred, debtors who were poor would be able to pay of their debt. Bryans said that although England had the gold standard, “we shall restore bimetallism, and then let England have bimetallism because the United States have.” He says that the gold standard is not beneficial to the general public in America and that it is not useful. Bryan closes his speech by saying that “You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.”
LAD #19: The Populist Party Platform
The Populist Party emerged in the 1870’s and 1880’s. They became most prominent in the 1890’s and appeared as a viable third party. In the Populist Party Platform of 1892 there are three major components, the preamble, the platform, and the expression of sentiments. In the preamble the party expresses what has been going wrong in America. They talk about how silver has been demoralized, how corruption dominates the ballot-box, and how controlling influences dominate parties. They also state how they are going to fix the government, by restoring American power to the hands of the “plain people.” In their platform, they talk about three major things finance, transportation, and land. In finance they demand free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold at the present legal ration of 16 to 1. They demand a graduated income tax, and they demand that postal savings banks be established by the government for the safe deposit of the earnings of the people and to facilitate exchange. In transportation, they say that the government should own the railroads, while the public should own and operate the telegraph and telephone. In land, they say that land should not be monopolized because it is the heritage of the people. In the Expression of Sentiments they state how they are going to resolve many of the issues in America. For example they say they will use the secret ballot system and that they will shorten the hours of labor. The Populist Party in America appeared in the 1890’s and was determined to resolve the issues in America.