Figure 1.--These boys from Milford (I can't make out the state) wear Cleveland-Stevenson hats in 1892.

Former-President Cleveland again won the Democratic nomination. He was the first Democrat to be nominated three consecutive times. (Future Democratic candidates William Jennings Bryan and Franklin D. Roosevelt would subsequently dominate Democratic Party conventions, but Only Cleveland and Roosevelt would win elections.) President Harrison easily won renomination, but he had opposition from preenial cadidate Blaine and future nominee McKinnley. This was one of only two campaigns in which two presidents competed. (The other was the 1912 election involving Taft and Roosevelt.) Several other parties contested the ekection. The Prohibition Party nominated John Bidwell. The Populist Party nominated James Weaver. The Socialist Labor Party nominated Simon Wing. The tariff issue again dominated the campaign with the Republicans again taking a protectionist stance and the Demorats supportung aore free market approach. A new issue arose, primarily because of the Populists. They attacked the gold standard and demanded increased coinage of silver to increase inflation. This had great appeal among Southern and Western farmers who owed money. Cleveland support of "hard" money (the gold standard) gained support from Eastern bankers and business. Labor politics began to influence elections. The use of Federal troops to aupress striking steel workers at Carnegie Steel damaged support for the Republicans among workers. The Populists won several Western stsates, but the South held for Cleveland and the Democrats. Cleeveland also won the industrial Northeast. Cleeveland easily won reelection and the Democrats gained control of both houses of Congress. Cleveland was the only president to be elected to non-consecutive presidential terms.

Democratic Convention

Former-President Cleveland again won the Democratic nomination. He was the first Democrat to be nominated three consecutive times. (Future Democratic candidates William Jennings Bryan and Franklin D. Roosevelt would subsequently dominate Democratic Party conventions, but Only Cleveland and Roosevelt would win elections.) There was considerable disdcenion within the Democratic Party. The southern and western wing of the Party demanded a silver programs, but it was no adopted for inclusion on the platform. The Party did approve the enactment of a tariff for revenue only, not one to protect American industry which at this stage of America's industrial development was no longer needed. The Democratic tariff plan was a response to the McKinley Tariff.

Republican Convention

President Harrison easily won renomination, but he had opposition from preenial cadidate Blaine and future nominee McKinnley. Harrison was not, however, a popular choice within the Party. The President's support for civil service reform was unpopular among Republican office seekers. His support of the McKinley Tariff proved unpopular with the public. Harrison's own cabinent found him icy and difficult to work with. Even with these problems, Harrison secured renomination on the first ballot.

Third Parties

Several other parties contested the ekection. The Prohibition Party nominated John Bidwell. The Populist Party nominated General James B. Weaver. The Poplists were one of the more important third parties in American history. The Populists advocated the free and unlimited coinage of silver and government ownership of the railroads. Both of those positions were crafted to appeal to the miners and farmers.The Socialist Labor Party nominated Simon Wing. The 1892 campaign shaped up to be a repeat of the 1888 campaign beteween Cleveland and Harrison with the endless debate on tariffs and "waving the bloody shirt". Weaver helped add a little interest in the election and in the process began a major shift in presidential campaigning. James B. Weaver was an Iowa Civil War veteran enthusiastically nominated at the Populist People's Party Convention in Omaha (July 5). The Party was dominated by radical farmers. Weaver had served in Congress and had formerly been both a Democrat and Republican. He was noted for abolitionist activities in Iowa before the Civil War. He had been the presidential candidate of the Greenback Party. He told the convention that he would take his campaign into every state of the Union. He did not meet this goal, but gave it a good try. This does not seem to astounding to modern readers. It did to Americans in 1888. At the time, presidential candidates were expected to pretend they were not to interested in being president. Rather they would expected to sit on their front porch and chat with a few congenial reporters, write letters, meet with advisers,and perhaps deliver a few speeches. It was up to their supporters to conduct the campaign. The principle was that "the presidency should seek the man". Weaver broke that mold. In the West the Populist support for expanding silver coinage generated support among miners. Heappeared with firey speaker May E. Lease. His wife accompanied which was also a break from convention. He had less success in the South where the Populist's wereseen as a threat to the white-controlled Democratic Party. After his wife was hit with a rotten egg in Macon, Georgia, he cut his southern campaign short. Weaver ran the mostvsuccessful third party campaign since the emergence of the Republican Party. Congressman William Jennings Bryan took up Weaver's approach with a Whistle-stop campaign (1896). Anf the Republicans eventually followed suit when Theodore Roosevelt, one of the most aggressuve campaigners in Amerucan history, ran his first presidential campaign (1904).

Campaign

The 1892 campaign was one of only two presidential election campaigns in which two presidents competed. (The other was the 1912 election involving Taft and Roosevelt.) The tariff issue again dominated the campaign with the Republicans again taking a protectionist stance and the Demorats supportung aore free market approach. A new issue arose, primarily because of the Populists. They attacked the gold standard and demanded increased coinage of silver to increase inflation. This had great appeal among Southern and Western farmers who owed money. Cleveland's support of "hard" money (the gold standard) gained support from Eastern bankers and business. Labor politics began to influence elections. The use of Federal troops to supress striking steel workers at Carnegie Steel damaged support for the Republicans among workers. The campaign itself was subdued, it sharp contrast to the 1884 election. Cleveland decided not to campaign vigorously. This was because Mrs. Harrison's was seriously ill and the her husband spent a great deal of time with her. Cleveland thought that extensive campaigning would be taking an unfair advantage. He this sharply limited his personal appearances. Mrs. Harrison passed away 2 weeks before the election.

Results

Harrison carried the northern tier of the the West and mid-West as well as some industrial states and New England. This was a rare American election that Ohio did not go with the winning candidate. The South held for Cleveland and the Democrats. Cleveland also won much of the the industrial Northeast as well as California and some of the mid-West. This enabled him to easily gain reelection. While the popular vote was close (5.6 million to 5.2 Milliom. Cleveland over wealmed Harrison in the electoral vote (277 to 145). Cleveland thus became the only president to be elected to non-consecutive presidential terms. Weaver and the Populists carried four states (Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, and Nevada as well as electoral vootes in North Dakota and Oregon). This was the first time since the Civil War that a third party garnered electoral votes and showed some disatisfaction with the main parties.

Congressional Races

The Democrats gained control of both houses of Congress.

Created: 2:36 AM 11/8/2007
Last updated: 4:00 PM 7/5/2008