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So is the Democratic Party doomed to Whig-like demise? Then again the Republicans are hardly going from strength to strength!

Unless the Populist have picked a damp squib or pull off some really unpopular moves, I can see them holding the White House for quite a while. Good too. :D
 
Good heavens look at all that green

The Dems look done for! Unless something changes. Not that I mind, the way they turned out in this universe.


Watson is bound to try again next time.
 
That looks like a Democratic death-knell. The Republicans at least have a strong regional position from which they can weather a political exile.
 
Dr. Gonzo said:

:eek:o Coming, sorry things got heavy these last few weeks.

DerKaiser: Indeed, but the popular vote was not as heavy as the electoral.

SirCliveWolfe: Luckily, most people think of themselves as Populists. The huge presence of workers and farmers all going populist (rather than socialist, thank goodness) had me worried that laissez faire was doomed.

PrawnStar: Popular vote went to a lesser extent to the Populists, around 65-70%. But very little of that was the Democrats.

Strategos' Risk: Thanks :D

Dr. Gonzo: I have no idea what a damn squib is...

RGB: Watson wont have to wait too long, he is out for blood.

stnylan: The Democrats, as we know them, are dead in all real ways in this time line, but the party itself will be back.
 
The Coming Storm
~~

President William Allen immediately continued to endorse the Populist legislature coming out of congress, mostly in effort to get the Populist party stalwarts back to his side. Likewise, Allen immediately set about replacing those men loyal to the previous administration, and especially those loyal to former Vice President Thomas Watson, with his own political allies. The cabinet was completely thrown out, and a new group of more politically astute Populists were put in their place. Most were one time Republicans or Democrats, now clinging to the Populist ideology in hopes of survival. Those politicians who resisted were ousted by force, and Allen had the power of the Senate behind him.

Matt Whitaker Ransom was a North Carolina born Democrat who was elected to the Senate from Alabama. He was elected President Pro-Tempore of the Senate, bucking the tradition of selecting one from a majority party. Ransom was cool, calculating and ever the politician. Using his power in the Senate, he became President' Allen's muscle, ensuring swift Senate confirmations for office candidates, and ensuring that no bill opposed to Allen's plans made it to the floor. Why this relationship developed is difficult at first to understand. Ransom was, like most of the Democrats, staunchly opposed to the Populist agenda. But he also knew that the eruption of civil war inside the party had killed it for good. And so Ransom decided to make a stand of his own, from within Washington.

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Matt Whitaker Ransom

Ransom founded the "Council for the continuance of a Democratic alternative", a group of businessmen and politicians intent on seeing the Democrats rise again. The group was mostly piloted by Southern politicians, many Civil War veterans or the sons of civil war generals. These were men who wanted to separate the party from the old ways of Thomas Jackson and the conservative southerners. These men knew that the rise of Populist sympathies in the South was not going to change, and the Democrats needed either to adapt, or die. It was this council that saved the Democratic party from certain ruin. Their plan involved shifting the Democratic vision, and likely the party name, away from the deep south sympathies that had put them all in power.

President Allen not only allowed this growth, but encouraged it. Likewise he aided in the growth and support of the Republicans, helping their sympathies spread outside of the North East and back into the Ohio River valley. He encouraged the appointment of Republicans, and Democrats, to government positions and congressional committees. Most of the Populist party took this in stride, seeing it as a move towards a unified government and society. Allen was hailed by many as the Nebraskan George Washington, a man who put partisan politics aside to make a better Union. But for every Populist who flocked to Allen's banner, another was turned away from him.

altgeld.jpg

John Peter Altgeld

Governor John Peter Altgeld of Florida was one such Populist. Altgeld was a German, an immigrant to Florida and one time mayor of Freesdat. Altgeld had brought the progressive movement to Florida, and much of the deep South, where it failed to take root for the most part. Altgeld however did win Florida and Georgia over to the Populists, and held significant political clout over the Populists of the South. The more and more support, even in a passive way, that Allen gave to the Republicans and Democrats, the more Altgeld and his allies shifted away from him.

The first great confrontation came to a head after the Lattimer Massacre, in which 19 unarmed immigrants were killed during a labor protest. Sheriff James Martin, the leader of the posse who fired on the workers, was granted a pardon. Altgeld, and many southern (and especially foreign) Populists were outraged, while the Democrats and Republicans praised President Allen for his level headed actions. The seeds of disorder had forever been planted in the Populist Party, and President Allen's arch enemy Thomas Watson, was ready to strike.
 
A different set of storm clouds are gathering. Interesting moves by Allen though - shows a great deal of panache.
 
Well, Populist unity didn't last long. Granted, labour strike massacres tend to polarise opinions.

However I can still see a strongish tendency for governing from the centre. Are you turning into Canada by any chance?
 
Caught up once more and shocked to see the Populists doing so well. Very well described, however. I'll be interested to see how progressive ideologies continue to invade the various parties moving into the 20th century.

Keep it up! :)
 
stnylan : You win extra points for playing the part of Cyrano :D

RGB: There has been a tendency to do that, but I suppose its sort of a reaction to the oft-times lack of competition. The easiest way to keep a strong opposition to your party from forming is to not go either extreme.

coz1: Thanks for jumping back on board. Luckily I'm updating slowly so you wont have too many problems :)

Update will be around some time this week.
 
OK - at the risk of possibly displaying complete ignorance - Cyrano?????? :confused: :)
 
stnylan said:
OK - at the risk of possibly displaying complete ignorance - Cyrano?????? :confused: :)

Cyrano de Bergerac, the character, uses the word and establishes it as a positive description of a person's character as he dies. A great play, and a great scene. And since you used the word panache, you get to wear the nose. :)
 
Great political parties do tend to fracture when they achieve sweeping success and I see your Populists are no exception. What this war within the party will bring forth is open to conjecture, but it is the answer to Republican and Democratic prayers.

The Democratic party will have to lose the members who cling to the old plantation mind-set. Those men will find they have more in common with the Republican industrialists, anyway. The Democrats can plausibly form a coalition of conservative 'go-slow' Populists, perhaps enough to become the king-makers in the upcoming war between Watson and Allen.

Or not. :D


Some very fine extrapolation here. Most alternative-historians (myself included) are less courageous in forging out into the open seas of 'what-if'. Well done!
 
I just finished reading through the whole AAR in three days, and I must say, a fascinating and captivating read, particularly the elections.

Having read it all so quickly, I think it's interesting to see how similar Allen is to Clay the Compromiser. He's crossing party lines to make everyone happy (Well, everyone except his own party, which incidentally happened with Clay too :D ), and that will most likely be the death of him (And considering the growing unrest in the Populist party, lets hope that death remains metaphorical).

However, I'm curious as to the status of Leon and Panama. Both have been part of the US for a while now, and perhaps they might be getting their chance for statehood.

Also, what happened to Alaska? The Russians didn't offer to sell it?
 
Director: Thank you! And indeed you are correct, the Democrats are taking a shift away from the plantation/agro based politicians to more modern politics. The importance of the survival of the Democrats and Republicans will become very important very shortly.

sanmartin: Awesome, welcome aboard! The Clay-Allen comparison is a good one, however some things will be very, very different for Allen. Particularly, Allen's alienation from his own party is not complete. In fact, those who oppose Allen do not, as of yet, outnumber his supporters.

As to Leon and Panama, they will both become relevant soon. Panama has a very real impact very soon. Leon has sort of been forgotten, its Population is almost entirely Mexican, and thus relatively ignored by most of the government. For the most part it is Texas' toy.

Alaska never got offered, rather unfortunately, so my expansion over the whole of the west coast (Since I control Colombia) will never be :( :)

Update tonight.
 
Estonianzulu said:
Alaska never got offered, rather unfortunately, so my expansion over the whole of the west coast (Since I control Colombia) will never be :( :)

Unless you want to fight Russia, which shouldn't be impossible. But it will make you look bad.
 
RGB said:
Unless you want to fight Russia, which shouldn't be impossible. But it will make you look bad.

Meh, not worth it. Nothing in Alaska but polar bears :)
~~
The Spanish Invasion
~~

Even as Watson gathered and unified support against the President, and the Republicans and Democrats rebuilt their parties, activities abroad were to have a great impact on the United States. In 1886, the United States launched the USS Maine from the Los Angeles Naval Dock, and for a decade patrolled the West Coast of the United States. But during the Hawaiian revolts, the Maine was sent deeper into the Pacific to aid the transport of civilians in the Island System. After the revolts ended, the Maine traveled East to become a part of President Daniel's East Asian Mission. This was a series of naval trips to ports in Japan, China and the Philippines, to open up trade with Asia. Although the Chinese shunned the Americans, and the American-Japanese relations were strained by the Hawaiian revolts, the people of the Philippines took to the American offers quickly.

Under President Allen, this trade only increased, and the USS Maine became the font of it. What began as food, medical supplies and manufactured goods became engines, vehicles, and most alarmingly to the Spanish, firearms. Nominally to provide support for the Pro-Spanish factions of Philippine resistance, it was obvious to anyone who observed that the United States was supply a large number of small and large arms to the Philippine resistance. The Spanish were enraged, and attempted to open their own 'trade' with Panama. But unlike the Philippines, Panama was a booming economy. Huge numbers of white businessmen and investors traveled into the country and brought with them wealth and technology. Although it was by no means an even growth, the success of the poorer sections of Panamanian society left the desire to revolt almost non-existent.

maine1.jpg

The USS Maine

This tense situation was only made hotter by the rather astute use of propaganda by President Allen's secretary of state, Richard Olney. Olney, taking in mind the past success of President Ewing, began gathering support in the media as soon as he took office. And when news came to him of atrocities (many exaggerated) in the South Pacific by Spanish authorities, he was eager to leak the story as a reward to his loyal supporters. The stories of Spanish soldiers murdering innocent Filipinos spread like wildfire through the American readers who were eager for a distraction from the labor strikes and the Pullman incident. Suddenly across every headline and every page new stories of evil and atrocious activities spread, and with every passing day the surge of anti-Spanish feelings grew.

With this as the backdrop, the worst possible event occurred. The USS Maine exploded in Manila Bay, sinking with all hands on board. Immediately the accusations flew, with the American government recalling their diplomat from Spain, and the Spanish returning the favor. It was almost a forgone conclusion that war would arrive. Although Thomas Watson attempted to mobilize his Populist support against the war, it was too strong a tide to overcome. On February 6th, 1898, the United States issued a declaration of war against the Kingdom of Spain for the sinking of the USS Maine. President Allen had his diversion, and in a swift move captured the support of the Republicans and Democrats still on the fringes of the political center. However, one surprise still awaited the Americans.

france-faure1.jpg

Felix Faure, President of France

After the Civil War, he United States gradually grew close and closer to the United Kingdom, who declined to support the Confederacy. Indeed, this relationship came to a head with the Hawaii crisis. As the two major powers grew closer and closer together, the French became more and more worried. French interests in Africa were being corrupted by the English, and the French spheres of influence over South America and Mexico were destroyed by American power. All of this led to a very bitter colonial power in France, who's long time ally, Spain, was now engaged in conflict with the Americans. The last sphere of influence left for the French was South-East Asia, and the threat of America taking the Philippines was too much. With seemingly no hesitation, the French declared war on the United States to support the Spanish.

The declaration of war by the French caught the American military by surprise. Most of the army and navy was setting out of Los Angeles, while only a naval defense force and national guard detachment defended the East Coast. Suddenly, the plans had changed. Originally designed by Henry Ware Lawton, the plan to fight the Spanish was a three pronged attack. Step one involved blockading the Gulf of Mexico, step two was to liberate the Philippines, and finally to crush the Spanish Navy and threaten the Spanish mainland. But with the threat of a French naval force striking the East Coast, the Americans had to re-asses the situation. The navy, located in the Gulf, moved north, and part of the Pacific fleet sailed back east. Already, a setback had occurred.
 
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The more things change, the more they stay the same...or do they? Interesting twist seeing the French jump on board. Any chance the Brits will assist?
 
*blink* I did not foresee a war with France at all.

Nice picture of the Maine.