Politics of early 20th century Confederacy
The Presidential election of 1901 was the first contested election in Confederate history, but it was hardly an exercise in mass democracy. Foster, Clark, and Glass jostled for position, and eventually Foster and Glass formed an alliance, forcing Clark to drop his bid. By the time the actual voting took place there was only one name on the ballot.
Foster's Presidency proved to be the period of political revival in the country. With internal problems largely put aside, and an existential threat no longer looming over the country, debate turned to more divisive issues. Foster himself proved to be a rather divisive President on a number of accounts, and by the end of his term there was an organized political opposition. Due to the history of the Civil War political parties did not become established in Confederate political culture as all politicians tried to emphasize their lineage to the Democratic Party of the United States, but the 1907 election certainly saw different wings of this "party" compete for popular support.
The biggest issue of the Foster Presidency was Cuba. In return for Glass' support in the election Foster promised to establish control over the island, which was done in 1903. To this end the Confederacy required a standing army and navy - an idea that drew significant opposition from many citizens. Up until Foster all Confederate politicians agreed that "a government is best which governs least," and had relied on minimal taxes, no government regulation, and an ad-hoc organization of "rifle clubs" to govern the country. The establishment of a professional military was greeted with suspicion, and the taxes required to pay for a navy with outright resentment.
However by the early 20th century the older generation of Confederate politicians was giving way to a new one. Among the younger politicians Woodrow Wilson, Carter Glass, and Joseph Robinson were eager to see the government do more. Glass wanted to see a strong military capable of projecting power to the continental North America, while Wilson and Robinson believed that the stagnant nature of Confederate economy and society could be fixed by government action. All of them, and their supporters, backed Foster in his goal of creating a military and establishing control over Cuba.
As all had expected, Champ Clark emerged as the biggest critic of Foster and Glass, and was ready to run in 1907. In his eyes, the idea of a larger government was folly, and he campaigned actively on a promise to disband the military, sell the navy, and withdraw from Cuba. Many expected Carter Glass to be his challenger, but in 1906 Glass unexpectedly ran to be the first Governor of Cuba, a position he won with ease. This left the "progressive" field without a presumptive nominee. Wilson and Robinson begun to jockey for position, hoping to emerge as the main challenger to Clark. Neither one was particularly popular, although Wilson more so. Heading into 1907 it looked like Champ Clark would win the election with relative ease.
But Clark was opposed not only by "progressives," but also by those who felt that his racist attitude towards the natives did the country a disservice. During his career Clark repeatedly blocked legislation aimed at giving the natives the right to vote. On his watch the national government allowed four states to essentially disenfranchise natives, and resentment was brewing. One of the sharpest critics of the anti-native laws was John Williams, who had fought hard to preserve the rights guaranteed to the natives in the "Wilson" Constitution. Seeing no serious challenge to Clark, he begun to campaign for himself.
In the months leading up to the election little attention was paid to Williams. His campaign was aimed primarily at the natives and at rural populations who had to interact with them. He held no major rallies in the cities, and received not a single newspaper endorsement. The stage appeared to be set for an election that pitched Champ Clark and his wealthy conservatives against the moderate middle class of Robinson and the wealthy progressives of Wilson.
Williams won on an unprecedented turnout by natives and poor rural voters. The "urban elite" was split three ways, but even if it had been united it would not overcome the numbers that voted for Williams. His was the first truly national campaign, and it brought about the realization that democracy was not a privilege for the few well-off anymore. Clark and his supporters tried to challenge the result due to the massive participation of natives in the election, but were ultimately unsuccessful. Williams became the first President who won because of native support.
John Williams, sixths President of the Confederacy
