[USA] – 23rd President of the USA Benjamin Harrison`

[USA] – 23rd President of the USA Benjamin Harrison`        

 

Benjamin Harrison	Birth: 20 August 1833
	Died: 13 March 1901
	Party: Republican
	Presidency: 1889 ~ 1893
	Vice President: Levi P. Morton
	Nickname: Little Ben

 

● The Sherman Anti-Trust Act  

Many essential corporations of the US have developed during the Gilded Age. However, most corporations created monopolies in each of their industries.

John D. Rockefeller would from a Standard Oil trust that would help seize the Rockefeller corporation seize their power over the oil industry without intervention.

 

 

Benjamin Harrison addressed in his inauguration that he would disband such trusts and give space for the free market. In 1890, under the lead by John Sherman who was the senator of Ohio, the Sherman Anti-Trust Act was passed by congress.

The Sherman Anti-Trust Act defined the elements of a monopolization and defined that an agreement that affects interstate commerce and restricts competition were a violation of the Anti-Trust Act.

 

 

● The first Pan-American Conference and influence on the Latin America and Pacific  

Benjamin Harrison’s administration supported ship building industries and naval development programs to expand the influence of the United States of America’s influence over the Pacific, Central America and Latin America.

 

 

Benjamin Harrison’s administration also formed the foundation of developing the Isthmus of Panama into a canal that would become the Panama Canal that would become an essential region for connecting the Pacific Ocean. and the Atlantic Ocean.

 

 

Secretary of State James G. Blaine would become the chairman for the first Pan-American Conference from 1889 to 1890. The Pan-American Conference attempted to unite the ‘Western Hemisphere’ or the ‘American countries’ from south to north which was referred as ‘Pan-Americanism’ or ‘union of the American countries’, 

 

 

During Benjamin Harrison’s term, US troops would also land on Hawaii to protect sugar businesses after their conflict with the native Hawaii government.

The sugar business would actually rebel against the native government of Hawaii and started to annex Hawaii as part of the United States of America. This wasn’t completed during Harrison’s administration. However, his administration led aggressive growth in the Latin American and Pacific regions. 

 

 

● Ellis Island 

During the late 1800’s, many immigrants from Central Europe and Eastern Europe started to gather in New York. There were so many immigrants arriving that it overwhelmed the government and new facilities were required for the immigrants to settle for a while before their documents could be processed.

 

 

On 1st of January 1892, new processing station on Ellis Island was established for immigrants before they were accepted to the United States of America.

Ellis Island would become the first shelter for especially many Jewish and Italian immigrants.

 

 

● Carry A. Nation

Interests in child and women rights has been steadily increasing. One major problem that emerged during the 1890’s was alcoholism.

Alcoholism would lead to the abuse on women by their drunk husbands or relatives and even abuse on children as drunk households would often stand by their children as well.

 

 

The church community and women activists would attempt to ban alcohol sales which was called the Temperance Movement.

Among such women activists were Carry A. Nation. Carry A Nation was a radical women and anti-alcohol activist as much as tearing down saloons with a hand ax by herself.

 

 

● Dependent and Disability Pensions Act of 1890 

Benjamin Harrison served as a general in the Union Army during the Civil War.

As a fellow veteran, president Harrison always sympathized the tragedies of veterans after the Civil War. War would inflict damage on the body, heart and soul of veterans but governments were limited to compensate those who had disabilities or death only by battle.

 

 

The Dependent and Disability Pensions Act of 1890 granted some support for veterans who couldn’t work due to injuries, widows and children of deceased veterans regardless of whether the disability or deaths were directly caused by battles during the service of these veterans.

 

 

● Sherman Silver Purchase Act

Silver mines were constantly developed during the late 1800’s. However enough silver mines were developed to a point where the silver supply exceeded the demand of silver.

Silver mining companies would put extensive funds to government officials to exchange paper money with silver while maintaining prices.

Ironically, even the general public from the south and the west would actually support such actions. Because the increase of silver would naturally cause an inflation which would actually ‘lower the value of debts.

 

 

Harrison’s administration and the ‘east’ needed to resolve such controversy to prevent further financial disasters, however Benjamin Harrison also needed the support from the west and the south for the tariff reformation that he was planning.

As a result, all parties would agree to the Sherman Silver Purchase Act as a compromise of the upcoming McKinley Tariff while maintain some purchases of the silver. Due to the Sherman Silver Purchase Act the government would purchase 4.5million ounces of silver each month.

 

 

● The McKinley Tariff 

Unlike president Grover Cleveland who cost his presidency to lower tariffs, president Benjamin Harrison cost his presidency trying to raise tariff rates.

Benjamin Harrison and his administration sponsored by William McKinley who would become the future 25th president of the United States of America raised the tariff up to 48%.

 

 

The McKinley Tariff bill was passed just about the time when the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was passed. Both bills themselves were passed as part of a political compromise.

 

 

However, the domestic business all increased the price of manufactured goods and services right after the McKinley Tariff was approved as they would be protected by the highest tariff rate ever in the United States of America history.

The general public were furious of the McKinley Tariff and eventually this cost president Harrison, his administration and the Republicans hard time.