The Progressive Party (1924-?)
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Yelnoc
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« on: October 21, 2010, 02:17:54 PM »

Foreward

This is a timeline that I have been working on for a long time now.  I feel like I need to a break from my other timeline, McCain Picks Pawlenty (see my sig), so I thought I would start posting this.  Please note that it isn't quite finalized.  Once I have the timeline fleshed out I will repost it in a different format.  I want you, readers, to provide constructive criticism.  Point out any errors, say whether you think if something is plausible, etc.  And now, without further ado, I present The Progressive Party.
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Yelnoc
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« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2010, 02:23:55 PM »

Establishment



Background
The late 19th and early 20th centuries were the perfect breeding ground for a new political party.  The Democrats and Republicans had stagnated, and were seen by the general population as puppets of various corporate masters.  This was before child labor laws and other safe guards to protect the workers and the economy, when men, women, and children worked twelve hour days in dangerous factories and the economy experienced regular panics which could have devastating effects on the nation.  Various organizations, such as labor unions and parties representing the workers in factories and fields attempted to combat these conditions.  One of the most influential ones, the Socialist Party, had done well in presidential elections for a third party, winning almost 6% of the popular vote in 1912. 

However, with their star, Eugene Debs, exit from the political arena, the party sought a new strategy, one that, they hoped, would make them into a voice for the people that could not be ignored by the Upper Class.  In September of 1921, the Socialist Party issued an appeal to unions and progressive political organizations urging the, to take part in an upcoming conference for Progressive Political Action, as it would later be called.


First Conference for Progressive Political Action
The first National Conference of the CPPA was held in Chicago in February 1922. It was attended by 124 delegates from a broad spectrum of labor, farmer, and progressive political organizations.  The gathering passed an "Address to the American People,” stating its criticism of existing conditions and formally proposing an ambiguous plan of action formalizing the current state of affairs: the labor unions on the group's right wing would continue to endorse labor-friendly candidates of the Republican Party while leaving the Socialists and Farmer-Labor Party parties on the group's left wing free to conduct their own independent campaigns.

This “Plan of Action” consisted of three rather vague points that served in place of a formal constitution.  The resolutions called for all labor, farmer, cooperative, and progressive political forces would unite to secure the nomination and election of members of Congress and to other state and local elective bodies who were in agreement with the CPPA's support of the interests of the producing classes. To this end, it urged the formation of joint committees within each state, congressional district, county, and municipality to decide upon the specific course of action.

A National Committee of 15 members was elected to serve as a coordinating body for the following meetings of the new political body.


Second Conference for Progressive Political Action
The Second National Conference of the CPPA was held in Cleveland on Dec. 11-12, 1922.  Despite the mutual hostility between the Workers Party and many in the leadership of the CPPA, the Workers Party nevertheless attempted to influence the proceedings through a campaign to generate telegrams supporting the immediate formation of an "independent party of labor opposing all capitalist parties."

The National Committee reported to the gathering that in thirty-two of the fourty-eight states there had been state and local organizations of the CPPA formed. The legislative records of US Senators and Representatives were carefully monitored and special state editions of Labor, totaling over 1 million copies, were distributed in 8 northern and mid-western states. The National Committee declared the 1922 campaign a great success, claiming that twenty-one improved Senators had been elected, while ninety-three undesirable members of the House had been defeated with another thirteen quitting their seats.

The Workers Party of America decided to send four delegates to the meeting at the Dec. 5, 1922, meeting of its governing Administrative Council.  The Credentials Committee, after protracted debate, reported that the policies of the Workers Party of America and the Young Workers League of America were not in harmony with the declarations and aims of the conference and recommended that the representatives of these organizations not be seated. Chairman William H. Johnston quickly presented the recommendation of the committee and gaveled the matter closed without objection. Robert D. Cramer of Minneapolis rose to protest the ruling of the chair, but his motion died for the lack of a second. Since the snap tactic of the chair was not appealed, the gathering is officially said to have "unanimously" refused the WPA a place—despite the presence of WPA members with other credentials inside the body.

The 2nd Conference of the CPPA approved a membership standard opening the organization to "bona fide labor organizations, progressive organizations of farmes, cooperative societies, liberal political parties and groups, and to other organizations and individuals who are in accord with the purposes of this Conference." A National Committee of twenty-one was provided for, as well as annual meetings of the organization.

A proposition was put forward by five delegates of the Farmer-Labor Party calling for “independent political action by the agricultural and industrial workers through a party of their own”.  This bid for an independent political party was supported by the Socialist Party and opposed by the many rail unions in attendance.  No majority decision could be reached, forcing the Conference to temporarily adjourn.  The next day, the motion was adopted by a vote of 62 to 54.

The two factions had agreed to a compromise entailing a system of two distinct branches.  The first, which was composed of a multitude of labor unions and similar groups, would continue to act as a pressure group, working to influence the policies of the two major parties and continue to get progressive candidates elected as Democrats of Republicans.  The second branch, which was formed around the Socialist and Farmer Labor Parties, would campaign as an independent political party. 

This arrangement satisfied all parties in attendance, allowing the gathering to dissolve for Christmas. Many delegates left feeling as though they had unfinished business to attend to but all sensed a glimmer of hope for the nation’s future. 


Ratification and Other Matters
The compromise that had been agreed to in the prior convention was ratified by a greatly expanded National Committee at a special convention held in the spring of 1923.  This landmark achievement marked the official founding of the Progressive Party, an arm of the Conference for Progressive Political Action.

The CPPA worked closely with the People's Legislative Service, of which CPPA National Committee member Basil M. Manly was director. On Dec. 2, 1923, the People's Legislative Service held a conference in Washington, DC, attended by about 300 people—including progressive Senators and Representatives, who formed a permanent organization and appointed committees to work on specific questions on behalf of a permanent "People's Bloc."

By the end of 1923, the CPPA had state organizations in about 30 states. Some of these state organizations did not retain the name "Conference for Progressive Political Action," however, as exemplified by the "Indiana Political Action League," the "Iowa Cooperative Legislative Council," the "Michigan Progressive Voters' League," and the "North Carolina Farmer-Labor Political Conference."

At the 3rd Conference of the CPPA which was held in St. Louis, MO, on Feb. 11-12, 1924, the National Committee was instructed to "immediately issue a call for a convention of workers, farmers, and progressives for the purpose of taking action on nomination of candidates for the offices of President and Vice President of the United States, and on other questions that may come before the convention.” 
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Vazdul (Formerly Chairman of the Communist Party of Ontario)
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« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2010, 02:45:08 PM »

This looks very interesting. Keep it coming!
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Barnes
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« Reply #3 on: October 21, 2010, 05:11:56 PM »

This looks very interesting. Keep it coming!
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« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2010, 05:14:57 PM »

This looks very interesting. Keep it coming!
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Yelnoc
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« Reply #5 on: October 21, 2010, 05:58:10 PM »

1924 Elections



First Convention
The First Convention of the CPPA was held in Cleveland in the summer of 1924 at the city auditorium. Close to 900 delegates attended the event representing international unions, state federations of labor, branches of cooperative societies, state branches and national officers of the Progressive Party as well as the National Committee, state and national affiliates of the Women’s Committee on Political Action, and other individuals.  There was a marked abundance of farmers in attendance.

The National Committee had previously requested that Wisconsin Senator Robert M. Lafollette make a run for the presidency. The Cleveland Convention was addressed by the Senator's son, Robert M. Lafollette Jr., who read a message from his father accepting the call and declaring that the time had come "for a militant political movement independent of the two old party organizations."  Lafollette stated that the primary issue of the 1924 campaign was the breaking of the "combined power of the private monopoly system over the political and economic life of the American people."

It was at this Convention that the CPPA adopted an extensive platform, based on the “Plan of Action” put forth by the first Conference.  The National Committee was again enlarged to reflect the growing size of the movement.

The Farmer-Labor and Socialist parties along announced that while they would keep their respective party structures separated, they would select one candidate per race and run that candidate as a Progressive with their endorsement and that of the CPPA.  As a side-effect of this policy, the Farmer-Labor senators from Minnesota, Henrik Shipstead and Magnus Johnson, switched to the Progressive party, as did the two Farmer-Labor and one Socialist representative already elected.  This decision would prove crucial to the Progressive party’s success in the fall. 


Presidential Election
Robert Lafollette, a former Republican senator, received the Progressive nomination.   The new party did well for its first election, garnering nearly five million votes and carrying Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Washington, and Nevada for a total of twenty-five electoral votes.  It was widely compared to the populists of ’92, but unlike the populists, the progressives had appeal outside of the Midwest; Lafollette received nearly twenty percent of the vote in both Ohio and Illinois.  Calvin Coolidge, the Republican, swept the race with 370 electoral votes and fifteen million of the popular vote.  The runner-up was John Davis of the Democratic Party who received around eight million votes but only 136 electoral votes.


Congressional Elections
Magnus Johnson, the Progressive senator from Minnesota, ran for reelection and won by a narrow margin.  He was the only progressive elected to Congress.  Robert Lafollette returned from the campaign trail as a progressive as did his running mate Burton Wheeler of Montana.  Lynn Frazier of North Dakota also switched to the Progressive Party.  Henrik Shipstead of Minnesota had already switched from Farmer-Labor to Progressive earlier in the year, giving the Progressives a total of five senators.

Six Progressives were elected to the House of Representatives.
•   Minnesota: Ole Kvale, Knud Wefald, and William Carss
•   New York: Fiorello LaGuardia,
•   North Dakota: William Lemke
•   Wisconsin: Victor Berger

At the start of the 69th US Congress, its membership by party was the following.


Gubernatorial Elections
Floyd Olson of Minnesota won a very narrow victory over Republican Theodore Christianson to become the first Progressive governor ever.


State Elections
In Minnesota, the Farmer-Labor party, state affiliate of the Progressive party, experienced a surge, taking control of Minnesota’s lower house.  In North Dakota, the Noon Partisan League, permanently estranged from the Independent Voter’s Association or the conservative bloc of Republicans, decided to run their candidates on the Progressive-NPL ticket.  Only a handful of their candidates were elected, but enough to force the IVA to cooperate with them to prevent the NPL from forming an opposition bloc with the Democratic Party.
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Yelnoc
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« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2010, 05:53:29 PM »

No Comments?
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Vazdul (Formerly Chairman of the Communist Party of Ontario)
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« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2010, 06:08:21 PM »

This looks very interesting. Keep it coming!

I really don't have anything to add to this.
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« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2010, 06:17:25 PM »


Well, I can't say I'm rooting for the Progressive Party...
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Sewer
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« Reply #9 on: October 23, 2010, 06:36:41 PM »

Nice to see something that's not conservative wank.
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feeblepizza
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« Reply #10 on: October 24, 2010, 01:27:52 AM »

I can't say I'm rooting for the Progressives, either......
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Sewer
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« Reply #11 on: October 24, 2010, 01:29:43 AM »

I can say I'm rooting for the Progressives! Tongue
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Barnes
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« Reply #12 on: October 24, 2010, 01:29:57 AM »

I can say I'm rooting for the Progressives! Tongue
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Captain Chaos
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« Reply #13 on: October 24, 2010, 10:47:51 AM »

Keep it coming
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feeblepizza
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« Reply #14 on: October 24, 2010, 10:53:10 AM »

Keep it coming indeed.
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Yelnoc
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« Reply #15 on: October 24, 2010, 02:59:04 PM »

Interim



Politics
The Progressive Party had no impact in Congressional proceedings during the 69th US Congress.  Any bills they proposed were stalled in committee and most bills they supported were proposed by the Republicans who had firm majorities in both houses.  Notable legislation passed by the congress includes the Revenue Act of 1926, Air Commerce Act, Railway Labor Act, Cooperative Marketing Act, Radio Act of 1927, and the McFadden Act.

Robert Lafollette, the Progressive Party’s first Presidential candidate, passed away in June 1925 of cardiovascular disease.  His son, Robert Lafollette Jr., would replace him as senator after winning a special election held later that year.

The Non-Partisan League, a progressive political affiliate of the Republican Party based in North Dakota and active in several Midwestern states, switched its affiliation to the Progressive Party.  This meant that all Progressive candidates in those states would run on the Progressive-NPL ticket.  The governor of North Dakota, Arthur Sorlie, switched from the NPL to the IVA (Independent Voter’s Association) upon hearing this though his lieutenant governor remained a Progressive-NPL.


Culture and Technology
The twenties was an era of prosperity and so naturally the masses were less receptive to radical ideas.  Many newspapers derided the Progressive party as “socialists in all but name”; papers under the thumb of Wall Street magnates were especially harsh.  

The State of Tennessee vs. Scopes trial occurred.  A high school teacher by the name of John Scopes was found guilty of violating the state’s Butler Act, a law that made it illegal to teach evolution in schools.  The trial gained a high level of media attention, causing thousands to descend on the small town of Dayton, Tennessee.  It also served as the first major contest between creationists and evolutionists.

John Logie Baird, an Englishman, created the first working mechanical television system in 1925.

Warner Brothers produced the first movie with a sound track, Don Juan, in 1926.

Robert Goddard, an American professor, physicist, and inventor, creates the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket.

New York City overtakes London as the largest city in the world.


Foreign Events
On May 1st a coal miner’s strike begins in Britain.  Two days later, a general strike begins,one which would paralyze the nation until May 12th.
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Yelnoc
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« Reply #16 on: October 26, 2010, 09:00:37 PM »
« Edited: October 27, 2010, 07:40:16 AM by Darth Yelnoc »

1926 Midterms



Congressional Elections
William Borah of Idaho switched party affiliation from Republican to Progressive.  No progressive senate seats were up for reelection, giving the party a total of six seats.  In the house, five of the six members won reelection.  William Lemke of North Dakota was defeated by an IVA endorsed Republican.  No other progressive candidates in other districts were elected to the house, though many made strong showings.

The 70th Congress had the following Party affiliations.


Gubernatorial Elections
In the Minnesota gubernatorial election, Theodore Christianson was again the Republican nominee.  He defeated progressive Governor Olson in a close race.

The Wisconsin governor’s race was hotly contested between Progressive candidate Fred Zimmerman, stalwart Republican Charles Perry, and a democratic candidate.  Zimmerman won and chose Herman Ekern to be his Lieutenant Governor.


State Elections
State wide elections proved detrimental to the progressives.  The public’s apathetic view towards progressives goals during the economic prosperity, coupled with the traditional low voter turnout at midterms, conspired to deprive the progressive party of many hard earned seats in Midwestern states, the only area where they had a presence in state governments.
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Barnes
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« Reply #17 on: October 26, 2010, 10:58:18 PM »

Hmm...the Progressives control the balance of power in the Senate now (at least theoretically). It'll be interesting to see how that plays out. Smiley
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Yelnoc
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« Reply #18 on: October 27, 2010, 02:01:30 PM »

Interim



Politics
The Senate in the 70th US Congress was deadlocked, with forty-five Republicans, forty-five Democrats, and six Progressives.  Notable legislation included the Flood Control Act of 1928 which was passed in response to the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, the Revenue Act of 1928, and the Boulder Canyon Project Act which would create the Hoover Dam.


Culture and Technology
Charles Lindbergh makes the first non-stop transatlantic flight from New York City to Paris.

Sir Alexander Fleming of Scotland discovers Penicillin.


Foreign Events
Joseph Stalin launches the first Five-Year Plan in Soviet Russia


*     *     *

I just want to remind everybody that this is just a draft.  It's around this point that non-political events start to get a little sketchy.
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« Reply #19 on: October 27, 2010, 02:58:40 PM »

I'm guessing the Progressive Party gain momentum from anti-Catholic Democrats in 1928, then win the Presidency in 1932 from that momentum, thus edging out one of the other two parties or creating a three party system.
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Yelnoc
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« Reply #20 on: October 27, 2010, 04:10:20 PM »

1928 Elections



Presidential Election
The Progressive National Convention, held in Des Moines, Iowa, nominated Senator Burton K. Wheeler on the first ballot.  Wheeler was popular amongst farmers and seemed a natural pick after running as vice president the prior election.  Unfortunately, Wheeler’s senate seat was up that same election cycle; knowing that he had no real chance of winning Wheeler declined to focus on reelection to the Senate.  Senator Borah of Idaho was instead nominated.  The convention settled on Floyd Olson, the thirty-seven year old former governor of Minnesota as his running mate.

The popular Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover was nominated by the Republican Party on the first ballot.  To attract votes from farmers in an attempt to break the Progressive Party’s success of the last election, the party nominated Senate Majority Leader Charles Curtis of Kansas.

Because of the prosperity of the twenties under two successive republican administrations, most leading figures in the Democratic Party chosen not to seek the presidential nomination.  Alfred Smith proved an exception to the rule.  He had been seeking the party’s nomination for the past two elections and was easily nominated on the first ballot.  Joseph T Robinson, Senator from Arkansas, was chosen as his running mate to help balance out the ticket.

Herbert Hoover’s personal popularity and the successful legacy of his predecessor proved enough to deliver him a land slide victory.  He was helped by the fact that many voters feared that Alfred Smith, a Catholic, would take orders from the Vatican.  Because of this, Smith only won the Deep South, an accomplishment that can be credited to his running mate.  The Progressives were hurt by the economic prosperity and unable to make up that loss with a charismatic candidate like Lafollette, causing them to perform much worse than the previous election.  While they still finished a solid third in the popular vote, they were unable to win a single state, largely because Smith, a progressive Democrat, was able to shave off enough of the progressive vote to give Hoover the states that they had won the last presidential election.

467-64-0




Congressional Elections
In the senate, Henrik Shipstead and Burton K. Wheeler both won reelection as progressives while Lynn Frazier of North Dakota lost to an IVA-Republican.  In the House, all five progressive representatives were reelected but Knud Wefald of Minnesota.

The party make up of the 71st Congress was the following.



Gubernatorial Elections
In New York State, Albert Ottinger won the election by just a little over a thousand against democratic candidate Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  Progressive candidate Louis Waldman, who gathered nearly 130,000 votes, was accused of being an election spoiler, because if only a thousand of his supporters had voted for the more progressive Roosevelt than he would have won.

Anticipating that Theodore Christianson would easily win reelection riding on the coattails of Hoover, former Progressive Governor Floyd Olson opted not to run.  The Progressives instead nominated Ernest Lundeen who was defeated in a landslide election.

Wisconsin Governor Fred Zimmerman was defeated by republican candidate Walter Kohler Sr.

North Dakota Governor Arthur Sorlie had died in office just two months before the election.  He had been elected as a Non-Partisan League candidate in 1924 but when the NPL had announced its support of the Progressive party in 1925 Sorlie had switched to the Independent Voter’s Association which now controlled the entire Republican Party in the state of North Dakota.  His Lieutenant Governor, NPL-Progressive Walter Maddock, served the rest of Sorlie’s term, making him North Dakota’s first Progressive Governor, but was defeated for reelection by George Shafer.


State Elections
The Progressives continued to lose ground in all states.


*     *     *


Sorry guys, I just realized I had switched the Democrats and Republicans colors in the congressional make-up charts.  Do you prefer the posts to be centered like the above one or non-centered?

And I was thinking when I repost this in its completed format to use newspapers articles and other publications to tell the story.  How does that sound?
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Frink
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« Reply #21 on: October 30, 2010, 06:35:45 PM »

Quote
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That sounds excellent.
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Yelnoc
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« Reply #22 on: October 31, 2010, 08:34:48 AM »

Interim



Political
On March 4th, Herbert Hoover was sworn in as the 31st President of the United States.  Though he was elected on the boon of his predecessor’s economic success, it was quickly obvious that those days were drawing to a close.  In March, the stock market experienced a micro-crash, rattling investors throughout the global community.

Senator Reed Smoot began advocating a large tariff hike in order to protect American jobs and products from foreign competition.  He found an ally in the House, William Hawley, and the two of them joint-sponsored the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act.  The act was supported by the business wings of both major parties and opposed by progressives in all three parties.  It was known that President Hoover opposed the bill, feeling that it was over the top and would undermine international cooperation.  In May of 1929 it passed the House and went to the Senate.  The bill was debated in a special senate session lasting throughout October and November.  The Progressive Party in a coalition with other progressive senators was able to block the passage of the bill; the Senate would reconvene on it in the spring of 1930.

In the month President Hoover signed his first bill into law.  The Agricultural Marketing Act established a Federal Farm Board in order to stabilize crop prices, either by winning voluntary agreement from farmers to reduce land under cultivation or purchase large amounts of goods and hold them from sale until agricultural prices rose.  $500 million was allocated to this program, which did not go into effect until 1930.

Another bill under consideration throughout this period was the Reapportionment Act of 1929.  This vaguely-worded act would have set the number of House seats at 435.  It also would have helped incumbents retain their seats.  While the act passed the majority Republican House, it was defeated in the Senate by a Democratic-Progressive coalition.  The 1921 Reapportionment Bill was reintroduced, which would have enlarged the House to 483 seats, but quickly shot down by the Republicans in the House.  The reapportionment issue would remain until after the next election.

In early September prices on the stock market peaked after six years of continuous.  The stock market would slide steadily downward for a month, losing 17% of its value in that time.  In late October the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act again went to the floor of the Senate.  This corresponded with wild swings in the market related to the prospects of the bill passing or failing.  The market hit a new low on October 24th, prompting several leading bankers to introduce tactics similar to those that halted the Panic of 1907.  The smart purchases managed to halt the losses before the weekend.  These events were covered nationally by various newspapers, prompting many investors come Monday to start selling in hopes of getting out of the market.  The next day, which would be known as “Black Tuesday”, saw stock prices crash even further amongst rumors that President Hoover might not veto the Smoot-Hawley Tariff bill still under consideration.  In total, the market lost $14 billion in value that day, bringing the week’s loss to $30 million.

The stock market crash signaled the beginning of the Great Depression.  When the Senate met again in late spring the following year, the effects were already being felt.  Unemployment had nearly doubled in the past few months and consumers, many of whom had suffered severe losses during the stock crash, had cut back on spending by an average 10%.  These events broke the resolve of the opposition, allowing the bill to pass in a very close vote.  The bill went to President Hoover’s desk.  Over 1,000 economists signed a petition urging the president to veto the bill.  Under pressure from economists and business leaders, Hoover eventually decided to neither sign nor veto the law.  On June 17th, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act became law by default.

At first, the bill seemed like a success, prices on various goods began to rise.  Foreign countries would retaliate against the act, passing their own laws boycotting American products.  This created a breakdown in international trade, and caused the GDP of both America and foreign nations to plummet.  Exasperating the economic situation was a drought in early summer of 1930 that raised the prices of agricultural product further because the supply of American crops had dwindled and protectionist policies kept foreign crops from entering the country.  In early December, President Hoover appeared before Congress to ask for a $150 million public works program to stimulate the economy.


Culture and Technology
In 1929 The 1st Academy Awards for film are held in Los Angeles, California and the Museum of Modern Art opens up in New York.  Outside of America in 1929 BBC broadcasted the first television transmission and the German airship Graf Zeppelin flew around the world in 21 days.

In 1930 the existence of Pluto is officially confirmed, making it the ninth planet in the solar system.  The first frozen foods go up for sale in Springfield, Massachusetts.


Foreign Events
In 1929 The Cristero War in Mexico ends.  Also in 1929 the Kellogg-Briand Pact goes into effect, renouncing war as a tool in foreign policy.

In 1930 France withdraws the last of its troops from the Rhineland.  The Nazis become the second largest party in German, winning 107 seats or a little over 18% of the Parliament.
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Vazdul (Formerly Chairman of the Communist Party of Ontario)
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« Reply #23 on: October 31, 2010, 11:00:10 AM »

This is very good. Keep it coming!
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Yelnoc
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« Reply #24 on: October 31, 2010, 11:14:27 AM »

1930 Elections



Congressional Elections
Because of the Great Depression, Republicans were very unpopular, causing them to lose many seats in both the House and Senate.  In Colorado Edward Costigan won election to the senate as a Progressive.  Hiram Johnson of California switched from the Republican to Progressive Party during his reelection bid, as did George Norris of Nebraska.  In Delaware the progressive candidate managed to split the left’s vote and throw the election to Democratic candidate Thomas Bayard Jr.  The senate race in Illinois was a close one between the Progressive and Democratic candidates.  In the end, Democrat James Lewis managed to squeak out a victory.  Local progressive Luke Harrison managed to win Iowa’s senate seat, defeating a conservative Democratic incumbent and a Republican candidate tainted by his party’s perceived responsibility for the Great Depression. 

In Louisiana Governor Huey Long was elected to the senate as a Democrat, though he had populist leanings and caucused with the Progressives.  Democratic candidate Marcus Coolidge won in Massachusetts after the Republican senator retired.  Progressive senator Magnus Johnson of Minnesota was easily reelected.  James Davis beat out the incumbent Republican senator to become the first Progressive to represent Pennsylvania in the senate.  In South Dakota, popular democratic governor William Bulow managed to beat out a progressive challenger to win that senate race, with the Republican incumbent finishing in a distant third.  In Wyoming, Progressive candidate Scott Manning managed to win after the Republican senator retired.

The Republican Party also fell out of power in the House.  The Democrats made some gains, however it was the Progressive Party that grew by leaps and bounds.

The party makeup of the 72nd US Congress was the following.



Gubernatorial Elections
Former Governor Floyd Olson won reelection as a Progressive in Minnesota.  Phillip Lafollette, son of the first Progressive presidential candidate Robert Lafollette, won election in Wisconsin.  In North Dakota, former Lieutenant Governor Walter Maddok became the first Progressive to be elected governor of the state.  Idaho also elected its first Progressive governor, Charles Bennett.

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That was the last section that is semi-presentable.  I started posting my outline because for a while I was worried I might have been infected with a computer virus and wanted to have this in a safe place in case my computer crashed but now I think I am safe.  So, consider this whole thread a teaser, I will post the real timeline sometime in the future.
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