1896 Conventions (The Hearse at Monticello)

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Thanks to Antonio V for inspiring this development.

The discovery of gold in southeast Alaska and a boom in industrial production just months after the 1892 election brought the depression of 1886 to an end, and President Cleveland would preside over four years of relative prosperity. Determined as he was to institute a sound monetary policy for the country, Cleveland and the Democratic majority in Congress worked vigorously to roll back the Populist programs, leading to a period of deflation that both improved the lives of consumers and sank the nation's farmers into renewed debt. Convinced that bimetalism was one of the primary causes of the Panic of 1886, Cleveland opposed efforts by populists in his own party to allow for increased production of silver currency, to the dismay of the mining communities to the West.

Highly popular within his party, Cleveland faced little opposition to his reelection within the Democratic Party and was unanimously renominated by the Democratic National Convention on the first ballot. The job of selecting a vice presidential nominee remains, however, and several prominent Democrats have stepped forward to challenge Vice President Adlai Stevenson. These include Secretary of the Treasury John G. Carlisle, widely believed to be Cleveland's preferred choice for the nomination; Senator John Palmer, a staunch defender of the gold standard; and Governor Claude Matthews, who has gained publicity for his willingness to crack down on striking workers. In order to maintain the ticket's regional balance, all four candidates are from Mid Western states, though in certain cases residence does not equate with popularity.

For the first time since their founding the Populists do not have a incumbent in the White House as they prepare to nominate a candidate for the presidency. The front-runner for the nomination is Senator William J. Bryan of Nebraska, christened the "Boy Orator" by his supporters for his youth and eloquence, whose fiery speech denouncing Cleveland's policies before the convention raised him up from obscurity to become one of the foremost men in the party. Bryan's main opposition is Senator Thomas E. Watson of Georgia, who was instrumental in establishing the People's Party as a major force in the South and who has made himself a prominent advocate for cooperation between blacks and whites. Governor Horace Boies and Senator Henry Teller are also seeking the nomination, the former running on his record as a compromiser and the latter as an advocate for free silver.

The real story of the 1896 convention cycle is not the Populist and Democratic gatherings, but the fusion of the Republican and Prohibitionist parties. Having polled similar numbers in the most recent presidential elections, the two parties have come to the conclusion that they will only achieve (or, in the case of the G.O.P., regain) national stature as a united force. After much haggling and arm-twisting on the part of Republican and Prohibitionist leaders, the members of both parties have agreed to a joint convention in 1896. Having approved a platform calling for nationwide prohibition, a return to the gold standard, and "pro-business" government, the convention now moves toward selecting its nominee. Though Thomas B. Reed, who was elected Governor of Maine on a joint ticket with the Prohibitionists, is considered to be the front-runner for the nomination, former Congressman William McKinley and Mayor Charles Bentley are also being considered. In addition, those Republicans and Prohibitionists opposed to fusing the two parties are holding their own splinter conventions, with Joshua Levering running for the "Straight" Prohibitionists and Mark Hana for the Anti-Fusion Republicans.

This should be interesting. Let's see if we can't have a competitive election this time!

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Bryan/Boies, though I should note that Watson was a massive racist and anti-semite IRL.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Yay! A Republican-Prohibition alliance would make for a very fun combination. I guess "WASP Supremacy Party" might be a good name for them.

[Mr. Smith]

Bryan/Teller

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Watson was a massive racist and anti-semite IRL.

He only became so after 1904, IIRC. In the early days of the OTL Populist Party he was a big advocate for cooperation between the races, and given the importance of the black vote to the Populists' electoral fortunes ITTL, I figured that was likely to be the case here as well.

[Zioneer]

Bryan/Boies. We must not let Cleveland crucify farmers and miners upon a cross of gold!

[Dr. Cynic]

Bryan/Boies, though I should note that Watson was a massive racist and anti-semite IRL.

Oddly enough at this time though, he was one of the leading proponents of poor black and white cooperation. He thought at the time that it was more important for the poor to be united against the rich than for the whites to be united against minorities... He did change those views later though.

I think he changed his views around about the time the Populists collapsed as a political force. He really went firebrand on it during the Mary Phagan murder trial where he called for the lynching of Leo Frank.

If the Populists are not collapsing as a political force, it's possible Watson (incidentally, Watson is my last name, so I always feel weird typing it out when referring to someone else) never changes his views.

[Türkisblau]

I have to stick with my man WJB.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Bryan/Boies, though I should note that Watson was a massive racist and anti-semite IRL.

Oddly enough at this time though, he was one of the leading proponents of poor black and white cooperation. He thought at the time that it was more important for the poor to be united against the rich than for the whites to be united against minorities... He did change those views later though.

I think he changed his views around about the time the Populists collapsed as a political force. He really went firebrand on it during the Mary Phagan murder trial where he called for the lynching of Leo Frank.

If the Populists are not collapsing as a political force, it's possible Watson never changes his views.

This is my plan at the moment, though it will depend on the outcome of the next few elections.

[PPT Spiral]

Cleveland/Palmer!

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

It's too bad this GOP-Prohibition merger probably won't last, as I'd love to see how it would function in the coming years. Bonus points, naturally, to avoiding the "natural" situation in which its support shifts to the South. I'd suggest renaming it the "American Party" at some point, and have it be sold as a bulwark against unGodly excess, immigrants, radicals, and so on. Maybe a sort of one-nation conservatism could rise within it through a Theodore Roosevelt nomination, though part of me suspects that by the first decade of the next century, Teddy may be a Democrat. It'd be interesting if the Americans could strike a semi-populist tone (obviously nowhere near to the extent of the Populist Party itself) with Roosevelt at their helm. Just my thoughts. If Antonio suggested it, I have no doubt that there are good plans for its future, if it can make it.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Also, suggestion, regarding Mr. Roosevelt. This was something I never got to do in the interactive timeline I started, since I'd retired by the time Teddy came on the national scene, but, if I'd still had control at that point, he would be a South Dakota politician as opposed to a New York one. During his time in the Dakota Territory, it was speculated that when Dakota became a state (it naturally being assumed that it would enter as one), he might be one of its first senators. Left-wingers that are fans of Teddy would, I'm sure, love to see him as a Populist Senator, though he could do well for the Reprohiblicans. As a Democrat, I'm not so sure.

Amazing work, keep at it.

Oh, and I voted John Palmer for VP, since why not?

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

It's too bad this GOP-Prohibition merger probably won't last, as I'd love to see how it would function in the coming years. Bonus points, naturally, to avoiding the "natural" situation in which its support shifts to the South. I'd suggest renaming it the "American Party" at some point, and have it be sold as a bulwark against unGodly excess, immigrants, radicals, and so on. Maybe a sort of one-nation conservatism could rise within it through a Theodore Roosevelt nomination, though part of me suspects that by the first decade of the next century, Teddy may be a Democrat. It'd be interesting if the Americans could strike a semi-populist tone (obviously nowhere near to the extent of the Populist Party itself) with Roosevelt at their helm. Just my thoughts. If Antonio suggested it, I have no doubt that there are good plans for its future, if it can make it.

Assuming the Rep-Pro alliance lasts, I had considered renaming it the "American Party", though part of me thinks it needs a more original name. We'll see.
As for Roosevelt, his political allegiance is up in the air, to say the least. My thinking is that he served as a Republican during his time in the New York Assembly (1882-84, when the Reps were still somewhat powerful), but that he's been drifting toward the Democrats in recent years. In original history he got along well with Cleveland and his father was apparently a Democrat early in life, so I can see him fitting in there, especially with the populist wing having mostly gone over to the People's Party. Having him be a South Dakota politician would be interesting, though I'm not sure if he has much of a future there since the region is so heavily Populist. It all depends on whether the new Rep-Pro alliance proves to be a legitimate force in the next 8 years or so. He likely won't be a figure of national stature until 1904 anyways, as I assume Bryan will be our next president and that robs Teddy of the event that catapulted him to the national stage in OTL: the Spanish-American War.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

If anyone wants to break the Bryan-Watson tie, now would be a good time. Otherwise, it's on to the general election.

[TDAS04]

Bryan I guess. 

[Rockefeller GOP]

McKinley

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

With the tie for the Populist nomination now broken, the 1896 Conventions have drawn to a close. The general election will be Cleveland vs. Bryan vs. Reed vs. Levering vs. Hana, the first five-way race in alternate history.