the Republican Party

William Howard Taft, of Ohio, was elected president in 1908, and James S. Sherman, of New York, vice-president. A new tariff law failed to appeal to the people as making good party pledges for lower rates, and a Democratic House was elected in 191o. The House was the scene of a so-called war against Can nonism, with modified powers for the speaker resulting. The 16th amendment to the Constitution, making possible a national income tax law, was submitted, and the parcel post system estab lished. A division of the party came between the followers of Roosevelt and Taft in 1912, and the formation of the Progressive party with Roosevelt as leader brought about the election of Woodrow Wilson, Democratic candidate for president in 1912. His party won control of both houses of Congress and retained it for four years for the first time since 186o. A lower tariff bill was enacted and new banking laws creating the Federal Reserve system.

The World War.

The World War occupied the attention of the world 1914 to 1918. The rallying cry, "he kept us out of war" proved sufficient to re-elect Wilson in 1916, but soon there after it was apparent that this campaign slogan was not pro phetic, as the people had believed. The Republicans, while losing the presidency in 1916, won the House, but when President Wilson asked for the participation of the United States in the war in 1917, Republicans vied with Democrats in support of the war programme. An appeal by the President for a Democratic Con gress in 1918 startled and angered the country, resulting in Republican control of both Houses by large majorities in the 66th Congress. The President did not appear to regard this as a rebuke of his personal leadership but went abroad and partici pated in the treaty negotiations at Versailles, his influence in corporating in the treaty provisions for a League of Nations. The Covenant of the League was considered by numerous leaders, some Republicans, some Democrats, as failing to pro tect American interests, but proposed clarifying reservations were refused by President Wilson. A long fight resulted, and the issue was projected into the campaign of 1920. The result was a great Republican victory, electing Warren G. Harding, of Ohio, president, and Calvin Coolidge, of Massachusetts, vice-president.

President Harding's administration made a separate treaty of peace with Germany and Austria, summoned a naval arms con ference resulting in an international agreement limiting naval construction, made vast reductions in government personnel, established the budget system, and generally emphasized the need of national economy. Loans were made to relieve agriculture and

a higher tariff law was passed. Upon the death of Mr. Harding in 1923, Calvin Coolidge became president and at the end of his partial term in 1924 he was nominated and elected with Charles G. Dawes of Illinois as vice-president. This administration was especially noted for its insistence upon economy and payment of the national debt. There was widespread business develop ment, which was fostered by the administration's policy. The Senate approved United States adherence to the World Court but with reservations unacceptable to the other nations. Some dam age to the Party's reputation resulted from the uncovering of scandals in the preceding government notably in connection with the letting of oil leases. Coolidge, nevertheless, retained the con fidence of the majority of people. He was urged to run again in 1928 but declined. And when efforts to "draft" him failed, the nomination went to his secretary of commerce, H. C. Hoover.

In the election which followed, the Party achieved the greatest victory of its history, winning from the "solid South" Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, and Texas. But less than a year after inauguration came the financial crash. Mr. Hoover at first sought to check the downward course of business by verbal reassurances, which unfortunately served rather to weaken con fidence in his leadership than to revive trade. His party lost con trol of the House of Representatives in 1930 and with it the chance of carrying through any unified programme of legislation. Several significant measures, nevertheless, were passed, notably an act legalizing the Moratorium on debts due from foreign gov ernments in 1931, the act of 1932 creating the R.F.C. (Recon struction Finance Corporation), and the Emergency Relief act extending the scope of the corporation's activities and providing about $322,000,000 for public works expenditures.

In view of the distressing state of the nation a reaction was inevitable. As a result only 6 states stood loyal to the Party in the elections of 1932; there was further loss in 1934, and in 1936 only two states, Maine and Vermont voted for the Repub lican candidates, Landon and Knox. (F. B. W.; X.)