McKinley's administration was marked by the growth throughout the country of a strong anti trust movement, which resulted in a large num ber of State laws regulating the formation and operation of large combinations of capital. (Hits decision in the case of United States vs. Trans :Missouri Freight Association, the Supreme Court gave an interpretation of the Sherman Anti Trust Law, which forced the dissolution of a great association and gave a considerable im petus to the anti-trust movement. In political platforms, conferences, and party press a Vigor ous agitation was carried on against combina tions. An Industrial Commission was created on June 18. 1898. for the purpose of investigat ing questions pertaining to immigration, labor, agricultnre, manufacture, and business. The organization of trusts continued with increasing, rapidity. During the first four months of 1899 the capitalization of these trusts was 82.000,000, 000, as against $1,000,000,000 in the twelve months. On February 12, 1900, an Anti Tru4, League was formed at a convention in Chicago. (See Tarsrs.) The administration of McKinley coincided with an unprecedented commercial development.
While the great problems connected with the regulation of trusts and settlement of the de pendencies were under consideration, the cam paign of 1900 was inaugurated. At the Repub lican National Convention held on June 19th. at Philadelphia, President McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt were nominated by acclamation and the principles of 1896 reaffirmed. On July 4th the Democratic Convention at Kansas City nomi nated William J. Bryan and Adlai E. Stevenson, and declared against imperialkm and militarism.
The platform advocated Cuban independence, the preparation of the Philippines for independence, and the renunciation of American dominion over those islands. The free-silver plank was also inserted. The Democratic nominees received the indorsement of the Anti-Imperialist League, the Populist Fusionists, and the Silver Republicans. The election resulted in a complete victory for the Republicans, !McKinley receiving 292 elec toral votes and Bryan 155. The popular vote was as follows: Republican, 7,206,677; Demo cratic, 6,374,397; Prohibitionist, 203,555; Social Democratic, S4,003; Socialist Labor, 39,537; Union Reform, 569S; Middle of the Road Popul ist, 50,373; United Christian, 1060.
While receiving the people in the Temple of Music at the Pan-American Exposition at Buf falo, President McKinley was shot down by an anarchist, named Czolgosz (q.v.), on September 6, 1901. After eight days of suffering, the Presi dent died at Buffalo, and on September 19th was buried at his old home in Canton.
On the day of McKinley's death Vice-Presi dent Roosevelt took the oath of office. Ile re tained the Cabinet of his predecessor and an nounced his intention to continue unaltered the policy of the previous Administration.
Important measures of the two administra tions which have not been mentioned above may be briefly summarized. In 1900 a currency law was passed by Congress, which defined the gold dollar as the standard of value in the United States. In the same year a civil code for Alaska was enacted and provision made for the repre sentation of the Territory in Congress. In 1901 the army was reorganized and the 'canteen' (q.v.) abolished. The Fifty-seventh Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Bill, and an act for reclaiming and irrigating arid lands of the West. By a law approved March 6, 1902, the Census Office was made a permanent bureau with increased duties and facilities. In December, 1902, a reciprocity treaty was concluded with Cuba providing for mutual concessions in the customs duties. The Senate, however, ratified it only upon condition that it should not go into effect until approved by Congress. In 1903 a new Department of
Labor and Commerce was created, the Secretary being made a regular member of the Cabinet. A Bureau of Manufactures and Corporations was established, with important functions of investi gation and regulation, which have not as yet been tested. Laws for the reorganization of the militia and increase of the navy were passed. A general staff for the army was created. The anti-trust movement culminated in the Elkins Anti-Trust Act (1903), which requires common carriers to file tariff rates and forbids rebates, and which includes provisions and appropriations for the purpose of facilitating the prosecution of of fenders.
After long and vexatious negotiations, a final convention on the Isthmian question was ratified by Great Britain and the United States on De cember 16, 1901. The United States was given the right to construct and police the canal; Great Britain withdrew her claim to participa tion in the maintenance of neutrality upon the condition that free navigation on the basis of the Suez stipulations should be guaranteed. (See HAY-PAITNCEFOTE TREATY.) On June 28, 1902, an act of Congress was approved empower ing the President to acquire the rights and prop erty of the Panama Canal Company at a cost not to exceed $40,000,000. It authorized him to pur chase from the Republic of Colombia the neces sary territory and to cause the construction of the canal at a cost not to exceed $130,000,000. If unable to secure a satisfactory title for this route, the President was instructed to build a canal by the Nicaragua route at a cost of not more than $189,090.000. Negotiations have been carried on with Colombia according to this act. The Hay Herran Treaty, stipulating the terms on which the canal was to he constructed, was rejected by the Congress of Bogota in August, 1903. On October 180 Colombia proposed that the United States should pay her $25,000,000, and at the same time leave her in possession of the territory. The affair was complicated by the Isthmian revo lution of November 4, 1903, which resulted in the declaration of independence of the State of Pan ama. The new republic was immediately recog nized by the United States.
The commercial prosperity of the period was accompanied by a number of strikes, a most note worthy occurrence in this connection being the appointment by the President in October, 1902, of a commission to arbitrate the differences be tween the striking anthracite miners and their employers.
In 1899 the inability of the Chinese Govern ment to restrain the anti-foreign movement on the part of its subjects and to maintain internal order endangered the interests of the United States, as well as those of other Powers. The United States joined the other Powers in the work of restoring the Chinese Government and procuring indemnity for losses incurred. The policy of the United States throughoNt was the preservation of Chinese territorial and adminis trative unity and the maintenance of fair and impartial trade conditions. See CHINA.
On October 20, 1899, a modus virgndi in con nection with the Alaskan boundary controversy was arranged with Great Britain. After futile negotiations, in January, 1903, Secretary Hay and the British Ambassador signed a convention providing for the reference of the dispute to a tribunal of six impartial jurists. On October 17, 1903, the tribunal decided the main points of the controversy in favor of the United States, the decision being signed by the three American arbitrators. Lodge, Root, and Turner, and by the English arbitrator, Lord Alverstone. The refusal of the two Canadian members to agree with the majority was strongly approved in Canada, where the decision was received with marked evidences of dissatisfaction.