| Line 221: |
Line 221: |
| | In 1890, the U.S. Census Bureau declared that the frontier is settled and officially closed. The era of frontier America, which first began with the settlement at Jamestown, Virginia, and then spread westward for nearly 300 years, was over. Frederick Jackson Turner wrote in 1893 that frontier experience had promoted individualism and democracy. | | In 1890, the U.S. Census Bureau declared that the frontier is settled and officially closed. The era of frontier America, which first began with the settlement at Jamestown, Virginia, and then spread westward for nearly 300 years, was over. Frederick Jackson Turner wrote in 1893 that frontier experience had promoted individualism and democracy. |
| | | | |
| − | == Tariffs, Taxes and Pensions == | + | == Tariffs and an Income Tax == |
| | | | |
| | + | Recall that the tariffs were a cause of the Civil War: the North wanted higher protective tariffs, while the South opposed them. The Civil War resolved the dispute over slavery, but it did not resolve the dispute over tariffs. After the War, the North still supported higher tariffs and the South still opposed them. The West, particularly farmers, also opposed higher tariffs. |
| | | | |
| − | tariff issue "disputes continued after Civil War: South and West, espec. farmers, opposed tariffs; North wanted them"
| + | In 1890, the McKinley Tariff established the highest tariffs ever, but in a compromise it did make sugar "duty free" (no tariff on sugar). Other than sugar, prices increased on goods and products due to the higher tariffs. These higher tariffs reflected the continued dominance by the Republican Party, which controlled the White House in 1890 (Benjamin Harrison, the grandson of William Henry Harrison, was president). Partly due to public outrage over the higher tariffs, the Democratic Party won many seats in Congress in the 1890 elections after the McKinley Tariff was enacted. |
| − | | |
| − | McKinley Tariff "1890: estab. highest tariffs ever, but made sugar duty-free; prices increase" | |
| − | | |
| − | Coxey's Army "1894: march on D.C. for poor led by wealthy Ohio populist, Jacob Coxey"
| |
| − | | |
| − | Wilson-Gorman Tariff 1894: adds income tax of Supreme Court invalidated it; also protected big business w/ tariffs
| |
| − | | |
| − | | |
| − | Pollack v. Farmers Loan & Trust 1895: declared Income Tax Act of 1894 unconstitutional because not apportioned by population per Constit.
| |
| | | | |
| | + | In 1894, the Wilson-Gorman Tariff and Income Tax Act passed, which added an income tax to even more tariffs. In the case of ''Pollack v. Farmers Loan and Trust Company'', the Supreme Court declared the Income Tax Act unconstitutional because it did not apportion the tax by population as required by the Constitution. Wealthier folks paid more, as in today's income tax, but the Supreme Court decision required a constitutional amendment (the 16th Amendment) to be passed before allowing taxation based on wealth rather than population. |
| | | | |
| | == The Conservative Democrat == | | == The Conservative Democrat == |