LAD #29: The Keating-Owen Child Labor Act

 

 Lewis Hine's photography exposed the horrors of child labor.

This act was passed in the interest of combating child labor, specifically by regulating interstate commerce. It banned the sale of products from factories, shops, or canneries that employed children under 14, mines that employed children under 16, or any facilities that made children under 16 work at night or more than 8 hours during the day. The law passed and remained in effect until it was ruled unconstitutional in Hammer v. Dagenhart in 1918 on account of the government overstepping its power to regulate local trade. The Fair Labor Standards Act was passed in 1938 to a similar effect, and the Supreme Court reversed their decision concerning Hammer v. Dagenhart in 1941.

LAD #28: Wilson's First Inaugural Address

Woodrow Wilson

In this address, Wilson notes the government is slowly being taken over and controlled by the Democratic Party. He says the success of the nation will lead to the success of America. Wilson proclaims that life, specifically life in America, is good, and has led to happiness. However, it has not been all good. Many valuable resources have been squandered, and the cost of industrial expansion has been great. Wilson says that it is the duty of the American people to correct the evil without destroying the good that was created by its prospects. He points out several national systems that need to be resolved to fix the issues, like foreign tariffs, banking, labor, and agriculture.Wilson also urges the government that protecting the citizens should be its highest priority, and wants to ensure that the people focus less on celebrating their success, and more on solutions and progress for the future.

LAD #27: The Clayton Anti-Trust Act

 Anti-trust acts broke up monopolistic trusts.




This act was created to outlaw monopolies and prevent new ones from being created. It makes price discrimination in favor of monopolies illegal, specifically locally lowering prices to undercut competitors and drive them out of business. It gives the FTC the power to identify and terminate such discrimination. The act also prevents rebates and corporations holding stock in each other's companies, when such holding of stock would lead to the creation or furthering of monopolies.

LAD #26: Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" Speech

 MLKJ giving his "I Have A Dream" speech

King begins his speech by pointing out that even 100 years after the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation, black Americans are still outcast, unequal members of society. He compares the promise of freedom given to all Americans in the Declaration of Independence to a check, and that black Americans always had insufficient funds to cash it. King calls for all Americans to take action to gain civil rights, but deplores the use of violence as a means to this end. He also strongly urges black Americans not to lose trust for all white Americans, as true equality lies in togetherness. King asserts that as long as blacks are segregated by society and targeted by law enforcement, they will never be truly satisfied. He then famously goes off-book, talking about his dream for a free and equal America, for everybody.

LAD #25: Dawes Severalty Act

 There is exactly one picture pertaining to the Dawes Act in existence.

Passed in 1887, the Dawes Act allowed the US government to claim and distribute Native American lands held by tribes to individual Native Americans. Each individual received a different amount of land depending on age, gender, and status. However, while seeming innocent enough, the act also allowed the government to purchase excess land and sell it to American settlers. This was intended to cause assimilation of Native Americans into American society. The Dawes Act does not include the 5 "civilized tribes" among others. Lastly, this act gives the government power to build government-owned infrastructure such as railroads and highways through Native American land.

LAD #24: William Jennings Bryan's Cross of Gold Speech

 There are no pictures in which this man does not look like a badass.

In this speech, Bryans addresses the issue of whether or not to introduce silver coinage to supplement the gold standard. This measure would put more money into circulation and aid poor farmers. Bryans supports the introduction of silver as he believes it would take money out of the hands of the wealthy elite and return power to the common people. He says that every working man is a businessman, and supports Democratic legislation to introduce income tax. He is confident that the Democrats will win the upcoming election, as McKinley is rapidly losing popularity. Finally, he urges the US to turn to bimetallism as soon as possible, to stay ahead of the curve before other nations do so.

LAD #23: The Populist Party Platform

 

I hope their actual logo was less blurry.

The Populist Party was a radical, leftist party which sought to protect society from the evils of the wealthy bond-holders. They also found the gold standard faulty and sought to use silver coinage in addition to it. If elected, they pledged to support the labor unions, give the wealth to the laborer who earns it, and that the government will manage the land controlled in the name of railroads, and give it back to the people. They close with several economic promises to benefit the common man, like a graduated income tax and savings banks to be created by the government.

LAD #22: President McKinley's War Message

 

Damn, that's a lot of 'Murica in one photo.

In this message to Congress, McKinley addresses the Cuban revolution against Spain and their efforts to earn their independence. The US had tried to maintain neutrality in this conflict, but they were unable to do so for long, as in 1898 its government demanded that Spain cease fighting and grant an armistice to the rebels. Although Spain agreed to this ultimatum, Congress adopted a joint resolution to go to war against Spain in support of Cuba, under McKinley's orders he gave through a War Message. In this message, he states that American investments in Cuba had been lost, and American citizens in Cuba were in danger. McKinley claims intervention is necessary under the circumstanced to protect commerce between the US and Cuba. He also mentions the Spanish destruction of the USS Maine and requests the ability to end hostilities between the two countries, asking for permission to go to war with Spain.