LAD #26: I Have A Dream Speech

Martin Luthur Kind Jr. opens with a pretentious statement about the freedom of the nation.

He eludes to Abraham Lincoln’d Gettysburg Address by starting his speech with “five score years ago” and also by mentioning the Emancipation Proclamation. He then goes on to say that black Americans are still not free. He discusses various social issues related to racism and blames American society.

He says that the group gathered has come to the nation’s capital to protest the exclusion of their race from the “undeniable rights” that Americans have. He creates a long bank metaphor for justice and segregation. He rallies the crowd by making several statements pertaining to injustice.

 With another metaphor, King recognizes that this is only the beginning of a movement that will last for decades still. He emphasizes against the use of violence to achieve peaceful ends and encourages peaceful but effective protest.

He desires freedom, but not in a way that could alienate whites. His ultimate goal is racial harmony.

He states that the community will be satisfied when everything is truly equal.

He acknowledges all those in the crowd who have suffered racism, and says that there is hope ahead for all of them. At this point he actually says “I have a dream” and describes a world of peace and equality.

He quotes the Constitution, and then discusses several scenarios of equality. Many of these have at this point come true.

From here, Luther enthuses the crowd by saying “let freedom ring” and listing places throughout the country that people can relate to.

He then brings the tone of the speech back to its roots with a quote from a traditional song. 

LAD #25: Dawes Act

The Act starts off by asserting that Indians have explicit rights to the land that has ever been explicitly deemed theirs, and gives exact guidelines for the distribution of land among individuals. If there is not enough room on a reservation to give out this much individual land, the government will make it work within the allotted reservation. Land that is not livable or farmable will be treated as such.

The Indians will make the actual selection.  If more than one works on a piece of land, they can divide it up amongst themselves. However, if this process takes more than four years, then the government will decide.

Even if an Indian is not registered, he can still buy land. The system of paying for the land will remain the same. The United States is not in any case allowed to take back land that belongs to Inidians. If an agricultural part of land is within the reservation, the Indians still must pay federal taxes on it.  After an Indian or Indian family has occupied a place for five or more years, nothing can legally take it away from them.  The US Treasury will hold the funds that have to do with Indian lands. Religion and education reformers are legally allowed to reside on Indian land. The Indians can create a police, preferably of Indian US citizens.

Now that the Indians have their own land, the government cannot interfere in their lives, force citizenship, or force them to obey state laws. However, the government is allowed to decide how agricultural and water resources within the reservations should be used.

This act does not apply to territory occupied by the Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Seminoles, and Osage, Miamies and Peorias, and Sacs and Foxes, in the Indian Territory, nor to any of the reservations of the Seneca Nation of New York Indians in the State of New York, nor to that strip of territory in the State of Nebraska adjoining the Sioux Nation on the south. There will be one hundred thousand dollars in the treasury in case the Indians wish to sell land to the government.  Indians are still by all means allowed to use public transportation and do things outside of the reservations. 

LAD #24: Cross of Gold Speech

This issue is the most important one America has ever faced.

The Democrats believe in free coinage of silver.

All people are businessmen and have a part in this decision, and Congress represents the people.

All people deserve the right to have a part in this decision.

The speaker calls out against tyranny and ensures the listeners that there is none involved. The government does, however, have the right to decide things about money and give taxes.

He claims that his ideas are fact, not opinion.

He believes in the income tax, but believes that the gold standard takes away the financial rights of people.

He impresses the fact that coining money is a job of the government alone.

Banks are a part of the governing business already and need not be any more involved.

The speaker disagrees with the President’s ideas on the coinage of silver.

This issue has been long debated but is only now coming to a conclusion.

Gold standard is a more important issue than tariffs.

Only completely Republican states are asking for the gold standard at this point.

Bimetalism would be an international agreement.

The advocates of the gold standard are not well supported. Bimetalism would be a stronger, safer system for America.

The speaker questions why we are waiting for other nations.

The gold issue is turned into a social issue when he questions whether the rich or the poor will suffer more from it.

He appeals to the spirit of the United States as reasons to stand against the gold standard.

He relates the issue to the Revolutionary War to garner support.

He criticizes anyone who supports the gold standard.

LAD #23: Populist Party Platform

The preamble shows that American is currently in relative shambles from political, economic, and social perspectives. There is corruption in the government and too much power with the rich.

It talks of a conspiracy against mankind and mentions the silver issue.

The writer seeks to restore the government of the US to the hands of the "plain people."

America must set precedents for the solutions to the problems it faces because these problems have never been seen before.

This act is sure that equality can be achieved within this nation.  
  
 1. They ask for a permanent and perpetual labor union.

2. This would be in the interest of both rural and civil labor.

3. They wish for business only to be carried out fairly.  
 

FINANCE- National currency issued by government for safety

 1. More coinage of precious metals
  
 2. Increase in money circulation

 3. Graduated income tax.

 4. Money kept mostly in the hands of the people.

 5. Post service should be a government responsibility  
 

TRANSPORTATION –­ the government should own and operate public transport for the people 
 

LAND- land is more the right of people than corporation, and corporations should sell excess land to the people.  

The Expression of Sentiments shows the issues that the labor force and the industrialists must overcome given time and laws guiding them in that general direction. They are goals of peace and equality in the work force and manufacturing system. 

LAD #22: McKinley's War Message

Cuba revolted against Spain. The US remained neutral at the start. Later in the war, they decided to end the conflict in Cuba. They sent them an order to stop the fighting, and the Spanish government accepted it. President McKinley doesn’t mention this until the very end of his speech. 
The war in Cuba has been going on for far too long, and there are obvious similarities to other uprisings that have occurred in Cuba against Spain. Each of these has involved the US in some way, despite their neutrality. The US has suffered, especially in trade, as a result of the war in Cuba.
President McKinley cites a previous address in which he decided to hold onto morality and not get involved in the war, but at the time of this address he chooses to review that decision. He continues to try to justify the US’s involvement. Neutrality cannot bring peace in this case. The President discusses the US’s previous relationship with Cuba, which was generally good. The US’s intervention is designed only to force a truce, not escalate the fighting.
McKinley summarizes the grounds for intervention as follows:
First. Humanistic- end death, disease, starvation
Second. Offer protection to the weaker party in a war for independence
Third. Lots of destruction in the war.
Fourth. Anything that affects the United States in terms of trade or foreign affairs.
McKinley talks about the tragedy associated with the Maine, and uses it as another cause to intervene. He places no blame for this destruction except on the fighting itself. But the destruction of the Maine shows that the fighting in Cuba is affecting the United States and therefore must stop.
McKinley does not believe that Spain’s cause for starting the war could ever be achieved.
McKinley asks Congress to empower him to intervene in Cuba with United States military and naval power.
He asks that Congress continue to help the people of Cuba through a poverty-stricken time, and officially hands the issue over to Congress.
McKinley then reveals that Spain had already suspended hostilities in Cuba. He then expresses warnings and hope for the upcoming negotiations.