Benjamin Harrison: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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Harrison was sworn into office on Monday, March 4, 1889 by [[Chief Justice of the United States|Chief Justice]] [[Melville Fuller]].{{sfn|Socolofsky & Spetter|p=1–2}} At 5' 6" tall, he was only slightly taller than Madison, the shortest president, but much heavier; he was the fourth (and last) president to sport a full beard{{sfn|Socolofsky & Spetter|p=1}} Harrison's [[Inauguration]] ceremony took place during a [[rainstorm]] in Washington D.C.. Outgoing U.S. President Grover Cleveland attended the ceremony and held an umbrella over Harrison's head as he took the oath of office.

His speech was brief -– half as long as that of his grandfather, William Henry Harrison, who holds the record for the longest inaugural address.{{sfn|Socolofsky & Spetter|p=1–2}} In his speech Harrison credited the nation's growth to the influences of education and religion, urged the cotton states and mining territories to attain the industrial proportions of the eastern states and promised a protective tariff. Concerning commerce, he said, "If our great corporations would more scrupulously observe their legal obligations and duties, they would have less call to complain of the limitations of their rights or of interference with their operations."{{sfn|Socolofsky & Spetter|p=3}} Harrison also urged early statehood for the territories and advocated pensions for veterans, a statement that was met with enthusiastic applause. In foreign affairs, Harrison reaffirmed the [[Monroe Doctrine]] as a mainstay of foreign policy, while urging modernization of the Navy and a merchant marine force. He gave his commitment to international peace through noninterference in the affairs of foreign governments.<ref name="Benjamin Harrison Inauguration" />

[[John Philip Sousa]]'s [[Marine Corps]] band played at the Inaugural Ball inside the [[National Building Museum|Pension Building]] with a large crowd attending.{{sfn|Socolofsky & Spetter|p=5–6}} After moving into the White House, Harrison noted, quite prophetically, "There is only a door -– one that is never locked -– between the president's office and what are not very accurately called his private apartments. There should be an executive office building, not too far away, but wholly distinct from the dwelling house. For everyone else in the public service there is an unroofed space between the bedroom and the desk."{{sfn|Socolofsky & Spetter|p=83}}

Harrison acted quite independently in selecting his cabinet, much to the dismay of the Republican bosses. He began by delaying the presumed nomination of James G. Blaine as Secretary of State so as to preclude Blaine's involvement in the formation of the administration, as had occurred in President Garfield's term.{{sfn|Socolofsky & Spetter|p=20-22}} In fact, other than Blaine, the only Republican boss initially nominated was Redfield Proctor, as Secretary of War. Senator Shelby Cullom's comment symbolizes Harrison's steadfast aversion to use federal positions for patronage: "I suppose Harrison treated me as well as he did any other Senator; but whenever he did anything for me, it was done so ungraciously that the concession tended to anger rather than please."{{sfn|Socolofsky & Spetter|p=33}} Harrison's selections shared particular alliances -– such as their service in the Civil War, Indiana citizenship and membership in the Presbyterian Church.{{sfn|Socolofsky & Spetter|p=20}} Nevrtheless, Harrison with these choices had alienated pivotal Republican operatives from New York to Pennsylvania to Iowa and prematurely compromised his political power and future.{{sfn|Socolofsky & Spetter|p=22-30}} Harrison's normal schedule provided for two full cabinet meetings per week, as well as separate weekly one-on-one meetings with each cabinet member.{{sfn|Socolofsky & Spetter|p=85}}

=== Civil service reform and pensions ===

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====European embargo of U.S. pork====

Throughout the 1880s various European countries had imposed a ban on importation of United States pork out of an unconfirmed concern of [[trichinosis]]; at issue was over one billion pounds of pork products with a value of $80 million (annually). Harrison engaged Whitelaw Reid, minister to France, and [[William Walter Phelps]], minister to Germany, to restore these exports for the country without delay. Harrison also successfully asked the congress to enact the Meat Inspection Act to eliminate the accusations of product compromise. The president also partnered with Agriculture Secretary Rusk to threaten Germany with retaliation -– by initiating an embargo in the U.S. against Germany's highly demanded beet sugar. By September 1891 Germany relented, and was soon followed by Denmark, France and Austria-Hungary.{{sfn|Socolofsky & Spetter|p=131-136}}

====Crises in Aleutian Islands and Chile====

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The crisis began in earnest when sailors from the ''[[USS Baltimore (C-3)|USS Baltimore]]'' took [[shore leave]] in [[Valparaiso]] and a fight ensued, resulting in the deaths of two American sailors and the arrest of three dozen others.{{sfn|Calhoun|p=127}} The ''Baltimore's'' captain, Winfield Schley, based on the nature of the sailors' wounds, insisted the sailors had been bayonet-attacked by Chilean police without provocation. With Blaine incapacitated, Harrison drafted a demand for reparations.{{sfnm|Calhoun||1pp=128–129|Socolofsky & Spetter||2pp=147–149}} The Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs Manuel Matta replied that Harrison's message was "erroneous or deliberately incorrect," and said that the Chilean government was treating the affair the same as any other criminal matter.{{sfnm|Calhoun||1pp=128–129|Socolofsky & Spetter||2pp=147–149}}

Tensions increased to the brink of war -– Harrison threatened to break off diplomatic relations unless the United States received a suitable apology, and said the situation required, "grave and patriotic consideration". The president also remarked, "If the dignity as well as the prestige and influence of the United States are not to be wholly sacrificed, we must protect those who in foreign ports display the flag or wear the colors."{{sfn|Socolofsky & Spetter|p=151}} The Navy was also placed on a high level of preparedness. {{sfnm|Calhoun||1pp=128–129|Socolofsky & Spetter||2pp=147–149}} A recuperated Blaine made brief conciliatory overtures to the Chilean government which had no support in the administration; he then reversed course, joined the chorus for unconditional concessions and apology by the Chileans, who ultimately obliged, and war was averted. Theodore Roosevelt later applauded Harrison for his use of the "big stick" in the matter. {{sfn|Moore & Hale|p=134}}{{sfn|Socolofsky & Spetter|pp=150-151}}

====Annexation of Hawaii====

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=== States admitted to the Union ===

When Harrison took office, no new states had been admitted in more than a decade, owing to Congressional Democrats' reluctance to admit states that they believed would send Republican members. Early in Harrison's term, however, the [[Lame duck (politics)|lame duck]] Congress passed bills that admitted four states to the union: [[North Dakota]] and [[South Dakota]] on November 2, 1889, [[Montana]] on November 8, and [[Washington (state)|Washington]] on November 11.{{sfn|Socolofsky & Spetter|pp=44–45}} The following year two more states held constitutional conventions and were admitted -– [[Idaho]] on July 3 and [[Wyoming]] on July 10, 1890.{{sfn|Socolofsky & Spetter|pp=44–45}} The initial Congressional delegations from all six states were solidly Republican.{{sfn|Socolofsky & Spetter|pp=44–45}} More states were admitted under Harrison's presidency than any other since [[George Washington]]'s.

===Vacations and travel===