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the House which was closest to the people the opposition to the silver movement was stronger and more effective than in the Senate。
Notwithstanding the popular revolt against the Republican policy which was disclosed by the fall elections of 1890； President Harrison's annual message of December 9； 1891； was marked by extreme complacency。 Great things； he assured the people； were being accomplished under his administration。 The results of the McKinley Bill 〃have disappointed the evil prophecies of its opponents and in large measure realized the hopeful predictions of its friends。〃 Rarely had the country been so prosperous。 The foreign commerce of the United States had reached the largest total in the history of the country。 The prophecies made by the antisilver men regarding disasters to result from the Silver Bullion Purchase Act； had not been realized。 The President remarked 〃that the increased volume of currency thus supplied for the use of the people was needed and that beneficial results upon trade and prices have followed this legislation I think must be clear to every one。〃 He held that the free coinage of silver would be disastrous； as it would contract the currency by the withdrawal of gold； whereas 〃the business of the world requires the use of both metals。〃 While 〃the producers of silver are entitled to just consideration；〃 it should be remembered that 〃bimetallism is the desired end； and the true friends of silver will be careful not to overrun the goal。〃 In conclusion； the President expressed his great joy over 〃many evidences of the increased unification of the people and of the revived national spirit。 The vista that now opens to us is wider and more glorious than before。 Gratification and amazement struggle for supremacy as we contemplate the population； wealth； and moral strength of our country。〃
Though the course of events has yet to be fully explained； President Harrison's dull pomposity may have been the underlying reason of the aversion which Blaine now began to manifest。 Although on Harrison's side and against Blaine； Senator Cullom remarks in his memoirs that Harrison had 〃a very cold； distant temperament；〃 and that 〃he was probably the most unsatisfactory President we ever had in the White House to those who must necessarily come into personal contact with him。〃 Cullom is of the opinion that 〃jealousy was probably at the bottom of their disaffection；〃 but it appears to be certain that at this time Blaine had renounced all ambition to be President and energetically discouraged any movement in favor of his candidacy。 On February 6； 1892； he wrote to the chairman of the Republican National Committee that he was not a candidate and that his name would not go before the convention。 President Harrison went ahead with his arrangements for renomination； with no sign of opposition from Blaine。 Then suddenly； on the eve of the convention； something happenedexactly what has yet to be discoveredwhich caused Blaine to resign the office of Secretary of State。 It soon became known that Blaine's name would be presented； although he had not announced himself as a candidate。 Blaine's health was then broken； and it was impossible that he could have imagined that his action would defeat Harrison。 It could not have been meant for more than a protest。 Harrison was renominated on the first ballot with Blaine a poor second in the poll。
In the Democratic convention； Cleveland； too； was renominated on the first ballot； in the face of a bitter and outspoken opposition。 The solid vote of his own State； New York； was polled against him under the unit rule； and went in favor of David B。 Hill。 But even with this large block of votes to stand upon； Hill was able to get only 113 votes in all； while Cleveland received 616。 Genuine acceptance of his leadership； however； did not at all correspond with this vote。 Cleveland had come out squarely against free silver； and at least eight of the Democratic state conventionsin Colorado； Florida； Georgia； Idaho； Kansas； Nevada； South Carolina； and Texascame out just as definitely in favor of free silver。 But even delegates who were opposed to Cleveland； and who listened with glee to excoriating speeches against him forthwith； voted for him as the candidate of greatest popular strength。 They then solaced their feelings by nominating a free silver man for Vice…President； who was made the more acceptable by his opposition to civil service reform。 The ticket thus straddled the main issue； and the platform was similarly ambiguous。 It denounced the Silver Purchase Act as 〃a cowardly makeshift〃 which should be repealed； and it declared in favor of 〃the coinage of both gold and silver without discrimination；〃 with the provision that 〃the dollar unit of coinage of both metals must be of equal intrinsic and exchangeable value。〃 The Prohibition party in that year came out for the 〃free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold。〃 A more significant sign of the times was the organization of the 〃People's party；〃 which held its first convention and nominated the old Greenback leader； James B。 Weaver of Iowa； on a free silver platform。
The campaign was accompanied by labor disturbances of unusual extent and violence。 Shortly after the meeting of the national conventions； a contest began between the powerful Amalgamated Association of Steel and Iron Workers； the strongest of the trade…unions； and the Carnegie Company over a new wage scale introduced in the Homestead mills。 The strike began on June 29； 1892； and local authority at once succumbed to the strikers。 In anticipation of this eventuality； the company had arranged to have three hundred Pinkerton men act as guards。 They arrived in Pittsburgh during the night of the 5th of July and embarked on barges which were towed up the river to Homestead。 As they approached； the strikers turned out to meet them； and an engagement ensued in which men were killed or wounded on both sides and the Pinkerton men were defeated and driven away。 For a short time； the strikers were in complete possession of the town and of the company's property。 They preserved order fairly well but kept a strict watch that no strike breakers should approach or attempt to resume work。 The government of Pennsylvania was； for a time； completely superseded in that region by the power of the Amalgamated Association； until a large force of troops entered Homestead on the 12th of July and remained in possession of the place for several months。 The contest between the strikers and the company caused great excitement throughout the country； and a foreign anarchist from New York attempted to assassinate Mr。 Frick； the managing director of the company。 Though this strike was caused by narrow differences concerning only the most highly paid classes of workers； it continued for some months and then ended in the complete defeat of the union。
On the same day that the militia arrived at Homestead； a more bloody and destructive conflict occurred in the Coeur d'Alene district of Idaho； where the workers in the silver mines were on strike。 Nonunion men were imported and put into some of the mines。 The strikers； armed with rifles and dynamite； thereupon attacked the nonunion men and drove them off； but