William McKinley - 1897-1901
-McKinley's election symbolizes the death of the Populist party
-McKinley takes office at a time of relative peace, with few strikes and labor revolts
-Condemns trusts but, like his predecessors, does nothing to limit them
-As a Republican, McKinley immediately tries to raise tariff rates
-Dingley Tariff
-Enacts the Gold Standard Act of 1900
-Foreign crop failures result in an economic upswing for the midwest
-In 1898, he gives the message of "neutral intervention" in Cuba, precipitating the questionable explosion of the USS Maine and the Spanish American War