1907 - Political Events

Political Events

The Tillman Act approved by Congress January 26 prohibits corporations and nationally chartered (interstate) banks from making direct financial contributions to candidates for public office (see Pendleton Act, 1883). President Roosevelt has sought to bring a measure of control to campaign financing, but the legislation's enforcement mechanism is so weak that the new law will be toothless (see Corrupt Practices Act, 1910).

British Member of Parliament Winston Churchill calls the House of Lords "one-sided, hereditary, unpurged, unrepresentative, irresponsible, absentee." Having quit the Conservative Party last year and joined the Liberal Party, Churchill will later call for total abolition of Parliament's upper chamber.

A Franco-Japanese treaty signed June 10 guarantees "open door" access of both France and Japan to China and recognizes the special interests of Japan in Fujian (Fukien) Province and in parts of Manchuria and Mongolia.

Korea's Yi dynasty emperor Kojong (I T'ae-wang) abdicates under pressure July 19 at age 55 after 43 years in power. His son inherits the throne, and Kojong dies at Seoul later in the year (see 1904). The Japanese who occupy his country set up a figurehead ruler and Korea becomes a Japanese protectorate under terms of a treaty signed July 25 (see 1909).

French authorities in Vietnam depose the puppet emperor Than Thai who has reigned (but not ruled) since 1889 as the sixth Nguyen dynasty emperor and proclaim his 8-year-old son Vinh San emperor September 5. The new emperor's supporters slyly give him the name Duy Tan (the Chinese characters for that are the same as those of the radical new nationalist organization Duy Tan Hoi) and he will reign (but not rule) until 1916.

Britain grants dominion status to New Zealand, whose former prime minister Sir John Hall dies at Christchurch June 25 at age 82.

Egyptian nationalists kill a British officer in the village of Dinshwai while the viceroy, Lord Cromer, is home on leave (see 1892). His subordinates in the "Veiled Protectorate" come down hard on the peasantry, widespread protests ensue, Prime Minister Campbell-Bannerman's Liberal cabinet tries to placate the people, and Lord Cromer, now 66 and in failing health, resigns (see 1908).

The Persian shah Muzaffar-ad-Din dies of a heart attack at Teheran January 9 at age 54 after a weak reign of 11 years in which he has been obliged to borrow money from Russia and make political concessions in return while he spent money on extravagant visits to Europe (in 1900, 1902, and 1905). He is succeeded by his son, 35, who will reign until 1909 as Mohammed Ali. His reactionary prime minister Atabegi-Azamis is assassinated in August, and a liberal ministry headed by Nasir ul-Mulk takes over. The new shah attempts a coup d'état December 15 and imprisons the new liberal prime minister, but popular uprisings throughout the country force him to yield (see 1908). An Anglo-Russian entente concluded August 31 resolves differences between Britain and Russia in Persia and elsewhere in Asia. The entente follows by 2 days a Russian note recognizing British preeminence in the Persian Gulf.

Sweden's Oskar II dies at Stockholm December 8 at age 78 after a 35-year reign in which he also ruled Norway until 1905. His popular son, 49, will reign until 1950 as Gustav V.

The Washington Conference convened in the wake of last year's conference at San José, Costa Rica, ends in an agreement signed by all five Central American states pledging them all to keep peace amongst their countries (see 1906). Nicaraguan dictator José Santos Zelaya soon breaks the treaty and tries to unify all of Central America under his rule (see 1909).

Oklahoma enters the Union November 16 as the 46th U.S. state.