"Standpatter", or "stand-patter", was a term used in US political history in the early 20th century, during the Progressive Era, to describe the more conservative members of the Republican Party[1][2] than other members, who were called "insurgents" or "progressives". The former were said to be philosophically similar to those of the earlier Stalwart faction.[3]
History[edit]
The term is said to have first been used in a political context by Joseph G. Cannon in 1896 with regard to US tariffs.[4] It was popularised following Senator Mark Hanna's "stand pat speech" in 1901, which suggested that "all that was necessary for Republican victory was, in poker parlance, to stand pat".[3] In poker, a player who does not want to trade any cards declares his intention to "stand pat." A standpatter Republican was particularly conservative and was unwilling to trade or compromise.[5] The poker parlance "stand pat" has since been used in political contexts to refer to a conservative viewpoint although the description of individuals as "standpatters" is less common.[4][6]
After the term's popularisation, even those unfamiliar with the game of poker understood the description.[7]
Prominent members[edit]
- Nelson Aldrich
- William B. Allison
- Joseph Foraker
- Mark Hanna
- Boies Penrose
- Thomas C. Platt
- John Coit Spooner
See also[edit]
External links[edit]
- James N. Tidwell, Political Words and Phrases: Card-Playing Terms, American Speech Vol. 33, No. 1 (Feb., 1958), pp. 21-28, Duke University Press
- "Standpat" at Merriam-Webster
References[edit]
- ^ B. Dan Wood, Soren Jordan, Party Polarization in America; The War Over Two Social Contracts, Cambridge University Press (2017)
- ^ David R. Berman, Radicalism in the Mountain West, 1890-1920, University Press of Colorado (2011)
- ^ a b Michael Wolraich, "Unreasonable Men: Theodore Roosevelt and The Republican Rebels Who created Progressive Politics" Palgrave Macmillan, New York, New York (2014) p.8
- ^ a b William Safire, Safire's Political Dictionary, Oxford University Press (2008)
- ^ Thomas Andrew Bailey, Stephen M. Dobbs, Voices of America; The Nation's Story in Slogans, Sayings, and Song, Indiana University (1976)
- ^ William Safire, The New Language of Politics; A Dictionary of Catchwords, Slogans, and Political Usage, Collier Books (1972)
- ^ Addison B. Burk, Howard A. Chase, J. Lee Patton, Hampton Moor, Golden Jubilee of the Republican Party, Town Print Company (1906)