The politics of stalemate and satisfaction begin to lose their hold on voters by the late 1880s. The discontent over government corruption, money issues, tariffs, railroads, and trusts are increasing. In response to this, politicians begin to take small steps in responding to public concerns, but it will take a third part, the populists, and a major depression began to shake the Democrats and the Republicans into taking action. Already near the end of his term, President Cleveland has created a political storm by challenging the high protective tariff. He has proposed to lower tariff rates, since there is a growing surplus in the federal treasury & the government has no need to add tax revenue. With the question of tariffs at hand, President Cleveland has introduced a real issue, the first that truly has divided Democrats and Republicans. In 1888, Democrats are campaigning for Cleveland & a lower tariff while Republicans are sided for Benjamin Harrison & a higher tariff. Republicans argue that a lower tariff will wreck business success as they use this to place fear in order to raise campaign funds from big businesses. Republicans also use this fear to assemble workers in the North, whose jobs depend on the success of U.S. industry. Republicans also attack Cleveland's vetoes of pension bills to bring out the veteran vote. Cleveland receives more popular votes than Harrison, but ends up losing the election because Harrison's sweep of the North has gained him the Republican ticket a majority of votes in the Electoral College. In the congressional elections, the voters mainly in the Midwest replace many Republicans with Democrats. Voters are reacting in part to unpopular measures passed by Republican state legislatures like prohibition of alcohol & Sunday closing laws. Voters who are neither Anglo-Saxon nor Protestant rush back to the Democrats, who have not tried to legislate public morality.