Gilded Age Politics

A Two-Party A Two-Party StalemateStalemate

Two-Party “Balance”Two-Party “Balance”• Close elections• Frequent

turnovers in House• “Divided

Government”– P & at least one

house of Congress are different parties

– Discourages bold stands by politicians

• Little difference on major issues: tariffs, currency, civil service reform

• Ferocious competition, high voter turnout

Intense Intense Voter Voter

Loyalty Loyalty to theto the

Two MajorTwo MajorPolitical Political PartiesPartiesThe cultural,

ideological and geographic differences, NOT differences on the issues, explain the intense party loyalty of the time.

Well-Defined Voting Well-Defined Voting BlocsBlocsDemocratic

BlocRepublican

Bloc

White southerners (preservation of white supremacy)

Catholics Recent

immigrants (esp. Jews)

Urban working poor (pro-labor)

Most farmers

Northern whites(pro-business)

African AmericansNorthern

ProtestantsNative-born WASPs

(support for anti-immigrant laws)

Most of the middleclass

Very Laissez Faire Very Laissez Faire Federal Govt.Federal Govt. From 1870-1900 Govt. did

verylittle domestically.

Main duties of the federal govt.: Deliver the mail. Maintain a national military. Collect taxes & tariffs. Conduct a foreign policy.

Exception administer the annual Civil War veterans’ pensions.

And in the cities……And in the cities……Political Machines rule!!Political Machines rule!!

THOMAS NASTPolitical Cartoonist:

ReconstructionThe Gilded Age

Most important forum:Harper’s Weekly

Over 2,200 cartoons1859 – 1896

• Gives us our version of Santa Claus and habit of writing letters to Santa

• Also designs party symbols for Democrats and Republicans

• Also gives us the version of Uncle Sam that we recognize today

• Myth that term “nasty” is derived from his name

Thomas NastThe Brains1871

Thomas NastIn CountingThere is Strength

WHO STOLE THE PEOPLE’S MONEY? ‘TWAS HIM

Thomas Nast“A Group of VulturesWaiting for the Storm to BlowOver -Let us Prey”

Thomas NastThe New Boardof Education

Canthe lawreach him?

The cartoon

that finally brought

him down.

The Presidency in the The Presidency in the Gilded Age is a Symbolic Gilded Age is a Symbolic

OfficeOffice Party bosses ruled. Presidents sought to

avoid offending anyfactions within theirown party.

The President justdoled out federal jobs. Senator Roscoe Conkling PATRONAGE!! Just another name for ….? 1865 53,000 people worked for the federal

govt. 1890 166,000 “ “ “ “ “ “

1880 Presidential 1880 Presidential Election: RepublicansElection: RepublicansHalf Breeds Stalwarts

Sen. James G. Blaine Sen. Roscoe Conkling (Maine) (New York)

James A. GarfieldHalf-breed

compromise

Chester Arthur (VP)Stalwart

Want to reform Defended use of Spoils System Spoils System

Platform: FOR protective tariff & FOR some civil service reform

18801880 Presidential Presidential Election: DemocratsElection: Democrats

Platform:OPPOSE tariffFOR civil service reform

1880 1880 Presidential Presidential

ElectionElection

Close election, fewer than 40,000 votes elect Garfield.

1881: Garfield 1881: Garfield Assassinated!Assassinated!

Charles Guiteau:I am a Stalwart, and Arthur is President now! Hanged for murder

Chester A. Arthur:Chester A. Arthur:The Fox in the Chicken The Fox in the Chicken

Coup?Coup?

Pendleton Act Pendleton Act (1883)(1883)Garfield’s death

shocked politicians into civil service reform.

It is the “Magna Carta” of civil service reform.Establishes merit system for fed. jobs

1883 14,000 out of 117,000 federal govt. jobs became civil service exam positions.

1900 100,000 out of 200,000 civil service federal govt. jobs.

Republican Republican “Mugwumps”“Mugwumps” Republican reformers who would NOT re-

nominate Chester A. Arthur & will reject financial corruption associated with Republican candidate Blaine – support D Cleveland

Reform to them create a disinterested, impartial govt. run by an educated elite like themselves.

Social Darwinists. Laissez faire government to them:

Favoritism & the spoils system are NOT laissez-faire but seen as govt. intervention in society.

Their target was political corruption, not social or economic reform!

TheTheMugwumpMugwump

ssMen may come and men may go, but the work of reform shall go on forever.

These Republicans will shift the tide & elect Cleveland, the Democrat, in the1884 election.

1884 Presidential 1884 Presidential ElectionElection

Grover Cleveland James Blaine * (DEM) (REP)

Personalities & Mudslinging, not Issues

A Dirty A Dirty CampaignCampaign

Ma, Ma…where’s my pa?He’s going to the White House, ha… ha… ha…!

Little Lost Little Lost MugwumpMugwump

1884Blaine as Little Bo Peep trying to woo back the Republican Mugwumps

Mulligan Letters – “Burn … this letter!”

Rum, Romanism & Rum, Romanism & Rebellion!Rebellion!

Minister at Blaine rally in NY made speech with this phrase referring to the Democratic Party as party of “RRR” – attacking Irish.

Blaine did nothing - didn’t condemn the remark.Cost him the wavering Irish vote in NYC.

Narrow victory forCleveland [he wins NYby only 1149 votes!].

Dr. Samuel Burchard,

Republican Clergyman


ElectionElection

Cleveland’s First TermCleveland’s First TermA Public Office is a Public Trust!A Public Office is a Public Trust!

The “Veto Governor” from New York. First Democrat elected since 1856. Appointed 2 Confederates to Cabinet His laissez-faire presidency:

Opposed bills to assist the poor aswell as the rich – not fed. gov’ts job.

Vetoed over 200 special pension bills for Civil War veterans!

For deserters, bounty jumpers, etc.

BUT, in civil service reform…deserted the Mugwumps’ call & appointed LOTS of “deserving Democrats” to office

The Tariff IssueThe Tariff Issue After the Civil War, Congress raised

tariffs to protect new US industries. Big business wanted to continue this;

consumers did not. 1885 tariffs earned the US $100 mil.

in surplus! (embarrassing to fiscal conservative Cleveland)

Mugwumps opposed it: extra $ being used to fund pork barrel projects by Congress

Cleveland’s view on tariffs:LOWER THEM – would lower prices, help prevent monopolies, get rid of surplus

Will become major issue in the 1888 election.

Filing the Rough Filing the Rough EdgesEdges

Tariff of 1888


Grover Cleveland Benjamin Harrison (DEM) * (REP)

A real issue in this election!! – TARIFFS.Over 10 million pamphlets circulated on tariffs

Coming Out for Coming Out for HarrisonHarrison


ElectionElection

Cleveland wins popular vote, but loses the Presidency.

Disposing the Disposing the SurplusSurplus• CZAR

Thomas B. Reed, ME, Speaker of the House

• Pension Act of 1890:Pensions showered on Civil War Veterans

Changing Public Opinion Changing Public Opinion in the Cleveland & in the Cleveland &

Harrison YearsHarrison Years Americans wanted the federal govt. to deal with growing social & economic problems & to curb the power of the trusts: Interstate Commerce Act – 1887

(Cleveland) Sherman Antitrust Act – 1890

(Harrison) McKinley Tariff – 1890

(Harrison) Based on the theory that prosperity flowed

directly from protectionism. Rates go up (48%) – highest in peacetime

history! Rep. Party suffered big losses in 1890

(even McKinley lost House seat!).


Grover Cleveland Benjamin Harrison again! * (DEM) (REP)


Republicans discredited, Populists divided over race issue.Cleveland wins – only P to serve two non-consecutive terms.

Same old Cleveland….but NOT the same country:•Debtors are up in arms•Workers are restless

Cleveland Loses Support Cleveland Loses Support Fast!Fast! Blamed for the 1893 Panic (overbuilding,

speculation, labor disorders – Homestead/Pullman, agricultural depression).Lasts 4 years – worst in 19th century8,000 businesses collapse in 6 mos.; 12 RRs bankrupt

Handling of Coxey’s Army in 1894 – what happened?

Used federal troops in the 1894Pullman strike.

The Wilson-Gorman Tariff of 1894 (allowed it to pass w/o his signature-tariff not lowered).

Defended the gold standard. Repealed the Sherman Silver Purchase

Act.

ENTER William McKinley!

The depression and the tariff debacle will oust the Democrats in congressional elections of 1894 and Presidential election of 1896.

Gilded Age Politics

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