Gilded Age Politics

Gilded Age Politics

• Political Bosses: Manipulated immigration, controlled jobs, business licenses, and influenced courts and other municipal agencies. They did some good as well. (Built parks, schools, hospitals, and orphanages)

• Political Machines rigged elections, and swindled money from the government.

Gilded Age Politics

• In a climate influenced by Social Darwinism, cities were receptive to the Political Machine- organized group that controlled the activities of a political party and bribed voters and businesses for financial support.

Boss

Ward Boss

Captain

I. Period between approx. 1870 - 1914

• A. Rapid growth of industry and wealth which led to materialism and political corruption

The term “Gilded Age” came from Mark Twain. It means something that looks great on the outside but was very bad underneath.

II. Politics of II. Politics of Equilibrium - A Equilibrium - A

Two-Party Two-Party StalemateStalemate

II. Politics of II. Politics of Equilibrium - A Equilibrium - A

Two-Party Two-Party StalemateStalemate

Two-Party “Balance”Two-Party “Balance”Two-Party “Balance”Two-Party “Balance”

A. A. Intense Intense

Voter Voter Loyalty Loyalty to theto the

Two MajorTwo MajorPolitical Political PartiesParties

A. A. Intense Intense

Voter Voter Loyalty Loyalty to theto the

Two MajorTwo MajorPolitical Political PartiesParties

B. Well-Defined Voting B. Well-Defined Voting BlocsBlocs

B. Well-Defined Voting B. Well-Defined Voting BlocsBlocs

1.DemocraticBloc

1.DemocraticBloc

2. RepublicanBloc

2. RepublicanBloc

White southerners(preservation ofwhite supremacy)

Catholics

Recent immigrants(esp. Jews)

Urban working poor (pro-labor)

Most farmers

Northern whites(pro-business)

African Americans

Northern Protestants

Old WASPs (supportfor anti-immigrant laws)

Most of the middleclass

III. Very Laissez Faire III. Very Laissez Faire Federal Govt.Federal Govt.

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

very little domestically.

B. Main duties of the federal govt.:

1. Deliver the mail.

2. Maintain a national military.

3. Collect taxes & tariffs.

4. Conduct a foreign policy.

C. The Presidency as a C. The Presidency as a Symbolic OfficeSymbolic Office

C. The Presidency as a C. The Presidency as a Symbolic OfficeSymbolic Office

1. Party bosses ruled.

2. Presidents should avoid offending anyfactions within theirown party.

3. The President justgave out federal jobs.

1865 53,000 people worked for the federal govt.

1890 166,000 “ “ “ “ “ “

Senator Roscoe Conkling

IV. 1880 Presidential IV. 1880 Presidential Election: A.RepublicansElection: A.Republicans

IV. 1880 Presidential IV. 1880 Presidential Election: A.RepublicansElection: A.Republicans

Half Breeds(moderate)Half Breeds(moderate)

Stalwarts(liked “machine

Politics”)

Stalwarts(liked “machine

Politics”)

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

1. James A. Garfield 2.Chester A. Arthur (VP)

compromise

B. 1880 Presidential B. 1880 Presidential Election: DemocratsElection: DemocratsB. 1880 Presidential B. 1880 Presidential Election: DemocratsElection: Democrats

Inspecting the Inspecting the Democratic Curiosity Democratic Curiosity

ShopShop

Inspecting the Inspecting the Democratic Curiosity Democratic Curiosity

ShopShop

C. 1880 Election C. 1880 Election Results – Garfield Results – Garfield

wonwon

C. 1880 Election C. 1880 Election Results – Garfield Results – Garfield

wonwon

V. 1881: Garfield V. 1881: Garfield Assassinated! Assassinated!

V. 1881: Garfield V. 1881: Garfield Assassinated! Assassinated!

Charles Guiteau:I Am a Stalwart, and Arthur is President now!

VI. V.P. Chester A. Arthur VI. V.P. Chester A. Arthur - The Fox in the Chicken - The Fox in the Chicken

Coup?Coup?

VI. V.P. Chester A. Arthur VI. V.P. Chester A. Arthur - The Fox in the Chicken - The Fox in the Chicken

Coup?Coup?

"No man ever entered the Presidency so profoundly and widely distrusted, and no one ever retired… more generally respected."

A. Arthur passed the A. Arthur passed the Pendleton Act Pendleton Act

(1883) (1883)

A. Arthur passed the A. Arthur passed the Pendleton Act Pendleton Act

(1883) (1883) 1. Civil Service Act.

2. 1883 14,000 out of 117,000 federal govt.jobs became civilservice exam positions.

3. 1900 100,000 out of 200,000 civil service federal govt. jobs.

VII. 1884 Election

• A. Cleveland made many mad

• 1. Reformers thought he didn’t do enough

• 2. Stalwarts thought he reformed too much

B. CandidatesB. CandidatesB. CandidatesB. Candidates

1.Grover Cleveland 2. James Blaine * (DEM) (REP)3. A lot of Republicans who wanted reform

hated Blaine and switched parties.

C. Dirty C. Dirty CampaignCampaignC. Dirty C. Dirty CampaignCampaign

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

On the other hand, Blaine had a closet full of scandals, none of which he wanted to own up to.

D. 1884 Election D. 1884 Election ResultsResultsD. 1884 Election D. 1884 Election ResultsResults

1. Cleveland won

VIII. Cleveland’s First VIII. Cleveland’s First TermTermVIII. Cleveland’s First VIII. Cleveland’s First TermTerm A. The “Veto Governor” from New

York.

B. First Democratic elected since 1856.

C. A public office is a public trust!

D. His laissez-faire presidency:

1. Opposed bills to assist the poor aswell as the rich.

2. Vetoed over 200 special pension bills for Civil War veterans!

The Tariff IssueThe Tariff IssueThe 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!

Mugwumps opposed it WHY???

President Cleveland’s view on tariffs????

Tariffs became a major issue in the 1888presidential election.

Filing the Rough Filing the Rough EdgesEdges

Filing the Rough Filing the Rough EdgesEdges

Tariff of 1888

1888 Presidential 1888 Presidential ElectionElection

1888 Presidential 1888 Presidential ElectionElection

Grover Cleveland Benjamin Harrison (DEM) * (REP)

Coming Out for Coming Out for HarrisonHarrison

Coming Out for Coming Out for HarrisonHarrison

The Smallest The Smallest Specimen YetSpecimen YetThe Smallest The Smallest Specimen YetSpecimen Yet

1888 1888 Presidential Presidential

ElectionElection

1888 1888 Presidential Presidential

ElectionElection

Disposing the Disposing the SurplusSurplus

Disposing the Disposing the SurplusSurplus

Changing Public Changing Public OpinionOpinion

Changing Public Changing Public OpinionOpinion Americans wanted the federal govt. to

dealwith growing soc. & eco. problems & to curbthe power of the trusts:

Interstate Commerce Act – 1887

Sherman Antitrust Act – 1890

McKinley Tariff – 1890

Based on the theory that prosperityflowed directly from protectionism.

Increased already high rates another 4%!

Rep. Party suffered big losses in 1890 (evenMcKinley lost his House seat!).

1892 Presidential 1892 Presidential ElectionElection

1892 Presidential 1892 Presidential ElectionElection

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

1892 1892 Presidential Presidential

ElectionElection

1892 1892 Presidential Presidential

ElectionElection

Cleveland Loses Cleveland Loses Support Fast!Support Fast!

Cleveland Loses Cleveland Loses Support Fast!Support Fast! The only President to serve two

non-consecutive terms.

Blamed for the 1893 Panic.

Defended the gold standard.

Used federal troops in the 1894Pullman strike.

Refused to sign the Wilson-GormanTariff of 1894.

Repealed the Sherman Silver Purchase Act.