Problem ONE
Corruption
GILDED AGE
Laissez-faire economics sometimes
demanded government aid in the form of
tariffs, subsidies and bribes. This led to
scandals and the spoils system.
POLITICS IN THE GILDED AGE
SPOILS SYSTEM
Elected officials appointed their friends and
supporters to government jobs, whether or not
they were qualified for the position.
To the Victor, goes the SPOILS
Civil Servants - government’s non-elected workers
Era of unforgettable Presidents none of
whom served two consecutive terms
REPUBLICAN PARTY
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Supporters were Industrialists, bankers
and eastern farmers
Supporters were immigrants, urban
laborers, southern and western farmers
Their platform was tight money, high
tariffs, pensions, aid to the railroads,
limited immigration and the BLUE LAWS
Their platform was soft money, lower
tariffs, higher farm prices, less
government aid and less BLUE LAWS
Both parties handed out jobs to pay off people who helped them get elected
Issues: Civil Service, Tariffs and Money
Problem TWO
Republicans and Democrats avoided taking a stand on controversial issues
because they wanted a majority in Congress to control laws.
Party Campaign
strategies
No agenda except to get
elected, stay in office and
reward those who
supported you.
Campaign Strategies Results
Democrats won only 2 Presidential
elections during this time but controlled
the House of Representatives for 8
elections. Republicans held presidency
and both houses for 2 years.
Divided Government
Divided
Republican
Party
Republicans (party of Lincoln) kept the
civil war alive by “waving the bloody
shirt” and won the support of AA and
veterans
Democrats could count on votes in the
Solid South due to reconstruction
Roscoe Conkling
and the Stalwarts
Defended Spoils
Mugwamps
Reform
James Blaine and
the Halfbreeds
Reform Spoils
within party
So which Presidents
towed the party line and
which offered reform?
1876 - 1880
Rutherford B. Hayes
Began Civil Service Reform
Appointed qualified independents
to Cabinet positions and fired
those who were not needed
without conngress approval
Removed fellow - Republican
Chester A. Arthur from New York
Customs House and with the
support of Democrats replaced
him with his own appointee
He and his wife, Lemonade Lucy,
cut off the flow of alcohol to the
White House
1880 - 1881
Half Breed
vs.
Stalwarts
James Garfield
Garfield, a half breed, ran with
Chester A. Arthur, a Stalwart, to
gain party support.
He had to fill 100,000 federal
jobs and chose Half-breeds for
most offices
Garfield was shot while boarding
a train by deranged office seeker,
Charles Guiteau, on July 2, 1881.
Guiteau, a stalwart, expected a
job from Garfield.
His death launched civil
service reform
1881 - 1884
Chester A. Arthur
Fired by Hayes, he asked Congress
to reform civil service
PENDLETON CIVIL SERVICE ACT
1. Created a Civil Service
Commission that described
government jobs and tested
applicants
2. Federal workers could not be
made to give money to
political candidates and could
not be fired for political
reasons.
Railroad Abuses:
Charged more for short than long haul
Rebates
Kept rates secret and charge different
rates to different customers
Interstate Commerce Act
Rates set in proportion to distance
Outlawed rebates
Set up a regulatory board, ICC, to
enforce the Act
Munn v. Illinois allowed states to Regulate railroads inside their states
Wabash - only federal government could regulate interstate traffic
1884 - 1888
Grover Cleveland
“Ma, Ma, where’s my Pa?”
“Whose your daddy?”
First Democrat
thanks to the mugwamps who
felt Blaine was too corrupt and
crossed party lines
Favored tight money
Opposed high tariffs
Took back 80 million acres of
federal land granted to the
railroads and other special
interests.
Supported tighter regulation
of the railroads
Interstate Commerce Act
Dawes Act
1888 - 1892
BENJAMIN HARRISON
Cleveland got more popular votes
but lost the election because he
wanted a lower tariff and Harrison
wanted an increase.
Billion Dollar Congress
Sherman Anti- Trust Act
Outlawed any combination of
companies that restrained
interstate trade or commerce
McKinley Tariff raised rate
over 48 %
Gave huge pensions to
dependent civil war soldiers
His actions hurt the economy
Sherman Silver Purchase Act
increased coinage of silver
but not enough
1892 - 1896
GROVER CLEVELAND
Only president to serve two nonconsecutive terms. Won because new
immigrants increase Democratic party, who
wanted lower tariffs
Angered Everybody
Economic downturn and financial panic
millions lost jobs or had wages cut
Coxey’s Army called on unemployed
workers to march on Washington and
force the federal government to provide
jobs
Repealed the Sherman Silver Purchase
Act
Sent federal troops to stop Pullman Strike
1896 - 1901
WILLIAM MCKINLEY
Lost to Third Party candidate be
gaining support of urban workers
and middle class
New Tariff Bill
Stronger Gold Standard
Shot in buffalo on September
6, 1901
Next up…Theodore Roosevelt,
the big teddy bear…