Chapter 11Politics and Reform

Section 1Stalemate in Washington

Assassination

• When James A. Garfield was elected president in 1880, many people tried to attain the “spoils of office.”

• One such man was Charles Guiteau, who was turned away.

• Guiteau then assassinated President Garfield in 1881 believing that he was doing what was best for the USA.

Patronage

• Another name for the spoils system, in which government jobs or favors are given to political allies or friends.

• The appointment of cabinet members and other official positions.

Stalwarts & Halfbreeds

• Stalwarts – bosses of Republican political machines.

• Halfbreeds – Republican reformers accused of supporting reform simply to create openings for their own supporters.

Pendleton Act

• Allowed the president to decide which federal jobs would be filled according to rules laid down by a bipartisan Civil Service Commission.

• Started a shift away from the spoils system.

Two Parties, Neck and Neck

• Republicans seen as the “party of morality.”– Mostly in the North.– Supported by Civil War veterans, and Americans

who were strongly patriotic

• Democrats seen as the “party of personal liberty.”– Mostly in the South– Supported by white voters and big cities where

large numbers of Catholics and immigrants lived.

Grover Cleveland

• Governor of New York• Democratic Presidential

Candidate• Opponent of

Tammany Hall and political corruption

James G. Blaine

• Former Speaker of the House

• Republican Presidential Candidate

• Popular among party workers

Presidential Race

• Many voters believed the problem with the American government was the corruption.

• Voters then focused their attention on the personal morals of the candidates.

• Some Republican reformers switched sides and supported Cleveland instead.– Became known as “Mugwumps”

Cleveland Wins!!!

• First Democratic President since 1856.• He begins to feel a lot of pressure.• Said about the job-seekers:– “This dreadful… office-seeking hangs over me and

surrounds me and makes me feel like resigning.”

• Only President to serve non-consecutive terms (1884-1888, 1892-1896).

The Interstate Commerce Commission

• Rebate – a partial refund to lower the rate of a good or commodity

• The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) act was the first federal law designed to regulate interstate commerce.– Limited railroads to what was “reasonable and

just”– Made it illegal to charge higher rates for shorter

hauls

The McKinley Tariff

• Cut tobacco taxes and tariff rates on raw sugar but greatly increased rates on other goods to discourage people from buying those imports.

• Lowered federal revenue and transformed he nation’s budget surplus into a budget deficit.

The Sherman Antitrust Act

• Declared any “combination in the form of trust… or conspiracy, in restraint of trade or commerce among several States” illegal.

• Judges saw nothing in this vaguely worded legislation that required them to make big companies change the way they did business.

• Made monopolies illegal.