Corrupt Government & Farming Problems

Copy the words in BLUE

The Tweed Ring Political Machine: organization

designed to gain and keep power in government

Most famous political machine: The Tweed Ring (William Marcy Tweed)

Stole $100 million from New York City’s treasury – city almost went bankrupt

The Tweed Ring (cont) Thomas Nast (cartoonist) – made

Tweed’s crimes public knowledge Drew Tweed and his friends as

vultures, con artists, and money bags

Accused the Tweed Ring of stealing the people’s money.

Tweed offered Nast $500,000 to stop and leave the country – Nast said NO

“The Brains”

The Tammany Tiger Loose

The Modern Santa Clause

The Republican Mascot

Stopping Corruption… Write what you remember about the

spoils system:

Civil Service Reform Civil Service: includes all

government jobs where people are appointed, not elected.

Started requiring people to take exams for certain jobs.

Forbid elected officials from firing civil service workers based on political views.

State Reform Robert M. La Follette – Wisconsin’s

governor in 1900 Leader in state reforms like railroads,

banks, lobbyists & civil service Wisconsin became first state to use a

direct primary: the people, not party conventions, choose candidates for election

Other state reforms Along with a direct primary:

– Referendum – allows legislatures to submit a law to the vote of the people

– Initiative – allows the people to propose and pass a law on their own (for example: propositions in Arizona)

– Recall – allows the people to vote an official out of office

Hard times for farmers Oliver H. Kelley – farming reformer Worked to improve farming methods Organized the Grange to help farmers

– get out of debt

– make money

– become self-sufficient

Populist Party Farmers turned to politics in 1890 –

created the Populist Party Called for political and economic

reforms Wanted more money in circulation to

help farmers pay off their debts Started to demand the government

make more silver coins.

“Wall Street owns the country. It is no longer a government of the people, by the people, and for the people…The parties lie to us, and the political leaders mislead us…Let the bloodhounds of money who have dogged us…beware.”