THE POLITICS OF THE GILDED AGE

Libertyville High School

Political Overview, 1876-1892

Responsibilities of Gov’t Deliver the mail Collect taxes (taxes on

businesses, tariff – no income tax)

Provide for a national defense

Carry out foreign policy Administer Civil War

pensions Why not do more?

Little / no bureaucracy to do more

No political will to do more

Political Overview

GOP, Dem. parties very similar

Both supported: growth of industry Stable currency (specie) Hostile to social, political

extremism How did people identify to

party? Who can get me a job? Who can provide services?

Major difference: immigration GOP: Feared, distrusted

immigrants Dems: saw immigrants as

potential voters

Political Overview: Political Parties

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

Democratic Bloc Republican Bloc

Political Overview: Voter Turnout

Intense voter loyalty, turnout during this era

Two party “balance” existed during this time

Rutherford B. Hayes

Promised to serve only one term

Domestic policy Civil Service Reform,

as a result of corruption of Grant presidency

Sent in the troops in response to RR strike and riots of 1877 Angered workers (feared

gov’t oppression) Angered owners (feared

revolution)

Election of 1880

GOP considered former President US Grant for third term, before nominating Garfield, instead

Dems considered dozens of candidates, before picking former Union general Hancock

Minor parties Greenback Party American Party

General Election ResultsGarfield (R): 214 ECV / 4.45 millionHancock (D): 155 ECV / 4.44 million

Garfield won popular vote by less than 2000 votes, out of 9.2 million cast!!

James A. Garfield

Born in Ohio Attorney, until CW Rose to rank of Major

General, fighting in West Post CW, congressman

Involved in Credit Mobiler scandal

Part of Commission that gave 22 ECV to Hayes in 1876

Assassinated July 2, 1881 (4 months after inauguration) by frustrated job-seeker

Chester A. Arthur Attorney before becoming VP Got start in politics through NY

machine Ironically, became “Father of Civil

Service” upon becoming President Felt he should continue Garfield’s

work Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act

Established US Civil Service Commission, exam

(Eventually) Ended spoils system for federal government 1883: 14k out of 117k became civil

service jobs 1900: 100k out of 200k became civil

service jobs

Election of 1884 Campaign of personal

scandal and mudslinging GOP Blaine was corrupt

congressman D Cleveland had child

out of wedlock In last week of

campaign, GOP (protestant) preacher insulted Catholics (“rum, Romanism, and rebellion”) Cost Blaine NY (and

election)

ResultsCleveland (D) 219 ECV / 4,874,621Blaine (R) 82 ECV / 4,848,936

NY’s 36 ECV went to Cleveland by 1,047 of 1.1 million cast

Grover Cleveland

Born in NJ, became attorney in NY

Elected governor of NY First Democrat elected

President since 1856 Married Frances Folsom; first

president to be married in White House

Reforms As president, kept R gov’t ees

that were good workers Signed Interstate Commerce Act

into law Forced RR companies to return

81 million acres of federal land

Grover Cleveland’s Reforms

Silver Standard Q: US currency made up of

gold, or gold & silver? Problem: citizens paid w/

silver, foreign creditors demanded gold

Reduced US gold supply Tariffs

Cleveland wanted lower tariff Tariff at 47%! $100 million gov’t surplus Became issue in 1888

election

Election of 1888 Candidates

Cleveland (D) Benjamin Harrison (R)

Main issue: tariff Protectionists (R) argued

for high tariff to protect industry

Free traders (D) wanted open markets

Tariff issue took on ethnic tone (pro-British)

Lowlights of campaign Widespread corruption (IN,

NY) British ambassador story

ResultsCleveland (D): 168 ECV / 5,534,488Harrison (R): 223 ECV / 5,443,892

NY again the swing state (Irish vote)

Benjamin Harrison Born in OH, moved to IN Fought in Civil War (Union) Elected to US Senate Economic issues dominated presidency

Sherman Antitrust Act (1890) First attempt to take on trusts, monopolies

McKinley Tariff (1890) Raised tariff higher, to average of 48%! Hurt farmers, consumers Helped big business

Sherman Silver Purchase Act Gov’t required to purchase 4.5 million oz. per

month Silver bought with notes that could be

redeemed for silver or gold Caused Panic of 1893 (people turned in silver

treasury notes for gold) GOP lost big in 1890 congressional

elections

Election of 1892

Cleveland (D) nominated, again!

Harrison (R) nominated Weaver nominated by

Populist Party Main issues: tariffs and

the gold standard Populists championed silver

standard (helped debtors in West)

Cleveland kept S, picked up NE as staunch gold guy

Clean, quiet election

ResultsCleveland 277 ECV / 5,556,918Harrison 145 ECV / 5,176,108Weaver 22 ECV / 1,041,028

Cleveland’s Second Term Economic Panic of 1893

Stock market crashed, gold reserves low due to free coinage of silver

Congress repealed free coinage of silver

Silver as basis of US currency ended

Tariff reform Cleveland reduced tariff; to make

up shortfall, 2% income tax on $4k + passed

Labor unrest Coxey’s Army, demanding

government aid (New Deal) Pullman strike: Cleveland ordered

strikers to return to work; sent in troops when they refused