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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 - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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THE POLITICS OF THE GILDED AGELibertyville 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 (support
for 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