Politics in the Gilded Age

1. Politics in the Gilded Age

2. Gilded Age Politics • Era was most highly competitive politically in US history • Voter turnout reached highest levels in US history • Parties avoided controversial issues that might alienate voters • Led to issue-free campaigns focused on party loyalty & regional, religious, & ethnic ties

3. Local Politics – Political Machines • Gilded Age Politics • Hard to cater to one group • Too many cultures, religions, ethnic backgrounds • Ward bosses ran the neighborhoods • Bought the votes • Political Patronage • NYC city bosses • Fixed city contracts (received kickbacks) • Gave utility companies control of cities for payouts • William Marcy Tweed “Boss Tweed” • They were in politics to make money, not serve the people

4. Political Hollowness • Political ideology regarding industry • Popular notions of laissez-faire economics and “Social Darwinism” • Little enforcement of antitrust laws • United States v. E.C. Knight Co. - 1894 • Style over substance in elections • “wave the bloody shirt” • Campaigns were shows – bands, fireworks, free beer • Voter fraud • Vote early and often • Dead men casting votes

5. Presidents of the Gilded Age • Ulysses S Grant: 1869-1877 - Republican • Rutherford B. Hayes: 1877-1881 - Rep • James Garfield: 1881-1882 - Rep • Chester Arthur: 1882-1885 -Rep • Grover Cleveland: 1885-1889 - Democrat • Benjamin Harrison: 1889-1893 - Rep • Grover Cleveland: 1893-1897 - Dem • William McKinley: 1897-1901 - Rep

6. The Two-Party Stalemate

7. Political Parties Republican Party • Stressed strict codes of personal morality and government’s involvement in regulating both economic & moral affairs of the community as a whole • Consisted of businessmen & African Americans • Support from Midwest & small & rural towns in northeast Democratic Party • Opposed government efforts to impose a single moral standard on society • Emphasized economic equity • Consisted of many immigrant German Lutherans &Catholics (especially Irish) • Support from the Solid South & large industrial cities where immigrants factored in significantly under political machines

8. Grant Administration • Blighted by Corruption • Credit Mobilier Scandal • Indian Ring Scandal • Whiskey Ring Affair • “Grantism” – became synonymous with greed and corruption

9. Republicans Divided • Stalwarts (Conservatives) • Typically Radical republicans • Supported Grant’s reelection • Opposed Hayes and his troop withdrawal from the South • Favored protective tariffs • Favored political patronage • Half-Breeds (Moderates) • Supported Hayes’ lenient treatment of South • Favored revenue tariffs only • Favored civil service reform (remove political patronage)

10. Republican Factions • Stalwarts, Half-Breeds, and Mugwumps • Stalwarts: Led by Roscoe Conkling, Senator who favored spoils system • Half-Breeds: Led by James G. Blaine, Congressman who favored civil service reform • Mugwumps: Represented in thought by Thomas Nast • Made up of young liberal reformers • Favored Reconstruction policies to help African Americans • Anti-corruption

11. Stalwart Leadership - Conkling • Roscoe Conkling • Caustic, abrasive personality • Radical Republican • Supported African-American rights • US Senator (NY) • Supported Grant and opposed Hayes • Hayes will investigate NY Customs House in retaliation and fire Conkling’s appointee, Chester Arthur • Supported Grant for a third term - Election of 1880

12. Half-Breed Leadership - Blaine • James Blaine • US Senator (Maine) • Supporter of Hayes • Opposed military gov’t in South • Supported Garfield in 1880 as compromise candidate between Stalwarts and Half-breeds • Ran for President in 1884

13. Hayes Administration • Events on his watch • Compromise of 1877 resolved election • Opposed efforts to restrict Chinese immigration • Burlingame Treaty - 1868 • Labor competition led to desire for immigration restriction • Riots broke out in San Francisco – 1877 • California constitution denied Chinese suffrage – 1879 • Chinese immigration Act - 1882 • Advocated civil service reform efforts - failed • Critical of the South for not treating freedmen well after the Compromise of 1877, but did nothing about it.

14. Garfield Administration • Elected as a moderate Half-breed • Political Patronage was the big issue • Stalwarts – defended patronage as tradition • Half-Breeds – increasing desire to clean up corruption • He appointed half-breeds to important positions – angered Stalwarts • Though Stalwart Chester Arthur was made VP • Shot by an office seeking Stalwart – Charles Giuteau • President for about 5 months

15. Arthur Administration • NY Customs House Collector under Grant • Made a lot of money • Made him a supporter of patronage • However, he was a very honest man • Affected by Garfield’s assassination • Supported efforts for civil service reform as a result • Pendleton Act of 1882 • Stalwarts abandon him • He chooses to not run in 1884

16. Election of 1884 • James Blaine v. Grover Cleveland • Mugwumps • Cleveland narrowly wins because of Mugwump support in NY and New England • First democrat elected since Buchanan

17. Cleveland Administration • Did not support civil service reform • Opposed government economic assistance • Vetoed legislation to provide seed to farmers in drought year • Vetoed Civil War pension bills • One provided benefits to vets who were disabled after the war • Challenged the high protective tariff • Forced railroad to return 81 million acres in land grants • Signed into law… • Interstate Commerce Act (1887) • Dawes Act

18. Harrison Administration • Tried to annex Hawaii • Sherman Antitrust Act • McKinley Tariff (biggest tariff since Tariff of Abominations) • Sherman Silver Purchase Act • Increased monthly pensions for Civil War veterans • Harrison increased spending to $1 billion for first time (peacetime)

19. Tariffs & Trusts • From 1870-1900, 28 state commissions were created to regulate industry, especially RRs: • In 1870, Illinois declared RRs to be public highways; this was upheld by Munn v. Illinois (1876) • But was overturned in Wabash v. Illinois (1886): only Congress can regulate interstate trade Supreme Court ruled: “private property affecting public interest” can be “controlled by the public for the common good”

20. Tariffs & Trusts This was the 1st attempt by the federal gov’t to regulate big business The ICC became the model for future regulatory agencies • Congress responded by creating: • The Interstate Commerce Commission in 1887 to regulate the railroad industry • The Sherman Antitrust Act in 1890 which made it illegal to restrain trade (punishable by dissolution of the company) US v. E. C. Knight Co (1895) was the 1st test of antitrust law The Supreme Court ruled that manufacturing monopoly do not restrain trade because making a good is not the same as selling it

21. Cleveland Returns • Panic of 1893 • Started with railroad bankruptcy, investors pulled their money • Banks and railroads went bankrupt • Unemployment rate reached 20% • Cleveland’s Reaction • Don’t do much – market forces will fix themselves • Repeal Sherman Silver Purchase Act • Wilson-Gorman Tariff

22. Rural Politics in the Gilded Age

24. The Farm Problem • By the 1870s, discontent among farmers was growing due to: • Harsh farming conditions • Declining grain & cotton prices • Rising RR rates & mortgages • Government deflation policies • Farmers lashed out at banks, merchants, railroads, & the US monetary system

25. Railroads & the West • Farmers had suffered through the Age of Industrialization • Price of wheat & cotton dropped from early 1870s to the mid-90s • Lack of available credit in rural areas • Foreign competition with industrialization • Railroad Rates – lack of competition • Created a farmers’ alliances • Formed co-ops to buy fertilizer in bulk and sell to local farmers at reasonable rates • Patrons of Husbandry/Grangers • Will gain political power at state level in West • Munn v. Illinois – 1877

26. Railroads & the West • Wabash v. Illinois - 1886 • Interstate Commerce Act • Recognized railroad regulation was necessary • What it did… • Enforced "just and reasonable" rate changes • Prohibited special rates or rebates for individual shippers • Forbade long-haul/short-haul discrimination • Railroads had to publish rate schedules (couldn’t change) • Established Interstate Commerce Commission to oversee • It did not allow government to fix rates, only to take railroads to court

27. Gold v. Silver • During the Civil War, Abe Lincoln issued paper money to fund war • Tight Money Policy – After war, returned to gold • After Panic of 1893, farmers had difficulty paying down their debt – lacked currency • Populists suggested introducing silver as part of the currency standard. • Republicans were concerned that it would water down the currency

28. Populist Party • Became a national farmers’ movement • Civil War resentments hurt alliance • West was most successful • Farmers unite with labor Knights of Labor in 1892 to form the Populist Party

29. Populist Platform – Omaha Platform • Graduated Income tax • National ownership of railroads, telegraph, and telephones • Create credit with farmers • To combat deflation: coin silver & increase money supply • Popular election of senators

30. Election of 1896 • Centered around the money standard • Populists: Inflate currency was needed • Republicans: restore confidence in economy by promoting the gold standard • Run William McKinley • Democrats –William Jennings Bryan • Cross of Gold Speech - fiery speech that convinced the democrats to shift their platform to a gold & silver coinage platform • McKinley barely beat Bryan • Bryan dominated South & West

31. Bryan’s “Cross of Gold” Speech • The Democrats hoped that free silver would increase the supply of money and provide more credit to farmers and workers. But despite Bryan’s stirring words, “You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold,” McKinley won the 1896 election.

32. The End of Populism • With McKinley’s victory, Populism collapsed, burying the hopes of the farmer for a better life. The Populist Party was short-lived but left an important legacy: • A message that the downtrodden can organize and be heard • An agenda of reforms that wouldbe enacted in the 20th century.

33. The McKinley Administration • Republicans benefited from an improving economy, better crop production, & new discoveries of gold: • Election of 1896 cemented Republican rule for 30 years & became party of prosperity • From 1860-1890, Republicans had promoted industry; by 1900, it was time to regulate it

34. The McKinley Administration • McKinley was an activist president and perhaps was the first “modern” president: • He communicated well with the press • The Spanish-American War brought the USA respect as a world power • The Gold Standard Act (1900) ended the silver controversy

35. Conclusions: A Decade of Changes • The economic hardships of the Depression of 1893 forced people to rethink industry, urbanization, & the quality of American life • Many embraced the need for reform; Led to the beginning of the Progressive Era