Corruption Plagues the Nation Topic 2.3

Political Corruption Ulysses S. Grant Popular war hero but a disappointing president Scandal!!

Credit Mobilier Scandal Government loans given to Union Pacific for TCRR Union Pac hires out Credit Mobilier company to build tracks the Union Pacific trains would ride on CM overcharges Union Pac, then bribes key congressmen to keep funds coming Not investigated until 1872

Credit Mobilier Scandal Discovered they gave stock to representatives of both parties Including a future President, future Vice President, several cousins of President Grant, and as many as 30 other officials

Spoils System Elected officials appointed friends and supporters, regardless of their qualifications Ensured a loyal group of supporters in future elections Led to corruption when jobs were used for personal profit

After his election in 1876, Hayes refused to use the patronage system After his election in 1876, Hayes refused to use the patronage system. Began to reform the civil service or government’s non elected workers Appointed qualified people, fired employees who were not needed strengthened the government but helped weaken the Republicans

James A. Garfield won In 1880 election, James A. Garfield won July 2, 1881, Charles Guiteau, a mentally unstable lawyer, shot Garfield Died 3 month later Caused a public outcry against the spoils system Chester Arthur became President

Pendleton Civil Service Act Passed in 1883-Chester Arthur Created a civil service commission Classified government jobs and tested applicants’ fitness

Pendleton Civil Service Act Federal employees could not be required to contribute to campaign funds Could not be fired for political reasons

Munn v. Illinois,1877 RR’s were overcharging farmers Interstate Commerce Commission Standardized shipping rates Allowed states to regulate certain businesses within their borders, including railroads Lawyers argued that only federal government could regulate interstate commerce

Economic Depression, 1893 Millions of workers lost their jobs had wages cut Laissez-faire policies government offered no help Coxey’s Army 1894- Jacob S. Coxey called on unemployed workers to march on the nation’s capital Many small “armies” started out on the protest march, only Coxey’s army reached Washington Police arrested him and a few others for illegally carrying banners and trampling the grass

Growing Cities Political Machine-was an unofficial city organization designed to keep a particular party or group in power and usually headed by a single powerful boss. Sometime the boss held public office More often he handpicked others to run for office and then helped them win

Rise of Political Machines Worked through exchange favors Used an army of ward leaders Each managed a city district to handout city jobs and contracts to residents of their ward In return expected to give votes to machines Extremely corrupt Controlled local politics

Rise of Political Machines William Marcy Tweed – Boss Tweed Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall Political club that ran New York City’s Democrat Party You worked for a political machine in hopes of getting a government job that could lead you to big bucks through government corruption.

Through countless instances of fraud-many millions of dollars Political Machines (continued) Helped many immigrants who were “fresh off the boat” with jobs and housing in exchange for their votes Tweed and friends padded bills for construction projects and supply contracts with fake expenses and kept the extra money Through countless instances of fraud-many millions of dollars

Political Machines (continued) The nickname for Tammany Hall was the “Tammany Tiger;” this cartoon shows the Tiger riding on the backs of immigrants . . . from where he gets his power.

Political cartoons by German immigrant Thomas Nast helped bring down tweed Exposed his methods to the public Depicted Tweed as a thief and a dictator who manipulated New York City politics for his own benefit Convicted of crimes Tweed died in jail Tammany Hall dominated New York politics for another half century

Thomas Nast The Man Who Drew Santa Claus!!