POLITICS IN THE GILDED AGE, 1869-1896 Chapter 23 POLITICS IN THE GILDED AGE, 1869-1896

The “Bloody Shirt” Elects Grant Grant was immensely popular after the war Nation was weary after war, and eager for a fresh face. Republicans, nevertheless, enthusiastically nominate Grant Grant is singularly unequipped to be President.

The “BLOODY SHIRT” Elects Grant Democrats divided between eastern and western democrats. Nominate Horatio Seymour Republicans wave the “Bloody Shirt” Republican Platform Democrats divided over redemption of Bonds. Grants wins easily in the electoral college, but by only 300,000 votes. Impact of Black vote.

The Era Of Good Stealings Civil War bred corruption and graft. Causes RR corruption Jim Fisk and Jay Gould scheme to corner the gold market. Boss Tweed/Tammany Hall. Samuel Tilden.

A Carnival Of Corruption Grant’s administration was riddled with corrupt officials. Credit Mobilier scandal. Exposed in 1872. Members of congress censured. Vice President implicated. Whiskey Tax scandal.

Liberal Republican Revolt Of 1872 Liberal republicans were tired of corruption Liberal Republican party. Nominate Horace Greeley Democrats endorse him, too. Why? Campaign very ugly

Grant v. Greeley Grant wins easily, 286-66, because: Grant is perceived to be the lesser of two evils Democrats are still stained with fault for the Civil War. Did lead the Republicans to clean their own house. General amnesty Act, lowered tariffs Mild civil-service reform

Depression And Demands For Inflation 1873 severe recession hits Causes 15,000 businesses went under. Collapse of Jay Cooke and Co.

Depression And Demands For Inflation Debtors advocate inflationary policies. Call for more Greenbacks. Federal government had removed one-fourth from circulation. Why? Grant sides with conservatives and signs Resumption Act of 1875

Silver Debtors advocated the coinage of silver dollars. Why? Congress had formally dropped silver money in 1873. Reasons Grant rejects call to mint Silver. Consequences of Grant’s policy

Bland-Allison Act Bland-Allison Act. What does it authorize? Why does it have little inflationary effect. Leads to Democratic backlash in congressional elections. Plants the seeds of the Grange

Pallid Politics In The Gilded Age Balance of two political parties during the Gilded Age from 1869-99. Majority in Congress flipped back and forth six times in the 11 terms between 1869-91 Few controversial stands Few dramatic policy differences between parties. Voter turnout /voter loyalty. Political machines and patronage

Republicans v. Democrats Embodied the old Puritanical ideals. Strict moral codes and belief that government should be an instrument in regulating economic and moral affairs of the community. Strong in Midwest and in rural and small-town New England. Got most of votes from Freedman and from Union Civil War Vets.

Republicans v. Democrats More Roman Catholic and Lutheran. South and northern industrial cities Large immigrant base and strong Dem. machines.

Stalwarts v. Halfbreeds Republicans had two rival factions Stalwarts (Conklingites) led by NY Sen. Roscoe Conkling. Big believers in patronage. Half-Breeds. Led by James Blaine. Flirted with civil service. Consequences of this division

The Hayes-Tilden Standoff, 1876 Republicans dissuade Grant from running again. Rutherford B. Hayes. Hayes largely unknown, but a civil war officer Also, importantly, former three-term governor of Ohio.

The Hayes-Tilden Standoff, 1876 Samuel Tildon. Platform. Attacks against Republicans. Electoral College dispute Reasons Attempts to resolve Electoral Count Act Further compromise

Hayes-Tilden Disputed Election of 1876

End of Reconstruction Compromise was the end of reconstruction. Literacy tests and poll taxes Civil Rights Cases Crop-Lien System/Share Cropping Jim Crow Laws Plessy v. Ferguson

Sharecropping

Tenancy & the Crop Lien System Furnishing Merchant Tenant Farmer Landowner Loan tools and seed up to 60% interest to tenant farmer to plant spring crop. Farmer also secures food, clothing, and other necessities on credit from merchant until the harvest. Merchant holds “lien” {mortgage} on part of tenant’s future crops as repayment of debt. Plants crop, harvests in autumn. Turns over up to ½ of crop to land owner as payment of rent. Tenant gives remainder of crop to merchant in payment of debt. Rents land to tenant in exchange for ¼ to ½ of tenant farmer’s future crop.

Class Conflicts And Ethnic Clashes Strikes in the 1870s Who wins? Why? Chinese in California Dennis Kearney/Kearneyites Chinese Exclusion Act

Election of 1880 Hayes administration was not very noteworthy. Did not accomplish much beyond end to reconstruction. “Old 8-7” and “His Fraudulency.” He did not run for reelection and wouldn’t have been renominated had he tried.

Republicans in 1880 Stymied by Stallwart-Halfbreed rivalry and take 35 ballots to settle on a candidate. Chose James Garfield. Dark-Horse. Chester Arthur, was chosen VP. Why? Platform is for higher tariffs and (weakly) for civil service reform

Election of 1880 Democrats chose Winfield Hancock Civil War General, but popular in south Why?. Both parties shun substantive political issues. Garfield wins by only 40,000, but 214-155 in electoral college. He was besieged by office seekers. Made Blain Sec. of State Battle raging politically between Stalwarts and Half-Breeds.

Election of 1880

1881: Garfield Assassinated! Charles Guiteau: I Am a Stalwart, and Arthur is President now!

CHESTER ARTHUR TAKES COMMAND Not many expected much from Arthur. Why? Displayed surprising integrity, intelligence and independence. Arthur threw his support behind reform of spoils system. Pendleton Act of 1883 Details Unintended consequences?

THE BLAINE-CLEVELAND MUDSLINGERS OF 1884 Rep. nominate Blain Tainted with numerous rumors of scandals. The “tattooed man” “Mulligan letters” Mugwumps.

Grover Cleveland Democrats nominate Grover Cleveland. Reputation for reform and honesty. Cleveland’s Bastard. One of the ugliest campaigns in American history New York the key state Rum, Romanism and Rebellion

Election of 1884

First Dem. president since Buchanan Cleveland’s political philosophy Old Grover Takes Over First Dem. president since Buchanan Issues raised by this? Cleveland’s political philosophy Last Jeffersonian Democrat? Named two former confederates to his cabinet, helping to heal the north-south divide

Tariffs and Pensions Cleveland and office seekers—fires 2/3 of federal employees Military Pension issue Tariffs Country was running at a surplus because of high tariffs. Republicans had little motivation to reduce these tariffs. Cleveland’s two choices? He favored reducing tariffs. Why? Cleveland makes tariff reduction his number-one issue. Created a real political difference between the parties just in time for the election of 1888.

Harrison Ousts Cleveland Dems renominate Cleveland. Rep. turn to Benjamin Harrison, grandson of William Henry Harrison. Primary issue? Republicans use fear of British against Cleveland. Republicans raise a huge war chest. How? Harrison wins electoral vote but loses the popular vote.

1888 Presidential Election

Cleveland and History Cleveland the first sitting president to be voted out of office since Van Buren in 1840. (Others: J. Adams, J.Q. Adams, Harrison, Hoover, Carter, Bush) Cleveland last to win popular vote and lose electoral college until Gore. Cleveland only president to have two non-consecutive terms.

The Republicans Return Under Harrison Benj. Harrison in the White House. Republicans eager for patronage. Blaine is Secretary of State. Teddy Roosevelt Civil Service Commission. Republican quorum problem in the House Speaker Thomas Reed

Political Gravy For All Billion Dollar Congress Pension Act of 1890 Sherman Anti-Trust Act Tariffs and Silver Easterners wanted a higher tariff Westerners and farmers wanted more silver minted

Tariff Ire Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890 McKinley Tariff Bill raised tariff rates to their highest peace-time level—48% Farmers hated the new tariff. Why? Republicans punished in 1890 congressional election. Lose nearly 60 seats and Dems have a huge majority in Congress

1892 Presidential Election Grover Cleveland Benjamin Harrison again! * (DEM) (REP)

Populists Populists emerge as a potent third party. Populist Agenda: Officially the People’s Party Nominate James B. Weaver Populist Agenda: free and unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio of sixteen to one graduated income tax Gov’t ownership of telephone, telegraph and RR direct election of US senators one-term limit on presidency use of the initiative and referendum to allow citizens to propose and review legislation. Shorter work day-to appeal to labor restriction on immigration—to appeal to labor

Populists Labor is mad and are ripe for wooing by Populists. Homestead strike Populists poll over one-million votes and become one of the few third parties to win electoral votes Populists problems with Blacks Grandfather Clause

1892 Presidential Election

OLD GROVER CLEVELAND AGAIN Depression of 1893 Causes: Over-building and over-speculation labor unrest agricultural depression from low commodity prices reduction of US credit abroad because of Silver Purchase Act Problems with overseas banks, which were forced to call in US loans. Cleveland does next to nothing— laissez faire

Gold Problem Treasury was running a deficit because of the Silver Purchase Act. Reasons Cleveland saw no choice but to repeal the Silver Purchase Act. William Jennings Bryan Cleveland forced to issue bonds to raise money in order to buy gold J.P. Morgan deal Public reaction

DEMOCRATIC TARIFF TINKERING McKinley Tariff causes deficit Democrats propose bill to reduce tariff but add income tax Senate tacks on lots of provisions to help special interests. Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act of 1894. Cleveland refused to sign it, but can’t veto. Supreme Court throws out income tax Public opinion hates the bill and blame Dems. Democrats hammered in 1894 mid-term election.