THE POLITICS OF THE GILDED AGE Libertyville High School

Political Overview,  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 of white 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 middle class Democratic BlocRepublican 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 GGOP considered former President US Grant for third term, before nominating Garfield, instead DDems considered dozens of candidates, before picking former Union general Hancock MMinor parties GGreenback Party AAmerican Party General Election Results Garfield (R):214 ECV / 4.45 million Hancock (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) Results Cleveland (D)219 ECV / 4,874,621 Blaine (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 CCandidates CCleveland (D) BBenjamin Harrison (R) MMain issue: tariff PProtectionists (R) argued for high tariff to protect industry FFree traders (D) wanted open markets TTariff issue took on ethnic tone (pro-British) LLowlights of campaign WWidespread corruption (IN, NY) BBritish ambassador story Results Cleveland (D):168 ECV / 5,534,488 Harrison (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 Results Cleveland277 ECV / 5,556,918 Harrison145 ECV / 5,176,108 Weaver 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