POLITICS IN THE GILDED AGE

Gilded Age = Age of corruption in politics. Everything looks good on the surface, but it was really corrupt.

The Business of Politics.

Real politicians of the time were the Big Business owners.

Laissez-faire- Theory that the government should play a very limited role in businesses. Business Ran politics and politics was a branch of business
Business Giants during the Gilded Age often times bribed politicians with gifts of money. Spoils System Elected officials appointed friends and supporters to government jobs. Ensured politicians a loyal group of supporters in future elections. Credit Mobilier Scandal

Political Parties during the Gilded Age

Republican Party
Industrialists, bankers, and eastern farmers Party of Morality-made up of the typical Americans Backed high tariffs to protect American Businesses, generous pensions for Union Soldiers, government aid to Railroads, and enforcement of Blue Laws Strongest in North and upper-Midwest

Democratic Party
- Attracted Americans who were less privileged. - Southern Whites, Immigrants, Free-Thinkers, - Backed money supply backed by silver, lower tariffs, less government aid to big businesses.

PRESIDENTS OF THE GILDED AGE

Rutherford B. Hayes
Wanted to Reform the Civil Service System
Called for a new set of rules to establish a MERIT SYSTEM for Civil Service Nonelected government workers 4 Merits 1) those who already hold office cant be removed unless they are not doing there job

2) Party members have no more influence on appointments than any other respectful citizen 3) No assessment for political contributions will be allowed 4) No office holder can manage an election campaign.

PRESIDENTS CONT

James Garfield
Elected in 1880 3 fractions of Republican Party
Stalwarts- supported the spoils system Half-Breeds- reform spoils system Independents- opposed spoils system Assassinated by Charles Guiteau on July 2, 1881 who claimed upon shooting the President that he was a Stalwart, and Arthur is President now! ( Chester Arthur was Garfields vice president)

PRESIDENTS CONTD

Charles Arthur
Although he was a Stalwart, actually became advocate of reform! Signed the Pendleton Civil Service Act

Established Merit Exams if you wanted a Federal Job

PRESIDENTS CONTD

Grover Cleveland
Won election in 1884- became first democratic president since 1856 Presidential campaign between his opponent James Blaine and himself was verybad. Favored tight money policies, opposed high tariffs, and took back from the railroads some 80 million acres of land that had been granted to them.

REGULATING RAILROADS

Railroad operation began to be questioned around the 1880s. (charging more for a short haul, offering rebates to favored customers, keeping rates secret) 1877 Supreme Court Ruling
Munn vs. Illinois
Ruled that only the Federal Govt could regulate interstate commerce. So for a long time the Railroads went unregulated until the invention of the ICC in 1887. However the ICC was largely ineffective, losing 15 of its 16 cases in Federal court.

PRESIDENTS CONTD!!

Benjamin Harrison
Won 1888 election Harrison promised a higher tariff than Cleveland which won him a lot of support from businesses. Republicans had majority of the seats in Congress during the first 2 years of his presidency which meant he could get almost anything passed he wanted.
1890- Sherman Anti-Trust Act Sherman Silver Purchase Act-required treasury to buy 4.5 million ounces of silver per month to increase the price of silver McKinley Tariff- Highest Tariff in the history of the country at that time. (very low public support)

PRESIDENTS CONTD

Grover Cleveland AGAIN!!

Reelected in 1892 Drained treasury from Harrisons previous presidency cause nation into an economic panic in 1983.
Workers lost jobs or had their wages cut Jacob Coxey organized an unemployment march on Washington D.C. Upset not only the unemployed but farmers also by repealing the Sherman Silver Purchase Act.

LAST ONE

William McKinley
Defeated William Jennings Bryan in 1896 election Campaign was centered around the Gold-Silver Debate. (McKinley =Gold. Bryan =Silver) Returned the American economy to prosperity. Assassinated on September 6, 1901 by Leon Czolgosz.

QUICK QUIZ
1) 2) 3) 4) 5)

The Gilded Age was known as the age of ________ in politics? Laissez-faire means what? What did the Pendleton Civil Service Act do? Which President was elected to 2 separate terms? (Once in 1884, then again in 1892) Tell me 2 of the 3 Acts President Harrison got passed while he was in office?