Ch.19

1. Ch.19 From Stalemate to Crisis

2. Gilded Age • Coined by Mark Twain- superficial glitter of all the new wealth. • Uninvolved government and forgettable presidents. • But why??? • Political ideology of the time • Campaign tactics of both parties • Party Patronage

3. Causes of Stalemate Limited Government -Laissez faire & Social Darwinism Campaign Strategy

4. Causes of Stalemate Campaign Strategy -Refuse to take strong positions. (Issue free campaigns) -Very even electoral stability. -Huge voter turnout (80%) -Who generally won the North? South? -Who you voted for was a reflection of who you were!!!

5. Causes of Stalemate Party Patronage • Gain office, hold office, and give jobs to those who are faithful to you. • Senator Roscoe Conkling- Powerful leader who gave jobs in NY Customs House. • His supporters were called Stalwarts. • Their Rivals were known as Halfbreeds led by James Blaine. • Mugwumps- Those who didn’t use patronage.

6. Presidential Politics Rutherford B. Hayes • Not a very effective term. • Known for withdrawal of military from the South. James Garfield (Halfbreed) and Chester A. Arthur (Stalwart) elected in 1880. • Over 100,000 Republicans wanted patronage from Garfield. • Didn’t make most of them happy and he was shot by a deranged (Stalwart). 11 Weeks later he was dead.

7. President Arthur and Congress • President Arthur- Distanced himself from the Stalwarts and supported a civil service bill the Pendleton Act- Written Exam for federal jobs. • Began questioning high protective tariff. • Republicans refused to renominate him because of his views on tariffs.

8. Election of 1884 • James Blaine Republican candidate • Grover Cleveland- Democratic candidate • Dirty election “Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion” • Catholics play a huge role in getting Cleveland elected.

9. Cleveland’s first term • Vetoed a lot • Signed into law -Interstate Commerce Act of 1887- Regulate business. -Dawes Act

10. Election of Benjamin Harrison • Republican Harrison wanted higher tariffs and wins out because of this issue. • Billion-dollar Congress- Next two years Republicans controlled the presidency and both houses of Congress. (pass first billion-dollar budget in US history) • McKinley Tariff of 1890- Raised tariff tax • Sherman Antitrust Act • Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890- Increased silver coinage • Bill to protect African American voting rights, doesn’t pass both houses.

11. Grangers and Farmer’s Alliance • Social and self-help association. • Grow to over 800,000 but when things get better they dissolve to less than 100,000. • Farmer’s Alliance- 4 Million members and similar platform as Grangers.

12. Populist Party • Omaha Nebraska- Rise of the Populist Party 1892. Political Reform • Direct popular election of U.S Senators. • Enacting state laws by voters themselves Economically • Unlimited coinage of silver • Graduated income tax • Public ownership of railroads by U.S gov. • 8 hour work days • Federal loan system.

13. Panic 1893 • Many major railroads went bankrupt in 1893. • Governments gold reserves worn out. • People panicked and traded paper money for gold. • Stock market crashed, silver prices plunged, mines closed, and many banks closed. • Investments, consumerism, wages, and prices all declined. • Many farmers went under. • Coxey’s Army- March of unemployed to Washington.

14. Silver or Gold • Bimetallism- Silver and gold based monetary system for the nation. (Make more money) Democrat campaign • Gold Standard- Monetary system backed by only gold. Republican campaign (President Cleveland) V.

15. Election of 1896 • William McKinley- Republican and gold standard advocate. • William Jennings Bryan- Democratic party and favored bimetallism. (Cross of Gold Speech) • Democrats and Populists want a different candidate for presidency. • McKinley wins and officially ends the Populist Party.