GILDED AGE POLITICS

1. GILDED AGE POLITICS Unit VIB AP United States History

2. Third Party System (1860-1896) Politics Spoils system dominated the early period Electorate Strong loyalty and intense interest Regional campaigning Economics Laissez-faire policies “Business ran politics and politics was a branch of business.”

3. Third Party System (1860-1896) Democrats Coalition White Southerners, Catholics, Lutherans, Jews, Immigrants States’ rights; laissez-faire Bourbon Democrats Pro-business Democrats Laissez-faire Against protectionism Gold standard Supported civil service reforms Redeemer Democrats Southern Democrats return after Compromise of 1877 Republicans Coalition Business, upper-class, northern WASPs, reformers, blacks, scalawags, carpetbaggers Pro-business; tariffs; protectionism Stalwarts Preserve spoils system and machine politics Half-Breeds Pursued civil service reform Mugwumps Independents discouraged with corrupt GOP

4. Third Party System (1860-1896) Minor Parties Greenback Party Wanted to continue paper currency policies Prohibition Party Pursued policies to outlaw alcohol Populist Party Discontent among farmers led to populism Bimetallism and progressive policies

5. Rutherford B. Hayes (R)(1877-1881) Removed federal troops from the South Attempted to pursue racial equality Great Railroad Strike of 1877 Ordered federal troops to settle labor strikers Civil service reform Promoted meritocracy in federal government

6. Election of 1880 Republicans James A. Garfield Democrats Winfield S. Hancock Issue Tariffs Republicans favored for businesses Democrats opposed for farmers

7. James A. Garfield (R)(1881) Challenged political machines, spoils system, and senatorial courtesy Assassination July 2, 1881 Charles J. Guiteau “a disgruntled office-seeker” Death September 19, 1881 Chester A. Arthur assumes presidency

8. Civil Service Reform Patronage/Spoils System dominated political appointments since Jackson Corruption during Grant administration called for reform Stalwarts Supported machine politics and spoils system Roscoe Conkling Half-breeds Pursued civil service reform James G. Blaine Garfield’s assassination Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act (1883) United States Civil Service Commission Federal employees based on expertise, civil service exams Prohibited federal employees and campaign contributions

9. Chester A. Arthur (R)(1881-1885) Assumed office after Garfield’s assassination Pendleton Act (1883) Despite being a Stalwart Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 United States Navy Pursued modernization and expansion of U.S. fleet

10. Election of 1884 Republicans James G. Blaine Democrats Grover Cleveland Support from Mugwumps Campaign “Blaine, Blaine, James G. Blaine. Continental liar, from the state of Maine” “Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion” “Mama, mama! Where’s my pa?” “On to the White House, HA HA HA”

12. Grover Cleveland (D)(1885-1889) Considered presidency as a watchdog office - caretaker president Vetoed twice as many as predecessors combined Haymarket Riot (1886) Interstate Commerce Act (1887) Established Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) First regulatory agency Opposed Civil War veteran pensions Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) advocacy Pursued tariff reform

13. Election of 1888 Democrats Grover Cleveland Lost independent GOP support with tariff reduction policy Republicans Benjamin Harrison Grandson of William Henry Harrison Election Cleveland barely won popular vote, but lost electoral vote to Harrison

14. Benjamin Harrison (R)(1889-1893) Sherman Antitrust Act (1890) Billion Dollar Congress Federal budget over $1B Dependent Pensions Act (1890) Sherman Silver Purchase Act (1890) McKinley Tariff (1890) Homestead Strike (1892)

15. “What a funny little government”

17. The Populist Movement Origin and Evolution of Populist Party Granger Movement -> Farmers Alliance -> Populist Movement -> People’s Party/Populist Party Concentrations and bases in West and South Omaha Platform (July 4, 1892) Coinage of silver Direct election of Senators Graduated income tax State laws through referendums/initiatives Government ownership of infrastructure 8-hour workday Abolition of national banks Civil service reform

18. Bimetallism For Silver Overproduction led to decreased prices therefore a call for increase in money supply Silver coinage would cause inflation lessening farmer and consumer debt to banks Free Silver For Gold Sound money Banks and businesses preferred gold standard Stable economy and prevents inflation Sherman Silver Purchase Act (1890) U.S. Treasury ordered to buy 4.5 million oz of silver monthly Treasury notes could be turned in for silver or gold Most took gold depleting U.S. gold reserves

19. McKinley Tariff (1890) Protective tariff Raised duties to 48.4%, highest peacetime rate ever Support Republicans Manufacturers/Industrialists Wage Earners Opponents Democrats Farmers Inflation

20. Election of 1892 Democrats Grover Cleveland Republicans Benjamin Harrison Hurt by inflation caused by Sherman Silver Purchase Act and McKinley Tariff Populists James B. Weaver Coalition built on perception of government in the pockets of industrialists Failed to coalesce support with South

21. Grover Cleveland (D)(1893-1897) Panic of 1893 Wilson-Gorman Tariff (1894) Eliminated McKinley Tariff and reduced rates Monetary Debate Supported gold standard and repeal of Sherman Silver Purchase Act Pullman Strike (1894) Deployed federal troops to settle the strike Threatened postal mail delivery

22. Panic of 1893 Causes Overexpansion Railroad speculation Pennsylvania and Reading Railroad bankruptcy Silver prices decreased Cleveland had Sherman Silver Purchase Act repealed Impact Unemployment to 18.4% 16,000 businesses and 500 banks bankrupt/failed Pullman Strike (July 1894) Coxey’s Army (1894) March on Washington by unemployed workers and farmers $500 million for jobs Dispersed by federal troops J.P. Morgan and the Treasury Cleveland and U.S. borrowed $65 million in gold

23. William Jennings Bryan (D) Panic of 1893 hurt Democrats “The Great Commoner” Appealed to farmers, working class, middle class Amazing and passionate orator Became lightning rod for Populists/Silverites “Cross of Gold” Speech Support of bimetallism Earned him Democratic presidential nomination

24. Cross of Gold Speech “If they dare to come out in the open field and defend the gold standard as a good thing, we shall fight them to the uttermost, having behind us the producing masses of the nation and the world. Having behind us the commercial interests and the laboring interests and all the toiling masses, we shall answer their demands for a gold standard by saying to them, you shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.”

25. Election of 1896 Democrats William Jennings Bryan Virtually assimilated Populist platform Gold Bug faction Republicans William McKinley Mark Hanna and mass media Massive financial support from big business Outspent Bryan 5 to 1 Benefited from recovering economy European crop failures Massive urban immigration Klondike Gold Rush Campaign Bryan on nationwide campaign McKinley’s “front-porch”

26. 1896 - Realignment Election Coalitions Republicans Will dominate national government for next 35 years Business, professionals, skilled workers, middle class, commercial farmers Northeast, Upper Midwest, Pacific Democrats Farmers, immigrants, unskilled labor South, Midwest Campaign Finance Contested States Stump speech