Politics in the Gilded Age

1. Politics in the Gilded Age The Main Idea Political corruption was common in the late 1800s, but reformers began fighting for changes to make government more honest. Reading Focus • How did political machines control politics in major cities? • What efforts were made to reduce political corruption? • How did the Populist movement give farmers political power?

2. Student Performance IndicatorsWhat Will I Learn By The End Of This Lesson? • 6.9-I CAN Recognize the economic disparity among farmers, wage earners, immigrants, or racial groups when compared to industrial capitalists. • 6.10-I CAN Interpret a political cartoon which portrays the controversial aspects of the Gilded Age • 6.11-I CAN Analyze the impact of different forms of corruption and its consequences in American politics during the later half of the Age.

3. Political Machines • Political Machine—was an group of politicians controlling the local government who often resorted to corrupt methods for dealing with urban problems. Political machines gave economic favors in exchange for votes. • Immigrants—were a loyal support base for the political machines. In Boston, the Irish rose in the ranks to control the political machine in that city. • The Tweed Ring—was a notorious political machine headed by William Marcy Tweed. • Thomas Nast—a political cartoonist who attacked the corruption in Harper’s Weekly.

4. Federal Corruption Crédit Mobilier cost the taxpayers $23 million and demonstrated that political corruption had reached the highest levels of government including the Vice Presidency. Although Grant was not personally involved, his term in office was marred by several scandals involving the Credit Mobilier Company Scandals Reformers wanted to end the spoils system, and the next president agreed. Hayes issued an executive order that prohibited government employees from managing political parties or campaigns. The Stalwarts wanted to continue the spoils system. Hayes and reform James A. Garfield became president but as assassinated after four months. His death indirectly helped to bring about civil service reform as His successor, Chester A. Arthur,turned against the spoils system and passed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act. Civil service reform

5. The National Grange First major farmers’ organization As membership grew, pushed for political reform and targeted railroad rates One of the most far reaching goals of the National Grange was accomplished with the passage of the Interstate Commerce Act The Populist Movement Farmers’ hardships • Crop prices were falling, and farmers had to repay loans. • Railroads were charging high fees for transport • Merchants made money from farm equipment. • Everyone made money but the farmer doing the work • Outraged farmers organized to help themselves.

6. The Alliance Movement and money supply The Farmers’ Alliance helped with practical needs such as buying equipment or marketing farm products. They also lobbied for banking reform and railroad rate regulation. In the South, the Colored Farmers’ Alliance formed. With more than 1 million members, the Alliance advocated hard work and sacrifice as keys to gaining equality in society. The Alliances felt that an expanded money supply would help farmers by inflating prices, with inflation easing farmers’ debt burden. Money was tied to the gold standard, and farmers wanted it to be backed by silver as well. Now politically active, candidates supported by the Alliance won more than 40 seats in Congress and four governorships.

7. The Populist Party Encouraged by their clout in national elections, the Alliance decided to form a national political party. The Peoples’ Party was born in Nebraska in July 1892. This coalition of farmers, labor leaders, and reformers became known as the Populist Party. • Party Platform—Platform calling for an income tax, bank regulation, government ownership of railroad and unlimited coinage of silver. • 1892 election—Speaking for the common people against the ruling elite, the Populists took several state offices and won seats in Congress.

8. The election of 1896 William McKinley, a believer in the gold standard, was the Republican nominee, and the Democratic candidate was William Jennings Bryan. Bryan hailed the free coinage of silver as the key to prosperity. The Populists threw their support to Bryan. McKinley won the election, and the Populist Party soon faded away. But the groundwork for reform was laid. Economic Depression and a New Election The Panic of 1893 • The nation plunged into another depression, investors pulled out of the stock market, and businesses collapsed. • Cleveland focused on silver as a cause of the national depression. When silver decreased in value, people rushed to exchange paper money for gold. • Cleveland called for Congress to repeal the Sherman Silver Purchase Act. The country stayed on the gold standard.