Transcript Politics in the Gilded Age

Politics in the Gilded Age
Ch 8, Sec 1
The Gilded Age
• “Gilded” – covered with a thin layer of gold.
• Coined by Twain; Thin layer of prosperity
covering problems of the poor and corruption
in politics.
• Roughly 1870-1900.
Politics
• Very little gov’t regulation in business.
– Laissez-faire gov’t – “Let it be”, “hands-off”.
• Businesses would pay bribes for gov’t
contracts, favorable laws/regulations.
• Many scandals of politicians accepting bribes.
• Would get subsidies, or payments made by
gov’t to encourage business growth.
• Lots of railroad subsidies.
• The spoils system was used in gov’t.
– Elected officials appointed friends, relatives,
supporters to gov’t jobs, regardless of
qualification.
• Ensured politicians had plenty of supporters.
• Used by both political parties.
• Republicans supported by bankers,
industrialists, big farmers.
• Democrats supported by immigrants, laborers,
small farmers.
Political Reform
• 1877, President Rutherford B. Hayes refused
to follow spoils system upon election.
– Began reform of civil service system. (non-elected
gov’t workers)
• 1880, President James A. Garfield elected.
– Assassinated July 2, 1881 by Charles Guiteau.
• 1881, President Chester A. Arthur passed
Pendleton Civil Service Act.
– Created Civil Service Exam, prevented firing for
political reasons.
Rutherford B. Hayes
James A. Garfield
Chester A. Arthur
Charles Guiteau
• 1884, Grover Cleveland elected.
– “Ma, Ma, where’s my Pa?”
• Began regulation of railroads.
– RR’s charged more for short hauls, offered rebates
to preferred customers, kept rates secret.
• 1887, Congress passed Interstate Commerce
Act.
– RR’s charged by distance, made rates public, no
special rates, creation of the ICC.
– Did not give ICC power to enforce; had to sue RR’s.
• Usually lost.
Grover Cleveland
Depression of 1893
• 1888, Benjamin Harrison elected.
– Passed Sherman Anti-Trust Act, raised tariffs high,
huge pensions to Civil War widows.
• 1892, Grover Cleveland wins 2nd term.
– Huge depression, millions laid off, banks closed.
– Gov’t did not help.
• 1896, William McKinley elected.
– Strengthened gold standard.
• American money backed by gold held in federal banks.
– Assassinated in 1901 by anarchist Leon Czolgosz.
Benjamin Henry Harrison
William McKinley
Gold at Fort Knox
Leon Czolgosz
Execution of Czolgosz