Transcript Politics in the Gilded Age

Politics in the Gilded Age
1. Gilded Age (1870-1915) – Era when
corruption was common among judges,
politicians, and presidential advisors.
a. Coined by Mark Twain to describe PostReconstruction period.
b. A thin but glittering layer of prosperity
covered the poverty and corruption of much
of society.
1. Laissez-faire economics – government
should play a very limited role in
business
2. The strongest businesses will succeed
and bring wealth to the nation as a whole
3. Adam Smith – The Wealth of Nations
1. Government should promote free trade and
allow a free market
2. Most supported in theory, but wanted
government intervention
a. High Tariffs & Subsidies
Political Corruption
1. Credit Mobilier Scandal
a. Congress gives Union Pacific subsidies and
land for transcontinental railroad
b. Union Pacific used the subsidies to hire an
outside company, Credit Mobilier, to build
actual tracks
c. Credit Mobilier charges Union Pacific far
beyond the work it takes to build the tracks, the
extra money goes to their shareholders
1. Which included representatives of each political
party including future president US Grant.
2. Members of the Union Pacific Railway Company
3. In return for continued funding
1. Spoils System
a. Appointments in government for patronage
of a candidate.
b. “To the Victor go the spoils”
c. Favors, bribery, funding (subsidies), etc. =
government jobs and contracts
d. Known as Kickbacks (companies would
actually set aside money specifically for this
reason)!
e. No merit involved
f. Chart on page 292
1. Reforming the Spoils System / Political
change
a. Hayes (Rep.) election in 1877, does not use
patronage system to make civil service
(nonelected workers) appointments
b. Appointments based on merit, most qualified
people (first rep. to reform his system)
c. Government strengthened, Republican party
weakened, lost appointments. (had been in
presidency since 1856)
1. James A. Garfield (rep.) wins election of
1880.
a. Garfield is assassinated by Charles Guiteau
b. Guiteau is a Stalwart (supporter of the spoils
system) as is vice president Chester A.
Arthur (rep.)
c. Later it is found that Arthur at one point
promised Guiteau a job if he ever became
president
d. Public becomes aware of need for change in
the Spoils System
1. Chester Arthur Reforms Civil Service
a. Passes Pendleton Civil Service Act
1883
b. Creates a commission that decided
who was fit for government appointments
c. Federal employees could not be
required to contribute to campaign funds
d. Could not be fired for political reasons
Change in Government
1. 1884 Grover Cleveland becomes the 1st
Democrat to win the presidency since
1856
a. He brings about more government
regulation
b. Interstate Commerce Act – railroad rates in
proportion to distances traveled and no
rebates for preferred customers
c. Interstate Commerce Commission set up to
regulate railroads
1. Benjamin Harrison (dem.) wins election
of 1888.
2. Big business supports him because he
supported higher tariffs, and Sherman
Anti-trust Act 1890.
3. Drained the treasury w/ government
regulation/programs
4. Cleveland (dem.) elected again in 1893
a. Second terms goes bad, Panic of 1893, Lots
of Labor strikes, etc.
1. William McKinley (rep.) wins in 1896
defeated Bryan
a. Republicans back in office
b. Assassinated in 1901 by an mentally ill
anarchist named Leon Czolgosz
CH 8, ST 4 Notes
Ideas for Reform
As Middle and Wealthy class Americans
become aware of the problems and
poverty of the cities they worked to
improve the conditions.
1. The Charity Organization Movement
a. New York Charity Organization
Society
b. Josephine Shaw Lowell
2. Social Gospel Movement
a. Urban churches work to help the poor
of their communities.
b. Sought to apply gospel teachings of
Jesus directly to society.
3. The Settlement Movement
a. Creation of community centers that
offered many social services.
b. Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr
c. The Hull House
d. Offered; cultural events, classes, childcare, playgrounds, clubs, summer camps,
offices to help people find jobs and deal
with legal problems, health care clinics,
launched investigations into economic,
political, and social conditions
By 1910 there were more than 400
settlement homes in the US.
Auguste Comte = Sociology. The study of
how people interact with one another in a
society. Social science.
Nativism
Favoring of native-born Americans over
immigrants. Antiforeigner bias.
As a result of immigrants rising to important
positions of power within American
cities/society
Wanted…
Restrictions on immigration
Restrictions on employment of immigrants
Tighter rules on citizenship
Teaching of only American culture and
English language in schools
Supported the Chinese Exclusion Act in
1882
Who were they…
1850s The Know-Nothing Party
The Immigration Restriction League 1894
Revival of other reforms
Temperance Movement – supported
prohibition of alcohol
Saw links amongst saloons, immigrants, and
political bosses.
As cities grew, vices became big business…
Drugs, gambling, prostitution.
Vice – immoral or corrupt behavior
Purity Crusaders – individuals that sought to
fight the spread of vices.
Anthony Comstock – no obscene materials
in US mail (Comstock Law)
Others attacked political machines or
organized and ran for office to make
change.