Political Paralysis in the Gilded Age ( ) Chapter 23

A. Overview of the Gilded Age 1) Government and politics corrupt 2) U.S. industrialization, capitalism w/o rules 3) Corruption and Labor problems shift focus away from civil rights 4) Southern Redemption 5) Populism emerges

B. Election of 1868 Ulysses S. Grant (R) Horatio Seymour (D) Republicans calling for end to military recon. Dems want financial reform – Ohio Plan, inflate econ. w/ greenbacks Grant elected, “waving the bloody shirt”

C. Life Under Grant Rampant scandal and corruption Credit Mobilier Scandal Jim Fisk and Jay Gould attempt to corner gold market Whiskey Ring Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall

D. Election of 1872 Liberal Republicans nominate Horace Greeley as their candidate LR’s want to clean up corruption Republicans nominate Grant again Grant wins, but ideal of civil service reform sticks

D. Panic of 1873 U.S. companies and RR’s expanding beyond use Banks unpaid, close RR Speculation Farmers, esp. African Americans hardest hit Hard Money vs. Soft Money debate

E. Gilded Age Politics Close elections b/c both parties similar beliefs Voter turnout high for three decades(80%) Both parties highly competitive Both parties engaged in patronage (spoils system)

F. Election of 1876 Republicans split between Stalwarts led by James G. Blaine and Half-breeds led by Roscoe Conkling Rutherford B. Hayes becomes the compromise candidate Samuel J. Tilden (D) famous for taking down Tweed Election close, who gets to count final votes? Compromise of 1877 – Dems allow Hayes to win if troops pulled out of the south

G. The “Redemption” of the South Compromise of 1877 = end of Reconstruction Sharecropping, tenant farming, Crop Lien System Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) – “Separate but equal” Jim Crow Laws

H. Labor Problems Great RR Strike of 1877 – RR Presidents cut wages of workers b/c of depression – Workers strike, Feds call in troops to stop Workers divided along ethnic lines Chinese a major component of labor – Originally came for Gold Rush, stayed and built RR’s – After, faced heavy discrimination, worked in laundry, cooks, servants Many Americans angry about cheap Chinese labor competition Denis Kearny and the Kearnyites persecute Chines

I. Election of 1880 James A. Garfield (R) Winfield Scott Hancock (D) Garfield won, but assassinated by a patronage-seeker Pendleton Act of 1883 – Established Civil Service Commission to make appoints to office based on competitive exams

J. Election of 1884 James G. Blaine (R) Grover Cleveland (D) Mugwumps – Republicans who defected to dems b/c they favored reform Cleveland wins Much mudslinging

K. Cleveland’s Presidency Laissez-Faire beliefs For reform, but caves to business leaders and gives patronage to office seekers High tariff produced a large budget surplus of $145 Million What to do with the money? Ultimately, under next President Benjamin Harrison, money was spent on paying veteran pensions Harrison also raised the tariff (McKinley Tariff Act of 1890) High tariffs angered rural voters (meant high prices for goods) Congressional elections of 1890, Republicans lost majority

L. The Populist Party New political party emerged from the Farmer’s Alliance Party was angry at corruption in govt’ and demanded reform – Free and unlimited coinage of silver – Gov’t control of RR’s, telegraph, and telephone – Direct election of senators Election of 1892, James B. Weaver populist candidate; loses but gets a lot of votes Reason for populist failures, wouldn’t accept African Americans Southerners enforced harsh Jim Crow laws during election

M. Cleveland Again 1892, Cleveland re-elected, economic deficit More and more people clamoring for silver in the money supply Sherman Silver Purchase Act had been passed in 1890 – Forced gov’t to buy silver to use in money supply The act was repealed Farmers and Populists angry