Political Machines 9/16 – 9/19

Problems of Big Cities Sanitation and public health Housing and slums Where to put hundreds of thousands of new immigrants a year? Traffic, congestion, and crime Fires Chicago fire of 1871 How to govern? Old methods meant for smaller cities

Chicago Fire of 1871 The Great Chicago Fire Burned for 2 days Killed around 300 people and left 100,000 homeless Legend: a cow knocked over a lantern

How To Fix the Problems? Nativism Americanization Movement Get rid of immigrants Americanization Movement If they stay, make them assimilate Settlement Houses (Jane Addams) Support the poor (usually immigrants) Political Machines Provide services for the poor, but…

The “Machines” Definition Old Way of Looking at Political Machines: An organization linked to a political party that often controlled local government Old Way of Looking at Political Machines: Corrupt, crooked, evil, wrong New Way of Looking at Political Machines: Got stuff done & provided services for desperate new immigrants

How Machines Worked Three Parts The Guiding Principle The “Boss” (city or business leader) The politicians (elected or appointed officials) The citizens (generally poor, often immigrant) The Guiding Principle “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.”

Machines: Who Does What? Boss Politicians Poor Citizens (6) Gets obedience and power and money from politicians (4) Get votes from the average citizen (2) Get help and services from the Boss (1) Gives help and services to desperate poor citizens (5) Give contracts and obedience to bosses (3) Gives votes to the politicians

Machines: Good or Bad? NEGATIVES Corruption, graft, kickbacks, etc. Wasted, stolen money Crooked elections POSITIVES Helped keep cities together & growing when old system no longer worked Provided Services For Poor Jobs, loans, legal help, etc.

The Federal Government’s Jobs During the Gilded Age Deliver mail Maintain a small army Provide a structure by which the dull, bearded presidents could comb their beards In other words: very little power

The Age of Mediocre, Forgettable Presidents Hayes Arthur Garfield Harrison Cleveland

3 Early Attempts at Reform in the Gilded Age Pendleton Act (1884) Interstate Commerce Act (1887) Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)

Pendleton Act Pendleton Act required some government jobs to be assigned through competitive exams More symbolic than effective

Interstate Commerce Act Goal was to regulate railroads’ rate Said that railroads must charge “a reasonable and just rate” Gave no indication what that meant Set up the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) Had no enforcement power at all

Monopoly Puck magazine Senate America Uncle Sam Influential businessmen

Sherman Anti-Trust Act Put government restrictions on trusts, monopolies and certain trade practices In reality, rarely enforced at all against corporations WAS used against labor unions “monopolies of labor”

The Tariff (taxes) McKinley Tariff of 1890: raised taxes on foreign products to over 48% Good for industrialists and the wealthy Bad for everyone else This begins the reform movements that change America (for the better?)

Currency Background Printed money had to be backed by a supply of a precious metal Based only on gold—less money printed Based on gold & silver—more money printed “The more there is, the less it’s worth” If the money is worth less, prices are higher inflation

Currency People in debt (who owe money) want more money available Debts are worth less Debtors (people who are owed money) want less money available Debts are worth more Farmers wanted… More money available Paper money based on gold and silver

William Jennings Bryan, Democratic Candidate, 1896

Bryan’s “Cross of Gold” Speech, calling for more money to be printed based upon gold and silver “We will answer their demand 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.” Don’t forget Jacob & Legal Tender Coxey

The Candidates William McKinley William Jennings Bryan Republican Democrat

Election of 1896 McKinley (R) High tariff Gold Standard Laissez-faire Pro-big business Bryan (D) Low tariff Free Silver Government action Pro-farmer & “little guy”

The Populist Dilemma Support the Democrat Bryan? He supports their issues But it means abandoning the Populist Party Run a Populist Candidate against Bryan & McKinley? Continues the Populist Party Almost certainly means the election of McKinley Populists endorse Bryan as their candidate

Election of 1896 McKinley (R) Spent $15 million Had the support of big business & railroads Sat on porch & awaited visitors Bryan (D) Spent only $300,000 Traveled thousands of miles by train to campaign First modern campaign

McKinley Wins!

Civil Rights in the Gilded Age Total abandonment of Reconstruction Blacks had few voting or civil rights Staggering number of lynchings (hangings) an other forms of violence

Civil Rights in the Gilded Age Plessy v. Ferguson 1896 Supreme Court decision Separate facilities did not violate the 14th Amendment as long as they were “equal” They were never equal Law of the land until 1954 1890—Force Bill (to enforce 15th Amendment) is voted down Last Black man leaves Congress in 1901 None until 1929

Women’s Rights in the Gilded Age Some western states allowed suffrage Wyoming the 1st in 1890 Overall, women had few rights Voting, child custody, divorce, freedom from violence, property ownership, etc.