Politics in the Gilded Age 1865-1900

Politics of the Gilded Age Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner Believed that greed and political corruption lurked below the gilded object of the polite and prosperous of American Society.

Political Machines A well organized (unofficial) political party 3 MAJOR COMPONENTS Patronage Spoils system Political ties (PSP)

Patronage the power to make appointments to government jobs or the power to grant other political favors. Example?

Spoils System an informal practice where a political party, after winning an election, gives government jobs to its voters as a reward for working toward victory, and as an incentive to keep working for the party NOT BASED ON MERIT Merit

Political Ties Who you know

Political Machine Factors for formation: Growth of urban (city) population When population grows… What new demands are placed on a city? What services do the people need? How can a city address these needs?

Growth of Cities Demands for more services: Schools Streets Sewer systems Fire/Police Utilities New construction Parks Bridges Roads

Political Machines Well organized political parties Were able to get who they wanted elected Corrupt

Political Machine Political Bosses – Managed political machine Developed party positions Made deals with business leaders Controlled: Voter precinct captains Aldermen City council members

Precinct Captains The “nuts and bolts” of the machine. Interacted with voters Offered jobs Political favors Services to local residents FAVORS WON SUPPORT FOR MACHINE

Political Machines Public Works Projects Created jobs Who received those jobs?

Political Machines TARGET: Poor/Working class/Immigrants

Immigrants Political machines targeted immigrants WHY?

Immigrants Harsh living and working conditions Were very loyal to those who helped them Who helped the immigrants?

Tammany Hall New York City Political Machine Sent members to Ellis Island Provided temporary housing/jobs

Political Machines Tammany officials helped get immigrants naturalized (to become citizens of U.S.) Why?

Graft and Corruption Political machines were extremely corrupt. Tammany Hall Host to the “Tweed Ring” William Magaer Tweed Boss Tweed

Corruption Election fraud Graft Kickbacks

Election Fraud Dead people voting More people voting than live in a city Voters that are not eligible Doctoring the numbers/ballots themselves Labeled ballot boxes (no secret ballot)

Graft the acquisition of money, gain, or advantage by dishonest, unfair, or illegal means, esp. through the abuse of one's position or influence in politics, business, etc.

Kickback A slang term used to describe the payment of something of value to another individual with the goal of persuading or influencing their decision or performance in certain situations.

Review Political machine Political boss How did they work? Who did political machines target Summarize the three major ways political machines were corrupt

Corruption Activity

Political Corruption Activity Goal: Become the political boss of PENNCREST HIGH SCHOOL. Activity: -- Groups of 3-4—no more Devise a plan including aspects of a Political Machine Apply your political machine to Penncrest H. S. Explain your plan for a political machine running Penncrest to the class. Incentive/Payoff: 2 Points towards the next test grade for the BEST plan. The best plan will include multiple aspects of a political machine and apply them reasonably to PHS. Time Limit: 20 minutes GROUPS: Designate a group leader, scribe, presenter, and if 4 members, a time keeper. (If only 3 someone will have double duty)

The Tweed Ring Tammany Hall William Magear Tweed 1860’s $200 Million in GRAFT 1865-1871

Collapse of Tweed Public opinion turns against Tweed WHY? Corruption was illustrated BY WHO? Thomas Nast / NY TIMES IN WHAT? Harper’s Weekly Magazine

Thomas Nast Influential Political Cartoonist. Increased importance of cartoons in the press. Who did cartoons communicate to? 50 cartoons

"stone walls cannot imprison me, no prison is big enough to hold the boss, in on one side and out at the other."

William “Boss” Tweed “I don’t care so much what the papers write about me. My constituents can’t read… But they can see pictures.”

Tweed’s End Tweed indicted -1871 Tweed escapes from jail Fraud Extortion Illegal use of one's official position or powers to obtain property, funds, or patronage. Tweed escapes from jail Arrested in Spain Tweed dies while serving remainder of 12 year jail sentence.

Muckraker Searches for and expose misconduct in public life. Name a publication that was a muckraker Name a person who was a muckraker

Review 1. What did political machines do to build and maintain support for their party? 2. What caused the decline in the public support for the Tweed Ring? 3. Name the three components of a political machine, provide an example of each. 4. Name the three major forms of political corruption practiced by these political machines, provide an example of each. 5. Who was Thomas Nast, what was his role in bringing down the Tweed ring? 6. Explain why political cartoons were effective in bringing the Tweed Ring to justice. 7. What do you believe is the most essential part of the political machine—explain why.

Restoring Honest Government Chapter 17 Section II

Scandal in the White House

Ulysses S. Grant Elected President - 1869

Ulysses S. Grant Republican Famed Union Army General Civil War Slogan “Let us have peace”

Grant’s Presidency Grant’s Presidency Filled with scandal Examples…

Grant’s First Term Black Friday – September 24, 1869 Financier Jay Gould Tried to use government to corner the gold market (to manipulate the value of gold) Had invested in the Gold market Gould claimed Grant knew and was involved How does Grant’s term begin?

Jay Gould Corners Gold Market Bought up lots of gold Corner a market – manipulating the value of something Head of Erie Railway Bought up lots of gold Less gold available for everyone What happens to the value of gold? Then the gold was sold after value increased Gould makes a large profit

Grant’s First Term 1872 Vice President – Schuyler Colfax Credit Mobilier Corporation Founded by Directors of Union Pacific Railway

Transcontinental Railroad Under construction

Union Pacific Stockholders Sold shares of stock (investments) to members of the United States Congress What’s the problem? What’s the Union Pacific’s interest? What’s Congress’s interest?

Schuyler Colfax Colfax Speaker of House Then becomes VP Had invested

SCANDAL Kickbacks; GRAFT Credit Mobilier Overcharges Union Pacific Overcharges go into pockets of Credit Mobilier Who gets the money?

SCANDAL Overcharged by $20 Million Welcomed Grant to Office

Election of 1872 Ulysses Grant (R) Horace Greeley (R)

Republican Party Split What about the Democrats? Horace Greeley Supported civil service reform Wanted to require tests Those who earned the highest grades would get jobs What would this stop? DEMOCRATS support Greeley Hoping to defeat Grant

Ulysses Grant Played on his image A war hero! REELECTED easily. Vice President Henry Wilson

Grant’s Second Term Corruption continues… Over what? Taxation of Whiskey What happened? Members of Treasury Department (Appointed through spoils system) ACCEPT BRIBES from Whiskey makers.

The Whiskey Ring Scandal Members of Treasury Accept bribes from Whiskey makers In return: Members of Treasury reduced the amount of taxes the whiskey distributors had to pay

American Public Fed Up with Corruption Created: Distrust in American Government

The Struggle to Reform Spoils System A Major issue in the election of 1876 Americans tired of corruption in government Would this election bring change?

Election of 1876 Rutherford B. Hayes Samuel J. Tilden

Rutherford B. Hayes Victorious President Vice President Rutheford B. Hayes Vice President William Wheeler What party retains power of the executive branch?

Rutherford B. Hayes Reform Attempts to reform government angered his party. REPUBLICAN PARTY SPLIT Stalwarts Half breeds

Split of Republican Party Why? Over the issued of patronage Stalwarts – against reform NO merit system for jobs Tests to show qualifications Half Breeds Promoted the use of civil service exams Tests to show that one is qualified for position

Election of 1880 Rutherford B. Hayes Tired of toil (internal conflict) within his party What to do? Stalwarts and Half Breeds BATTLE for control of the party HALF BREEDS WIN!

Election of 1880 Half Breeds Win control: Nominate James A. Garfield How will we get the Stalwarts behind Garfield? Balance the ticket Half Breeds place a Stalwart in Vice President VP – Chester A. Arthur

Republicans Win Again President Vice President James A. Garfield Chester A. Arthur

Garfield Assassinated July 2, 1881 GARFIELD SHOT At a Washington Train Station 4 months after inauguration Assassin CHARLES GUITEAU Mentally unstable Had sought a government job – but was unsuccessful

Charles Guiteau WHY? What was his motivation? Believed assassinating Garfield would further the Stalwart cause. THE OPPOSITE HAPPENS How? Who will take Garfield’s place? Note: Garfield dies in September

Chester A. Arthur Stalwart Sympathetic to the calls for reform of the fallen President, Arthur abandons his opposition to reform.

Reforms and Reactions President Arthur – 1883 Pendleton Civil Service Act What did the act do? Established Civil Service Commission Civil Service Commission Administered competitive tests to those people seeking government jobs.

Pendleton Civil Service Act What it did: Required a test for non-policy making Federal jobs. What it did not do Only covered 10% of Federal jobs. Gentleman George

Election of 1884 Republicans nominate James Blaine Why not Arthur? Recall the split in the party Who were the Stalwarts upset with? Mugwumps- Republicans who supported reform Decide to vote for the Democrat Candidate GROVER CLEVELAND

Election of 1884 Cleveland Accused of fathering a child outside of wedlock Ma ma where’s my pa? How did the Cleveland campaign react?

Grover Cleveland Refused to “throw dirt” on the opposition. Stuck to the facts. New York World 4 Reasons to vote for Cleveland: 1) He is an honest man 2) He is an honest man 3) He is an honest man 4) He is an honest man

Grover Cleveland “A public office is an office of trust” Determined to promote reform DOUBLED the number of Federal Jobs requiring civil service exams.

Election of 1888 Grover Cleveland (D) Benjamin Harrison (R) Won popular vote Benjamin Harrison (R) Won electoral vote Victorious

Reform Short-lived Harrison and Republicans: Work to counteract all reform done by Cleveland

Review Essay for Test: Explain the inner workings of the political machine. To best do this, include the following: Who leads a political machine Name and explain, through an example or definition, the components of a political machine Name and explain the three major forms of corruption that political machines practiced.