GILDED AGE POLITICS POLITICAL MACHINES, REFORM, POPULISM

POLITICAL MACHINES DEFINITION: –A “GANG” OF PEOPLE WHO CONTROLLED CITY GOV’T FOR THEIR OWN PROFIT AND SELF INTEREST

HOW THEY GOT MONEY GRAFT/PADDING BILLS: –ILLEGAL USE OF POLITICAL INFLUENCE FOR PERSONAL GAIN –OVERCHARGE TAX PAYERS TO BUILD STUFF FOR THE GOV’T. THE BUILDERS AND MACHINE MEMBERS SPLIT THE EXTRA $$. BRIBES: –GOV’T OFFICIALS WOULD ACCEPT BRIBES FOR LICENSES, NOT DOING INSPECTIONS, ETC. THE OFFICALS WOULD “KICKBACK” SOME OF THE MONEY TO THE MACHINE

HOW THEY GOT VOTES IMMIGRANTS: –THE MACHINE MEMBERS GAVE IMMIGRANTS JOBS, ARRANGED FOR HOUSING IN EXCHANGE FOR VOTES PADDING LISTS/FRAUD: –MACHINE MEMBERS USE DEAD PEOPLE’S NAMES, DOGS, IMGINARY PEOPLE’S NAMES THEN ADD THEM TO THE LIST OF REGISTERED VOTERS AND VOTE ILLEGALLY

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE PARTY BOSS WARD BOSS PRECINCT CAPTAIN COMMON PEOPLEBUSINESSMEN

EXPOSING MACHINES &CORRUPTION THOMAS NAST –A CARTOONIST WHO EXPOSED POLITICAL MACHINES THROUGH HIS DRAWINGS –MOST POOR PEOPLE COULDN’T READ WELL –RAISED AWARENESS AMONG THE COMMON PEOPLE OF WHY POLITICAL MACHINES WERE BAD

EXAMPLE TAMMANY HALL: DEMOCRATIC HEADQUARTERS OF NY CITY/POLITICAL MACHINE OF NYC BOSS TWEED: POLITICAL BOSS OF NY CITY TWEED RING: GROUP THAT CONTROLLED TAMMANY HALL NY COUNTY COURTHOUSE- BOSS TWEED CHARGED TAXPAYERS $13 MILLION TO BUILD COURTHOUSE BUT IT ONLY COST $3 MILLION. HE POCKETED $10 MILLION

REFORM IN THE GILDED AGE TARIFF POOR WANT RICH WANT RELEVANT PRESIDENTS RESULT WINNER LOWER TARIFF: HIGHER TARIFF: HIGHER TARIFF DON’T WANT TO COMPETE WITH FOREIGN GOODS CLEVELAND- TRIES TO LOWER, NO SUCCESS HARRISON- RAISED TARIFFS TO 48% CLEVELAND- ONLY LOWERED TO 41% MCKINLEY- RAISED BACK TO 46% HIGH TARIFF RICH

REFORM IN THE GILDED AGE MONETARY POOR WANT RICH WANT RELEVANT PRESIDENTS RESULT WINNER MORE $ PRINTED- BIMETALLISM (GOLD AND SILVER) LESS $ PRINTED- GOLD STANDARD TO MAKE VALUE HIGHER HAYES VETOES, BUT CONGRESS PASSES BLAND ALLISON ACT- ALLOWED SOME SILVER COINAGE SILVER PURCHASE ACT PASSED BY HARRISON- GOV’T BUYS EXCESS SILVER CLEVLAND REPEALS GOLD STANDARD ACT PASSED GOLD STANDARD RICH

REFORM IN THE GILDED AGE CIVIL SERVICE POOR WANT RICH WANT RELEVANT PRESIDENTS RESULT WINNER END OF SPOILS SYSTEM- WANT JOBS BASED ON MERIT CONTINUE SPOILS SYSTEM- MEANS FED. EMPLOYEES WOULD CHANGE WITH EVERY PRESIDENT HAYES TRIES TO CLEAN UP THE NYC CUSTOM HOUSE BUT CONGRESS DOES NOT SUPPORT STALWARTS FORM TO OPPOSE REFORM GARFIELD STARTS REFORM BUT ASSASSINATED!! VP ARTHUR TURNS REFORMER PASSES PENDLETON ACT- MAKE FED. APPOINTMENTS BASED ON CANDIDATES PERFORMANCE ON TEST CIVIL SERVICE REFORM- NOW LIMITED # OF PEOPLE ARE CHANGED POOR

FARMERS IN THE GILDED AGE DEBTS OWED $ FOR –NEW MACHINERY, SEED, LAND, ETC. HARD TO PAY DEBTS SINCE –BANKS AND WEALTHY CONTROLLED THE $ SUPPLY (UNDER PRINTING MONEY) RICH WANT LESS $ PRINTED, ONLY BACKED BY GOLD- CALLED –“GOLDBUGS” FARMERS WANT GOLD AND SILVER USED TO BACK $ SO MORE CAN BE PRINTED- CALLED –“SILVERITES” AND BIMETALLISM

FARMERS IN THE GILDED AGE RAILROADS WERE OVERCHARGING FARMERS TO SHIP CROPS. HAD A MONOPOLY FARMERS WANT THE GOV’T TO STOP THIS AND REGULATE THEM THEY FORM A SOCIAL/POLITICAL ORGANIZATION CALLED GRANGE FOUNDER OLIVER HUDSON KELLEY THE GRANGE SUCCESSFULLY ELECT LOCAL AND STATE POLITICIANS TO REGULATE RRDS IN STATES. UPHELD BY COURT CASE MUNN V. ILLINOIS BUT MOST RRDS RUN BETWEEN STATES AND NEED FEDERAL OVERSIGHT INTERSTATE COMMERCE ACT WILL BE PASSED, BUT NOT ENFORCED

POPULIST PARTY POPULISM: –MEMBERS: FARMERS, FACTORY WORKERS, “PEOPLE’S PARTY”, LITTLE PEOPLE, MINERS, WOMEN –WANTED: BIMETALLISM AND FREE COINAGE OF SILVER, LIMITED HOURS OF WORK, GOV’T REGULATION OF RRDS –NOMINATE: WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT

POPULISM REPUBLICANS –MEMBERS: “GOLDBUGS”, WEALTHY, POWERFUL, BUSINESS INTERESTS –MCKINLEY: THE “FRONT PORCH CAMPAIGN”- AT HIS HOUSE COME AND WAVE

WIZARD OF OZ OZ: OUNCES (GOLD AND SILVER MEASURED IN)- WASHINGTON, D.C. DOROTHY: COMMON MAN WICKED WITCHES: RR-WEST, BANKS- EAST MUNCHKINS: FACTORY WORKERS, FARMERS, MINERS YELLOW BRICK ROAD: GOLD STANDARD SLIPPERS: SILVER TIN MAN: FACTORY WORKERS (MISSING HEART FROM INDUSTRIALIZATION) SCARECROW: FARMERS (MISSING BRAIN) LION: WJB WIZARD: PRESIDENCY