1. 7.3 Politics in the Gilded Age
Who controlled the nation’s major cities and how did reformers try to end corruption?

2. The Emergence of Political Machines
During the late 1800s, many cities were run by a political machine, which was an organized group, headed by a city boss, that controlled the activities of a political party in a city
The machine offered services to voters and businesses in exchange for political and financial support

3. Continued
The boss controlled the city government, as well as jobs in the police, fire, and sanitation departments
Bosses also controlled city agencies that granted licenses to businesses, and funded construction projects
By controlling the cities’ finances, and by solving problems for voters, bosses won loyalty and influence
Many bosses were immigrants who’d worked their way up in politics, so that other immigrants were more likely to trust them and vote for them

4. Graft and Scandal As they gained power, many bosses became corrupt
They became rich through graft, or the illegal use of political influence through personal gain
To win elections, some bosses filled the list of eligible voters with the names of dogs, children, and people who’d died, and then cast votes for themselves

5. Continued Another illegal practice were kickbacks and bribes
Workers would charge higher prices for services and then ‘kick back’ part of the fee to the bosses, who also took bribes from businesses for allowing illegal activities
One of the most powerful bosses was William Marcy Tweed, or Boss Tweed

6. Continued
He became the head of Tammany Hall, NYC’s most powerful Democratic political machine
People were exposed to his corrupt practices through cartoonist Thomas Nast, and eventually became outraged by what he’d done and he was sentenced to prison in 1871

7. Civil Service Replaces Patronage
For many decades, presidents had complained about the problem of patronage, or the giving of government jobs to people of the same party who helped a candidate get elected, regardless of how qualified you were
Reformers wanted to end the system and give jobs based on merit in civil service, or government administration

8. Continued
President Rutherford B. Hayes tried to reform civil service, but failed and didn’t run for re-election
The next candidate for the Republican party was James A. Garfield, who was a reformer who wanted to change the system, and was assassinated shortly after he was elected

9. Continued
Chester A. Arthur succeeded him, and became a reformer in office
He pushed through a civil service reform bill known as the Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883, which created a civil service commission to give government jobs based on merit, not politics
This was good and bad; it lessened the money politicians received so they turned to wealthy business leaders to support them, which strengthened ties between govt. and business

10. Business Buys Influence
Tariffs, or taxes, were an issue in 12 years of presidential elections during the late 1800s
President Grover Cleveland tried to reduce them, but failed
In 1890, President Benjamin Harrison signed the McKinley Tariff Act into law, raising tariffs to their highest level ever; Cleveland defeated Harrison for President in 1892 but couldn’t reduce taxes once they’d been raised