1. A Two-Party Stalemate Two-Party “Balance” 2. Voter Loyalty.

1. A Two-Party 1. A Two-Party StalemateStalemate

1. A Two-Party 1. A Two-Party StalemateStalemate

Two-Party “Balance”Two-Party “Balance”Two-Party “Balance”Two-Party “Balance”

2. Voter 2. Voter LoyaltyLoyalty

2. Voter 2. Voter LoyaltyLoyalty

3. Well-Defined Voting 3. Well-Defined Voting BlocsBlocs

3. Well-Defined Voting 3. Well-Defined Voting BlocsBlocs

DemocraticBloc

DemocraticBloc

RepublicanBloc

RepublicanBloc

White southerners

Catholics

Recent immigrants(esp. Jews)

Urban working poor (pro-labor)

Most farmers

Northern whites(pro-business)

African Americans

Northern Protestants

Most of the middleclass

4. Laissez-faire Govt.4. Laissez-faire Govt.4. Laissez-faire Govt.4. Laissez-faire Govt.

Main Duties of Fed. Govt.:

Deliver the mail.

Maintain a national military

Collect taxes & tariffs

Conduct a foreign policy

Pension for Civil War Vets

5. Congressional 5. Congressional SupremacySupremacy

5. Congressional 5. Congressional SupremacySupremacy

Political Machines

Party Bosses rule

Presidency as symbolic office

The President justdoled out federal jobs.

1865: 53,000 govt. employees

1890 : 166,000

Sen. Roscoe Conkling

1880 Presidential Election: 1880 Presidential Election: RepublicansRepublicans

1880 Presidential Election: 1880 Presidential Election: RepublicansRepublicans

Half BreedsHalf Breeds StalwartsStalwarts

Sen. James G. Blaine Sen. Roscoe Conkling (Maine) (New York)

James A. Garfield Chester A. Arthur (VP)

1880 Presidential Election: 1880 Presidential Election: DemocratsDemocrats

1880 Presidential Election: 1880 Presidential Election: DemocratsDemocrats

1880 1880 Presidential Presidential

ElectionElection

1880 1880 Presidential Presidential

ElectionElection

1881: Garfield 1881: Garfield Assassinated!Assassinated!1881: Garfield 1881: Garfield Assassinated!Assassinated!

Charles Guiteau:I Am a Stalwart, and Arthur is President now!

Chester A. Arthur:Chester A. Arthur:A Fox in the Chicken A Fox in the Chicken

Coop?Coop?

Chester A. Arthur:Chester A. Arthur:A Fox in the Chicken A Fox in the Chicken

Coop?Coop?

Pendleton Act (1883)Pendleton Act (1883)Pendleton Act (1883)Pendleton Act (1883)

Civil Service Act.

“Magna Carta” of civil service reform

Based on merit, not patronage

Exams; performance

Job Security, regardless of party affiliation

Republican Republican “Mugwumps”“Mugwumps”

Republican Republican “Mugwumps”“Mugwumps”

Refused to support Arthur

Social Darwinists.

Under the guise of reform

Target corrupt officials

Not for reform, but for power

Will support an “honest” Dem.

TheTheMugwumpMugwump

ss

TheTheMugwumpMugwump

ss“Men may come and men may go, but the work of reform shall go on forever.”

Will support Cleveland in the1884 election.

1884 Presidential 1884 Presidential ElectionElection

1884 Presidential 1884 Presidential ElectionElection

Grover Cleveland James Blaine * (DEM) (REP)

A Dirty A Dirty CampaignCampaign

A Dirty A Dirty CampaignCampaign

Ma, Ma…where’s my pa?He’s going to the White House, ha… ha… ha…!

Little Lost Little Lost MugwumpMugwumpLittle Lost Little Lost MugwumpMugwump

Blaine in 1884

Rum, Romanism & Rum, Romanism & Rebellion!Rebellion!

Rum, Romanism & Rum, Romanism & Rebellion!Rebellion!

Led a delegation of ministers to Blaine inNYC.

Reference to the Democratic Party.

Blaine was slow torepudiate the remark.

Narrow victory forCleveland [he wins NYby only 1149 votes!].

Dr. Samuel Burchard

1884 Presidential 1884 Presidential ElectionElection

1884 Presidential 1884 Presidential ElectionElection

Cleveland’s First Cleveland’s First TermTerm

Cleveland’s First Cleveland’s First TermTerm The “Veto Governor” from New York.

First Democratic elected since 1856.

A public office is a public trust!

“Laissez-faire” Presidency

Vetoed any assistance bill (to rich & poor)

Vetoed over 200 pension for Civil War vets.

Bravo, Señor Bravo, Señor Clevelando!Clevelando!Bravo, Señor Bravo, Señor Clevelando!Clevelando!

The Tariff IssueThe Tariff IssueThe Tariff IssueThe Tariff Issue Two Types:

Revenue Tariffs: modest

Protective Tariffs: high

Business v. Consumer

1885 : US Govt. has $100 million surplus

Cleveland supports

Filing the Rough EdgesFiling the Rough EdgesFiling the Rough EdgesFiling the Rough Edges

Tariff of 1888

1888 Presidential 1888 Presidential ElectionElection

1888 Presidential 1888 Presidential ElectionElection

Grover Cleveland Benjamin Harrison (DEM) * (REP)

Coming Out for Coming Out for HarrisonHarrison

Coming Out for Coming Out for HarrisonHarrison

“Vote for Harrison on Tuesday, and you’ll have a job on Wednesday.”

1888 Presidential 1888 Presidential ElectionElection

1888 Presidential 1888 Presidential ElectionElection

Disposing the SurplusDisposing the SurplusDisposing the SurplusDisposing the Surplus

Changing Public Changing Public OpinionOpinion

Changing Public Changing Public OpinionOpinion Citizens want regulation to control trusts:

Interstate Commerce Act (1887)

Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)

McKinley Tariff (1890) --> highest ever!

“Prosperity flows from protectionism”

Republicans suffer big loses in Congress

1892 Presidential 1892 Presidential ElectionElection

1892 Presidential 1892 Presidential ElectionElection

Grover Cleveland Benjamin Harrison again! * (DEM) (REP)

1892 Presidential 1892 Presidential ElectionElection

1892 Presidential 1892 Presidential ElectionElection

Cleveland Loses Support Cleveland Loses Support Fast!Fast!

Cleveland Loses Support Cleveland Loses Support Fast!Fast!

Non-Consecutive Terms

Panic of 1893

Defended the gold standard.

Coinage Act (1873)

Used troops in Pullman Strike

Repealed Sherman Silver Purchase Act