X.GILDED AGE POLITICS A. Ineffective on national level 1. lasted from the Civil War to 1895 2. little to distinguish the two parties 3. North & East support.

X.GILDED AGE POLITICS

A. Ineffective on national level

1. lasted from the Civil War to 1895

2. little to distinguish the two parties

3. North & East support Republicans as the Union party

4. Southerners and Immigrants support the Democrats

5. Few issues gained national importance

6. Few personalities, most people vote for party

B. Banners, Buttons & Beer give way to Patronage

1. Limited media

2. Precinct workers gave care packages to needy

3. Patronage kept party politics alive

a. rose to greatest height in gilded age

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C. Boss Politics

1. growing cities need services

a. gas, water, sewage, garbage, etc.

2. many of American elite left public sector for better jobs

3. opportunists took over politics

4. Boss Politics takes control of an area

a. once in they keep power through patronage

b. control who runs for office

c. grant contracts for kickbacks for support

d. street paving for fiends or enemies

e. control police

i. keep them away from certain areas

ii. harass competitors

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C. National Issues

1. The Tariff

a. predominantly a Republican issue

b. supported northern business

c. almost only form of federal government's income

2. Currency another issue

a. greenbacks issued only during the war

b. some politicians wanted to continue greenbacks

c. hard money won in 1873 money based on gold

i. sever depression started

d. limited mixed gold and silver standard started in 1878

i. the Bland-Allison Act

ii. U.S. buys % of the silver minted in country (Nevada)

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iii. starts minting silver coins

3. Civil Service Reform hottest issue

a. early attempts at removing patronage rebuffed

b. 7/2/1881 James Garfield assassinated (died 9/21/1881)

i. Charles J. Guiteau, disgruntled office seeker

ii. Congress sponsored civil service reform

c. Middle class wanted jobs based on merit or exams

i. wanted honest competent bureaucrats

ii. their children were educated and needed jobs

iii. get immigrants out of government

d. Pendleton Act 1883

i. 1/10 of all federal jobs awarded on merit

ii. grew to all but a few jobs now on merit

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iii. hoped to take power away from party bosses

iv. not really that honest

a. no more kickbacks from appointees

b. but politicians looked for business to contribute

to political campaigns

D. Local Issues were far more important

1. Prohibition

a. Temperance movement started before the war

i. before war most used moral suasion

ii. immigrates helped raise alcohol consumption in U.S.

b. both cities & states proposed bans on sale of alcohol

c. only limited success in some locals

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d. Carry A. Nation

i. 1st husband an alcoholic then married a minister

ii. Kansas outlawed liquor in 1880 but not enforced

iii. visions stop alcohol, tobacco & immodest dress

iv. starts praying outside saloons 1890

v. later smashed them eventually using a hatchet

vi. changed temperance from suasion to action

2. Public Schools

a. an anti-immigrant policy

i. immigrants supported private (catholic) schools

ii. taught in parent's language and maintained culture

b. older settlers want Public schools for their children

i. concerned about need for education

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ii. force immigrants to assimilate

c. immigrants opposed since they support other schools

F. Women's Suffrage Movement

1. Setback after the war with 15th amendment

2. National movement separates into two factions in 1869

a. New York, National Woman Suffrage Association

i. Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony

ii. pushed for general reforms on national level

b. Boston, American Woman Suffrage Association

i. worked on local level for suffrage

3. 1890 both form National American Woman Suffrage Ass.

a. the new leadership changed approach

b. now claimed vote to pass self-protection legislation

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i. rape laws, age of consent laws, & working conditions

c. also claimed their moral influence would help reforms

i. clean up politics, saloons, factory, & conditions

G. Republicans forced to make some changes

1. practiced Laissez-faire in regards to business

a. allowed business to grow without intervention

2. reform groups, unions & Populace put pressure for change

3. 1890 pass several pieces of reform legislation

a. Sherman Anti-Trust Act

i. attempt to discourage large business combinations

ii. Supreme Court limited to those who restrained trade

iii. gained votes from anti-railroad elements

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b. Sherman Silver Purchase Act

i. tried to appease pro-silver interests

ii. required U.S. to buy 4.5 mil. ozs. of silver per mo.

iii. Opponents felt better than free coinage of silver

iv. took away some of appeal from populace party

c. Dependent Pensions Act

i. appropriated $160 million a year

ii. for disabled Civil War veterans & their dependents

iii. Democrats called it too extravagant

iv. gained support from Union working class

d. tried to pass bill to protect Black voters in the south

H. Depression of 1893

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1. Rich

a. some lost their businesses

b number were well insulated

i. Newport, RI.; N.Y.'s 5th Ave. & Chicago's Gold Coast

c. some sell summer homes others cut back on parties

2. Urban workers really suffered

a. unemployment rampant

b. watched lavish behavior of rich

c. demanded government action

i. local government responded

a. soup kitchens

b. homeless shelters

ii. federal government not responsive

d. Spring 1894 Jacob Coxey led march of unemployed on D.C.

i. President Cleveland arrested leaders, stepping on lawn

3. Election of 1896

a. Republicans felt they could win white house again

i. blamed Cleveland for the depression, lowered tariff to far

ii. nominated man associated with tariff, William McKinley

b. Democrats dropped Grover Cleveland

i. nominated NE congressman, William Jennings Bryan

a. Bryan supported free coinage of silver

i. Cross of Gold Speech wins Bryan the nomination

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Having behind us the producing masses of the nation

and the world, supported by the commercial interests, the

laboring interests, and the toilers everywhere, 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.

  b. Democrats tried to gain Populace support

c. Populace party almost joined with Democrats

ii. Democrats chose Arthur Sewall for Vice-President

a. hard money man

b. Populace disliked Sewall, submitted separate ticket

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iii. Populace Party supported Bryan for President

a. had own vice presidential candidate

b. Bryan's ticket split almost doomed from the start

c. Republicans ran strange campaign

i. McKinley stayed at home

ii. reached voters through speeches, adds, buttons & banners

iii. 3/4 of a million people visited him in Canton, Ohio

d. Bryan took a grassroots approach

i. went on a national railroad tour

ii. 27states 30 speeches per day

iii. took most of the south and west

iv. associated with rural America

v. few industrial states voted for him

e. results

i. close election McKinley won by 1% of popular vote

ii. McKinley took industrial states with largest populations

a. appealed to urban population

b. he won large number of electoral votes

iii. Populist Party almost disappeared shortly after election

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