The Gilded Age an era of corruption and presidential squeakers
Party System Political party and courts will dictate policy Looking for patronage and victory Less about issues, more about personality and emotion Republicans held 16 states, rural, Protestant, old school, middle class, Grand Old Army of the Republic Democrats held 14 states, southern, city, immigrants, Catholics, Jews, poor, distressed farmers Only 1.5% separation in popular votes, 80% voter turnout, both parties like laissez-faire Congressional balance avoid strong positions, beer & bands, Senate Republican, House Democratic Lots of 3rd Parties All Presidents have military background except Cleveland
Election of 1868
Election of 1872
Ulysses S. Grant 1869-1877 Unconditional Surrender Era of Good Stealin s loads of corruption in his administration Grant is inexperienced, inept, insensitive, and inclined to defer to Congress Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall - $145 Million to build City Hall - The Prince of Plasterers -$2.5 Million Scandals Credit Mobilier, Whiskey Ring, Indian Ring, Gould & Fisk -graft, kickbacks, rebates -agents, distillers, politicians, distributors, storekeepers, bribes -received bribe $ for rights of Military Post Trade on reservations -purchase gold to drive up price, also controlled some RR & wheat production Crime of 1873 gold standard, no more coinage of silver Panic of 1873 due to over speculation and money issues Grant wins re-election by having $ backing, waving the bloody shirt, and people s hatred of Greeley (drunk, ignorant, swindler, atheist, communist, vegetarian, signed bail for Jefferson Davis) Congressional Actions -Resumption Act (1875) withdraw greenbacks for gold (many not exchanged) -Civil Rights (1875) integrates schools, but declared unconstitutional by Supreme Court in Civil Rights Cases (1883)
Election of 1876
Rutherford B. Hayes 1877-1881 Rutherfraud, His Fraudulency Compromise of 1877 gets election over Tilden, even though he lost popular vote Lemonade Lucy and the Temperance Crusade Active 1 st Lady Sent troops in to break up strikes Pro-Civil Service Reform Anti Chinese Exclusion Congressional Acts -Vetoed Bland-Allison Act (1878) coining of silver (overridden) -very limited amount of silver introduced (limping bimetallism) Executive Order bans federal employees from participating in political activities Very socially oriented Carl Schurz & wife (Kindergarten)
Election of 1880
James Garfield 1881 Chester A. Arthur 1881-1885 The Gentleman s Boss Stalwarts led by Roscoe Conkling loved Machine Politics Halfbreeds led by James Blaine loved reform politics Both loved patronage Garfield shot by Charles Guiteau thought he was owed a job. Garfield dies from bad medicine Garfield s death = public concern over reforming patronage Garfield (Halfbreed) and Arthur (Stalwart) both take own course in politics rather than play party politics Arthur wants to modernize navy Fights corruption in politics (machine) Congressional Actions -Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) suspend Chinese immigration despite treaty with China -Pendleton Civil Service Act (1882) set basis for Civil Service reform to get rid of patronage (but led to a marriage of convenience with business)
Election of 1884
Grover Cleveland 1885-1889 Uncle Jumbo & Grover the Good 1 st Democrat since Buchanon, beats Blaine (Mulligan Letters) Ma, Ma, Where s my Pa? Gone to the White House, Ha, Ha, Ha -illegitimate child? - Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion downfall of the republicans Mugwumps republicans who want reform and go democratic Restores the prestige of the Presidency Tries to lower tariffs, but is overridden (kills him in Election of 1888) Vetoes Texas Seed Bill (1887) (too much like welfare) Vetoes Civil War pensions (to much fraud) Took back land from timber and RR companies Believes in laissez-faire and anti-corruption Congressional Actions -Dawes Act (1887) Americanization of Indians -Interstate Commerce Act (1887) begins federal regulation of RR -Hatch Act (1887) subsidized agricultural stations & land grant colleges -Electoral Count Act (1887) electoral count goes to states (instead of 15 man panel from Election of 1877)
Election of 1888
Benjamin Harrison 1889-1893 Won electoral vote, not popular vote (machine politics, bribes, industrial support) Does modernize Navy, reforms civil service Billion Dollar Congress, authorizes payment of Civil War pensions Panic of 1893 over speculation, over production, over building, British pull out of securities Rise of Populist Party The People s Party Harrison defers to party leaders in Congress Congressional Actions -McKinley Tariff (1890) high protective tariff 50% -Sherman Silver Act (1890) purchase of silver & coinage -Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890) restraint of trade illegal (monopolies) Court Cases E.C. Knight, Wabash, Munn
Election of 1892
Grover Cleveland 1893-1897 Populist party ruins Republican s chance of winning Presidency Blamed Panic of 1893 on silver, repeals Sherman Silver Act, doesn t solve problems Coxey s Army (Commonwealth of Christ) marches on Washington, has them arrested Send federal troops to stop Pullman Strike angers workers all over America Authorizes borrowing of $65 Million in gold from J.P. Morgan to stabilize economy Congressional Actions -Wilson-Gorman Tariff (1894) lowers tariff very little, includes small income tax
Election of 1896
Election of 1900
William McKinley 1897-1901 Idol of Ohio Pro gold/anti silver (expanded gold from Alaska) More production, more markets, made for more jobs economic recovery Imperialism Spanish American War, Hawaii, Wake Island, Open Door Policy Congressional Actions -Dingley Tariff (1897) tariff set at all time high (57%) -Gold Standard Act (1900) all paper money redeemable in gold -Platt Amendment (1901) authorizes troops to Cuba to protect it from foreigners Assassinated by Polish/American anarchist Court Cases Pollock vs. Farmers, Plessey vs. Ferguson