Restoring Honest Government during the Gilded Age Gilded Age Coined termed by Mark Twain. Age of corruption in politics. Everything looks good on the surface, but it was really corrupt. marked by the growth of industry and wealth which supported materialism and political corruption The Business of Politics Laissez-faire- Theory that the government should play a very limited role in businesses. Business Ran politics and politics was a branch of business Business Giants during the Gilded Age often times bribed politicians with gifts of money. (Political Machines) Spoils System Elected officials appointed friends and supporters to government jobs. Ensured politicians a loyal group of supporters in future elections. Credit Mobilier Scandal damaged the careers of several Gilded Age politicians. Major stockholders in the Union Pacific Railroad formed a company, the Crdit Mobilier of America, and gave it contracts to build the railroad. They sold or gave shares in this construction to influential congressmen. Political Parties during the Gilded Age Republican Party Industrialists, bankers, and eastern farmers Party of Morality-made up of the typical Americans Backed high tariffs to protect American Businesses, generous pensions for Union Soldiers, government aid to Railroads, and enforcement of Blue Laws Strongest in North and upper-Midwest Political Parties during the Gilded Age Democratic Party - Attracted Americans who were less privileged. - Southern Whites, Immigrants, Free- Thinkers, - Backed money supply backed by silver, lower tariffs, less government aid to big businesses. PRESIDENTS OF THE GILDED AGE Rutherford B. Hayes ( ) Wanted to Reform the Civil Service System Called for a new set of rules to establish a MERIT SYSTEM for Civil Service Nonelected government workers 4 Merits 1) those who already hold office cant be removed unless they are not doing there job 2) Party members have no more influence on appointments than any other respectful citizen 3) No assessment for political contributions will be allowed 4) No office holder can manage an election campaign. PRESIDENTS CONT James Garfield (March 5, Sept. 19, 1881) Elected in 1880 3 fractions of Republican Party Stalwarts- supported the spoils system Half-Breeds- reform spoils system Independents- opposed spoils system Assassinated by Charles Guiteau on July 2, 1881 who claimed upon shooting the President that he was a Stalwart. I am a Stalwart and Arthur is President now PRESIDENTS CONTD Chester Arthur (1881 to 1885) Although he was a Stalwart, actually became advocate of reform! Signed the Pendleton Civil Service Act Established Merit Exams if you wanted a Federal Job PRESIDENTS CONTD Grover Cleveland Won election in became first democratic president since 1856 Presidential campaign between his opponent James Blaine and himself was verybad. Favored tight money policies, opposed high tariffs, and took back from the railroads some 80 million acres of land that had been granted to them. PRESIDENTS CONTD!! Benjamin Harrison Won 1888 election Harrison promised a higher tariff than Cleveland which won him a lot of support from businesses. Republicans had majority of the seats in Congress during the first 2 years of his presidency which meant he could get almost anything passed he wanted. Sherman Anti-Trust Act: Law prohibiting monopolies and trusts that restrained trade. Sherman Silver Purchase Act-required treasury to buy 4.5 million ounces of silver per month to increase the price of silver McKinley Tariff- Highest Tariff in the history of the country at that time. (very low public support) PRESIDENTS CONTD Grover Cleveland AGAIN!! Reelected in 1892 Drained treasury from Harrisons previous presidency cause nation into an economic panic in Workers lost jobs or had their wages cut Jacob Coxey organized an unemployment march on Washington D.C. Upset not only the unemployed but farmers also by repealing the Sherman Silver Purchase Act. PRESIDENTS CONTD William McKinley Defeated William Jennings Bryan in 1896 election Campaign was centered around the Gold-Silver Debate. (McKinley =Gold. Bryan =Silver) Returned the American economy to prosperity. Assassinated on September 6, 1901 by Leon Czolgosz. REGULATING RAILROADS Railroad operation began to be questioned around the 1880s. (charging more for a short haul, offering rebates to favored customers, keeping rates secret) 1877 Supreme Court Ruling Munn vs. Illinois Ruled that only the Federal Govt could regulate interstate commerce. So for a long time the Railroads went unregulated until the invention of the ICC in However the ICC was largely ineffective, losing 15 of its 16 cases in Federal court. ICC= Interstate Commerce Commission Quick Quiz 1. The Gilded Age was known as the age of ________ in politics? 2) Laissez-faire means what? 3) What did the Pendleton Civil Service Act do? 4) Which President was elected to 2 separate terms? (Once in 1884, then again in 1892) 5) Tell me 2 of the 3 Acts President Harrison got passed while he was in office?