Unit 8 Part 2 2013. 1. A Two-Party Stalemate Two-Party “Balance”

Unit 8 Part 2 2013

1. A Two-Party Stalemate1. A Two-Party Stalemate1. A Two-Party Stalemate1. A Two-Party Stalemate

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

2. Intense 2. Intense Voter Loyalty Voter Loyalty

to theto theTwo MajorTwo MajorPolitical Political PartiesParties

2. Intense 2. Intense Voter Loyalty Voter Loyalty

to theto theTwo MajorTwo MajorPolitical Political PartiesParties

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

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

DemocraticBloc

DemocraticBloc

RepublicanBloc

RepublicanBloc

White southerners(preservation ofwhite supremacy)

Catholics

Recent immigrants(esp. Jews)

Urban working poor (pro-labor)

Most farmers

Northern whites(pro-business)

African Americans

Northern Protestants

Old WASPs (supportfor anti-immigrant laws)

Most of the middleclass

4. 4. Very Laissez Faire Very Laissez Faire Federal Govt.Federal Govt.

4. 4. Very Laissez Faire Very Laissez Faire Federal Govt.Federal Govt.

From 1870-1900 Govt. did verylittle domestically.

Main duties of the federal govt.:

Deliver the mail.

Maintain a national military.

Collect taxes & tariffs.

Conduct a foreign policy.

Exception administer the annual Civil War veterans’ pension.

5. 5. The Presidency as a The Presidency as a Symbolic OfficeSymbolic Office

5. 5. The Presidency as a The Presidency as a Symbolic OfficeSymbolic Office

Party bosses ruled.

Presidents should avoid offending anyfactions within theirown party.

The President justhanded out federal jobs.

(PATRONAGE) 1865 53,000 people worked for the federal govt.

1890 166,000 “ “ “ “ “ “

Senator Roscoe Conkling

1880 1880 Presidential Presidential

ElectionElection


ElectionElection

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

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

Pendleton Act (1883)Pendleton Act (1883)Pendleton Act (1883)Pendleton Act (1883) The “Magna Carta”

of civil service reform.

Standards for jobs

Examination of applicants

1883 14,000 out of117,000 federal govt.jobs became civilservice exam positions.

1900 100,000 out of 200,000 civil service federal govt. jobs.

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…!


ElectionElection


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!

His laissez-faire presidency:

Opposed bills to assist the poor aswell as the rich.

Vetoed over 200 special pension billsfor Civil War veterans!

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

The Tariff IssueThe Tariff IssueThe Tariff IssueThe Tariff Issue After the Civil War, Congress raised

tariffs to protect new US industries.

Big business wanted to continue this;consumers did not.

1885 tariffs earned the US $100 mil. in surplus!

President Cleveland’s view on tariffs????

Tariffs became a major issue in the 1888presidential election.

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

Tariff of 1888



Grover Cleveland Benjamin Harrison (DEM) * (REP)

Coming Out for Coming Out for HarrisonHarrison

Coming Out for Coming Out for HarrisonHarrison

Disposing the Disposing the SurplusSurplus

Disposing the Disposing the SurplusSurplus

Changing Public Changing Public OpinionOpinion

Changing Public Changing Public OpinionOpinion Americans wanted the federal govt. to

dealwith growing social & economic problems & to curb the power of the trusts:

Interstate Commerce Act – 1887

Sherman Antitrust Act – 1890

McKinley Tariff – 1890

Based on the theory that prosperityflowed directly from protectionism.

Increased already high rates another 4%!

Rep. Party suffered big losses in 1890 (evenMcKinley lost his House seat!).



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


ElectionElection


ElectionElection

Cleveland Loses Support Cleveland Loses Support Fast!Fast!

Cleveland Loses Support Cleveland Loses Support Fast!Fast! The only President to serve two

non-consecutive terms.

Blamed for the 1893 Panic because he:

Defended the gold standard.

Repealed Sherman Silver Act

Used federal troops in the 1894Pullman strike.

Why? To Deliver the Mail!!!

Unit 8 Part 2 2013. 1. A Two-Party Stalemate Two-Party “Balance”

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Transcript of Unit 8 Part 2 2013. 1. A Two-Party Stalemate Two-Party “Balance”