Chapter+19-Melissa+Foster

National Politics in the Gilded Age, 1877-1900 1) Politics in the Gilded Age   a)  Causes of Stalemate (1) Belief in limited government – laissez-faire, Social Darwinism. (2) Campaign strategy – R/D evenly divided, get the vote and not alienate voters. Crowd-pleasing oratory, brought out 80% of voters, Republicans- Civil War memories, Democrats-anti slavery memories. Democrats solid in the South. (3) Party patronage – gaining and holding office and getting gov. jobs for supporters, Conkling – Stalwarts, Halfbreeds – Blaine. b) Presidential Politics   i)  Rutherford B. Hayes – 1876, ended Reconstruction, reestablish honest gov, temperance leader. ii) James Garfield – “Halfbreed” shot in the back by a Stalwart, Arthur became pres.   iii)  Chester A. Arthur – modern navy, did not receive renomination c) Congressional Leaders – autocratic rule and corruptions   d)  Election of 1884 – Cleveland, first democrat e) Cleveland’s First Term – frugal & limited gov, Interstate Commerce Act, Dawes act   f)  Issues: Civil Service, Currency, and Tariffs i) Civil service reform – Pendleton Act, federal jobs became classified   ii)  Money question – debtors and farmers – greenbacks, bankers – gold. Dollar increased 300% iii) Greenback party – Specie Resumption Act; greenbacks violation of natural law. Greenback party – greenback back into circulation.   iv)  Demands for silver money – Bland-Allison Act; silver-to-gold ration of 16 to 1. v) Tariff issue - industry growing rich at the expense of farmers.   2)  The Growth of Discontent a) Harrison and the Billion-Dollar Congress   i)  The Election of 1888 – Republicans; Harrison and a high tariff. ii) Billion-dollar Congress – Mckinley Tariff, Increases in monthly pensions, Sherman Antitrust Act, Sherman Silver Purchase Act, A bill protecting votes of A.A.   iii)  Return of the Democrats – they did not legislate public morality b) Rise of the Populists   i)  Omaha platform – concentration of economic power, restoration of gov. to the people; unlimited coinage, attack on laissez-faire ii) Election of 1892 – return of Cleveland   3)  Depression Politics a) Panic of 1893 – result of overspeculation. Adopted laissez faire.   b)  Gold reverse and tariff – borrowed $65 mil from JP Morgan, Wilson-Gorman Tariff c) Jobless on the march – Coxey’s army, Coin’s Financial School   4)  Turning Point in American Politics a) Election of 1896   i)  Bryan, Democrats, and Populists – “Gold Bug” Democrats. Bryan – “free silver” ii) Mckinley, Hanna, and Republicans – Republicans; high tariff to protect industry, upheld gold standard   iii)  Campaign – Mckinley said silver was their salvation, Hanna; “silver lunacy” Mckinley won. b) Mckinley’s presidency – Dingley Tariff; higher tariff and gold the official standard   c)  Significance of the election of 1896 – end of stalemate, Republican dominance, i) Populist demise – Populist reform agenda adopted, ironically.   ii)  Urban dominance – values of modern industrial America iii) Beginning of modern politics – America became a major player in international affairs