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Chapter 23

Politics in the Gilded Age

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Grant Presidency 1869-1877• Scandal ridden• Black Friday- Gould & Fisk scheme on the

gold market done w/bribes• Credit Mobilier- Railroad stock bribes to

Congress• Whiskey Ring- millions in excise taxes

stolen• Sec. of War Belnap- resigns for taking

bribes

Gilded Age Politics

A. Political See-Saw

1. Close elections, frequent turnovers in House makeup

a) majority party switched six times in 11 session between 1869-1891

b) divided government (H, S, and White House)

c) discourages bold stands by politicians

Gilded Age Politics

B. Political Parties

a) little difference between the Dems and the Reps on major issues: tariffs, currency, civil service reform…

b) ferocious competition

c) motivate their constituents at election time (voter turnout 80% from 1860s-90s)

Gilded Age Politics

C. Characteristics of the Parties

1. cultural & ideological differencesa. Republicans = Puritan religious roots,

native born, support gov't involvement in economy and society

b. Democrats = numbers include Roman Catholics and Lutherans, less stern, opposed gov't attempts to impose a single moral standard on society.

Gilded Age Politics

2. geographical centers of party loyalty

a. Democrats: South (but not among freedmen), Northern industrial cities (immigrants and political machines)

b. Republicans: Midwest, Northeast, and freedmen

Gilded Age Politics

3. use of patronage and spoils system

a. use of spoils to gain support common

b. Sen. Roscoe Conkling (R-NY) and the "Stalwarts" v. Rep. James G. Blaine (R-ME) and the Half-Breeds stalemate the GOP over the issue of civil service reform

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The Emergence of Political Machines

• The Political Machine– Political machine – organized group that

controls city political party– “The Machine” gives services to voters and

businesses for political, financial support• Provided much needed welfare services to the

cities (sanitation, water, libraries, parks)

– After Civil War, political machines gain control of major cities

– Control of? money, elections, projects

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Political Machine Organization

CityBoss

Ward (multi-neighborhood) bosses

Precinct (neighborhood) captains

The Goal?Use money and influence to control the city’s politics and economics

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The Emergence of Political Machines

• The Role of Political Bosses– Whether or not city boss serves as mayor, he:

• Controls access to city jobs, business licenses• Influences courts, municipal agencies• Arranges building projects, community services

– Bosses paid by businesses, get voters’ loyalty, extend influence

• Immigrants and the Machine– Many captains, bosses 1st or 2nd generation Americans– Machines help immigrants with naturalization (getting

citizenship), jobs, housing

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Municipal Graft and Scandal

• Election Fraud and Graft– Machines use electoral fraud (cheating) to

win elections– Graft – illegal use of political influence for

personal gain– Machines take kickbacks ($$$), bribes to

allow legal & illegal activities

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Municipal Graft and Scandal

• The “Tweed Ring” Scandal– 1868 William M. Tweed (Boss Tweed)

heads Tammany Hall in NYC– Leads Tweed Ring, defrauds (steals) city of

millions of dollars– Cartoonist Thomas Nast helps arouse

public outrage against Tweed• Tweed Ring broken in 1871

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POLITICAL MACHINES AND CORRUPT CITY BOSSES CONTROLLED CITIES

TAMMANY HALL, NYC

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CARTOON ABOVE COMPARES TWEED’S EXCESSIVE THEFT TO

THAT OF A MINOR BREAD THIEF

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Civil Service Replaces Patronage• Patronage Spurs Reform

– Patronage – gov’t jobs to those who can help candidates get elected

– Civil service (gov’t admin.) are all patronage jobs

– Some appointees not qualified; some use position for personal gain

– Reformers want merit system for hiring civil service

– Merit? The most qualified, not the best connected should get the important jobs

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Civil Service Replaces Patronage• Reform Under Hayes, Garfield, and Arthur

– Republican Rutherford B. Hayes elected president (1876)• Names independents to cabinet• Creates commission to investigate

corruption• Fires 2 officials; angers Stalwarts (group that

supported corrupt ways, led by NY boss Conkling)

– 1880, Republican independent James A. Garfield wins election

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Civil Service Replaces Patronage• Reform Under Hayes, Garfield, and Arthur

– Stalwart Chester A. Arthur is vice-president– Garfield gives patronage jobs to reformers; is

shot and killed– Half-Breeds?-Repub’s. who favored civil service

reform and opposed patronage– As president, Arthur urges Congress to pass civil

service law– Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1883 –

appointments (gov’t jobs) based on exam score (on your merit), ends the ‘spoils system’

d. Assessing the Gilded Age presidents

1. "The Forgettable Presidents"

a) Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, and Harrison

b) left either blanks or blots on the political record

2. Why such little vitality in politics?

a) the industrial economy lures away talented men

b) loss in political leadership was inversely related to the surge in economic growth