Politics in the Gilded Age, 1870-1900

The Challenges of the Post-Civil War Era

• The nation faced the challenges of political and social repair, as well as the question of race relations in the wake of slavery.

• Farmers struggled with declining agricultural prices, mounting debts, and exploitation by commodity traders, railroads, and lenders.

• Urban workers suffered from long hours, hazardous conditions, and stagnant wages.

The Gilded Age and Political Corruption

• The "Gilded Age" was a period of corruption, with politicians catering to business interests and engaging in graft and bribery.

• Presidents during this time had a weak hold on power, largely due to highly contested elections and the influence of political patronage.

• Legislation was often driven by the desires of businessmen and industrialists rather than the needs of the people.

The 1876 Presidential Election and the Compromise of 1877

• The 1876 presidential election between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel J. Tilden was highly controversial, with disputes over the results in several Southern states.

• The Compromise of 1877 resolved the election in favor of Hayes, with the understanding that federal troops would be withdrawn from the South, effectively ending the Reconstruction era.

• This compromise exposed the willingness of the two major parties to make backroom deals, and the growing acceptance among Americans of an inactive federal government.

The Rise of Grassroots Reform Movements

• Frustrated by the lack of leadership and the pace of industrial change, farmers and workers formed a new grassroots reform movement, which was later eclipsed by the larger, middle-class Progressive movement.

Spoils System and Civil Service Reform

• The spoils system, where presidents appointed their supporters to government positions, was prevalent during this period.

• Spoils system: the power of the president to practice widespread political patronage.

• The Compromise of 1877 and the subsequent weak presidents led to a repetitive cycle of presidents owing political favors, which they repaid through the spoils system.

• Civil service reformers, such as the Liberal Republican Party, pushed for a merit-based civil service system, but faced resistance from powerful Republican leaders like Roscoe Conkling.

• President Hayes made some modest attempts at civil service reform, but faced strong opposition and was unable to achieve significant legislation.

• The assassination of President Garfield by Charles Guiteau, a Stalwart supporter seeking a political appointment, further fueled the push for civil service reform.

• President Chester Arthur signed the Pendleton Civil Service Act in 1883, which created the Civil Service Commission and set aside a portion of government jobs for competitive examination.

Tariff Debates

• Tariffs were a contentious issue, with business leaders advocating for higher tariffs to protect domestic industries, while working-class families and farmers favored lower tariffs to reduce the cost of living.

• President Arthur created the U.S. Tariff Commission to investigate the propriety of high tariffs, but could only achieve a modest reduction in the "Mongrel Tariff" of 1883.

• President Cleveland was a notable reformer in terms of business regulation and tariffs, but his efforts were undermined by the Republican Party's return to power.

Monetary Policies and the Gold Standard

• There was so little gold, yet it was a natural choke point on the economy. Grain prices were fluctuating but gold remained strong, which hurt farmers’ profit.

• The debate over the gold standard versus the free coinage of silver was a pressing issue for farmers and working-class Americans, who sought a bimetallic standard to increase the money supply and alleviate debt.

• The Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890 was largely ineffective in providing relief, as the government's continued commitment to the gold standard led to a depletion of gold reserves.

• The lack of meaningful monetary measures from the federal government contributed to the rise of the Populist movement, as farmers attempted to take control of the political process.

Economic and Political Challenges Faced by Farmers

• Farmers contended with significant economic hardships, including rapidly declining farm prices, high tariffs on necessary items, and foreign competition.1

• One of the largest challenges was overproduction, where the abundance of farm products drove prices lower. This was due to westward expansion of farms and industrialization leading to increased crop yields.

• Farmers fell deeper into debt due to the cycle of overproduction, and they responded by increasing crop production to earn more money.

• High tariffs on industrial products made purchased items more expensive for farmers, yet tariffs did not keep farm prices artificially high.

• The issue of the gold standard versus silver-based currency was a problem, as farmers needed more money in circulation to create inflationary pressure and increase farm prices.

Farmers' Organizing Efforts

• Farmers organized into groups similar to early labor unions, recognizing that a collective voice could create pressure and enact change.

• The Grange, founded by Oliver Hudson Kelly in 1867, grew to over 1.5 million members in less than a decade and sought to create farmers' cooperatives.

• The Grange briefly succeeded in getting some "Granger Laws" passed in the Midwest, but these were later ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

• The Farmers' Alliance, a conglomeration of three regional alliances, formed in the mid-1880s and brought together over 2.5 million members, including 1 million African Americans.

• The Farmers' Alliance movement featured prominent roles for women, with nearly 250,000 women joining due to the promise of political rights within the organization.

The Populist Party and Political Attempts

• The Farmers' Alliance created the Populist Party (or People's Party) in 1891, with the goal of electing representatives who could enact real change.

• The Populist Party had modest success in non-presidential year elections, particularly in the Midwest, electing state legislators, a governor, and a few congressmen.

• In the 1892 presidential election, the Populists nominated James B. Weaver, who finished a distant third, but the party was encouraged by the one million votes he received.

• The Populists hoped that if industrial workers experienced hardships similar to farmers, a powerful alliance between the two groups could carry the Populists to victory in future elections.

The Populist Party's Rise and the Depression of 1893

• The Depression of 1893 was the worst economic depression the country had seen up to that point.1234

• The causes of the Depression were multifaceted, including speculation in the railroad industry and the failure of many railroads.56789

• The Depression led to a sharp increase in unemployment, reaching nearly 19% nationwide and over 35% in some states.

• The federal government's inability to provide relief and support for the unemployed led many Americans to seek alternatives, contributing to the growth of the Populist Party.

• The failed march of Coxey's Army to Washington, D.C. further frustrated the public and increased support for the Populist Party.

The 1896 Presidential Election and the Decline of the Populist Party

• The Populist Party saw the 1896 election as an opportunity for victory, as the ongoing economic depression had convinced many Americans of the major parties' inability to address the situation.

• The Populist Party ultimately endorsed William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic candidate, as their own presidential candidate, in an attempt to maintain their identity as a third party.

• Bryan's campaign and his famous "Cross of Gold" speech resonated with the public, but he ultimately lost the election to the Republican candidate, William McKinley.

• The Populist Party's decision to align with the Democrats contributed to the decline of the party, as they were seen as merely "Democrats in sheep's clothing" by their critics.

• Other factors, such as the discovery of gold in the Klondike and the Spanish-American War, also contributed to the Populist Party's decline.

• However, the Populist spirit and reformist zeal remained, laying the groundwork for the progressive movement in the 20th century.