Gilded Age Politics

Gilded Age Politics

Introduction

  • The Gilded Age, named after Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner's book, The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today, critiques American democracy amidst economic changes post-Civil War.
  • Political system became incredibly corrupt.

Local Politics and Political Machines

  • Political machines are organizations that aim to win elections to exercise power.
  • Tammany Hall in New York City was the most notorious political machine, known for its corruption.
  • George Plunkitt's book, Plunkitt of Tammany Hall, describes how New York City's government operated.
  • William “Boss” Tweed was a prominent figure in Tammany Hall, known for his corruption.
"Boss" Tweed and the County Courthouse
  • The construction of a new County Courthouse, initially estimated to cost 250,000250,000, ended up costing 1313 million.
  • Examples of inflated costs include:
    • 180,000180,000 for three tables and forty chairs
    • 1.51.5 million for lighting fixtures
    • 41,00041,000 for brooms and cleaning supplies
    • A plasterer received 500,000500,000 for his initial job and then 11 million to repair his shoddy work.
  • Tammany Hall received two dollars for every one dollar received by the contractor as a kickback.
Services Provided by Machines
  • Political machines provided services to immigrants and poor people in exchange for votes.
  • Tammany Hall helped families in need by providing quarters, clothes, and other necessities.
  • Machines controlled city jobs and contracts.
Corruption and Fraud
  • Tammany politicians engaged in fraud, such as shaving men to vote multiple times.
  • Violence and intimidation were also used to suppress the opposition.

National Politics and Scandals

  • Corruption extended to the United States Congress and the executive branch under President Ulysses Grant.
Credit Mobilier Scandal
  • Credit Mobilier, the construction company for the Union Pacific Railroad, overcharged the public and bribed Congressmen.
  • Republican congressmen were implicated, including the Speaker of the House.
  • Congressman Oakes Ames was found guilty of giving bribes.
Whiskey Ring Scandal
  • Distillers in St. Louis, aided by Grant administration official John McDonald, evaded excise taxes.
  • McDonald confessed and was convicted.

Presidential Elections and Political Parties

  • Distrust in government led to a series of one-term presidents after Grant.
  • Gilded Age Republicans favored high tariffs, low government spending, paying off national debt, and reducing paper money.
  • Democrats opposed tariffs and were linked to New York bankers and financiers.
  • Both parties were pro-business but supported different types of businesses.

National Reform Legislation

  • Civil Service Act of 1883 created a merit system for 10% of federal employees.
    • It led to American politicians becoming more dependent on donations from big businesses rather than small donations from grateful political appointees.
  • Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890) forbade combinations and practices that restrained trade.
    • It was difficult to enforce against monopolies and was often used against labor unions.

State and Local Reforms

  • State governments expanded their responsibility for public health and welfare.
  • Cities invested in public works like transportation and utilities.
  • The movement to provide public education continued.
  • Some northern states passed laws limiting the workday to 8 hours.
  • The South rolled back Reconstruction and created Jim Crow Laws.

The Grange and Farmers' Alliance Movements

  • Farmers formed the Grange movement to pressure state governments to establish fair railroad rates and warehouse charges.
  • The Grange Movement became the Farmer’s Alliance movement, which pushed for economic cooperation to raise prices.
  • The biggest idea to come out of the Farmers Alliance was the subtreasury plan.
    • Under this plan, farmers would store grain in government warehouses and get low-rate government loans to buy seed and equipment, using the stored grain as collateral.

The Populist Party

  • The People’s Party (Populists) emerged from politically motivated farmers and their supporters.
  • In 1892, they held a convention in Omaha and put forth a reform-minded plan.
  • The Populist platform included:
    • The Sub-Treasury Plan
    • Government Ownership of Railroads (which partially happened, if you count Amtrak)
    • Graduated Income Tax (16th amendment)
    • Government Control of the Currency (Federal Reserve System)
    • Recognition of the Rights of Laborers to Form Unions
    • Free Coinage of Silver to produce more money
  • The Populist Party attempted to appeal to the “producing classes,” including miners and industrial workers.
  • Some western states granted women the right to vote in the 1890s, adding to the Populist’s electoral power.
  • Populist leaders struggled to unify because of racism.
  • Their presidential candidate, James Weaver, gained 1 million votes and 22 electoral votes in 1892.

The Election of 1896

  • William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic nominee, supported free coinage of silver.
  • The Populists feared their ideas would be reduced to “free silver” but voted for Bryan anyway.
  • Bryan lost the 1896 election to William McKinley, who received unprecedented funding from business classes (1010 million).
  • McKinley won the electoral college in a landslide 271-176.
  • Bryan’s defeat effectively ended the Populist Party.

Legacy of the Populist Movement

  • Populist ideas, such as direct election of senators and a progressive income tax, became mainstream.
  • Corruption in government continued, and Muckrakers exposed it.
  • Problems that the Populists were concerned with persisted, as did the scourge of Jim Crow.