Gilded Age Politics

1
Gilded Age Politics

• Hayes to Cleveland
• Issues and Debates
• Alliance and Peoples Party

2
Party Politics in the Gilded Age

• High turn out, loyalty, enthusiasm, mostly
• white men voted
• GOP national growth, high tariff, gold, civil
  rights, bloody Shirt, public morality, internal
  improvements
• Dems South, West urban, free trade, silver,
  states rights, less government
• Convention system party professionals chose safe
  candidates they could trust.

3
Hayes to McKinley modernization of the presidency

• Hayes Compromise of 1877, some civil service
  reform, Presumptive act, gold
• Garfield stalwarts v half breeds, dark horse, a
  lot of promise, assassination
• Arthur fights Conkling of NY, Pendelton Act, new
  steel navy, vetoed Exclusion

4
Rutherford B. Hayes 1876-1880
5
James A. Garfield 1880
6
Garfields Assassination
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Chester A. Arthur 1880-1884
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Issue Debate Tariff

• The tariff, a tax on imports, was one of the
  major issues of the Gilded Age
• Republicans argued It protects infant industry
  and jobs, promotes growth, adds revenue for
  internal improvements
• Democrats argued It hurts farmers, raises
  prices, favors northern industry, sparks a trade
  war, and increases corruption.

9
Cleveland 84, 92 Harrison 88

• Cleveland first Democrat since Civil War, 1884
  election, Interstate Commerce Act, cuts pension,
  vetoes 2/3 of bills, tries to lower tariff, pro
  gold, won the popular vote three times.
• Harrison Billion Dollar Congress, McKinley
  Tariff, Sherman Antitrust, Sherman Silver
  Purchase.

10
Grover Cleveland1884-1888
1892-1896
11
Benjamin Harrison 1888-1892
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Issue Debate Silver v. Gold

• The monetary debate was the other major issue of
  the Gilded Age
• Gold Bugs GOP argued it creates more confidence
  in the , increases the value of the , more
  stable, and same as Europe. Low inflation helped
  banks.
• Silver Bugs Dems argued inflation helps indebted
  farmers, raises prices of crops, and raises
  wages. It helped western mine owners.

13
Major Gilded Age Legislature

• Pendelton Act (83) created civil service
• Interstate Commerce Act (87) Congress
• Created Int Com Comm to regulate the railroads.
• Outlawed pools and rebates. New role for gov.
• McKinley Tariff Act (90) raised tariffs 50
• Sherman Silver Purchase (90) Treasury bought
• 4.5 million silver a month, treasury notes pay
• in silver
• Sherman Antitrust Act (90) 1st federal
• Attempt to regulate monopolies.

14
The Farmers Alliance, Peoples Party

• 1890 GOP loses House and Senate
• Farmers Problems 30 years of dropping prices,
  debt, railroad rates, some do well
• Alliance Grange, National South, Macune, sub
  treasury, Tom Watson, help farmers
• Peoples Party The Omaha Platform sub
• treasury, unions, silver, gov own railroads
• banks telephone, income tax,
• 1892 Peoples best year, Cleveland returns