Good, bad and ugly POLITICS IN THE GILDED AGE THE GILDED AGE The Gilded Age in United States history is the late 19th century, from the 1870s to about 1900. The term was coined by writer Mark Twain in The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today (1873), which satirized an era of serious social problems masked by a thin layer of gold leafing THE EMERGENCE OF THE POLITICAL MACHINE Late 1800’s Cities experience rapid growth under inefficient government Influenced by Social Darwinism 1. Cities receptive to a new power structure 2. The political machine 3. Run by the city boss WHAT IS A POLITICAL MACHINE? An organized group that controls the activities of a political party. City Boss May or may not be mayor Controlled access to municipal jobs & business licenses Influenced courts & other municipal agencies Ward Bosses & Precinct Captains First or Second generation immigrants WHAT IS A POLITICAL MACHINE? It offers favors to voters in exchange for votes FAVORS: Help finding jobs Emergency housing after fire Help with the law Free food and beer at block parties for machine candidates Some help for new immigrants GRAFT (the illegal use of office for personal gain) Bosses steal elections (through intimidation & fraud) Kickbacks Favors to business in exchange for $$$ WILLIAM “BOSS” TWEED Head of Tammany Hall’s “political machine” 1863 – 1871 Tweed Ring stole millions from NYC 50% of NYC bills phony Court house $350,000 estimate, but cost $13,000,000 Indicted in 1871 on 120 counts of fraud & extortion Escaped prison ‘73, captured in Spain ‘75 TWEED VS. THOMAS NAST Cartoonist Thomas Nast depicts corruption of Tweed Ring in Harpers Weekly. THOMAS NAST CARTOONS, CONTINUED THOMAS NAST CARTOONS, CONTINUED THOMAS NAST CARTOONS, CONTINUED THOMAS NAST CARTOONS, CONTINUED THOMAS NAST CARTOONS, CONTINUED THOMAS NAST CARTOONS, CONTINUED PATRONAGE VS CIVIL SERVICE Patronage- (Spoils system) Gov jobs go to political supporters. Result is some unqualified people in gov. Result is some corrupt people in gov. Reformers- demand merit system Civil service jobs to qualified people only REFORM AT FEDERAL LEVEL Rutherford B. Hayes (R) 1877— starts civil service reform Couldn’t convince Congress to support reform Named independents to his cabinet Fired clerks who had nothing to do Fired C. A. Arthur (R) at NY Customshouse These actions enraged NY politicians and Stalwarts (party bosses) 1881 ELECTION Like the Republican Party of today, the G.O.P. during the 1880's was extremely divided and in decline Stalwarts - saw political machines as a good tool in staying in power Half-breeds - moderate group / believed in Civil Service reform Mugwumps - viewed the single most important issues being civil service reform, returning from to the gold standard and reducing or eliminating tariffs REFORM AT FEDERAL LEVEL James A. Garfield (R) 1881- “independent” in reform debate A compromise between Stalwarts, Half-breeds and Mugwumps makes Chester A. Arthur the VP Gave reformers jobs instead of Stalwarts’ ‘cronies’ Assassinated by spurned office seeker, Charles Guiteau Arthur becomes President CHARLES GUITEAU REFORM AT FEDERAL LEVEL C. A. Arthur 1881- patronage guy turns reformer Pendleton Civil Service Act 1883: federal job appointments based on exam score . Few at first – 40% by 1901 - 90% by 2000 . Public administration becomes more honest and efficient . Big business influence over gov’t grows Grover Cleveland 1885- a Democrat! (first time in 28 years) . Tried to lower tariff. FAILED. Benjamin Harrison 1889- Republican again . Signed McKinley Tariff Act – highest tariffs ever REFORM AT FEDERAL LEVEL Grover Cleveland 1893 – Elected a second time Only President elected to non-consecutive terms Supported a bill for lowering McKinley Tariff --- but refused to sign it since it also provided for a federal income tax (bill passed even w/o president’s signature) .