10/2/12Garfield AdministrationDied September 19, 1881 as a result of being shot by assassin Charles J. Guiteau on July 2, 1881James Gillespie Blaine Secretary of State under GarfieldVice President Chester Arthur-Stalwart-A “pleasant surprise” as President-Displayed good judgment and independence-Graduate of Union College-Collector of the Port of New York at one time-Unblushing defender of the spoils system-Transformed by his elevation to the Presidency-Cut his ties with StalwartsPendleton act, 1883 -Considered the Magna Carta of civil service reform-Named after George Pendleton, a democratic senator from Ohio-Prohibited compulsory political contributions from job holders-Established merit system -Set up Civil Service Commission-Administered competitive exams to ensure that an applicant was qualified for certain jobs-Only applies to federal jobs-Did not achieve thorough reform but did establish principle merit and slow spoils mongering Mongrel Tariff, 1883-Halfhearted attempt on part of Republicans to reduce the tariff-President Arthur acted as a moderate President Arthur also supported-Railroad legislation-Construction of a modern navy 1884 ElectionRepublicans met in Chicago on June 3 and nominated James G. Blaine (half-breed) with running mate John A. Logan (Stalwart)Platform-High tariff-Civil service reform“Ma, Ma, where’s my Paw? Gone to the White House! Ha ha ha.”Democrats met in Chicago on July 8 and nominated Grover Cleveland with running mate Thomas HendricksPlatform-Reform“Blaine, Blaine, the continental liar from the state of Maine” – burned the Mulligan letterCleveland accused of having a 7-year-old illegitimate son of a mother in a mental institutionGrover Cleveland: 219 electoral votesJames G. Blaine: 192 electoral votesCleveland won popular vote by less than 30,000Liberal Republicans-Called Mugwumps (always one the fence, mugs on one side and wumps on the other)-Campaign for democrats in this election, hurting BlaineCleveland allowed the South, for the first time in a century, to have a real share in partaking in politicsCleveland’s Cabinet consisted of obscure or unknown men with one exceptionAppointed two ex-confederates to Cabinet-L.Q.C. Lamar as Interior SecretaryCivil Service Reform-Moderate-Faith in merit systemPension bills-Vetoed them left and right-Believed list should include men crippled in service of their countryTariff-Tried to lower in in 1887-Believed that unnecessary taxation is unjust-Industrialists were opposed to this, believed along with Republicans that a “protective tariff” is good-Forced a showdown in 1887 despite advice to bide his time until after reelection in 1888 – failed despite Congress being democraticFirst Cleveland AdministrationAccomplishments-Retrieved 81 million acres of public domain -Construction of new steel Navy -Dawes Act (had to do with Native Americans)-Interstate Commerce Act (designed to curb the abuses of railroads)1888 ElectionDemocrats renominated Cleveland with running mate Allen Thurman Republicans nominated Benjamin Harrison with running mate Levi MortonLight attention on Cleveland’s personal life-Had married 21 year old Frances Folsom (27 years his junior) in his second year in office-Accused of drunkenly beating his wifeBiggest issue was the tariff-Democrats wanted tariff for revenue only-Republicans wanted tariff for protection Harrison won with 233 electoral votes, Cleveland lost with 168 electoral votes + popular voteHarrison AdministrationHarrison -Born in Ohio in 1833-Graceful speaker-Honest Presbyterian elder-Prosperous corporation lawyer-Risen to rank of brigadier general in Civil War-Grandfather was President in 1840-Came to be known as the “White House Ice Chest” – not very charmingCivil Service Reform-Appointed Theodore Roosevelt to Civil Service CommissionPension Act, 1890-Gave veterans exactly what they wanted (as he was a general in Civil War)-If you had served 90 days and were unable to do manual labor, you were given a pensionSherman Anti-Trust Act, 1890-Forbade combination in restraint of trade-Didn’t make any distinction between good trust and bad trust – “bigness” was the sin and not “badness”-Contained many loopholes which clever corporation lawyers could riddle throughSherman Silver Purchase Act, 1890-Treasury to buy 4 ½ million ounces of silver monthly-To pay for it in notes redeemable in silver or gold -Doubles the amount of silver required under the Bland Allison Act of 1878, which passed over Hayes’s veto-Point is to inflate the currency to supposedly make it easier to pay debtsMcKinley Tariff, 1890-Most important act passed under Harrison-Piloted through by William McKinley of Ohio, who was chairman of House Ways and Means Committee-Aided by senator Nelson Aldrich-Raised duties of manufactured goods to an average of 49.5%-Placed high duties on some agricultural goods-Sought to lessen impact on consumers by putting sugar, a universal necessity, on the free list, thus reducing its cost-Then compensated sugar growers with a bounty of $2 per pound-Reciprocity clause gave President power to hike or lower duties on sugar, molasses, tea, coffee, and hides to countries exporting those items 1890 Midterm Elections-McKinley Tariff Repudiated -Democrats came to outnumber Republicans in the House 235 to 88, but Republicans still held majority in Senate but only by 8 1892 ElectionRepublicans renominated HarrisonPlatform-Protective tariff Democrats nominated Grover Cleveland with running mate Adlai StevensonPopulist Party-Malcontent laborers and farmers-Aroused to new fury by McKinley Tariff-Nominated James Weaver -Platform-Called for free and unlimited coinage of silver at a ratio of 16 to 1-Graduated income tax-Government ownership of telephone, telegraph, and railroads-Direct election of senators-Secret ballotCleveland wins election with 277 electoral votes and popular vote to Harrison’s 145 electoral votes and Weaver’s 22 electoral votesOnly President ever reelected after defeatSecond Cleveland AdministrationComes to grief fairly earlyFarmers and Silverites weren’t doing well, were ostracized by Cleveland’s attempt o maintain gold standardBusinesses didn’t like his attempt to lower tariffDepression of 1893Army of the Commonweal of Christ-Jacob Coxey-Coxey’s Army-Only about 400 left when they reach the nation’s capital-Arrested for walking on the grass Cleveland asks for repeal of Sherman silver Purchase Act-Country no longer had a
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