HIST 2112 1ST Edition Lecture 6 Outline of Last Lecture I Rockefeller II Political Cartoons National Public Circulations III Sherman Antitrust Act IV Protective Tarif V National Labor Union a Knights of Labor VI ANARCHIST VII Strikes break out VIII American Federation of Labor Outline of Current Lecture IX Politics of the Gilded Age a Rutherford B Haynes b James A Garfield c Chester A Arthur X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII Pendleton Service Act Republican divide is severe Republicans Restored Panic of 1893 Grange Cooperative Farmer s Alliance and Colored Farmer s Alliance Bland Allison Act Sherman Silver Purchase Act Current Lecture 9 03 13 The Gilded Age and The Progressive Era Politics of the Gilded Age 1877 1881 Rutherford B Haynes popular vote victory margin 250k Parties were equally matched Republican party reach a divide schism from turmoil of Grant years These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute o Stalwarts o Half Breeds Spoils System o System based on partisan affiliation not merit for high offices etc 1881 James A Garfield 9k Northern states stayed loyal to nominate a union general Vaguely attached to Half Breeds Stalwarts felt left out o Charles Guiteau a stalwart o Disappointed by not getting appointed by Garfield o Shot Garfield as retaliation 1882 1885 Chester A Arthur Fired as collector in customs Vice President of Garfield because he was a stalwart balanced ticket Assumes presidency after Garfield s assassination Pendleton Service Act Placed all federal employees to an extent on merit Could only be removed if lacking merit Provision president could increase the number of civil service employees Grandfathered friends into the system Put 14 of all government jobs on merit system Worked to eliminate those appointed based on support shown and money raised Beginning of modern civil service 1884 Republican Divide is Severe James G Blaine Leader of Half Breeds Egotistical shady Democrats are encouraged to nominate an epitome of virtue Grover Cleveland 29k However they discover he had an afair and child out of wedlock Blaine waving the bloody shirt Democrats were considered Party of Rebellion Blaine dinner party Dinner with all republicans A Presbyterian minster denounced the Democrats as the party of Rum Romanism and Rebellion Dinner talk outraged Roman Catholic voters First democratic elected since 1866 Grover Cleveland Only president to enter White House as a bachelor Cleveland hated fraud of civil war pensions to Union veterans conservative about politics Threw out pensions he thought were fraud Frugal attitude Western farmers were rejected o People should support the government not the government support the people 1889 1893 Republicans Restored Benjamin Harrison 9k Dullest personality and wits During presidency introduced electricity into the White House Signed more pensions 1893 1897 Cleveland back in presidency Only president to serve two non consecutive terms Panic of 1893 Major bank failure in Great Britain British held most US stock When bank failed they dumped the stocks Since they paid in gold the were paid back in gold Creates pressure on US gold supply Famer s Economic and Social Status Decline Farm prices down Interest rates up 1860 farmers 30 of national income 1880 farmers 15 of national income Credit drain to stronger returns than crop futures Newspapers highlight city fold Tarifs Raised prices Cost 30 more on items that farmer s needed to farm and live Export demand dropped Crop price change 1860 1 200 bushels of wheat 1 000 1880 2 300 bushels of wheat 1 000 1867 Grange Cooperative Agricultural Midwest association Formed cooperatives Buy in bulk and sell in bulk Lobbied for laws favorable to farmers Doesn t become a full political movement 1880s Farmer s Alliance and Colored Farmer s Alliance Organized by region Formed cooperatives Successor of Grange Transcend Grange in politics Wanted to extend currency supply because farmers were heavily in debt Greenback Party Issued during Civil War Supposed to be exchanged for gold Inflation Choked out gold standard Party opposed any reduction in the amount of paper money in circulation 1875 Specie Resumption Act Recall all greenbacks Redeemed for gold 1878 Bland Allison Act Silver money back in rotation Silver interest lobby wants silver back in circulation Stipulates congress to let out silver 2 million 4 million of silver coins per month 16 to 1 A standard set to show relative value of silver to gold Thought value of currency was inherit to its precious metal Republicans didn t like Bland Allison Act Never bought more than 2 million Coined but never introduced into circulation Becomes subsidy for silver industry NOT currency 1890 Sherman Silver Purchase Act Required government to buy 4 5 million ounces per month Paid for with silver certificates Redeemable in gold or silver