gilded age politics parties, patronage and public interest
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Gilded Age Politics
Parties, Patronage and Public Interest
Why was party identity so strong in the Gilded Age?
• Republicans & Democrats not far apart on many issues, but..
• Regional loyalty– South staunchly Democrat (anti-Republican)
• Ethnicity/Religion– Democrats appeal to immigrants and Catholics
Presidential Politics
• Republicans dominate presidency in post-Civil War period
• “Compromise of 1877”– Rutherford B. Hayes (R) awarded presidency– Reconstruction ends
How did the Republican Party evolve during the Gilded Age?
• “Stalwarts”– Favored machine
patronage
• “Half Breeds”– Favored some reform (but
not really)
How did the Republican Party evolve during the Gilded Age?
• James Garfield assassinated 1881– Paul Guiteau, disgruntled office seeker– Civil service reform (Pendleton Act)
Election of 1884
• “Mugwumps”– Republicans who voted Democrat
because they were fed up with patronage
• Grover Cleveland (D) reform NY Governor becomes President– Tarriff issue– Lost to Benjamin Harrison 1888
Emerging Reform
• Interstate Commerce Act (1888)– Federal oversight of railroad
industry
• Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)– Outlawed “combinations” in
restraint of trade– In first decade targeted labor
unions
Election of 1892
• McKinley Tariff (1890)– Increased import duties to highest levels– Angers farmers and consumers
• People’s Party runs national campaign
• Cleveland defeats Harrison– Only president to serve two non-consecutive
terms
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