Review: The Gilded Age

The Gilded AgeThe Gilded Age

"What is the chief end of man?--to get rich. In what way?--dishonestly if we can; honestly if we must.”

- Mark Twain

"What is the chief end of man?--to get rich. In what way?--dishonestly if we can; honestly if we must.”

- Mark Twain

The Whiskey Ring (1875)The Whiskey Ring (1875)

• Tax evasion scheme developed by the newly-empowered liberal Republican political machine in Missouri

• The schemers bribed and cajoled administrators in every phase of the production of whiskey to underreport their numbers to avoid paying the whiskey tax – and therefore significantly increasing their profits. The money was then diverted to the local political machine, to increase its power over potential rivals.

• Tax evasion scheme developed by the newly-empowered liberal Republican political machine in Missouri

• The schemers bribed and cajoled administrators in every phase of the production of whiskey to underreport their numbers to avoid paying the whiskey tax – and therefore significantly increasing their profits. The money was then diverted to the local political machine, to increase its power over potential rivals.

Rise of Political MachinesRise of Political Machines

• An organized grp that controlled activities of a political party in a city• Offered services to voters & businesses

for political or financial support• Controlled access to municipal jobs &

business license • Influenced cts & other municipal

agencies• Controlled precinct captains

• An organized grp that controlled activities of a political party in a city• Offered services to voters & businesses

for political or financial support• Controlled access to municipal jobs &

business license • Influenced cts & other municipal

agencies• Controlled precinct captains

Rise of Political MachinesRise of Political Machines

• Built parks, sewer systems, waterworks

• Gave $$ --> hospitals, schools, orphanages

• Distributed jobs to loyal supporters• Reinforce voter loyalty --> extend

influence

• Built parks, sewer systems, waterworks

• Gave $$ --> hospitals, schools, orphanages

• Distributed jobs to loyal supporters• Reinforce voter loyalty --> extend

influence

Immigrants & the machines

Immigrants & the machines

• Machines helped immigrants find jobs & temp housing

• Helped w/ naturalization• Get voter loyalty

• Machines helped immigrants find jobs & temp housing

• Helped w/ naturalization• Get voter loyalty

Graft & ScandalGraft & Scandal

• Many bosses --> corruption as their influence grew• Not enough loyalty to carry election --

> fraud• Used fake names, legit voters would vote

more than 1x

• Once in office - took advantage of opportunities for graft• Illegal use of political influence for

personal gain

• Many bosses --> corruption as their influence grew• Not enough loyalty to carry election --

> fraud• Used fake names, legit voters would vote

more than 1x

• Once in office - took advantage of opportunities for graft• Illegal use of political influence for

personal gain

Graft & ScandalGraft & Scandal

Ex.• By helping a person find work on a

construction project for the city• Contractor bills city for more than

the cost of labor/materials• Worker “kicked back” $$ ->

machine

Ex.• By helping a person find work on a

construction project for the city• Contractor bills city for more than

the cost of labor/materials• Worker “kicked back” $$ ->

machine

Boss TweedBoss Tweed

• William M. Tweed• Head of Tammany Hall (NYC’s

powerful Democratic political machine)

• Btwn 1869 & 1871 “Tweed Ring” - grp of corrupt politicians - defrauded city construction of NY County Cthouse• Extravagant graft• Cost $13 mill; actual cost $3 mill

• William M. Tweed• Head of Tammany Hall (NYC’s

powerful Democratic political machine)

• Btwn 1869 & 1871 “Tweed Ring” - grp of corrupt politicians - defrauded city construction of NY County Cthouse• Extravagant graft• Cost $13 mill; actual cost $3 mill

Boss TweedBoss Tweed• Btwn 1865 & 1871 ~ 200 mill in graft• Thomas Nast - political cartoonist - helped

arouse public outrage• Ring finally broken in 1871

• Tweed indicted on 120 counts of fraud & extortion• 12 yrs in jail• Reduced to 1 yr; released; arrested for civil

suit• Escaped --> Spain --> captured when Spanish

officials recognized him from Nast’s cartoons

• Btwn 1865 & 1871 ~ 200 mill in graft• Thomas Nast - political cartoonist - helped

arouse public outrage• Ring finally broken in 1871

• Tweed indicted on 120 counts of fraud & extortion• 12 yrs in jail• Reduced to 1 yr; released; arrested for civil

suit• Escaped --> Spain --> captured when Spanish

officials recognized him from Nast’s cartoons

Nat’l PoliticsNat’l Politics

• Patronage• Giving gov’t jobs to ppl who had helped

a candidate get elected• “spoils system”

• Some not qualified, some used position for personal gain

• Reformers pressed for merit system• Civil services, gov’t admin

• Patronage• Giving gov’t jobs to ppl who had helped

a candidate get elected• “spoils system”

• Some not qualified, some used position for personal gain

• Reformers pressed for merit system• Civil services, gov’t admin

Stalwarts v. Half-BreedsStalwarts v. Half-Breeds

• President Rutherford B. Hayes tried to reform gov’t

• Split Rep party• Stalwarts; Half-Breeds

• Stalwarts led by Sen Roscoe Conkling• Opposed reform

• Half-Breeds led by James Blaine

• President Rutherford B. Hayes tried to reform gov’t

• Split Rep party• Stalwarts; Half-Breeds

• Stalwarts led by Sen Roscoe Conkling• Opposed reform

• Half-Breeds led by James Blaine

Hayes, Garfield, ArthurHayes, Garfield, Arthur

• Hayes decided not to run - reelection• Half-Breeds won control of party ticket

• James A. Garfield• Chester A. Arthur as VP (Stalwart)

• Garfield & Arthur win!• Garfield assassinated 07/02/1881

• By Charles Guiteau - believed would further Stalwart cause

• Hayes decided not to run - reelection• Half-Breeds won control of party ticket

• James A. Garfield• Chester A. Arthur as VP (Stalwart)

• Garfield & Arthur win!• Garfield assassinated 07/02/1881

• By Charles Guiteau - believed would further Stalwart cause

ArthurArthur

• Assassination had opposite effect• Arthur turns reformer!• Pendleton Civil Service Act

• Est Civil Service Commission to admin exams to those seeking gov’t jobs

• 1. More honest/efficient• 2. Caused politicians to look elsewhere for

sources of $$

• Arthur fails to get party nom in 1884

• Assassination had opposite effect• Arthur turns reformer!• Pendleton Civil Service Act

• Est Civil Service Commission to admin exams to those seeking gov’t jobs

• 1. More honest/efficient• 2. Caused politicians to look elsewhere for

sources of $$

• Arthur fails to get party nom in 1884

Grover ClevelandGrover Cleveland• Wins election 1884• Reformer too!• Doubles # of jobs requiring civil service exam

• Outraged Stalwarts

• Looses re-election to Ben Harrison • But won popular vote

• BH & Congress undo reforms of GC• Gave jobs to supporters• Passed laws easily; spent a lot of $ on pet project• “Billion Dollar Congress”

• Wins election 1884• Reformer too!• Doubles # of jobs requiring civil service exam

• Outraged Stalwarts

• Looses re-election to Ben Harrison • But won popular vote

• BH & Congress undo reforms of GC• Gave jobs to supporters• Passed laws easily; spent a lot of $ on pet project• “Billion Dollar Congress”