The Politics of Stalemate No more Politicsof

The Politics of Stalemate

No more Politicsof the popular vote than 1% of Stalemate separated the candidates in 4 of 5 elections ■ The 5 presidential elections from 1876 to 1892 were the most closely contested elections ever ■ Congress was split as well: Pendleton Civil Interstate the House –Democrats controlled Commerce Service Act of 1883 Act of 1887 –Republicans held the Senate Sherman Antitrust Mc. Kinley Tariff ■ This “stalemate” made it difficult Act of 1890 for any of the 5 presidents or either party to pass significant legislation for 20 years

Intense Voter Loyalty to the 2 Parties

The Two-Party Stalemate

A Two. Party Republicans & Democrats were Stalemate closely divided in New York, Ohio, & Indiana—these 3 states swung the 5 presidential elections As a result, 16 of the 20 presidential & VP candidates were from NY, Ohio, or Indiana

Well-Defined Voting Blocs Democratic the Bloody Shirt” continued: Republican Bloc “Waving Bloc Every state that seceded from the United States was Democratic State…every by that § Supportedaby white § Supported man tried to destroy this nation was a Democrat. southerners, farmers, Northern whites, Every man that loved slavery more than liberty immigrants, & The blacks, & nativists was a Democrat. the man that assassinated working poor Lincoln was a Democrat…Soldiers, every scar you have white § bodies was given to § Favored got on you heroic. Supported big you by a Democrat. business & favored supremacy & —Col Robert anti-immigration supported labor Ingersoll to Union veterans during the 1876 laws presidential election unions

Civil Service Reform ■ The most important political issue of 1880 s was civil service reform: –Republicans were split among Mugwumps (supported reform), “I am a Stalwart, and Arthur is Stalwarts (opposed reform), & president now!” Half-Breeds (split on reform) –Republican James Garfield was elected in 1880 but was soon killed by Charles Guiteau –If the spoils system could kill a president, it was time to end it

State & Civilgovernments mirrored these local Service Reform civil service reforms in the 1880 s & 1890 s ■ President Arthur & Congress pushed for the Pendleton Act (1883) for competitive exams for civil service jobs ■ Republicans chose James Blaine over Arthur as its nominee in 1884 against Grover Cleveland ■ Cleveland won & became the 1 st Democrat to be elected president in 28 years

Pendleton Act

A Dirty Campaign Ma, Ma…where’s my pa? He’s going to the White House, ha… ha…!

Tariffs & Trusts ■ Cleveland sought to reduce gov’t spending & lower the tariff ■ Benjamin Harrison narrowly defeated Cleveland in 1888 & The Tariff of Abominations in 1828 Repubs took control of Congress: –Passed the Mc. Kinley Tariff of 1890; highest tariff since 1828 1890 –This “Billion-Dollar” Congress expanded gov’t activities

“Coming Out” for Harrison

Tariffs & Trusts ■ From 1870 -1900, 28 state commissions were created to Supreme Court ruled: “private property regulate industry, can be “controlled affecting public interest” especially RRs: by the public for the common good” to –In 1870, Illinois declared RRs be public highways; this was upheld by Munn v. Illinois (1876) –But was overturned in Wabash v. Illinois (1886): only Congress can regulate interstate trade

This was the 1 st attempt by the federal The ICCregulate Trusts gov’t Tariffs & big business to became the model for future regulatory agencies US v. E. C. Knight Co (1895) was the ■ Congress responded by creating: 1 st test of antitrust law The –The Interstate Commerce Supreme Court ruled that manufacturing monopoly do not restrain trade because Commission in 1887 to regulate making arailroad industry as selling it good is not the same the –The Sherman Antitrust Act in 1890 which made it illegal to restrain trade (punishable by dissolution of the company)

The Depression of 1893 -1897 ■ Voters hated the Republican tariff: –Voted for a Democratic majority in Congress in 1890 & for President Cleveland & Congress Cleveland for president in 1892 responded with the Wilson-Gorman ■ In 1893, that reduce tariffs & created a Tariff Act a collapse in the stock slight income the economy market spiraledtax (did not help) into a severer 4 -year depression: – 500 banks & 1, 500 businesses failed; 20% unemployment

The Depression of 1893 -1897 ■ In 1894, there were 1, 400 strikes led by hordes of unemployed people demanding gov’t relief: –Jacob Coxey led an “army” from Ohio to D. C. to convince Congress to create jobs by spending $500 million on new roads

The Depression of 1893 -1897 ■ When the Pullman Car Co cut wages & laid off workers, the This RR clever led by American was a. Union, application of the Sherman Antitrust Act Eugene V. Debs, joined the strike: Debs In re Debs Strike Sherman –The Pullmanmade thecrippled rail Act a great anti-labor tool traffic & western farmers –Cleveland issued an injunction & sent US troops; led to violence –In re Debs in 1895, the Supreme Court upheld the injunction since the strike restrained US trade

The Farmers’ Movements & the Rise of the Populists

The Farm Problem ■ By the 1870 s, discontent among farmers was growing due to: –Harsh farming conditions –Declining grain & cotton prices –Rising RR rates & mortgages –Government deflation policies ■ Farmers lashed out at banks, merchants, railroads, & the US monetary system

Price Index for Consumer & Farm Goods (1865 -1915)

Credit & Money ■ Grant’s decision to reduce the # of greenbacks after the Civil War deflated the money supply: –By 1879, the US was restored to the international gold standard & stabilized the US economy –But this policy made money more scarce & limited credit which hurt western farmers

This would lead & inflation. Movements Greenback to Silver & someone would consistently buy silver from miners ■ Many farmers supported the “free In movement: silver” 1878, Congress passed the Bland -Allison Act to coin between $2 -4 –The US mintedsilver coins million in silver & gold coins at a 16: 1 ratio, In 1890, Congress passed the but stopped in 1873 due Sherman Silver Purchase Act toto an increase silver coinage gold to oversupply of but not 16: 1 (the act was repealed in 1893) –But western miners found huge lodes of silver & wanted “free silver”—the gov’t should buy all silver from miners & coin it

Bi-Metallism Issue

The Farmers’ Alliance ■ In 1890, the Nat’l Farmers’ Alliance was formed to establish farm cooperatives & provide social gatherings ■ In 1890, made Ocala Demands: Demands –Allow farmers to store crops in gov’t silos when prices are bad –Free-coinage of silver, a federal income tax, & no national bank –Direct election of US senators –Tighter regulation of RRs

The Populist Party ■ In 1890, the Peoples’ Party (Populists) was formed & elected several state & national legislators ■ By 1892, the Populists ran James Weaver for president; his platform was the Ocala Demands ■ Populists were not happy with the results

Even Midwestern Southern Democrats used farmers did not Election of intimidation to racism & 1892 The vote Populist remind whites of the “bloody flag” Upon his election, Cleveland called for and received the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act which alienated Southern & Western Democrats from the party Black farmers voted Republican & did not support the Populists

What does each character represent? Populist Allegory—The Wizard of Oz What about the “Yellowbrick Road” and the “Ruby Slippers”?

Good Witch of North? Bad Witch of the East?

“Emerald City”? “Oz”? The Wizard?

Platform of Lunacy

The Election of 1896 “Having behind us the producing masses…we ■ A Populist-Democrat merger will answer their demand in 1896 when for the gold standard looked possible ‘You shall not press down upon the brow of William Jennings Bryan received labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify. Democratic nomination the mankind upon a cross of gold. ’” against Repub William Mc. Kinley: –Called for free silver & income tax; attacked trusts & injunctions –Bryan visited 26 states on his whistle-stop campaign to education Americans on silver

The Election of 1896 ■ Advised by RNC chairman, Mark Hanna, Mc. Kinley waged a “front porch” campaign from Ohio ■ Aided by the press, Mc. Kinley’s message reached as many voters: –Advocated economic, urban, & industrial growth –Aroused fear that a “free silver” victory would result in 57¢ dollar

Bryan: The Farmers’ Friend 18, 000 miles of campaign “whistle stops”

The election of 1896 killed the Populist Party, although key platform ideas (income tax, The Election of 1896 secret ballot, direct election of Senators) would be enacted by other parties

The Mc. Kinley Administration

The Mc. Kinley Administration ■ Republicans benefited from an improving economy, better crop production, & new discoveries of gold: –Election of 1896 cemented Republican rule for 30 years & became party of prosperity –From 1860 -1890, Republicans had promoted industry; by 1900, it was time to regulate it

The Mc. Kinley Administration ■ Mc. Kinley was an activist president and perhaps was the first “modern” president: –He communicated well with the press –The Spanish-American War brought the USA respect as a world power –The Gold Standard Act (1900) ended the silver controversy

Conclusions: A Decade of Dramatic Changes

Conclusions: A Decade of Changes ■ The economic hardships of the Depression of 1893 forced people to rethink industry, urbanization, & the quality of American life ■ Many embraced the need for reform; Led to the beginning of the Progressive Era