Parties in Balance

Chapter 18Section 1

1876 Election

• Election was very close and results were disputed

• Congress had to decide the election

• Compromise of 1877– Democrats recognize

Hayes as President

– Hayes promises to end Reconstruction

Sam Tilden (Democrat)

Rutherford B. Hayes

(Republican)

Railroad Strike of 1877

• Rail workers went on strike

• Strike spread throughout midwest and lead to violence

• President Rutherford B Hayes called in the army to put down strike

Money Issues

• Deflation– Happens when there is LESS money in

circulation– Prices fall– Favors people who loan money

• Cheap Money– Happens when there is more money in

circulation– Leads to inflation– Favors people who borrow money

Free Silver

• Greenbacks– Greenbacks are paper money

• Free Silver – Unlimited coining of silver for money– Bimetallism – using silver and gold for

money

• Bland-Allison Act– Created limited coining of silver

Spoils System

• Established by Andrew Jackson– New administration give jobs to loyal

party members

• Many non-qualified people were appointed

Civil Service Reform

• Movement to change way government jobs were awarded– Require a test to insure qualified people– First attempts were stopped by

President Grant

• President Hayes supported Civil Service Reform

Division in Republican Party

• Stalwarts vs. Half Breeds– Stalwarts wanted old spoils system

politics– Half Breeds supported business, but

wanted civil service reform• Led by James G Blaine

• Republicans pick James Garfield as a dark horse compromise candidate

James Garfield 20th President (1881)

• Garfield is elected President– Solid South

• South voted for Democrats

• Garfield gets assassinated by a person who wanted a civil service job

Chester A. Arthur 21st President (1881-1885)

• Was a political boss from NYC

• Arthur passes Pendleton Act in 1883

– requires people to take a test to get a civil servant job

• forbid firing of employees because of politics

Pendleton Act 1883

Required civil service examinations to test qualifications for public service jobs

Makes political appointments to jobs illegal

Democrats Come and Go

Chapter 18Section 2

Election of 1884

• Grover Cleveland (D)– Honest politician from NY

• James G. Blaine (R)– Republicans were split as to whether to

support him

• Cleveland narrowly elected

Interstate Commerce Act (1887)

• Improper railroad practices– offered rebates to large companies– Kept their rates secret– Rates did not reflect distances travelled

• Act ends rebates and makes rates proportional

• First attempt of Congress to regulate trade

Limiting Government Spending

• Civil War Pensions– Garfield vetoed bills

• Tariff– US had large surplus– Ended tariff to because it was not

needed– Businesses opposed it

Election of 1888

• Grover Cleveland (D)– Wanted to eliminate tariff

• Benjamin Harrison (R)– Favored high tariff to protect business– Front Porch campaign

• Did not make speeches or campaign

• Election was corrupt• Harrison wins

Laws of Harrison Administration

• “Reed Rules”– Rules governing business in House of

Representatives– Prevent minority from blocking bills– Increased power of Speaker

• McKinley Tariff– Raised tariff on most products– Protective tariff

• Sherman Silver Purchase Act– Increased amount of silver used in currency– Allowed for issuance of paper money

Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890

– Intended to prevent monopolies from gaining complete control over a business

– Was never enforced, used against labor

Billion Dollar Congress

• Many laws passed and increased government spending– Internal improvements– Supported pensions

The Farmers’ Revolt and The Rise and Fall of the Populist Party

1867-1896

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Farmers’ Problems

• Crop prices fell• Farmers had no cash, went further

into debt, and their lenders foreclosed on their mortgages

• The railroad companies charged outrageous prices to ship crops (no regulation!)

Farmers’ Demands

• Regulate the railroad companies (Stop them from charging such high rates)

• Make cash more available (back the dollar with silver, not gold, so dollar would be worth less)

• Constitutional demands: single term for President and Vice-President, secret ballot, popular election of Senators

• To get industrial workers to support them: 8-hour workday, restrict immigration

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Different Groups Representing Farmers’ Interests

• 1867: The Patrons of Husbandry (The Grange)

• 1880s: Farmers’ Alliance and Colored Farmers’ National Alliance

• 1892: Birth of the Populist, or People’s Party

1892 Presidential Election: Populist candidate won over a million votes!

1896 ElectionDemocrats – 1890s Republicans – 1890s

• Southerners• Wealthy farmers• Supported low tariffs

(wanted other countries to buy their crops)

• Northerners• Wealthy business

men (connected to the railroad)

• Southern African Americans (poor farmers)

• Supported high tariffs (didn’t want to compete with other countries’ products)

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1896 Election

Populists decide to improve their chances by supporting the

Democratic candidate, William Jennings Bryan, who agreed to support the silver-backed dollar.

1896 Presidential Election: Bryan loses but carries most of the South and West

Central Historical Question

Why did the Populist Party attract millions of supporters?