The Emergence of the Political Machine & Politics of the Gilded Age

Chapter 15Sections 1 & 2

I Political Machines• Industrialization, rapid urbanization, & Social

Darwinism opened door for the political machine, city boss, & graft to take hold– Graft=illegal use of political influence for personal

gain

A. The Political Machine• Political machine= organized group that

controlled activities of a pol. Party in a city who offered services to voters & businessed in exchange for pol. and financial support

• Precinct captainsward bosscity boss• In return for securing votes they get city jobs• Gained support of poor by doing favors &

provided services

B. The Role of the political machines• City boss controlled city jobs, business

licenses, influenced cts., provided gov’t support for businesses

• some owed influence to solve prob. Of urbanization– Solving problems= ensure voters support

C. Immigrants & the Political Machine

• Immigrants received services from political machines & in turn became loyal supporters– Many bosses were 1 or 2 gen. removed which

allowed them to understand immigrant struggle & speak their language

II Municipal Graft and Scandal• Many political machines and bosses gave into

greed & corruption as their power grew

A. Election Fraud & Graft• Bosses increase vote count by used dog

names, children, & ppl who have died• Once candidate is elected, they could take

advantage of opportunity for graft– Hire construction co. for projectbill higher than

actual cost> extra $$ kicked back into the political machine• Kick backs=illegal payments

• Kickbacks made machine & politicians wealthy– Police didn’t interfere because they were hired by

bosses

B. The Tweed Ring Scandal• William tweed=head of Tammany hall &

tweed ring– Tweed Ring= a group of corrupt politicians led by

boss tweed– Tweed Ring constructs NY county Ct.

Housecharge tax payers 11 mil when it really cost 3 mil

– Eventually indicted and jailed

III Civil Service Replaces PatronageA. Patronage & the Spoils System

• Patronage= giving gov’t jobs to people who had helped the candidate get elected– Spoils system went as far back as Jefferson

• Some appointed to jobs were nor qualified 7 those who were sometimes used influence for personal gain– Interfered with daily functioning of gov’t because

every new administration brought in their own ppl

• Reformers called for federal merit system to replace spoils system– Civil service jobs, or jobs in gov;t

administration, would go to most qualified

– Ppl kept jobs as long as they preformed satisfactory

B. Hayes Launches Reforms• Could not get support for civil

service ideas– Began to name independents to

cabinet– Cabinet members fired clerks who

had no job to do (unheard of)• Set up commission to investigate

notoriously corrupt custom houses– Fired 2 top officials in NY custom

house• Upset NY city Boss Conkling and his

Stalwarts gang

C. Garfield Continues Reform• Rep. party split with some wanting

reform while other did not– Reformers also split btwn those who

wanted complete change and those who remained loyal to Rep. party

• Rep. party select Garfield as pres. Candidate and Arthur as VP (Arthur 1 of officials fired)

• Garfield gives jobs to reformers once elected

• Garfield assassinated by a Stalwart

D. Arthur Turns Reformer and Supports Civil Service

• Turned reformer once in office• Congress passes Pendleton Act at

Arthur’s urging– Pendleton Act= authorized bipartisan civil

service commision to make appointments to fed. Jobs

• PA had 2 consequences– Increased fed. Jobs held by qualified ppl

& public admin became honest & efficient

– Politicians could no longer get $ for campaigns from politicians so they turn to big business for $$

IV Efforts to Regulate Tariffs Fail• Another issue addressed were tariffs– Everyone agreed tariffs were necessary to protect

Amer. business but they caused prices to rise• The question was how high the tariffs should

be

A. Harrison & High Tariffs-1; Cleveland-0• Cleveland tried to lower tariffs but

congress refused to support him• Runs for re-election under low-

tariff platform against Benjamin Harris– Harrison campaign finances by co.

who wanted higher tariffs• Harrison wins electoral vote but

no pop. Vote & passes McKinley Tariff– McKinley Tariff Act raises tariffs to

highest level ever

B. Cleveland Tries Again• Successfully runs for re-election

the following election yr.– Cleveland the only president to

serve 2 nonconsecutive terms• Refused to sign a bill that would

lower tariffs because it included fed. Income tax– The bill becomes law without his

signature• McKinley wins next pres. Election

& raised tariffs again