Chapter 22, Section1: Reform in the Gilded Age

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Chapter 22, Section1 Reform in the Gilded Age

• Main Idea During the Gilded Age, reformers
  worked to end political corruption and limit the
  power of big business.

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A. Politics in the Gilded Age

• Gilded Age name given to the late 1800s due to
  greed political corruption (gilded gold
  covered/not real)
• Republicans (N W) Democrats (S) traded power
  in Congress back forth, but Presidents were
  Repub. for 25 years.
• Elections were entertaining (bands, parades,
  picnics, etc.) voter turnout was high (almost
  80)
• 2 issues shaped politics
• power of rich wealthy were controlling
  politics at expense of common good
• corruption bribery, voter fraud (blamed on
  spoils system giving govt. jobs to political
  supporters)

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B. Reforming the Spoils System

• Patronage (giving jobs to followers) led to
  corruption incompetence in government
• Pres. Hayes ordered investigation of NYC
  customhouse. Hundreds of appointed officials were
  getting high salaries for doing no work.
• Pres. Garfield tried to award jobs in his
  administration based on merit (ability), rather
  than political favors. For this, he was
  assassinated by an angry office seeker.
• Congress passes the Pendleton Act to create the
  Civil Service System, which required all federal
  job seekers to take exams. Highest scorers earned
  the jobs (merit).
• By 1900, 40 of federal jobs were determined this
  way.

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Taming the Spoils System
Spoils System practice of rewarding supporters
with government jobs
"The Civil Service As It Is" February 3, 1872
by, Frank Bellew
Caption "The Civil Service As It Is" Hon.
Member of Congress presenting a Few of his
Constituents for Office
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Patronage practice of giving out government
jobs as favors to loyal party workers

• Patronage oftentimes led to corruption.

Examples Jobs were frequently given to
unqualified people.
Ive got to thank Uncle Billy for getting me this
cool job. Wella little joke never hurt anyone,
right?
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• Garfield believed that civil service jobs should
  be given to people based on merit and ability,
• not political connections.

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1881Garfield Assassinated!
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"The True Meaning of Republican Harmony" by
Bernhard Gilliam Puck, March 11, 1883
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C. Regulating Big Business

• Bribery of government officials by big business
  was widespread and common. Money controlled the
  actions of most politicians business was too
  powerful.
• Interstate Commerce Act forbade practices such
  as pools (when several big companies agree to
  divide up business in an area) rebates
  (discounts to biggest customers) and created ICC
  to oversee the railroad industry
• Sherman Antitrust Act prohibited businesses
  from trying to limit or destroy competition
• Both measures were weak at first (judges tended
  to side with RRs big business), but gained
  strength after a while

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The Sherman Anti-Trust Law Returns From the Dead,
1904
CongressWhos In It and Who Owns It