POLITICAL MACHINES AND THE GILDED AGE

The external glitter of wealth conceals a corrupt political core that reflects the growing gap between the very few rich and the very many poor.

America in the 1870’s-1890’s

-- Mark Twain

POLITICAL MACHINES

• Group that controlled the activities of a political party in a city

• Offer support services to voters/businesses in exchange for political/financial support

IMMIGRANTS AND POLITICAL MACHINES

• Received sympathy & understanding

• Many bosses could relate to immigrant problems

• Immigrants would support machines in return

POWER CORRUPTS• In order to win elections

some bosses turned to fraud

• Added fake names to voting lists

• Received kickbacks from government contracts

• Favors for businesses in return for gifts (graft)

• Accept bribes to allow illegal activities to continue

TAMMANY HALL• William “Boss”

Tweed Chairman of Tammany Hall• Helped unite

Democrats

• Boss Tweed was head of Tammany from 1863-1871

BOSS TWEED• Tweed convinced the city

legislature to give City government more control

• Tweed sought rapid expansion of infrastructure (extending streets & sewers)

• Tammany Hall gained much power and became caught up in one of the biggest political scandals of the nation’s history

THE TWEED RING

• Corrupt politicians led by Tweed that used power to “line their pockets”

• Pocketed $200 million through graft and kickbacks

THOMAS NAST• Thomas Nast drew

political cartoons for Harper’s Weekly

• Began a campaign to expose the Tweed Ring

• Tweed sentenced to 12 years

• Led to political reform movement

NAST CARTOONS

SPOILS SYSTEM

• “To the victor go the spoils”• Most federal jobs given out by the

President• Interfered with the function of

government• A merit system was called for to

give federal jobs to qualified people

ULYSSES S. GRANT1869-1877

• One of the worst examples of scandal

• Congressmen received bribes/kickbacks

• Cabinet cheated Indians on reservations

• “Whiskey Ring” distillers bribed treasury official not to pay taxes

RUTHERFORD B. HAYES1877-1880

• Won disputed election• “His Fraudulence”• Began civil service

reform• Named independents

to his cabinet• Investigated

government corruption (fired 1,000)

JAMES A. GARFIELD1881

• Ties to reformers, but VP was Chester Arthur

• Garfield gave most jobs to reformers

• Garfield assassinated by someone that did not get a job

CHESTER A. ARTHUR1881-1885

• Turned reformer after he became President

• Signed the Pendleton Act (1883)

• Created commission to make appointments of federal jobs

• Today 90% are merit jobs

PENDLETON ACT

• Increased number of merit jobs• Politicians could no longer uses

spoils system to gain power (decrease of contributions)

• Tie between government and big business became stronger