3. Reform in the Gilded Age Gilded Age Period after Civil War Lasted from 1870s through 1890s Age of serious problems hiding under shiny surface Political Concerns Americans feared industrialists & wealthy men were enriching themselves at expense of public Corruption/Dishonesty in government Bribery & voter fraud appeared widespread
4. Taming the Spoils System Source of corruption was Spoils System Practice of rewarding political supporters w/ gov’t jobs W/ election of new President, people swarmed to Washington looking for jobs in rewards for their political support 1881 James Garfield elected President 4 months later was shot by disappointed office seeker Sparked efforts to end spoils system Vice President Chester A. Arthur became President Owed his rise to spoils system 1883 Pendleton Act signed Created Civil Service Commission A system that includes most gov’t jobs, except elected positions, the judiciary, & the military Aim was to fill jobs on basis of merit Jobs went to those who scored highest on civil services examinations
5. Controlling Big Business Late 1800s Big business influenced politics, often w/ bribery Americans demanded limiting power of railroads & monopolies Congress Under Constitution has power to regulate interstate commerce 1887 President Grover Cleveland signed Interstate Commerce Act Forbade practices such as rebates & set up Interstate Commerce Commission to oversee railroads
6. 1890 President Benjamin Harrison signed Sherman Antitrust Act Prohibited businesses from trying to limit or destroy competition Difficult to enforce Judges often ruled in favor of trusts & the Sherman Act was used to limit the power of labor unions (strikers blocked free trade & threatened competition)
7. Corruption in the Cities Expansion of cities led to expansion of sewers, garbage collection, & roads City politicians often excepted money to award jobs to friends Powerful politicians (bosses) controlled work done locally & wanted payoffs from businesses Popular w/ poor Gave turkeys & coal Poor voted for them in return
8. William “Boss” Tweed 1860s & 1870s he cheated NY City out of $100 million His crimes were exposed by journalists, before being arrested he fled to Spain He was arrested in Spain & died in jail in 1878
9. Progressives & Political Reform Progressive Movement Corruption led to rise Progressives: diverse group of reformers united by a belief in the public interest Not sacrificed to greed of huge trusts & city bosses Wisconsin idea 1st to adopt Progressive reforms Governor Robert La Follette “Battling Bob” Opposed political bosses Appointed commissions of experts to solve problems Railroad commission recommended lowering railroad rates; as rates decreased, rail traffic increased 1903 Wisconsin was 1st state to adopt a primary run by state gov’t officials 1917 all but 4 states joined
10. More Power to Voters Recall A process by which people may vote to remove an elected official from office Easier to remove corrupt officials Initiative Process that allows voters to put a bill before a state legislature Voters must collect a certain # of signatures on a petition Referendum: way for people to vote directly on a proposed new law
11. Two Constitutional Amendments Progressive Reformers Backed graduated income tax (method of taxation that taxes people at different rates depending on income) Wealthy pay higher taxes than poor Supreme Court ruled this was unconstitutional 16th Amendment (gives Congress the power to pass an income tax) was ratified in 1913 1789 U.S. senators were elected by state legislatures Bribery was a problem Progressives wanted people to vote for senators 1913 17th Amendment was ratified to require the direct election of senators
12. The Muckrakers Press play important role in exposing corruption President Theodore Roosevelt Compared these reporters to men who raked up dirt/muck in stables Muckraker became a term for a crusading journalist Ida Tarbell Targeted big business Work led to demands for more controls on trusts Accused oil baron John D. Rockefeller of unfair business methods Other reporters described how corruption had led to inadequate fire, police, & sanitation services Jacob Riis
14. 1906 Upton Sinclair’s novel The Jungle Grisly details about the meatpacking industry Described how packers used meat from sick animals & how rats often got group up in the meat
