Politics 1880 - 1896 U. S. History AP

1. Presidents played a reduced role compared to Congress, Whig theory of 
    government (legislative control) .

2. Diversion of talent away from politics and public service towards business
    during the Gilded Age

3. Time of high voter turnout despite obscure issues, due to Civil War heritage
and ethno-religious ID 

4. Democrats - states rights, laissez faire, working class, immigrants 

5. Republicans -encourage business growth, protective tariffs, WASP upper class

6. "Waving the Bloody shirt" reminding voters that Southern Democrats started war

7. Issues - tariffs, civil service reform, business regulations, monetary standards,
    GAR pensions	

8. Factions within the Republicans:
    
   Stalwarts - Roscoe Conkling, Half-breeds - James G; Blaine, differences over 
   issues (originally reconstruction policy) patronage (spoils) vs. clean government

9. 1880 Stalwarts seek Grant again; Half-breeds seek Blaine. Garfield and Arthur  
    Chosen by Republicans (Garfield and Arthur win)

10. Winfield Scott Hancock chosen by Democrats

11. Killed by Charles Guiteau "I am a Stalwart. . . "

12. Arthur - GAR Pension increases, Pendleton Act 1883, Civil Service reform - 
      disgusted the Stalwarts

13. 1884 election, Blaine vs. Cleveland 

14. Grover Cleveland reform governor of New York - Mugwumps crossover support 

15. James G. Blaine, Mulligan Papers 1869, 1884

16. Both bought draft substitutes.

17. Cleveland accused of fathering an illegitimate child but admits it.

18. Blaine fails to repudiate “rum, Romanism, and rebellion” Irish NY vote.

19 Cleveland victory due to Irish margin

20. Exercises numerous vetoes, negative activism, upsets the GAR, seeks to lower 
      Tariffs but fails.

21. 1888 election, Cleveland vs. B. Harrison, GAR and business oppose Cleveland.
      Election turns on phony “Murchison” letter

22. McKinley Tariff 1890 (increase)

23. 1892, Cleveland defeats Harrison, Populists take Midwest vote from Republicans.

24. Wilson-Gorman tariff (decrease) with 2% income tax, overturned by Pollock vs. 
      Farmers Loan &	Trust, (16th Amendment)

25. Panic of 1893, railroad over speculation, banks fail, unemployment, rural slump

26. 1894 Coxey’s Army march to Washington D.C. seek jobs paid by inflated money

27. Cleveland rejects pork barrel spending, arrest trespassers on Whit House lawn
       Contrast to job creation and dollar devaluation during the New Deal

28. Democrats blamed for panic; starts voter shift to Republican party.

29. Farmers double, causing overproduction and falling crop prices.

30. Abused by monopolies, RR, grain elevators, millers, heavily in debt to eastern 
      banks, fixed mortgages burdensome with deflation between 1870 - 1890,
      greenbacks removed with 1875 Resumption act, and overproduction 

31. Isolated dreary lives  resented city opulence and decadence

32. Oliver H. Kelly, National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry (Grangers)
      1867, social and professional organization, promoted agricultural research and
      farmers cooperatives

33. Became a lobbying group in Midwestern states, achieving state regulations over 
      grain elevators and railroads

34. Granger laws upheld by 1877 Munn vs. Illinois, reversed with 1886 Wabash case 

35. Decline of the Grange late 1870s with limited successes

36. Crop prices fluctuate 1870-1880s.

37. Creation of Farmer Alliances NW, South, Colored

38. 1891 - formation of the Populist party - , Midwest farmer based , tried but failed to 
       recruit Eastern Urban working class (explain cultural divide), explain difference in 
       party issues vs. class struggle attitudes and regional biases

39.  1892 - James B. Weaver, presidential candidate Omaha Platform see below)

40.  Significant party members - Pitchfork Ben Tillman, Thomas Watson, Sockless Jerry 
       Simpson, Mary Elizabeth Lease - quote

41. Planks of party platform (Omaha Platform)

       1)"Free and unlimited coinage of silver at a ratio of 16 to 1"
       2)  direct election of senators
       3) graduated income tax
       4) political reforms - initiative, referendum, direct primary, secret Ballot, recall
       5) Govt. ownership and operation of transportation and utilities (RR ,steamships)
       6) abolition of private banks replaced by postal savings banks allowing low interest  
            loans to farmers with crop collateral
       7) independent or sub treasury plan
       8) immigration restrictions
       9) opposition to court injunctions ending strikes
	
42. Plank one became the arching issue pushed by Wm J. Bryan after fusion ticket

43. desire to inflate the currency to alleviate indebtedness to banks 

44. Greenbacks, Civil War inflation, Resumption Act 1875  greenbacks retired causing 
      deflation, advocated by sound or hard money supporters,  bankers , 1876-1884 
      Greenback Party advocates new issuance of paper money to inflate economy and 
      relieve indebtedness, 1880 James. B. Weaver candidate (1892 Populist)

45. "Free and unlimited coinage of silver at a ratio of 16 to 1"

46. "Crime of 1873" demonetization of silver immediately followed by silver discoveries 
       in Western mines , gold bug bankers blamed

47. Bland-Allison Act of 1878 $2M -4M a month coined

48. Sherman Silver Purchase Act 1890 4 Million ounces a month coined (almost all)

49. Cleveland pro gold standard

50. Goldbugs and Silverites cut across both party lines. 

51. Panic of 1893 and business interests convince Cleveland to seek repeal of the 
      Sherman Silver Purchase Act to keep gold reserves at $100M lion, bankers
      replenished gold by buying treasury bonds, panic ends.

52. Populists argue a banker conspiracy engineered the panic to keep gold standard
      And demonitize silver to create deflation.

53. 1896 election becomes the “battle of the standards“

54. Democrats enact progressive platform - see planks  - Chicago Convention, 
      J.P. Altgeld nominates Wm J. Bryan, "the Great Commoner," and "the Boy Orator of 
      the Platt." Delivers  "Cross of Gold Speech"

55. Populists support Bryan fusion ticket., Democratic Goldbugs switch to Republicans

59. Republicans, St. Louis  Wm. McKinley pro-gold promoted by Marcus A. Hanna, the
       Kingmaker, attacks Bryan’s devotion to bimetalism, Rep. silverites walk out

60. Wizard of Oz - L Frank Baum - characters and story relationship to Populist story

61. Large victory for McKinley and party realignment until 1932

62. Causes for Bryan's defeat despite optimism
     
      Midwestern Protestant image turns off NY Irish
      workers fearful of soft money and pressured vote by employers
      Fall upturn in crop prices and midwestern split vote

63. Disintegration of Populists after fusion loss

64. Gold discoveries in Alaska cause currency inflation and higher farm prices until the 
      1920s.

65. Dingley Tariff 1897 and Gold Standard Act 1900