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Politics was a sport of sorts for white men; women and minorities could not play
Women sued for the vote but lost (Minor v Happersett)
Black men were denied the right to vote in the South
Poll taxes
Literacy tests
Grandfather Clauses
Black voter registration (S) dwindled to almost nothing by 1900
The Solid South
The “doubtful or close states
NY, NJ, CN, OH, IN, IN
Elections between 1876-1892 were extraordinarily close
Presidential authority dwindled after Johnson's impeachment
Democrats focused on states rights and decentralization
Republicans on national policies to promote morality and wealth
States established regulatory commissions, especially over railroads
These were supported in Munn v Illinois (1877)
These were weakened in The Wabash Case (1886)
States could not regulate commerce beyond their borders
Congress then established the Interstate Commerce Act (1887)
Hayes tried to assert authority in spite of contested election of 1876
Favored the gold standard and civil service reform
Ended military reconstruction
Veto of Bland-Allison overridden
James A. Garfield
Hoped to united the R party, lower tariffs, and have civil service Reform
Instead got shot by Charles Guiteau on July 2, 1881 (died on Sept
19)
Chester A Arthur (1881-84)
A Stalwart Republican, was Conkling's man
Built the modern navy, lowered tariffs
Passed the Pendleton Act (1883)
Grover Cleveland (1884-88, 1892-96)
First Democratic president since Johnson
Hardworking, honest
Vetoed more bills than all previous presidents combined
Worked for reform and lower tariffs
Lost in 1888
In 1888, R party gained the Congress and the Presidency
D party used minority tactics to prevent business
Czar Thomas Reed of Maine got the show back on the road
First Congress to appropriate $1 billion
McKinley Tariff (1890) raises taxes 4%
$160 paid per year in Civil war pensions by 1893
Sherman Anti Trust Act an early attempt to regulate business
Sherman Silver Purchase Act (1890)
4.5 million oz of silver to be purchased per month
House Republicans passed a fed election voting rights bills
Denounced in S as a force bill
Failed, no new attempts until 1950s
Farmers, having trouble adjusting to the market economy and struggling are broke and mad
A worldwide problem a confusing and uncontrollable market
Declining prices, rising costs, increasing production
Soil related problems (overwork, drought) exacerbated the situation
Literature described hayseeds and disillusionment
Farmers Alliance
1880s organization in the Plains and the South
Welcomed doctors, teachers, preachers and mechanics
Produced newspapers, allowed segregated units
Formed a national political party
Mary Ellen Lease and Jeremiah Simpson were western leader
Ocala (FL) Demands
Sub-treasury system (govt warehouses for storage)
Loans on stored crops 80% of market value
Free Coinage of Silver
End to protective tariffs
Federal income tax
Direct election of senators
Tighter regulation of railroads
The People s Party
Some successes James B Weaver (IA) won 6 states and 1 million votes
Farmers Alliance membership began to drop after 1892 election
The treasury reserve went below $100 million in April
May 5, 1893 saw the worst stock market crash to date
Banks cut back on loans, businesses failed, folks lost jobs
Problems continued through 1896
Easter Sunday, 1894 Coxeys Army left Ohio for D.C. (300+ marchers)
Demands included $500 in new govt spending
Marchers were beaten and arrested
Cleveland broke the Pullman strike over Altgelds objections
Troops arrived on July 4, 1894
A struggled between owners, new and old miners
Wage reductions led to violent strikes and sabotage
Public opinion turned against striking miners
Cleveland pushed repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act
A return to the gold standard tightened money supplies
Gold bond sales brought huge profits to JP Morgan and other bankers
A slightly reduced tariff (Wilson Gorman 1894) brought little relief
Democrats lost all Congressional elections in 1894
Populists made some gains, Republicans made most
Cleveland was blamed for economic affliction
Widespread unemployment led to pressure for government rather than individual
solutions to economic problems
Cheaper wages for women and children increased their numbers in the workplace
Silver was a symbol of international independence
A symbol of hope and faith
William McKinley emerged as the R frontrunner
Marcus Hanna runs the first national, modern campaign
The entrance of William Jennings Bryan to the national scene
The Nebraska Cyclone
The Cross of Gold speech
Peoples Party and D endorse Bryan
Tremendous voter turnout
McKinley wins decisively, the Peoples Party disintegrates
The economy rebounds, the gold standard returns
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