Political Reform

Cody Lynch and Jonathon Rigney

Stalwarts and Half-breeds

• Stalwarts- the conservative faction that opposed Hayes.

• Half-Breeds- the derogative term used against those who were moderate republicans. Stating they were only half republican.

Pendleton Act

• Said government jobs should be based on merit.

• You could not fire a government employee due to political reasons.

• Created the United States Civil Service Commission.

Grover Cleveland• The only president to serve two non consecutive terms• Led the Bourbon Democrats who opposed high tariffs,

imperialism, free silver, and inflation.• Supported gold standard and intervened during the Pullman

Strike.

Mugwumps

• Republican activists who went from the republican party to the democratic party.

• Made the difference in the election of 1884.• The term was still widely used for any “party

hoppers.”

Campaign and Election of 1884 • 1884: Republican candidate: James G Blaine Democratic: Grover Cleveland• Blaine was accused of political scandal with the Mulligan letters by selling

his congressional influence• Cleveland was said to have had a child out of wedlock but won the

election of 1884. Those who didn’t like Cleveland said “ma, ma, where’s my pa?” making fun of his child in which followers would say “gone to the Whitehouse!”

Campaign and Election of 1892• Cleveland ran against Harrison and won the presidency• The tariff was the main issue in this election• Harrisons wife died 2 weeks before election and everyone

stopped campaigning

Presidency• Cleveland supported the gold standard• He gave jobs to those deserving not just party supporters• Lobbied the Scott act• Pullman Strike: railroaders went on strike and Cleveland got an injunction

and they didn’t follow it so he sent in troops to quell them• Did not annex Hawaii when the opportunity came• Had cancer in his mouth but it was removed by a secret surgery.

Interstate Commerce Commission

• Original purpose was to regulate railroads for fair rates.

• Created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887.

• Later abolished.

Gold Standard• Signed by William McKinnley• Establish gold as the only way to redeem paper money.• Gold established at a fixed dollar value.

Civil Rights• Cleveland thought reconstruction was a “failed experiment” and did not

put blacks in patronage jobs but he did keep Frederick Douglass and when he retired he was replaced with another African American

• He negotiated an extenuation of the Chinese exclusion act• He liked the Indians and tried to help with the Dawes act but Arthur let

whites settle on Indian land and Cleveland sent in troops to enforce treaties and investigate why this happened

Scott Act• Established in 1888 • Established that no Chinese immigrant that left the U.S. could

return.• Passed to expand on the Chinese Exclusion Act.

Dawes Act

• Adopted in 1887• Sponsored by Henry Dawes• Allowed the president to survey tribal land

and divide it for Indians.

THE END