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The Gilded Age is practically synonymous with political corruption. This resulted in several scandals and some attempts at reform.
Political Machines
Several large cities were operated by political machines—organized groups that controlled the activities of a political party in a city. These were led by political bosses who controlled access to municipal jobs and business licenses. The most famous political boss was William M. “Boss” Tweed. He led a corrupt political machine known as Tammany Hall, which ruled New York City from 1869 to 1871.
In running their cities, political bosses relied on graft, which was the illegal use of political influence for personal gain. One example of graft was the use of patronage, which referred to the awarding of government jobs to people who had helped a candidate get elected. (This was similar to the spoils system associated with Andrew Jackson in the 1830s.) This often led to the employment of inept and/or corrupt government officials.
Civil Service Reform
In 1881, Charles Guiteau, who had written a speech for President Garfield and thought he should have received patronage for his efforts, assassinated President Garfield. In response, Congress passed the Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883), which created a formal structure and limited the ways government jobs could be acquired. The act ensured that some people were hired for most government jobs based on their scores on a civil service exam, not patronage. It also limited the government’s ability to terminate employees based on their political stance.
Political Parties in the Gilded Age
In the second half of the 19th century, the Republican Party promoted the expansion of business and infrastructure by giving land and subsidies to railroad companies and supporting the gold standard and protective tariffs. These policies attracted bankers and business owners.
The Democratic Party opposed tariffs and advocated for more state and local control of government. These policies appealed to white southerners and northeastern city dwellers (especially Irish and German immigrants).
A third party, the Populist Party or People’s Party, was a movement of the common people (mainly farmers). It proposed economic reforms, such as an increase in the money supply, a graduated income tax (instead of tariffs), and a federal loan program. Political reforms that Populists supported included the election of U.S. senators by popular vote (rather than by state legislatures), single terms for the president and vice president, and the use of a secret ballot to end voting fraud. Additional items on the party’s platform included restrictions on immigration and an eight-hour workday.
The Election of 1896
Though the Populists did run some candidates in the Election of 1892, it was with the Election of 1896 that they became historically significant. The Republican Party nominated William McKinley, who supported a firm commitment to the gold standard. Strangely, both the Democratic Party and the Populist Party nominated the same person: William Jennings Bryan. Bryan was firmly committed to adding silver to the country’s money supply. Because Bryan promoted policies that were designed mostly to benefit small farmers, a coalition of business professionals, skilled factory workers, and affluent farmers voted for McKinley, leading to his victory in the election. As a result of Bryan’s defeat, support for the Populist Party collapsed. However, in the early 20th century, during what came to be called the Progressive Era, many of the reforms that were part of the Populist agenda were enacted.
