CHAPTER 20: COMMONWEALTH AND THE EMPIRE (1870-1900) -Edward Bellamy s Looking Backward (1888) -Utopian future (year

2000) where Americans have solved the problem of poverty, crime, war, taxes, air pollution, and even housework. -There are no politicians, capitalists, bankers, or lawyers, and no social division between the rich and the poor -The New Nation -Point Loma, CA -Women suffrage activists and the disciples of Edward Bellamy have founded this town (Founder Katherine Tingley). -Went well for couple of years, yet the New Nation movement failed, since it had to be a national movement in order to succeed. -This fused the development of the belief of the power of mass. Toward a National Governing Class -The basic structure of government changed dramatically. -Public administrations expanded. -Mass spectacles were commonplace in political campaign. -Voting rate increased. The Growth of Government -Well-being of citizens turned to be more of local responsibility than that of the national government. -Federal government also expanded in finance and size. -Many new departments formed and expanded. -The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) (1887) was formed to mainly regulate the railroad. -Public dominance over private cooperation. The Machinery of Politics -Republican Party -Continued to run on its Civil War record -Just like Democratic Party, did not adapt fast to the change -Wanted high tariff to protect the infant American businesses -Democratic Party -Sought to reduce the influence of the federal government. -Gathered support from southern white voters and immigrants newly naturalized in the North. -Wanted lower tariff to protect the American farmers, who had to purchase tools from foreign companies -Both parties did not command a clear majority of votes, and both did not have solid opinion and agenda -Political bosses played a large role in the corruption of the government, and Spoils System raged throughout the government.

The Spoils System and Civil Service Reform -1865: Thomas A. Jenckes (RI, R) proposed a bill for civil service reform and was rejected. -1883: Congress passed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act -Allowed the president to create, with Senate approval, a three-person commission to draw up a set of guidelines for executive and legislative appointments. -Barred political candidates from funding their campaigns by assessing a tax on the salaries of holders of party-sponsored government jobs. -Led to gaining of professional character for the departments. Farmers and Workers Organize Their Communities -Farmers and workers rose to form powerful national organizations to oppose the wealthy and powerful classes who want the control of government to plunder the people . -Led to the Populist Movement. The Grange -Led by Oliver H. Kelley, the society resembled the secretive Masonic order. -The headquarters of the local chapter (the Grange a word for farm) became the main social center. -The Granger movement spread rapidly. -Blamed the railroads and the banks for the exploitation of farmers and workers. (Called them Thieves at Night ) -1874: Several Midwestern states passed the Granger Laws -1873: IL legislature passed the Warehouse Act, establishing a maximum rates for storing grains -Later was upheld through Munn v. Illinois (1877), with the Supreme Court saying that states had the power to regulate privately owned business for the interest of the public. -The depression of the late 1870s wiped out most of the cooperative programs, and by 1880, the Grange membership dropped significantly. The Farmer s Alliance -In the 1880s, farmers organized in communities where poverty and the crop-lien system prevailed. -Texas farmers, asking for equal rights to all and special privileges to none, formed the Southern Farmer s Alliance (for white farmers). -Colored farmers created the Colored Farmer s Alliance. -They both worked together to promote for higher price and accommodation for farmers.

Workers Search for Power -The railroad became the focus of protests by workers as well as farmers. -Although some strikes failed, they revealed the readiness of workers to spell out their grievances in a direct and dramatic manner. -Great Uprising of 1877 -The first nationwide strike (began in Martinsburg, WV). -Workers uncoupled all engines to protest against 10% wage cut. -Spurring business leaders to call for the deportation, arrest, or execution of strike leaders. -President Hayes called in the U. S. Army to suppress the strike. -Populists started to vote for their own representatives into the political spots. -In the late 1880s, labor parties won seats on many city councils and state legislatures. In smaller industrial towns where workers outnumbered the middle classes, labor parties did especially well. Women Build Alliances -Women helped build both the labor and agrarian protest movements. -Some women led movements that promoted for social reform, educational reform, and integration of races -Didn t gain much support in the end. -WCTU was the largest. Populism and the People s Party -Farmer s alliance developed into political movement and into a third party. -Asked for government ownership of aspects that they accused of causing farmers poverty. -Populist Party have gained control and power in towns that were mainly composed of farmers and workers The Crisis of the 1890s -A series of events in the 1890s shook the confidence of many citizens in the reigning political system -Deeping gap between the rich and the poor The Depression of 1893 -Railroad s bankruptcy led to failure of other businesses and fall of stock -Increasing unemployment and crime rate -Coxey s Army demanded for public works programme. Strikes: Coeur D Alene, Homestead, and Pullman -Mine owners formed Protective Association -Declared wage cut -Coeur d Alene: Mine -Homestead: Steel -Pullman: Railroad cars -Declared wage cut

-Fired complainers -Workers decided to strike -Eugene Debs (Socialist) National Boycott The Social Gospel -Ministers and middle class women supported -Called for Civil Service Reform and the end of child labor -Supported labor rights -Petitioned government -Washington Gladden - If not, churches are nothing more than ritual superstitions -Catholics -Joined in small numbers -Polish broke out to give more concern to the workers -W.T.Stead s If Christ Came to Chicago -WWJD -Social movements -Phyllis Wheatley Home The Election of 1896 -Cleveland replaced Sherman Silver Purchase Act -Lost support -1896: Populist v Democrats v Republicans -Jennings Bryan for president -Running mate between George Watson (P) v Arthur Sewell (D) -Republicans mass campaigned for McKinley -Promoted Pro-Business and Expansion -Dingley Tariff of 1897 -Industrial Commission Business regulations -Right to regulate work hours -Economy uplifted -Stocks rose