Us History

Ch 25: 11-15

I. Chester Arthur Takes Command

1. After Garfield's death, Arthur took the new presidency.

Ð'* His political experience consisted of a spoils-man in Conkling sprawling New York political machine.

Ð'* When conklingite cronies came looking for favors he turned them down.

2. During Arthur's Era the Rep. party revealed an undetected enthusiasm for reform.

Ð'* Reps. lost control of the house in the midterm elections of 1882 and they feared even more control loss if they didn't cure the effects of the spoils system.

3. The Pendleton Act of 1883 was the so called Magna Carta of civil-service reform.

Ð'* This act prohibited at least on paper, financial assessments on job-holders; including lowly scrubwomen.

Ð'* This est. a merit system and a civil service commission charged with administrating competitive examinations for post in the classified service.

Ð'* By 1884 he had classified nearly 10 percent of the total; a century later about 90 percent of federal offices was classified.

4. The law trimmed off most of politician patronage.

Ð'* Grasping politicians wee forced to look for money elsewhere.

Ð'* They turned to big companies; they were less-skilled at mobilizing armies of immigrants and voters on Election Day, but were adept to milking money from manufacturers and lobbyists.

Ð'* Grasping politicians basically partnered with big business leaders.

5. Arthur's display of integrity deserved to be rewarded with another presidential nomination.

Ð'* In 1886 he died of cerebral damaged.

II. The Blaine-Cleveland Mudslingers of 1884.

1. James J Blain was nominated for pres. in 1884.

Ð'* Reform-minded Reps. gagged about Blaine's presidency.

Ð'* Blaine was "tattooed" with political felonies; linked to a corrupt deal involving favors to southern railroad.

2. Victory-starved democrats nominated Grover Cleveland; former gov. of New York.

Ð'* Republicans dug up dirt on Grover Cleveland and found that he had an affair with a Buffalo widow and conceived a son.

Ð'* They wanted him to lie like a gentlemen, but instead he told the truth.

3. Cleveland swept the south and got into office wit 219 to 182 electoral votes and 4,879,607 to 4,850,293 of popular votes.

III. "Old Grover" Takes Over

1. Cleveland was the first democrat to take office in 1885 since Buchanan 20 years earlier.

Ð'* He showed his political philosophy when he vetoed a bill to provide seeds for drought-ravaged Texas farmers. [ "Although the people support the gov. the gov. should not support the people"]

Ð'* Cleveland hired to former Confeds. in his cabinet and used merit system to carry out reform for Mugwumps.

Ð'* He eventually got rid of 2/3 of the 12,000 federal employees; including 40,000 incumbent republican postmasters.

2. By