Bourbon Democrats

Bourbon Democrats were promoters of a form of laissez-fairecapitalism which included opposition to the high-tariff protectionism that the Republicans were advocating, as well as fiscal discipline. They represented business interests, generally supporting the goals of banking and railroads but opposing subsidies and trade protectionism; they opposed the annexation of Hawaii; they fought for the gold standard against the use of silver to inflate prices, thereby promoting what they called "hard" and "sound" money. As strong supporters of states' rights and reform movements such as the Civil Service Reform and opponents of the corrupt city bosses, Bourbons led the fight against the Tweed Ring. The anti-corruption theme earned the votes of many Republican Mugwumps in 1884.