MRS. STOFFL 9/14/15 FARMERS AND POPULISM OF THE GILDED AGE

FALLING PRICES AND RISING DEBT b/w farm prices plummeted Only half as much as they used to be Crop burning: more expensive to grow corn than to farmer would get when selling it Burned it at fuel Farmers had to take out loans to buy new machinery, seed, livestock ∴ went into debt Last resort  tenant farming, pays rent with cash or crop to work/live on the land

BIG BUSINESS PRACTICES ALSO HURT Farmers blame big business for their struggles Railroads: high shipping costs Banks: high interest rates Dishonest merchants/landlords

THE FARMERS’ PLIGHT Felt that the nation turned its back on farmers Previous presidents came from farming towns/states During Gilded Age many came from big industrial states/cities Their product was a necessary component of living  why were the bankers/businessmen getting rich? Quote p. 199

FARMERS ORGANIZE AND SEEK CHANGE In 1867, a farmer (with many other jobs), Oliver H. Kelley organized the Grange Group that provided education to farmers on new farming technique and Called for the regulation of railroad & grain elevator rates 1 million members 1870s – “ Grange Laws ” IL, MN, WI enacted max. rates for shipping freight and grain storage Challenged by the railroad companies Upheld by the Sup. Ct. Prompted the federal gov’t to establish the ICC to oversee interstate commerce

FARMERS’ ALLIANCES LEAD THE PROTEST Despite the decline in Grange activity, Farmers Alliance groups became important reform orgs Formed cooperatives to collectively sell goods With some success were able to collectively bargain w/ big businesses Different Alliances based on location and race Colored Farmers’ Alliance Georgia Alliance Southern Alliance

THE POPULIST PARTY DEMANDS REFORM All of the Farmers’ Alliances came together to form the Populist Party (People’s Party) 1892 Build a grassroots 3 rd party The party spread influence rapidly Especially appealing to farmers!

POPULISTS STATE THEIR GOALS Populist Party Platform (The Omaha Platform) Omaha, NE: July, 1892 Fought against: Political corruption Inadequate monetary supply Unresponsive government Solutions: Coinage of silver, “free silver” to combat low prices  will increase the interest rates on goods To combat high costs of doing business  called for gov’t ownership of the railroads

POPULISTS ACHIEVE SOME SUCCESSES Election of 1892 Populist candidate: James Weaver received 1 million votes Populists elected: 3 governors, 5 senators, 10 congressmen Had to unite whites and blacks in the South to win Democrats used this against the Populist Party which hurt their overall appeal Wanted to unite unskilled workers and farmers against the elite industrialists and business ppl

ELECTION OF 1892

THE PANIC OF 1893 In 1893 a 4 year long depression began that badly hurt the already struggling farmers Labor unrest worried the nation Opportunity for Populist party to convince the workers to join the farmers against the elite

WJB AND THE ELECTION OF 1896 Presidential Election of 1896 Democrats elect William Jennings Bryan as their candidate  an avid supporter of the Populist mvm’t He was a well known orator and a strong debater Cross of Gold Speech at the Democratic National Convention that won him the nomination Spoke about the need to coin silver  appeal to average guy “You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold” Endorsed by the Populist Party for that election

WJB (D) V. WILLIAM MCKINLEY (R) Bryan’s campaign was revolutionary: Toured the country speaking directly to the ppl Grassroots campaign William McKinley – Rep. Party nominee Spent $15 million on campaign (30x that of WJB) Party regulars did much of the campaigning for him Marcus Hanna : orchestrated McKinley’s campaign Painted WJB as a dictator and radical ruler

POPULISM’S LEGACY McKinley won 1896 and 1900 Populists couldn’t get urban workers b/c they did not want the coinage of silver to increase the price of goods Populists could not win a state outside of the S and W (did not win a northern state) Endorsement of WJB hurt the identity of the Populist Party  not strong enough alone Much of the Populist Party Platform was achieved in the 20 th century!