The Agrarian Movement ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How did farmers respond to the problems they faced in the late nineteenth century?

TEKS and Objectives We will… I will… (3A) analyze the beginnings of Populism (5C) evaluate the impact of third parties, including the Populist Party (15B) describe the changing relationship between the federal government and private business, including the cost and benefits of laissez-faire, and the Interstate Commerce Act Analyze primary sources about the Populist Party in order to interpret their political platform

The Problems of Farmers: 1870-1900 Agricultural Overproduction Settlement of west = more farms Machinery improved farming More food  lower prices High Costs Railroads overcharged farmers Higher rates for shorter distance

The Problems of Farmers: 1870-1900 Farmer Indebtedness Borrowed $$ for improvements/machinery Used their farms as security Banks charged high interest Periodic Natural Disasters Droughts, insects, floods

The Granger Movement - 1867 Purpose Granger Cooperatives Club for farmers To overcome rural isolation and spread information 1.5 million member by 1877 Granger Cooperatives Purchased farming equipment in bulk: machinery, fertilizers, and manufactured goods Sold crops directly to city markets Many failed due to lack of experience

The Granger Laws Munn v. Illinois (1877) Supreme Court upheld right of states to regulate business (i.e. railroads) Interstate Commerce Act (1887) Prohibited railroads from overcharging Interstate Commerce Commission Created to investigate RR complaints and enforce act First federal agency to regulate business (change from laissez- faire)

The Populist Party: 1891-1896 Populist Party Supported by farmers, industrial workers, and miners Women prominent in party

Populist Platform (1892) Unlimited Coinage of Silver To raise farm prices/make loan payments easier Term Limits for President Only one term in office Direct Election of Senators Instead of state legislatures Secret Ballot To protect voters from intimidation Government Ownership Railroads, telegraphs, and telephones Graduated Income Tax Higher rates for the rich Immigration Restrictions Quotas (limits) on immigrants Shorter Work Day 8 hours

Election Campaigns Election of 1892 Election of 1896 Election of 1900 Populists won 5 Senate seats Election of 1896 William Jennings Bryan (Populist) vs. (William McKinley (Republican) Bryan won South and West; McKinley won Northeast and Midwest (and election) Election of 1900 McKinley defeated Bryan again Populist Party declined

William Jennings Bryan’s “Cross of Gold Speech” “My friends, the question we are to decide is: upon which side will the Democratic Party fight; upon the side of ‘the idle capital’ or upon the side of ‘the struggling masses’? That question the party must answer. You tell us that we great cities are in favor of the gold standard; we reply that the great cities rest upon our broad and fertile prairies. Burn down your cities and leave our farms, and your cities will spring up again if by magic. But destroy our farms and the grass will grow in the streets of every city in the country.” Which groups did Bryan appeal to in this speech to the Democratic National Convention? How did he try to show that farmers were superior?

The Legacy of Populism The Role of Third Parties Provide an outlet for minorities Generate new ideas Graduated income tax and direct election of Senators later adopted