The Grange Movement Populism

Geography of the Plains Western boundary: Rocky Mountains Rainfall – less than 20” per year Summer temperatures over 100 degrees

Homestead Act 1862 For $10 an individual could buy a homestead Legal way to acquire land

Wheat belt Farming was VERY profitable Quick profits with Mechanical Reaper Become the world’s leading exporter of wheat by 1880’s

Economic hard times Rising competition & too many goods in market = prices drop Mortgaged property to make it through tough times Prolonged drought which killed crops

Populism

Populism The movement to increase farmers’ political power and to work for legislation in their interest. Economic crisis for farmers, new technology had dropped farm prices. High tariffs also made it difficult for farmers to get the manufactured goods the farmers needed.

Populism Western farmers would attempt to use their numbers to effect positive change, like the laboring classes. In 1867, the first national organization was formed The Patrons of Husbandry, the Grange To address the social isolation of farm life.

Populism Railroads as chief villains. By 1874, many states passed the Granger laws, establishing maximum shipping rates. Main problem: Debt Idea to create inflation.

Inflation Actually helps debtors Inflation - More money in circulation, makes the dollar worth less If a farmer owes $3,000 and can earn $1 for every bushel of wheat sold at harvest, he needs to sell 3,000 bushels to pay off the debt. If inflation could push the price of a bushel of wheat up to $3, he needs to sell only 1,000 bushels. Issuance of Greenback Dollars – money not backed by gold, more dollars could be printed. Also could print money backed by silver, backed by SOMETHING of value.

The Wizard of Oz L. Frank Baum was a supporter of William Jennings Bryan who stood as a U.S. presidential candidate three unsuccessful times. Wanted money to be based on silver, since silver was more readily available in the Mid-West. The story of the Wizard of Oz starts with a cyclone in the form of imagined electoral success for Bryan…

Dorothy “Everywoman” Based on a Kansas farm (MidWest)

Dorothy lands on the Wicked Witch of the East (East-Coast Bankers) It kills her, freeing the Munchkins, the down-trodden poor, but the Wicked Witch of the West (the West-Coast Bankers) remains loose.

The Good Witch of the North (representing the Electorate of the North) tells Dorothy to seek out the Wizard of Oz (Oz being short for ounce, the means of weighing both gold and silver) She also gives her a pair of silver slippers, that will enable her to stay safe on the yellow brick road (the gold standard) as she heads towards the Emerald City (Washington D.C.)

Scarecrow Represents the farmers, who do not have the wit to understand how they can end up losing their farms to the banks, even though they work hard to grow the food to feed a hungry nation.

Tin Man Represents the industrial workers, rusted as solid as the factories of the 1890s depression, and who have lost the sense of compassion and co-operation to work together to help each other during hard times.

Cowardly Lion Represents the politicians, these have the power, through the power of Congress and the Constitution to confront the Wicked Witches, representing the banks, but they lack the courage to do so.

The Wizard of Oz Represents the President of the United States At first seems quite majestic, but he turns out to be a little man without the power that people assume he possesses.

The Wicked Witch of the West, fearful for her own power, attempts to destroy Dorothy, but is herself dissolved in a bucket of water. As rain relieves the Mid-West drought, saves the farmers’ livelihoods, and prevents repossession by the banks.

The Populists as a grassroots political party Development as the People’s Party, Populist Party Originally just a list of demands, and one would promise to vote for that party. William Jennings Bryan (Dem) who was a strong supporter of silver, vote for him? Would lose election, graduated income tax would eventually come about.