Enter the Populists Why do you think the artist used the term “Platform of Lunacy” when describing the Populist “ship”?

The Grange Movement First organized in the 1870s in the Midwest, the south, and Texas. Set up cooperative associations. Social and educational components. Succeeded in lobbying for“Granger Laws.” Rapidly declined by the late 1870s.

The Farmers Alliances  Begun in the late 1880s (Texas first  the Southern Alliance; then in the Midwest  the Northern Alliance).  Built upon the ashes of the Grange.  More political and less social than the Grange.  Ran candidates for office.  Controlled 8 state legislatures & had 47 representatives in Congress during the 1890s.

United We Stand, Divided We Fall  In 1889 both the Northern and Southern Alliances merged into one—the Farmers’ Alliance.

The Populist (Peoples’) Party  Founded by James B. Weaver and Tom Watson.  Omaha, NE Convention in July,  Got almost 1 million popular votes.  Several Congressional seats won. James B. Weaver, Presidential Candidate & James G. Field, VP

The Populist (Peoples) Party 1890 Bi-Election:  1890 Bi-Election:  So. Alliance  wanted to gain control of the Democratic Party.  No. Alliance  ran 3 rd Party candidates.  1892  800 met in St. Louis, MO  majority were Alliance members.  over 100 were African Americans.  reps. of labor organizations & other reformers (Grange, Greenback Party).

Omaha Platform of 1892  System of “sub-treasuries.”  Abolition of the National Bank.  Direct election of Senators.  Govt. ownership of RRs, telephone & telegraph companies.  Government-operated postal savings banks.  Restriction of undesirable immigration.  8-hour work day for government employees.  Abolition of the Pinkerton detective agency.  Australian secret ballot.  Re-monitization of silver.  A single term for President & Vice President.

Bi-Metallism Issue

The Prophets of the People Mary Elizabeth Lease William Hope Harvey

Price Indexes for Consumer & Farm Products:

Causes of the 1893 Panic Begun 10 days after Cleveland took office.  Several major corps. went bankrupt.  Over 16,000 businesses disappeared.  Triggered a stock market crash.  Over-extended investments. 2. Bank failures followed causing a contraction of credit [nearly 500 banks closed]. 3. By 1895, unemployment reached 3 million.  Americans cried out for relief, but the Govt. continued its laissez faire policies!!

Outcome of the Depression Unemployment Rates (approx.) Coxey’s Army March on DC Gov’t relief needed by inflating public works Arrested in DC for walking on the grass

Outcome of the Depression Pullman Strike Chicago Railcar Factory: 1894 Nation wide sympathy strikes Rail traffic slows heavily Eugene V. Debs leads Blacks brought in as replacement work Strike become violent US Soldiers sent in by Grover Cleveland Panic of 1893 cuts demand Pullman cuts wages 12 hour workdays Cut wages but no lowering of rents

Eugene V. Debs Arrested and sentenced to jail 6 months for defying court order to stop strike Developed more radical and socialist ideas in prison Later wrote and helped grow Socialist party in US Sound familiar???

Republicans Nominated: William McKinley Controlled by: Mark Hanna Platform Called For: Lean towards Gold only, high tariffs, blamed Democrats for Depression

Democrats Nominated: William Jennings Bryan Rise to Fame: Cross of Gold Speech at 1896 Democratic Convention Platform Called For: 16:1 silver to gold, lower tariff, inflationary works

Cross of Gold Speech "Having behind us the producing masses of this nation and the world, supported by the commercial interests, the laboring interests and the toilers everywhere, we will answer their demand for a gold standard by saying to them: You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold."

From: Coin’s Financial School

Republican Campaign Poster in 1896

The Campaign: Bryan barnstormed the nation giving speeches McKinley stayed at home, relying on Hanna’s campaign chest to pay for results Democrat “Goldbugs” bolted Fear of Bryan and free silver affected factories and workers McKinley wins final election:

: Dingley Tariff Bill Passed (average rate of 46.5% 1900: Gold Standard Act passed, all redemptions in gold only Huge Gold discoveries in Klondike and South Africa helped inflate Gold supply