1. The Great West: The Populists

2. Problems for Farmers
Following the Civil War millions of men and women have migrated to the West to stake their claim to farmland and pursue their American Dream, but by the late 1880’s, it was turning into a nightmare:
Falling Prices of Farm Products
Rising Cost of Farming Equipment
Rising Railroad rates (monopolies) and Banking interest rates
The farmers were going into debt producing necessary crops, while industrialists, bankers and businessmen were getting rich! And the government seemed to be on the side of big business!!!

3. The Farmers Organized to Address their Problems-
-First in the Midwest, then in the West and the South
The Grange was organized in 1867 (Oliver Kelly)
The Grange tried to educate farmers on farming techniques and advocated for lower railroad costs.
The Grangers were somewhat successful in achieving some of their goals (“Grange Laws”).

4. The Populist Party Formed
Although the Grange declined in the late 1870’s other Farming Alliances continued to grow and spread.
This spread resulted in the forming of the Populist party in 1892.
The “people’s party”, Populists stood for seeking remedies to the “problems” of political corruption, unresponsive government, and inadequate monetary supply.
Populist support reached across regional/sectional political divisions…appealing to farmers in the south and west and industrial workers in the north (whether black or white) against the industrial elite.
Achieved a great deal of success in 1892, electing governors, senators, and congressmen and getting some electoral votes for their presidential candidate

5. Populist Goals Unlimited coinage of silver
Government ownership of the railroads and telegraph companies.
Bank Regulations
Less government corruption
Graduated income tax

6. 1896 Election: the Dilemma
The populists have to decide whether to support their own candidate and continue building support for their small party or support the Democratic Candidate William Jennings Bryan, who, while a Democrat, proposed many Populist ideals…

7. Bryan’s Cross of Gold Speech
The “boy orator’s” address to the 1896 Democratic National Convention
Electrifying…he became the 1896 Democratic Candidate
In it, he supported the idea of free silver and other Populist platform ideas….thus the dilemma.

8. Populism: So What?
Democrats/Populists (aka Bryan) lost both the 1896 and 1900 elections, despite good fights, to Republican William McKinley.
The Populists lingered on for another decade, but basically disappeared as a feasible alternative to Democrats and Republicans after 1900.
However…what is the Populist Legacy…what kind of lasting impact did populism provide?