populism

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Brief overview of Populist Movement/Party

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Farmers had much to deal with in their economic life. Bankers, processors, railroads, grain elevator operators, railroads, world markets.

Attitude of self-reliant individualism made political activism difficult at first.

Farmers also differed from @ other from region to region.

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Long term decline in commodity prices hurt farmers

• Supply of farm goods increased due to more land and better tech. Over production.

• Transportation and communications tech brought farmers into world competition.

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Farmers see RR and processors as villains

• Resented high RR rates while Rockefeller got rebates.

• Felt they had little bargaining power as individuals (compare to Rockefeller)

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High tariffs hurt farmers-

they paid

higher prices for manufactured goods while getting low prices for their produce.

• High debts a problem-

borrowed for

land, tech., and supplies.•

Discontent focused on currency issue-

they wanted inflation.–

The amount of greenbacks was fixed

– Hard currency difficult to come by.

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Granger = old word for granary

• Started as a social and educational response to farmers isolation, evolved into cooperatives.

• Idea-

to free themselves from

conventional marketplace.•

Political initiatives-

to regulate

rates charged by RR and warehouses. Granger laws.

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First organized in the 1870s in the First organized in the 1870s in the Midwest, the south, and Texas.Midwest, the south, and Texas.

Succeeded in lobbying for Succeeded in lobbying for ““Granger Granger LawsLaws..””

Rapidly declined by the late 1870sRapidly declined by the late 1870s..

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Begun in the late 1880s (Texas first Begun in the late 1880s (Texas first the the Southern AllianceSouthern Alliance; then in the ; then in the Midwest Midwest the the Northern AllianceNorthern Alliance).).

More political and less social than the More political and less social than the Grange.Grange.

Ran candidates for office.Ran candidates for office.

Controlled 8 state legislatures & had 47Controlled 8 state legislatures & had 47representatives in Congress during the representatives in Congress during the 1890s.1890s.

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Collective action seen as means for relief from chronic hardships.

• Alliance tended to attract more of the prosperous farmers than Grange had.

• By 1890, about 1.5 million (white) members of Alliances. About 1 million members of Colored Farmers’

Alliance.

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• Women welcomed into Alliance.• Cooperatives were for a time

prosperous, but eventually fell victim to opposition (economic) by powerful business interests. Discriminated against by distributors, banks, etc.

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In 1889 both In 1889 both the Northern andthe Northern and

Southern AlliancesSouthern Alliances merged into onemerged into one—— the the FarmersFarmers’’

AllianceAlliance..

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Developed their own political platform on which people disagreed…

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You shall not press You shall not press down upon the down upon the brow of labor this brow of labor this crown of thorns; crown of thorns; you shall not you shall not crucify mankind crucify mankind upon aupon a

cross of cross of

goldgold!!

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18,000 miles of campaign 18,000 miles of campaign ““whistle stops.whistle stops.””

FINANCE 1.

We demand free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold at the present legal ratio of 16 to 1.

2.

We demand that the amount of circulating medium be speedily increased to not less than $50 per capita.

3.

We demand a graduated income tax.4.

We believe that the money of the country should be kept as much as possible in the hands of the people

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TRANSPORTATION …the government should own and

operate the railroads in the interest of the people [as well as the] telegraph, telephone…

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LAND The land, including all the natural sources of

wealth, is the heritage of the people, and should not be monopolized for speculative purposes…

All land now held

by railroads and other corporations in excess of their actual needs…should be reclaimed by the government and held for actual settlers only.

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:�������� ����� ��� ;:�������� ����� ��� ;Supplementary Resolutions: We demand •

an Australian or secret ballot system.

a graduated income tax •

a rigid enforcement of the existing eight-

hour law on Government work •

initiative and referendum

election of Senators of the United States by a direct vote of the people

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Founded by James B. WeaverFounded by James B. Weaverand Tom Watson.and Tom Watson.

Omaha, NE Convention in July,Omaha, NE Convention in July,1892.1892.

Got almost 1 million popularGot almost 1 million popularvotes.votes.

Several Congressional seatsSeveral Congressional seatswon.won. James B. Weaver, James B. Weaver,

Presidential Presidential CandidateCandidate

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Prairie avenger, Prairie avenger, mountain lion,mountain lion,

Bryan, Bryan, Bryan, Bryan, Bryan, Bryan, Bryan,Bryan,

Gigantic troubadour, Gigantic troubadour, speaking like a siege speaking like a siege gun,gun,

Smashing Plymouth Rock Smashing Plymouth Rock with his boulderswith his boulders

from the West.from the West.Revivalist style of oratory.

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