Farmers and Populism

How were farmers doing at the end of the 19th Century?

Farmers were struggling• Overproduction caused crop prices to fall• Prices for shipping rose debt increased

– Many farmers lost their farms and homes • Farmers felt the nation had turned its back to

them.

What industry controlled the shipping costs?

Railroads• Expansion of railroads made it possible for

crops raised in the Great Plains to be exported to other areas.

But the railroad Robber Barons…

• Vanderbilt and others charged super high prices– They got rich, but…

• This caused farmers to sink deeper into debt

How did farmers respond?

The Grange

• The Grange and Farmers’ Alliances– Main Goal: Fought against railroad

companies and tried to pass new laws calling for government regulation of the railroads.

• Interstate Commerce Act – railroads had to tell customers how much the charge is.

– Other Goals: • Organized co-ops to help farmers

• But the Grange needed more power…

The Populist Party forms…

• Populist Party– Spread quickly– Help farmers and workers get more voice

in government

What was the Populist Party platform? What did they believe in

and want?

Populist Party Platform • Populists met in Omaha, Nebraska and

created the Omaha Platform.

• Omaha Platform:– Increase in money supply = bimetallism

• Using gold and silver

– Government ownership of railroads– Graduated income tax– Federal loans program– Election of Senators by popular vote– Secret ballot– 8 hour workday– Restrictions on immigration

Why would they want restrictions on immigration?

• Immigration = Cheap Labor– Immigrant workers competed with white

workers from the U.S. for jobs

Gold Standard vs. Bimetallism—What’s the difference?

Gold Bugs and Silverites

Gold Bugs Silverites

Who they were Bankers and businessmen Farmers and laborers

What they wanted

-Gold standard

-Less money in circulation

-Bimetallism

-More money in circulation

Why Loans would be repaid in stable money

Products would be sold at higher prices

Effects Deflation

-Prices fall

-Value of money ↑

-Fewer people have money

Inflation

-Prices rise

-Value of money ↓

-More people have money

Pro-Silver or Pro-Gold

Pro-Silver or Pro-Gold

Pro-Silver or Pro-Gold

Pro-Silver or Pro-Gold

Election of 1896

William McKinley– Republican Party– Gold Standard

William Jennings Bryan

– Democratic Party and Populist endorsement

– Bimetallism

How did Bryan feel about gold again?

Cross of Gold SpeechGold = Financial Death

And the winner is…

McKinley!

Populists lose, but make an Impact

• Poor people could organize and have an impact

• Most of their reform ideas got passed later– Direct election of senators, referendum,

initiative, secret ballot

Political reforms• Secret ballot: individual’s votes would be

kept secret, not published

• Referendum: allows citizens to vote directly on important issues rather than leave the issues in the hands of elected officials

• Recall: allows voters to remove an elected official from office before their term is up

• Initiative: allows voters to force elected officials to vote on a certain issue

Why did the Populist Party Attract Millions of Supporters?

1. Sourcing: Where is Bryan speaking? What is his purpose?

2. Context: Based on the speech, how do you think farmers and workers were feeling about business and industry? Find a quote to support your answer.

3. Close reading: What is the main point of his speech?

4. Close reading: What makes the speech so powerful? Pick the line that you think is most powerful and explain your choice.

5. Corroboration: What are two similarities between this speech and the speech by Mary Elizabeth Lease?