Populism

Populist Party = People’s Party

•Started by farmers & laborers

•1880s•Midwest

Populist Party Platform = Omaha Platform

• Farmers & Laborers• Direct election of senators by voters• Graduated income tax• Presidential term limits• A working day of eight hours• Reform of immigration regulations• Easy loans for farmers• Railroad regulation• No ownership of land by foreigners• Civil service reform• Postal banks• Pensions• Revision of the law contracts

Populists

• No Populist presidents were elected

• It took years for their ideas to become law & policy

• They will lead to the Progressive Era

The Wizard of Oz

Discontent of Farmers

• Falling crop prices – decrease profits

• Rising railroad costs

• Railroad abuse

• In debt – couldn’t pay

• Needed more equipment

• Needed more land to grow crops

Gold Standard v. Bimetallism

• The rich liked the gold standard (b/c they controlled the money)

• Money based on gold• “Gold Bugs”

• Poor farmers & workers liked bimetallism

• Money based on silver & gold

• Would increase credit & loans

• Prices would rise & farmers would make more $

• “Silverites”

The Grange

• Social & educational organization

• Farmers• To fight the RRs• Will lead to the

Populist Party

National Farmers Alliances

– Southern Alliance– Colored Farmers Alliance

– Formal farm organizations that worked on their behalf

Rebates

• Special price incentives for preferred customers (illegal)

• Payments back to the purchaser

• Railroads used this special pricing

Greenbacks• Paper money• Banks would not allow debts paid

w/greenbacks must use gold coin• Did not hold its value

Interstate Commerce Act

• Federal government power to regulate interstate trade

Munn v. Illinois, 1877

• (U.S. Supreme Court 1876) Munn, a partner in a Chicago warehouse firm, had been found guilty by an Illinois court of violating the state laws providing for the fixing of maximum charges for storage of grain.

• He appealed, contending that the fixing of maximum rates constituted a taking of property without due process of law.

• The Supreme Court upheld the Granger laws, establishing as constitutional the principle of public regulation of private businesses involved in serving the public interest.

Munn v. Illinois Decision

• Gov’t can set max price of private co. if for public good

Wabash v. Illinois, 1889• (Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad Company v.

Illinois) • U.S. Supreme Court in 1886 • The decision narrowed earlier ones (Munn) favorable to

state regulation of those phases of interstate commerce upon which Congress itself had not acted.

• The court declared invalid an Illinois law prohibiting long- and short-haul clauses in transportation contracts as an infringement on the exclusive powers of Congress granted by the commerce clause of the Constitution.

• The result = states can not regulate interstate rates for railroads, and the decision led to creation of the Interstate Commerce Commission.

Wabash v. Illinois Decision

• Created ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission)

• Fed. Gov’t controls RR rates not states

Populist Party Platform = Omaha Platform• Farmers & Laborers• Direct election of senators by voters• Graduated income tax• Presidential term limits• A working day of eight hours• Reform of immigration regulations• Easy loans for farmers• Railroad regulation• No ownership of land by foreigners• Civil service reform• Postal banks• Pensions• Revision of the law contracts

Progressivism

• 1. Who was the Nez Perce chief? • 2. What case established the ICC?• 3. Who invented the steel plow?• 4. Who gave the “Cross of Gold” speech?• 5. What political party supported William

Jennings Bryan?• 6. Who were the original cowboys?• 7. What was the Omaha platform?• 8. List 4 changes Populists wanted.• 9. Who was defeated at Little Big Horn?• 10. What does bimetallism mean?