Problems of the FarmersProblems of the FarmersProblems of the FarmersProblems of the Farmers

• Drought

• Surpluses

• Prices set by world market

• Railroad corruption

• Debt & monetary policies

• Drought

• Surpluses

• Prices set by world market

• Railroad corruption

• Debt & monetary policies

Farmer’s Farmer’s OrganizeOrganizeFarmer’s Farmer’s OrganizeOrganize

• The Grange

• The Southern Alliance

• The Coop

• The Grange

• The Southern Alliance

• The Coop

Demands Demands for Reformfor ReformDemands Demands

for Reformfor Reform

Tariff

Banking

Currency Laws

Tariff

Banking

Currency Laws

Catalyst: 1891 = Banks began to Catalyst: 1891 = Banks began to foreclose on farm mortgagesforeclose on farm mortgages

Catalyst: 1891 = Banks began to Catalyst: 1891 = Banks began to foreclose on farm mortgagesforeclose on farm mortgages

The Farmer is the ManThe Farmer is the ManWhen the banker says he's When the banker says he's brokebroke And the merchant’s up in smoke,And the merchant’s up in smoke,

They forget that it's the farmer They forget that it's the farmer who feeds them all. who feeds them all. It would put them to the testIt would put them to the test If the farmer took a rest;If the farmer took a rest; Then they'd know that it's the Then they'd know that it's the farmer feeds them all.farmer feeds them all.

The Farmer is the ManThe Farmer is the ManWhen the banker says he's When the banker says he's brokebroke And the merchant’s up in smoke,And the merchant’s up in smoke,

They forget that it's the farmer They forget that it's the farmer who feeds them all. who feeds them all. It would put them to the testIt would put them to the test If the farmer took a rest;If the farmer took a rest; Then they'd know that it's the Then they'd know that it's the farmer feeds them all.farmer feeds them all.

The Silver IssueThe Silver IssueThe Silver IssueThe Silver Issue “Crime of ’73”Crime of ’73” demonetization of

silver (govt. stopped coining silver).

Bland-Allison ActBland-Allison Act (1878) limitedsilver coinage to $2-$4 mil. per mo.(based on the 16:1 ratio of silver togold).

Sherman Silver Purchase ActSherman Silver Purchase Act (1890)

The US Treasury must purchase$4.5 mil. oz. of silver a month.

Govt. deposited most silver in theUS Treasury rather than circulation.

Platform of Platform of LunacyLunacy

Platform of Platform of LunacyLunacy

The Populist (Peoples’) PartyThe Populist (Peoples’) PartyThe Populist (Peoples’) PartyThe Populist (Peoples’) Party

Founded by James B. Founded by James B. WeaverWeaverand Tom Watson.and Tom Watson.

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

Got almost 1 million Got almost 1 million popularpopularvotes.votes.

Several Congressional Several Congressional seatsseatswon.won.

Founded by James B. Founded by James B. WeaverWeaverand Tom Watson.and Tom Watson.

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

Got almost 1 million Got almost 1 million popularpopularvotes.votes.

Several Congressional Several Congressional seatsseatswon.won.

James B. Weaver, James B. Weaver, Presidential Presidential CandidateCandidate

James B. Weaver, James B. Weaver, Presidential Presidential CandidateCandidate

Omaha Platform, 1892Omaha Platform, 1892Omaha Platform, 1892Omaha Platform, 1892

• Free unlimited coinage of silver

• National income tax

• Free unlimited coinage of silver

• National income tax

Omaha Platform, 1892Omaha Platform, 1892Omaha Platform, 1892Omaha Platform, 1892

• Government ownership of Railroads, telephone, telegraphs

• Government ownership of Railroads, telephone, telegraphs

• Government secured loans to farmers

• Treasury storehouse for surplus crops

• 8 hour work day

• Direct election of Senators

• Initiative & referendum

• Australian (secret) ballot

• Government secured loans to farmers

• Treasury storehouse for surplus crops

• 8 hour work day

• Direct election of Senators

• Initiative & referendum

• Australian (secret) ballot

1892 Election1892 Election1892 Election1892 Election

Panic of 1893Panic of 1893Panic of 1893Panic of 1893 Over 16,000 businesses Over 16,000 businesses

disappeared.disappeared.

Triggered stock market crash.Triggered stock market crash.

500 Bank failures. 500 Bank failures.

3 million 3 million unemployed.unemployed.

Govt. Govt. continued continued laissez faire laissez faire policies.policies.

Over 16,000 businesses Over 16,000 businesses disappeared.disappeared.

Triggered stock market crash.Triggered stock market crash.

500 Bank failures. 500 Bank failures.

3 million 3 million unemployed.unemployed.

Govt. Govt. continued continued laissez faire laissez faire policies.policies.

William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925)

William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925)

The “Great Commoner”The “Great Commoner”

•Nebraska Senator

•1896 Populist

& Democratic Nominee for President

•Nebraska Senator

•1896 Populist

& Democratic Nominee for President

• “You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold!”

• “You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold!”

Bryan: The Farmers FriendBryan: The Farmers FriendBryan: The Farmers FriendBryan: The Farmers Friend

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

Mark Hanna: Mark Hanna: The “Front-Porch” The “Front-Porch” CampaignCampaign

Mark Hanna: Mark Hanna: The “Front-Porch” The “Front-Porch” CampaignCampaign

William McKinley William McKinley (1843-1901)(1843-1901)William McKinley William McKinley (1843-1901)(1843-1901)

The The Seasoned Seasoned PoliticianPolitician

vs.vs.

The The “Young” “Young”

NewcomerNewcomer

The The Seasoned Seasoned PoliticianPolitician

vs.vs.

The The “Young” “Young”

NewcomerNewcomer

Into Into Which Which

Box Box Will the Will the VoterVoterof ’96 of ’96 Place Place His His

Ballot?Ballot?

Into Into Which Which

Box Box Will the Will the VoterVoterof ’96 of ’96 Place Place His His

Ballot?Ballot?

1896 Election 1896 Election ResultsResults

1896 Election 1896 Election ResultsResults

Heyday of Western PopulismHeyday of Western PopulismHeyday of Western PopulismHeyday of Western Populism

Gold Triumphs Over SilverGold Triumphs Over SilverGold Triumphs Over SilverGold Triumphs Over Silver

1900 1900 Gold GoldStandard ActStandard Act

confirmed theconfirmed thenation’s nation’s commitment commitment totothe gold the gold standard.standard.

Other Populist Other Populist reforms were reforms were adopted by adopted by Dem. & Dem. & RepublicansRepublicans

1900 1900 Gold GoldStandard ActStandard Act

confirmed theconfirmed thenation’s nation’s commitment commitment totothe gold the gold standard.standard.

Other Populist Other Populist reforms were reforms were adopted by adopted by Dem. & Dem. & RepublicansRepublicans

Analyze the ways in which technology, government policy, and economic

conditions changed American Agriculture in the period 1865-1900.

In your answer be sure to evaluate farmer’s responses to theses changes.

Technology

• Railroads:– Standard gauge track– Atchison, Topeka,

Santa Fe– Great Northern– Refrigerated cars

• Chemical fertilizers• Grain elevators• Dry farming

– Irrigation expensive w/o government aid

– windmills

• Meatpacking processes– Swift & Armour

• Improvements in– Steel plows– Threshers– windmills

Economic Conditions

• Boom & bust cycles• Extension of commercial farming• Panics of ’73, ’93• Overproduction= crop surpluses• Railroad policies

– Short/long haul– Rebates/drawbacks

• Sharecropping (south)

Government Policies

• Homestead Act (’62)• High tariffs

– Dingley– McKinley

• Gold Standard• Interstate Commerce Commission• Oklahoma Land Rush• Sherman Anti-Trust Act

Farmer’s Responses• The Grange• Bimetalism• Populist Party• Omaha Platform (include details & success of)• Populists

– James Weaver– Tom Watson– Pitchfork Ben Tillman– Sockless Jerry Simpson– Mary Elizabeth Lease– William Jennings Bryan

• Election of 1896