Thank God for Farmers

The National Grange, “The Patrons of Husbandry”The National Grange, “The Patrons of Husbandry”

Agrarian MythAgrarian Myth

• The Hero

• The Virtues

• The Roots

Origins of Populist MovementOrigins of Populist Movement

• Populists saw themselves as a victimized majority– Ambivalent about free enterprise system– Attributed social and economic injustices not

to built in inequities but to nefarious conspiracies…Who?

With a group, list his problems With a group, list his problems and answer Q… 10 minutesand answer Q… 10 minutes

• The Farmer’s problems are• 1.• 2.• 3.• 4.• 5.• 6. etc

? How does the platform of Ocala address these?

Organizations behind PopulismOrganizations behind Populism• National Grange aka Patrons of Husbandry

– 1870s agricultural depression– Cooperatives– Granger cases, ‘77,’86 fighting for better rates

• Southern Alliance: out of TX 1877; others– Colored Farmers Alliance

• Northern Alliance - founded Illinois 1880 • – renamed National Farmers’ Alliance• Set up stores, cooperatives• Differences prohibited unified organization• Southerners Meet: Ocala, Florida

– Enter Alliance candidates in 1890 elections

Populist Party Platform Populist Party Platform Omaha 1892: If I Only Had a BrainOmaha 1892: If I Only Had a Brain

1. Inflation by adding silver to the coinage and backing of currency – 16:1

2. Government ownership of RR’s and utilities3. Graduated income tax4. Lower tariffs5. Saving accounts at Post offices6. A subtreasury system in which the government does

banking7. Limiting immigration8. 8 hour workday9. Direct election of Senators and terms limits of politicians10. Initiative and referendum11. Secret ballot system

1890 Farmers Alliance reborn 1890 Farmers Alliance reborn as Populist Movementas Populist Movement

The Money SupplyThe Money Supply

• Traditionally, U.S. was on bimetallic standard with the number of grains of each in a dollar adjusted periodically

• California gold rush had depressed the price of gold

• The Coinage Act of 1873 or “Crime of ’73”• Silver mines in Nevada, Colorado are hurt• Thus: Miners and farmers and inflationists versus

eastern conservatives

Silverites v. Silverites v. GoldbugsGoldbugs• Search for compromise…

– National Greenback Party – 1878 Bland-Allison Act: authorized purchase of

between $2 and $4 million of silver a month• Hayes veto but override• purchased minimum• Commercial price of silver declined

– Sen. Sherman gets a law…or two• greenbacks became redeemable in gold

– 1890 Sherman Silver Purchase Act: • A deal in exchange for raising tariffs - McKinley Tariff• required govt to buy 4.5 million OUNCES of silver /mo• So silver mines overproduced & silver prices fell

Trouble for RepublicansTrouble for Republicans

• McKinley Tariff unpopular

• Harrison vetoes extra money for farmers

• Billion Dollar Congress

• Harrison

• 1890: Lose Congress – Ocala Demands…

The Populists are Born: OmahaThe Populists are Born: Omaha• Rerun election:

Harrison v. Cleveland – versus… General

James Weaver (Iowa)– Mary Elizabeth Lease– Tom Watson, Georgia– “Sockless Jerry”

Simpson, Kansas– Ignatius Donnelly,

Minnesota Weaver

Populists disappointed 1892 Populists disappointed 1892 – Cleveland won the election by 277 electoral votes to

Harrison’s 145 and Weaver’s 22– Populists swept Kansas and elected local officials in a

number of western states• But • Kansas House ends up a mess: “Whats the Matter with Kansas?”

writes editor William Allen White• Key leaders: Donnelly and Watson lose reelections

– Failed to unite white and black southerners– But the money issue becomes central

• follow the yellow brick road to 1896

The Panic of 1893The Panic of 1893• For some farmers struggle began in the 1880’s• Bankrupt: 1893 - Major British bank, Baring

Bros. led to financial panic worldwide• US RR Construction was slowing• Hundreds of textile mills and factories closed,

millions lost jobs (20% in some cities)• ¼ of RR’s went bankrupt• Hardship in winter ’93-94So: Cleveland blames it partly on silver• Congress repeals Sherman Silver Purchase Act

Cleveland seemed callous…Cleveland seemed callous…

• Pullman Strike in Chicago ‘ 94– Sent in 2000 soldiers – In solidarity, the ARU refuses

to moves trains– Att Gen. Olney gets injunction

over mail- Debs denied habeas corpus by

SC

- Coxey’s Army

Jacob Coxey’s Industrial Army 1894Jacob Coxey’s Industrial Army 1894

– Coxey’s “Army” of 500

– Also from Midwest, Dakotas, Rocky Mtns, Oregon, Washington!!

– Demand work programs from govt

You’re not in Kansas Anymore

Honest Workmen or Tramps?Honest Workmen or Tramps?– Enroute, city officials

in places as far off as Portland Oregon had considered arresting the vagrants who gathered en masse

– Cleveland has three leaders arrested

– Baton wielding police removed others from Capitol grounds.

Portland Mayor and Leader Kain argue Portland Mayor and Leader Kain argue merits of the march…merits of the march…

Kain: "We have been living all winter on Salvation Army soup tickets; we are tired of that. We want work, work, sir — at honest wages — at wages on which we can support a family.”

Strong: "Why all this aimless traveling about the country? And what are you doing here?”

Kain: “We are headed to Washington, D.C.,for the purpose of showing the national authorities the actual condition of the unemployed in this country. We are starving in a land of plenty! Why?”

Strong: [You are a collection of] organized vagrants for the purpose of terrorizing the community."Palmateer, Dimitri. “Charity and the Tramp.” Oregon Historical Quarterly, 2006. Vol. 107.2

http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/ohq/107.2/palmateer.html

1895 Goldbug Cleveland turns to… 1895 Goldbug Cleveland turns to… JP for HelpJP for Help• US Gold Reserves fell

– $100 mill. was needed– Get more gold or…

JP Morgan serves the US…?

Depression and “Army” Hurt the Depression and “Army” Hurt the (ahem) Wizard’s Standing (ahem) Wizard’s Standing

• 1894 Republicans win back Congress in mid-term elections– Dems split– Western/Southern

farmers turn toward Populists

Adding to it all…the Courts reacted Adding to it all…the Courts reacted with decisions that rocked the with decisions that rocked the

political landscape…political landscape…

• 1895: Supreme Court decisions– United States v. E.C. Knight Company.

– Pollock v. Farmers’ Loan and Trust Company

– Denied a writ of habeas corpus to Gene Debs

““It Has Been Going on Fifty Years Too Long, but It Has Been Going on Fifty Years Too Long, but Will It Be Stopped March 3, 1897?”Will It Be Stopped March 3, 1897?”

“John Bull’s Little Game”St Louis Post-

Dispatch

Sept. 1896

1896:1896: GoldGold versusversus SilverSilver Republicans announced for the gold standard

• William McKinley of Ohio

Democrats repudiated Cleveland- Called for free and unlimited

coinage of silver- William Jennings Bryan of Nebraska

Pressured, Populists also nominated BryanTom Watson of GA as vice-president

Campaign 1896: William McKinley Campaign 1896: William McKinley Managed by Mark HannaManaged by Mark Hanna

The Front porch campaign

Dollar Mark Organizes – Less patronage from govt appointees– Newspapers press for frankness– Big business wants to temper calls for regulation

New fundraising: $3.5 million dollars– banks, insurance companies and big corporations– 1500 speakers/ 250 mill pieces of literature

Judge v. PuckJudge v. Puck

William Jennings Bryan: William Jennings Bryan: The Great Commoner 1860-1925The Great Commoner 1860-1925

• The Lion that roared…

“He is an exceedingly pleasant talker, and is fond of dealing in well-rounded phrases. His speeches abound with poetry. He is of Irish extraction, but his people have lived in this country for more than a hundred years. In religion he is a Presbyterian, but believes in an entire separation of Church and State.”

Great Leaders and National Issues of 1896, published during the campaign. Such biographies were popular to introduce politicians.

The “Cross of Gold Speech”The “Cross of Gold Speech”

“…You come to us and tell us that the great cities are in favor of the gold standard; we reply that the great cities rest upon our broad and fertile prairies. Burn down your cities and leave our farms, and your cities will spring up again as if by magic; but destroy our farms and the grass will grow in the streets of every city in the country…”

The Last Paragraph Got ‘Em The Last Paragraph Got ‘Em Screamin’Screamin’

“If they say bimetallism is good, but that we cannot have it until other nations help us, we reply, that instead of having a gold standard because England has, we will restore bimetallism, and then let England have bimetallism because the United States has it. If they dare to come out in the open field and defend the gold standard as a good thing, we will fight them to the uttermost. Having behind us the producing masses of this nation and the world, supported by the commercial interests, the laboring interests and the toilers everywhere, we will answer their demand for a gold standard by saying to them: You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold!”

“The Sacrilegious Candidate”

Judge

Sept, 1896

• “Crown of Thorns”

by W. A. Rogers

“The Silver Candle and the Moths”

Judge Magazine

July 1896

Election of 1896: The Realignment Election of 1896: The Realignment McKinley 271 to Bryan 176 elect. votesMcKinley 271 to Bryan 176 elect. votes

William McKinley: Why does he William McKinley: Why does he represent “modern” and “progress”?represent “modern” and “progress”?

• A modern president– Republicans are steady progress, the future party– Prods Republicans into considering regulating

business– But higher tariffs– Rides in a car!– Talks to reporters more than others had– Spanish American War 1898 – 1900 new VP, young man…– Pan-American Exposition Buffalo Sept 6 1901

Does Littlefield’s essay Does Littlefield’s essay convince you that the Wizard of convince you that the Wizard of

Oz is a good parable of Oz is a good parable of Populism?Populism?

Who is the tin man ?