The Populist and The Populist and Progressive Progressive movementmovement

POPULISM AND AGRARIAN POPULISM AND AGRARIAN UNRESTUNREST

Response to abusesResponse to abuses Political issues of the Political issues of the

Gilded Age:Gilded Age:Labor unrestLabor unrestGovernment reformGovernment reformThird-party movementsThird-party movements

DEVELOPMENT OF DEVELOPMENT OF POPULISMPOPULISM

The GrangeThe GrangeFarm movement against Farm movement against RailroadRailroad

DeflationDeflationFarm prices fallFarm prices fallFarmers unable to pay debtsFarmers unable to pay debts

THE POPULIST PARTYTHE POPULIST PARTYLeadersLeaders

Thomas E. WatsonThomas E. WatsonMary Elizabeth LeaseMary Elizabeth Lease

MembersMembersFarmersFarmersLed by lawyers and other Led by lawyers and other professionalsprofessionals

FARMER DEMANDSFARMER DEMANDS

Cheap moneyCheap moneyEstablish postal savings banksEstablish postal savings banksFederal loan programsFederal loan programsGraduated Federal income taxGraduated Federal income tax““Free Silver”Free Silver”

1896 Election1896 Election

Bryan vs McKinleyBryan vs McKinleyFree Silverites vs GoldbugsFree Silverites vs Goldbugs

Bi-metallism vs Gold StandardBi-metallism vs Gold StandardAgriculture vs Agriculture vs

ManufacturingManufacturingSouth and West vs NorthSouth and West vs North

1896 Election Politicians1896 Election Politicians William Jennings BryanWilliam Jennings Bryan

““Cross of Gold” SpeechCross of Gold” Speech““Stump” for votes – 1Stump” for votes – 1stst to do to do

William McKinleyWilliam McKinley““Front Porch” campaignFront Porch” campaignStable appearance and backing Stable appearance and backing

from Marcus (Mark) Alonzo from Marcus (Mark) Alonzo HannaHanna

Middle class feared inflationMiddle class feared inflation

Successes of the PopulistsSuccesses of the Populists

Graduated income taxGraduated income taxGovernment loans to farmersGovernment loans to farmersDirect election of US senatorsDirect election of US senatorsSecret ballot, recall, initiativeSecret ballot, recall, initiativeShorter workdayShorter workdayAgriculture prices roseAgriculture prices rose

THE PROGRESSIVESTHE PROGRESSIVES

White collar workers joined the White collar workers joined the farmers demand for reformfarmers demand for reform

Movement from three sourcesMovement from three sourcesReligionReligionThe PressThe PressRadical political groups - Radical political groups -

SocialistsSocialists

POLITICAL REFORM UNDER POLITICAL REFORM UNDER THE PROGRESSIVESTHE PROGRESSIVES

started at the local levelstarted at the local level TacticsTactics

“ “throw the rascals out”throw the rascals out”Institutional changesInstitutional changes

–““gas and water socialism”gas and water socialism”–Commission governmentCommission government–Council-manager Council-manager governmentgovernment

PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL REFORMSREFORMS

State Government reformsState Government reforms““Fighting Bob LaFollette”Fighting Bob LaFollette”attack “interests”attack “interests”

TaxesTaxesregulationsregulations

OTHER POLITICAL REFORMSOTHER POLITICAL REFORMSSecret Ballot - end vote fraudSecret Ballot - end vote fraud Initiative - citizens introduce Initiative - citizens introduce

bills by petition - state and bills by petition - state and federalfederal

recall - removed officials recall - removed officials before the end of their termsbefore the end of their terms

referendum - people vote on referendum - people vote on bills after passed by bills after passed by legislaturelegislature

OTHER POLITICAL REFORMSOTHER POLITICAL REFORMS

Direct primary - candidates Direct primary - candidates selected by popular election selected by popular election instead of machinesinstead of machines

Direct election of senators - Direct election of senators - popular election rather than popular election rather than legislatures - 1913 legislatures - 1913 Seventeenth AmendmentSeventeenth Amendment

MUCKRAKERSMUCKRAKERSInvestigative journalism to expose disturbing conditions“Yellow Journalism” – simple sensationalism to boost sales

Lincoln Steffens – city corruptionIda Tarbell – Standard Oil corrupt

Upton Sinclair – The Jungle

PROGRESSIVE PROGRESSIVE PRESIDENTSPRESIDENTS

THEODORE ROOSEVELTTHEODORE ROOSEVELT ““Square Deal”Square Deal”

Belief that all people should Belief that all people should have equal opportunity to have equal opportunity to succeed through strong succeed through strong personal ethics, a sense of personal ethics, a sense of fairness and adherence to fairness and adherence to the spirit of the law.the spirit of the law.

Roosevelt’s Square DealRoosevelt’s Square Deal ““Trust Busting”Trust Busting”

Northern Securities CompanyNorthern Securities CompanyHepburn Act passedHepburn Act passed

stricter controls over railroadsstricter controls over railroadsincreased power of the ICCincreased power of the ICC

Coal Strike 1902 - set precedent Coal Strike 1902 - set precedent used office prestige to settle strikeused office prestige to settle strike

Roosevelt’s Square DealRoosevelt’s Square Deal Pure Food and Drug ActPure Food and Drug Act

allowed government allowed government inspection for purity and inspection for purity and safetysafety

1906 Meat Inspection Act1906 Meat Inspection Act ConservationConservation

1902 Newlands Act1902 Newlands Actused the Forest Reserve Actused the Forest Reserve Act

Roosevelt’s Square DealRoosevelt’s Square DealConservation continuedConservation continued

Unpopular alignment with Unpopular alignment with the “Old Guard” the “Old Guard” (Conservative (Conservative Republicans)Republicans)

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFTWILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Roosevelt’s successorRoosevelt’s successorProblemsProblems

Payne-Aldrich TariffPayne-Aldrich TariffBallinger-Pinchot Ballinger-Pinchot ControversyControversy

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFTWILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

SUCCESSESSUCCESSES the REAL “Trust-buster”the REAL “Trust-buster”shaped a federal budgetshaped a federal budgetgained support for the 16th gained support for the 16th

and 17th Amendmentsand 17th AmendmentsNew Mexico and Arizona New Mexico and Arizona

statehoodstatehood

WOODROW WILSONWOODROW WILSON

WILSON’S “NEW FREEDOM”WILSON’S “NEW FREEDOM”Monopolies were evilMonopolies were evilFederal power should be Federal power should be used to ensure equality of used to ensure equality of opportunityopportunity

WOODROW WILSONWOODROW WILSON WILSON’S REFORMSWILSON’S REFORMS

the Underwood Tariffthe Underwood Tariff the Federal Reserve Actthe Federal Reserve Act

Central banking system with Central banking system with 12 district banks 12 district banks

created a “flexible” money created a “flexible” money supply -AKA“elastic supply -AKA“elastic currency”currency”

WOODROW WILSONWOODROW WILSON Wilson’s Reforms ContinuedWilson’s Reforms Continued

Anti-Trust LegislationAnti-Trust LegislationFederal Trade Commission ActFederal Trade Commission ActClayton Anti-Trust ActClayton Anti-Trust Act

Keating- Owen Child Labor ActKeating- Owen Child Labor Act1908 National Conference on 1908 National Conference on

ConservationConservationNational Conservation CommissionNational Conservation CommissionEnforced existing laws against illegal Enforced existing laws against illegal

occupation of public landsoccupation of public lands