populism

POPULISMThe People’s

Party

First organized in the 1870s in the Midwest, the south, and Texas.

Set up cooperative associations. Social and economic needs. Succeeded in lobbying for

“Granger Laws.” Rapidly declined by the late

1870s.

The Grange MovementAn early farm organization

THE GRANGE MOVEMENTAN EARLY FARM ORGANIZATIONWHAT it did for Farmers? 1. Cooperative Movement- provided

farmers a social network pooled their money to make shared purchases of machinery, supplies, insurance, etc.

HOW? 2.Worked for pro-farmer laws- an

early national farm organization, worked for mutual welfare of farmers.

Examples: Interstate Commerce Act-regulate railroad rates and railroads.

OVERPRODUCTION-Farmers

grow too much and price of goods fell.

HIGH DEBT- Farmers forced to take out loans

and pay high interest rates* Many banks foreclosed on properties

HIGH COSTS-seeds,

machinery, RAILROADS

WEATHER/NATURAL DISASTERS

THE GRANGE MOVEMENT

PROBLEMS OF

FARMERS

GRANGERS/POPULISM FARMERS EXPERIENCE TROUBLES… Specialization of crops-Farmers only raise one

crop(leads to trouble if that crop has problems) Disasters-

Floods, boll-weevil, & grasshoppers

WHAT IS POPULISM? Political movement that tried to help out

the nation’s struggling farmers

POPULISM-WHY? 1. Mechanization - More machines =

more debt

2. New Farm Land More land (on credit) = more debt

GOLD VS SILVERGOLD BUGS SILVERITES

WHO THEY WERE

BANKERS AND BUSINESS MEN

FARMERS AND LABORERS

WHAT THEY

WANTED

GOLD STANDARD~ less in circulation, increase the value~currency backed by Gold is more stable.

BIMETALISM~more money in circulation~currency backed by Gold & Silver, cheap money.

WHY LOANS would be repaid in stable money.

PRODUCTS would be sold at higher prices.

EFFECTS DEFLATION~prices fall~value of money increases~fewer people have money

INFLATION~prices rise~value of money decreases~more money in circulation

GOLD BUGS SILVERITES

1. System of “sub-treasuries.”2. Abolition of the National Bank.3. Direct election of Senators.4. Govt. ownership of RRs, telephone & telegraph

companies.5. Government-operated postal savings banks.6. Restriction of undesirable immigration.7. 8-hour work day for government employees.8. Abolition of the Pinkerton detective agency.9. Australian secret ballot.10. Re-monetization of silver.11. A single term for President & Vice President.

OMAHA-POPULIST PLATFORM

THE POPULIST PARTYPRESIDENCY:

Wanted a single term for President and Vice President

Backed candidate William Jennings Bryan

THE POPULIST PARTYMONEY:

Wanted to inflate the currency by either printing paper money or coining silver(BIMETALISM…KNOW THIS WORD!)

THE POPULIST PARTYTAX:

Wanted a GRADUATED FEDERAL INCOME TAX-(we have this today…Amendment #16)

It would take a higher proportion of large incomes than of small incomes.

The more you make the more the government takes.

THE POPULIST PARTYIMMIGRATION:

Wanted to restrict immigration Too much over production and under

consumption

THE POPULIST PARTYVOTING: A Secret ballot to end voter fraud. Wanted to institute: 1. Initiative- a law comes from the

people and is introduced into government

2. Recall-the people can petition to take a politician out of office before his term is up

3. Referendum-law makes it pass legislation and take it to the people to get their opinion.

THE POPULIST PARTYSENATORS:

Wanted direct election of senators instead of by state legislation(Amendment #17)

Increased people’s ability to participate in the government.

THE POPULIST PARTYGOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP OF:

Called for government ownership & operation of the railroads, telegraph and telephone system.

Munn Vs. Illinois- case that stated the state has the right to regulate a private business if it is for the public good.

THE POPULIST PARTYWORKDAY:

Wanted an 8 hour work day Bread and Butter Goals used to

attract more than just farmers if they wanted to be successful.

POPULIST PARTY & FREE SILVERWHY?Populist believed that this would solve

nearly all of the farmer’s problems.WHAT?They wanted to use both silver and gold

coins, thus increasing the amount of money in the country.

All money would be worth less, a situation that was bad for creditors (big banks) and good for debtors(farmers).

A POPULIST PRESIDENTWilliam Jennings Bryan

Ran as a Populist President in 1896 on platform of Free Silver

Big business opposes his run, Republicans win the White House & Populist fade away.

WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN “CROSS OF GOLD SPEECH” EXCERPT

You come to us and tell us that the great cities are in favor of the gold standard. I tell you that the great cities rest upon these broad and fertile prairies. Burn down your cities and leave our farms, and your cities will spring up again as if bymagic. But destroy our farms and the grass will grow in the streets of every city in the country.

…we shall answer their demands 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.

WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN “CROSS OF GOLD SPEECH” EXCERPT CONTINUED…

CAMPAIGN PINS FROM THE 1890’S ELECTION…

WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYANCongressman from Nebraska, three-time presidential candidate (1896, 1900, and 1908), and later Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson

WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN WAS DEFEATED BY WILLIAM MCKINLEY

President Woodrow Wilson appointed him Secretary of State in 1913, but Wilson's handling of the Lusitania crisis in 1915 caused Bryan to resign in protest.

THE WIZARD OF OZWRITTEN BY ACTIVE POPULIST L. FRANK BAUM

•The depression of the 1890s was the worst in U.S. history up to that time. Farm prices sunk to new lows. Unemployment caused havoc, desperation and union militancy among the urban working class.

THE LAND OF OZ

WIZARD OF OZThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz was written asan allegory to the situation that washappening in the Midwest. Every maincharacter can be traced to either a particularperson or group of people. Even the word “Oz” is used to represent the measurementof gold.

DOROTHY:REPRESENTS EVERYMAN. SHE IS AN INNOCENT MIDWEST GIRL WHO IS ABLE TO SEE WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON IN OZ.

MUNCHKINS: REPRESENT THE COMMON PEOPLE, CONTROLLED BY THE WICKED WITCH OF THE EAST (WHO REPRESENTED THE EASTERN INDUSTRIALISTS AND BANKERS.

SCARECROW:REPRESENTS THE WISE BUT NAÏVE WESTERN FARMER, TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY THE INDUSTRIALISTS AND BANKERS.

TIN MAN:Represents the dehumanized industrial worker. He is turned into a machine back the industrialistsbecause of his hard workethic and nothaving another craft to succeed in. He eventually becomes unable to love.

COWARDLY LION:Represents William Jennings Bryan, having a loud roar but was unable to back it up (bite).

WIZARD OF OZ

Although the silver had been lost, theimportant message is a return to the Midwestfarmer/family. It is where true happinessremains. Back in Oz, the Scarecrow now runs theEmerald City, the Tin man rules in the west,and the Lion rules over smaller animals in theforest. Power has been returned to the people.

WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST:Represents the Western industrial influence and is ultimately destroyed by water (representing pure nature, a removal of machines).

WIZARD OF OZ…RESULTS

Although the silver had been lost, the important message is a return to the Midwest farmer/family.

It is where true happiness remains. Back in Oz, the Scarecrow now runs the

Emerald City. the Tin man rules in the west. the Lion rules over smaller animals in the

forest. Power has been returned to the people.

SUPREME COURT CASES TO REMEMBER

Munn vs. Illinois (1877)- case that stated the state has the right to regulate a private business if it is for the public good.

Wabash, St. Louis, & Pacific Railroad Company vs. Illinois (1886)- case that severely limited the rights of states to control interstate commerce. It led to the creation of the Interstate Commerce commission.