Populism“What you farmers need to do is

raise less corn and more Hell!”-Mary Elizabeth Lease (1890)

Populist Organizer

Populism:

Political movement that tried to help the nation’s farmers rights and power against the elite.

Background

Depression of 1890 was the worst in the United States up to that time.

Farmers struggled due to:› 1) Mechanization: More machines=more

debt› 2) New Land (on credit): more debt› 3) Specialization of crops: Farmers only

raise one crops, but struggle if that crop does poorly

› 4) Disasters: floods, insects, droughts

The Grange

Cooperative movement-farmers pooled their money to make shared purchases of machinery, supplies, insurance, etc.

One of the largest: Colored Farmers Alliance (goal: education! This would make African-Americans more informed voters)

Worked for pro farmer laws› Ex. Interstate Commerce Act- regulated rates

of railroads

Populists and Free Silver

Populists believed that this would solve the farmer’s problems (Populists urged Black & White farmers to work TOGETHER—they had similar problems; this dramatically increased lynchings).

They wanted to use both silver and gold coins, thus increasing the amount of money in the country

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

A Populist President?William Jennings Bryan

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

Big business opposes his run, William McKinley and the Republicans win the white house & Populists fade away

“You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind upon across of gold”--W.J.Bryan

W.J. Bryan Vs. William McKinley

The Wizard of Oz

Written in 1900, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is an allegory about the Populist movement.

Frank Baum, the author, was a supporter of the Populist presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan

The Wizard of Oz: Symbols

Ruby slippers: In the book, the slippers are silver (magic of Free Silver)

Yellow Brick Road: “Gold” is a danger for regular people like Dorothy.

Oz: An abbreviation of ounce (the way gold is measured).

Wizard of Oz: Characters

Dorothy: Everyman. An innocent, Midwestern girl with traditional American values who can see what is really going on in Oz.

Munchkins: The common people controlled by the Wicked Witch of the East (who represents the Eastern Industrialists, bankers and brokers on Wall Street).

Wizard of Oz: Characters

Scarecrow: The wise, but naïve western farmer, taken advantage of by the industrialists and bankers.

Tinman: Dehumanized industrial worker.

Cowardly Lion: William Jennings Bryan. All roar and no bite. Bryan was a pacifist.

Wizard of Oz: Characters

Toto: Temperance activists (allies of the Populists).

Wicked Witch of the West: The industrial influence on the west and is destroyed by water (pure nature, a removal of machines).

Wizard: President McKinley. A “puppet master” or all show with no substance.

Wizard of Oz

The Emerald City: Washington, DC Gilda the Good Witch: Factory and Farm

Workers