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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 ORGANIZATION
WHAT 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 as
an allegory to the situation that was
happening in the Midwest. Every main
character can be traced to either a particular
person or group of people. Even the word
“Oz” is used to represent the measurement
of 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 industrialists
because of his hard work
ethic and not
having 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, 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,
and the Lion rules over smaller animals in the
forest.
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.