c.20 Farmers Unite to Address Common Problems Farmers faced serious problems after the Civil War, both in the South and in the West. The prices they.

c.20c.20

Farmers Unite to Address Common Problems

• Farmers faced serious problems after the Civil War, both in the South and in the West.

• The prices they could sell their crops for kept going down. This was because the United States was withdrawing greenbacks - money printed for the Civil War – from circulation.

• The decline in prices also meant that farmers had to pay back their loans in money that was worth more than when they borrowed it.

• Farmers urged the U.S. government to increase the money supply, but the government refused.

• Meanwhile, farmers continued to pay high prices to transport their crops (usually grain).

• Often they paid as much to ship their crops as they received for them.

• Many farmers were on the brink of ruin, and the time, it seemed, had come for REFORM.

• Many farmers joined together to push for reform.

• In 1867, a farmer named Oliver Hudson Kelley started an organization that became known as the Grange that by the 1870s spent most of its time and energy fighting railroads because of the high prices they charged for transporting farmers’ products.

• The Grange gave rise to the Farmers’ Alliances. Alliance members traveled throughout the Great Plains educating farmers about how to get lower interest rates on their land and equipment, as well as ways to protest the railroads.

The Rise and Fall of Populism

• Alliance leaders realized that to make far-reaching changes, they needed political power, so laws could be changed.

• So, in 1892, they created the Populist Party (or People’s Party). This party was the beginning of populism, a movement to gain more political and economic power for common people.

• The Populist Party pushed for reforms to help farmers and called for reforms to make government more democratic.

The Populist Platform

• 1. An increase in the money supply (adding silver to the gold standard)

• 2. A graduated income tax (the rich pay more taxes)

• 3. A federal loan program for farmers• 4. Direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote • 5. Single terms for the president and vice-

president• 6. A secret ballot to prevent voting fraud• 7. An 8-hour workday• 8. Immigration restrictions

• The party appealed to many struggling farmers in the country and industrial laborers in the cities.

• Then, in 1893, the nation faced an economic crisis called the Panic of 1893 that continued on through 1895.

• The crisis made things even worse for farmers and industrial workers, and the Populist Party gained more and more followers by the day.......

• SO. When the major political parties began to choose candidates for the 1896 presidential election, one important issue rose to the forefront: Should the country’s money be backed with both gold AND silver, instead of just the traditional gold?

• On one side were the “silverites” who favored bimetallism, a monetary system in which the government would give people gold or silver in exchange for paper currency or checks.

• On the other side were the “gold bugs” who favored gold standard – backing dollars solely with gold.

Gold Bugs & SilveritesGold BugsGold Bugs SilveritesSilverites

Who They WereWho They Were Bankers and Bankers and businessmenbusinessmen

Farmers and Farmers and industrial laborersindustrial laborers

What They WantedWhat They Wanted - gold standard- gold standard

- LESS money in - LESS money in circulationcirculation

- bimetallism- bimetallism

- MORE money in - MORE money in circulationcirculation

WhyWhy Loans would be Loans would be repaid in stable repaid in stable moneymoney

Products would be Products would be sold at higher sold at higher pricesprices

EffectsEffects DEFLATIONDEFLATION

-Prices fall.-Prices fall.

-Value of -Value of

moneymoney

increases.increases.

-Fewer people-Fewer people

have money.have money.

INFLATIONINFLATION

-Prices rise.-Prices rise.

-Value of -Value of

money money

increases.increases.

-More people-More people

have money.have money.

• Republicans were “gold bugs”. They elected William McKinley for president.

• The Democrats AND the Populists both favored bimetallism, so BOTH parties nominated William Jennings Bryan, who had delivered an emotional speech at the Democratic convention in favor of bimetallism, known as the “Cross of Gold” speech.

• Thus, the stage was set for a momentous showdown between wealthy and poor interests, and on election day, the vote for the White House went for…………………..

The Silver IssueThe Silver IssueThe Silver IssueThe Silver Issue “Crime of ’73” demonetization of

silver (govt. stopped coining silver).

Bland-Allison Act (1878) limitedsilver coinage to $2-$4 mil. per mo.(based on the 16:1 ratio of silver togold).

Sherman Silver Purchase Act (1890)

The US Treasury must purchase$4.5 mil. oz. of silver a month.

Govt. deposited most silver in theUS Treasury rather than circulation.

Price Indexes for Price Indexes for Consumer & Farm Consumer & Farm Products: 1865-Products: 1865-

19131913

Price Indexes for Price Indexes for Consumer & Farm Consumer & Farm Products: 1865-Products: 1865-

19131913

Founder of the Founder of the National Grange of National Grange of

the Patrons of the Patrons of Husbandry Husbandry (1867)(1867)

Founder of the Founder of the National Grange of National Grange of

the Patrons of the Patrons of Husbandry Husbandry (1867)(1867)

The Grange The Grange MovementMovementThe Grange The Grange MovementMovement

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

Set up cooperative associations.Set up cooperative associations.

Social and educational Social and educational components.components.

Succeeded in lobbying for Succeeded in lobbying for “Granger Laws“Granger Laws.”.”

Rapidly declined by the late Rapidly declined by the late 1870s1870s..

Supreme Court Supreme Court DecisionsDecisions

Supreme Court Supreme Court DecisionsDecisions

Munn vs. IllinoisMunn vs. Illinois (1877) (1877)

Wabash, St. Louis, & Wabash, St. Louis, & Pacific Railroad Pacific Railroad Company vs. IllinoisCompany vs. Illinois (1886)(1886)

GiftGiftfor thefor theGrangeGrange

rs:rs:

The The FarmerFarmerPays Pays

for All!for All!

GiftGiftfor thefor theGrangeGrange

rs:rs:

The The FarmerFarmerPays Pays

for All!for All!

The Farmers The Farmers AlliancesAlliances

The Farmers The Farmers AlliancesAlliances

Begun in the late 1880s (Texas first Begun in the late 1880s (Texas first the the Southern AllianceSouthern Alliance; then in the ; then in the Midwest Midwest the the Northern AllianceNorthern Alliance).).

Built upon the ashes of the Grange.Built upon the ashes of the Grange.

More political and less social than More political and less social than the Grange.the Grange.

Ran candidates for office.Ran candidates for office.

Controlled 8 state legislatures & had Controlled 8 state legislatures & had 4747representatives in Congress during representatives in Congress during the 1890s.the 1890s.

United United We We

Stand, Stand, DivideDivided We d We FallFall

United United We We

Stand, Stand, DivideDivided We d We FallFall

In 1889 both In 1889 both the Northern andthe Northern andSouthern AlliancesSouthern Alliancesmerged into one—merged into one—the the Farmers’ Farmers’ AllianceAlliance..

The Populist The Populist (Peoples’) Party(Peoples’) Party

The Populist The Populist (Peoples’) Party(Peoples’) Party

1890 Bi-Election:1890 Bi-Election:

So. Alliance So. Alliance wanted to wanted to gain control of the Democratic gain control of the Democratic Party.Party.

No. Alliance No. Alliance ran 3 ran 3rdrd Party Party candidates.candidates.

1892 1892 800 met in St. Louis, MO 800 met in St. Louis, MO

majority were Alliance members.majority were Alliance members.

over 100 were African Americans.over 100 were African Americans.

reps. of labor organizations & other reps. of labor organizations & other reformers (Grange, Greenback reformers (Grange, Greenback Party).Party).

Platform of Platform of LunacyLunacy

Platform of Platform of LunacyLunacy

The Populist The Populist (Peoples’) Party(Peoples’) Party

The Populist The Populist (Peoples’) Party(Peoples’) Party

Founded by James B. Founded by James B. WeaverWeaverand Tom Watson.and Tom Watson.

Omaha, NE Convention in Omaha, NE Convention in July,July,1892.1892.

Got almost 1 million Got almost 1 million popularpopularvotes.votes.

Several Congressional Several Congressional seatsseatswon.won.

James B. Weaver, James B. Weaver, Presidential Presidential CandidateCandidate

&&James G. Field, VPJames G. Field, VP

Omaha Platform Omaha Platform of 1892of 1892

Omaha Platform Omaha Platform of 1892of 18921.1. System of System of “sub-treasuries.”“sub-treasuries.”

2.2. Abolition of the National Bank.Abolition of the National Bank.

3.3. Direct election of Senators.Direct election of Senators.

4.4. Govt. ownership of RRs, telephone & Govt. ownership of RRs, telephone & telegraph companies.telegraph companies.

5.5. Government-operated postal savings Government-operated postal savings banks.banks.

6.6. Restriction of undesirable immigration.Restriction of undesirable immigration.

7.7. 8-hour work day for government 8-hour work day for government employees.employees.

8.8. Abolition of the Pinkerton detective Abolition of the Pinkerton detective agency.agency.

9.9. Australian secret ballot.Australian secret ballot.

10.10. Re-monitization of silver.Re-monitization of silver.

11.11. A single term for President & Vice A single term for President & Vice President.President.

Govt.-Owned Govt.-Owned CompaniesCompanies

Govt.-Owned Govt.-Owned CompaniesCompanies

1892 Election1892 Election1892 Election1892 Election

Bi-Metallism Bi-Metallism IssueIssue

Bi-Metallism Bi-Metallism IssueIssue

Causes of the Causes of the 1893 Panic1893 Panic

Causes of the Causes of the 1893 Panic1893 Panic Begun 10 days after Cleveland took Begun 10 days after Cleveland took

office.office.

1.1. Several major corps. went bankrupt.Several major corps. went bankrupt.

Over 16,000 businesses Over 16,000 businesses disappeared.disappeared.

Triggered a stock market crash.Triggered a stock market crash.

Over-extended investments.Over-extended investments.

2.2. Bank failures followed causing a Bank failures followed causing a contractioncontractionof credit [nearly 500 banks closed].of credit [nearly 500 banks closed].

3.3. By 1895, unemployment reached 3 By 1895, unemployment reached 3 million.million.

Americans cried out for relief, but the Americans cried out for relief, but the Govt.Govt.continued its laissez faire policies!!continued its laissez faire policies!!

Here Lies Here Lies ProsperityProsperityHere Lies Here Lies ProsperityProsperity

Written by a Written by a Farmer at the Farmer at the End of the 19cEnd of the 19c

Written by a Written by a Farmer at the Farmer at the End of the 19cEnd of the 19cWhen the banker says he's brokeWhen the banker says he's broke

And the merchant’s up in smoke,And the merchant’s up in smoke, They forget that it's the farmer They forget that it's the farmer who feeds them all. who feeds them all. It would put them to the testIt would put them to the test If the farmer took a rest;If the farmer took a rest; Then they'd know that it's the Then they'd know that it's the farmer farmer feeds them all. feeds them all.

Coxey’s Army, Coxey’s Army, 18941894

Coxey’s Army, Coxey’s Army, 18941894

Jacob Coxey & his “Army of Jacob Coxey & his “Army of the Commonweal of Christ.”the Commonweal of Christ.”

March on Washington March on Washington “hayseed “hayseed socialists!”socialists!”

Result of Election Result of Election ReturnsReturns

Result of Election Result of Election ReturnsReturns

Populist voteincreased by40% in the bi-election year,1894.

Democratic party losses in

the West werecatastrophic!

But, Republicanswon control of

the House.

Gold / Silver Bug Gold / Silver Bug Campaign PinsCampaign Pins

Gold / Silver Bug Gold / Silver Bug Campaign PinsCampaign Pins

William Jennings William Jennings Bryan Bryan

(1860-1925)(1860-1925)

William Jennings William Jennings Bryan Bryan

(1860-1925)(1860-1925)

The “Great The “Great Commoner”Commoner”

William Jennings William Jennings BryanBryan

William Jennings William Jennings BryanBryanPrairie avenger, Prairie avenger,

mountain lion, mountain lion,Bryan, Bryan, Bryan, Bryan, Bryan, Bryan,

Bryan, Bryan,Gigantic troubadour, Gigantic troubadour,

speaking like a speaking like a siege siege gun, gun,Smashing Plymouth Smashing Plymouth Rock Rock with his boulders with his boulders from the West. from the West.

Revivalist style of oratory.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeTkT5-w5RA

Bryant’sBryant’s“Cross of Gold” “Cross of Gold”

SpeechSpeech

Bryant’sBryant’s“Cross of Gold” “Cross of Gold”

SpeechSpeechYou shall not You shall not press down press down upon the brow upon the brow of labor this of labor this crown of crown of thorns; you thorns; you shall not shall not crucify crucify mankind upon mankind upon aa cross of goldcross of gold!!

Bryan: The Bryan: The Farmers FriendFarmers Friend(The Mint Ratio)(The Mint Ratio)

Bryan: The Bryan: The Farmers FriendFarmers Friend(The Mint Ratio)(The Mint Ratio)

18,000 miles of campaign “whistle 18,000 miles of campaign “whistle stops.”stops.”

DemocDemocratic ratic Party Party Taken Taken Over Over

by the by the AgrariAgrari

an an LeftLeft

DemocDemocratic ratic Party Party Taken Taken Over Over

by the by the AgrariAgrari

an an LeftLeft

Platform tariff reductions; income tax; strictercontrol of the trusts (esp. RRs); free silver.

Mark Hanna: Mark Hanna: The “Front-Porch” The “Front-Porch”

CampaignCampaign

Mark Hanna: Mark Hanna: The “Front-Porch” The “Front-Porch”

CampaignCampaign

William McKinley William McKinley (1843-1901)(1843-1901)

William McKinley William McKinley (1843-1901)(1843-1901)

Mark Hanna to Mark Hanna to Candidate Candidate

McKinleyMcKinley

Mark Hanna to Mark Hanna to Candidate Candidate

McKinleyMcKinley

““A Giant A Giant Straddle”: Straddle”:

Suggestion for a Suggestion for a McKinley Political McKinley Political

PosterPoster

““A Giant A Giant Straddle”: Straddle”:

Suggestion for a Suggestion for a McKinley Political McKinley Political

PosterPoster

The The SeasonSeason

ed ed PoliticiPolitici

anan

vs.vs.

The The “Young“Young

” ” NewcoNewco

mermer

The The SeasonSeason

ed ed PoliticiPolitici

anan

vs.vs.

The The “Young“Young

” ” NewcoNewco

mermer

Joshua A. Joshua A. Levering: Levering:

Prohibition PartyProhibition Party

Joshua A. Joshua A. Levering: Levering:

Prohibition PartyProhibition Party

Into Into Which Which Box Box Will Will the the

VoterVoterof ’96 of ’96 Place Place His His

BallotBallot? ?

Into Into Which Which Box Box Will Will the the

VoterVoterof ’96 of ’96 Place Place His His

BallotBallot? ?

1896 Election 1896 Election ResultsResults

1896 Election 1896 Election ResultsResults

Why Did Bryan Why Did Bryan Loose?Loose?

Why Did Bryan Why Did Bryan Loose?Loose?

His focus on silver His focus on silver underminedunderminedefforts to build bridges to efforts to build bridges to urbanurbanvoters.voters.

He did not form alliances He did not form alliances withwithother groups.other groups.

McKinley’s campaign was McKinley’s campaign was well-well-organized and highly funded.organized and highly funded.

Gold Triumphs Gold Triumphs Over SilverOver Silver

Gold Triumphs Gold Triumphs Over SilverOver Silver

1900 1900 GoldGoldStandard ActStandard Act

confirmed theconfirmed thenation’s nation’s commitment tocommitment tothe gold the gold standard.standard.

A victory for the A victory for the

forces offorces ofconservatism.conservatism.

The The Wizard Wizard of Ozof Oz by L. by L. Frank Frank BaumBaum

The The Wizard Wizard of Ozof Oz by L. by L. Frank Frank BaumBaum

1964: Henry 1964: Henry Littlefield’s Littlefield’s “Thesis”? “Thesis”?

1964: Henry 1964: Henry Littlefield’s Littlefield’s “Thesis”? “Thesis”?

Henry Littlefield’s Thesis on Frank Lloyd Braun’s Wizard of OZ

• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is one of America's favorite pieces of juvenile literature. Children like it because it is a good story, full of fun characters and exciting adventures. Adults--especially those of us in history and related fields--like it because we can read between L. Frank Baum's lines and see various images of the United States at the turn of the century. That has been true since 1964, when American Quarterly published Henry M. Littlefield's "The Wizard of Oz: Parable on Populism." Littlefield described all sorts of hidden meanings and allusions to Gilded Age society in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: the wicked Witch of the East represented eastern industrialists and bankers who controlled the people (the Munchkins); the Scarecrow was the wise but naive western farmer; the Tin Woodman stood for the dehumanized industrial worker; the Cowardly Lion was William Jennings Bryan, Populist presidential candidate in 1896; the Yellow Brick Road, with all its dangers, was the gold standard; Dorothy's silver slippers (Judy Garland's were ruby red, but Baum originally made them silver) represented the Populists' solution to the nation's economic woes ("the free and unlimited coinage of silver"); Emerald City was Washington, D.C.; the Wizard, "a little bumbling old man, hiding behind a facade of paper mache and noise, . . . able to be everything to everybody," was any of the Gilded Age presidents.

• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was no longer an innocent fairy tale. According to Littlefield, Baum, a reform-minded Democrat who supported William Jennings Bryan's pro-silver candidacy, wrote the book as a parable of the Populists, an allegory of their failed efforts to reform the nation in 1896. "Baum never allowed the consistency of the allegory to take precedence over the theme of youthful entertainment," Littlefield hedged at one point; "the allegory always remains in a minor key." Still, he concluded that "the relationships and analogies outlined above . . . are far too consistent to be coincidental."

““Parable of the Parable of the Populists”?Populists”?

““Parable of the Parable of the Populists”?Populists”? Tornado Tornado ??

Dorothy Dorothy ??

Toto Toto ??

Kansas Kansas ??

Wicked Witch of theWicked Witch of theEast East ??

Tin Woodsman Tin Woodsman ??

Scarecrow Scarecrow ??

Cowardly Lion Cowardly Lion ??

Yellow Brick Road Yellow Brick Road ??

Silver Slippers Silver Slippers ??

Emerald City Emerald City ??

Oz Oz ??

The Wizard The Wizard ??

Munchkins Munchkins ??

Wicked Witch of the Wicked Witch of the West West ??

Flying Monkeys Flying Monkeys ??

Yellow Winkies Yellow Winkies ??

•Hmmm………

1896 America:The Populist Movement

& The Wizard of Oz?

Could it be the same?.............

Tornado = Panic of 1893?

• Economic Market • Panic- over Bi-metallism

Dorothy = Mary Elizabeth Lease (ie. The Kansas Pythoness)?

• “Raise less Corn and more Hell”

Toto, & the Munchkins = Average Poor Joe/Jane American Citizens (ie. “the little people”)?

Scarecrow = The Farmer?

Tin Man = Industrial Workers?

Cowardly Lion = The Gilded Age Presidents?

• Rutherford B. Hayes• James Garfield• Chester Arthur• Grover Cleveland• Benjamin Harrison• Candidate- William Jennings Bryan

Good Witch = William Jennings Bryan?

Wicked Witch = William McKinley?

“Oh-We-Oh!” Soldiers & Flying Monkeys = U.S. Military who was used by the government to put down labor strikes

Ruby (Silver) Slippers = Silver Standard?

Yellow Brick Road = Gold Standard?

Emerald City = Washington D.C.?

The Wizard of Oz = Big Business, the Giant Corporations Who Ruled D.C.?

• Unfortunately for the Populists, their inspired movement for the White House ultimately failed when McKinley won the election and defeated Bryan for the presidency.

• Bryan’s meager funds could not match the millions of dollars backing McKinley by rich industrialists, and though he campaigned furiously throughout the country, sometimes making as many as 20 speeches a day (while McKinley merely campaigned from his own front porch), Bryan only garnered 6.5 million votes to McKinley’s 7 million.

• Ultimately, not enough industrial workers (Tin Men) voted for him because they were afraid that bimetallism would lead to higher prices on goods and that their rich employers would not raise their wages in order to help them keep up with the already tough economy.

• In fact, many of the big business owners not only warned their workers that they would not increase their wages if Bryan won but that they’d also better not bother showing up for work the next day – because they’d be FIRED!

• Thus, with McKinley’s election, Populism collapsed, burying the hopes of the farmers.

• Yet then again, not so fast…….

Connections Across Time:1892 and Today• POPULISM

• The Populist Party may have been short-lived, but the term populism (politician for the people) remains very much alive in today’s political lexicon.

• While the Populists of the late 1800s fought for the rights of farmers and laborers and battled the railroad companies, today’s political analysts often hang the label of populist on a candidate fighting for middle-class families and blue-collar workers against big corporations.

• In the current political landscape, however, where nearly all candidates rely on corporate donations to help them cover the increasingly exorbitant cost of campaigning, it is often difficult to claim the title of populist.

So who’s your “populist”?Who really stands for

“change”?

• Ron Paul, Ross Perot, Rick Santorum, and Barack Obama

Heyday of Heyday of Western Western PopulismPopulism

Heyday of Heyday of Western Western PopulismPopulism

Why Did Why Did Populism Populism Decline?Decline?

Why Did Why Did Populism Populism Decline?Decline?1.1. The economy experienced rapid The economy experienced rapid

change.change.

2.2. The era of small producers and The era of small producers and farmers was fading away.farmers was fading away.

3.3. Race divided the Populist Party, Race divided the Populist Party, especially in the South.especially in the South.

4.4. The Populists were not able to The Populists were not able to breakbreakexisting party loyalties.existing party loyalties.

5.5. Most of their agenda was co-opted Most of their agenda was co-opted bybythe Democratic Party.the Democratic Party.