Cities and Farmers of the Late 19 th Century S
Problems in the Cities Overcrowding and slums Cheap tenement housing, but typically lacked air flow Unsanitary Traffic Congestion Narrow streets that were never designed to accommodate so many people Horses Cars No garbage collection service or proper sewage system Vast difference in wealth that led to class tensions
Overpopulation
Traffic Congestion Like this, only smellier
No garbage or waste collection
Political Machines Group of people who encouraged the poor and immigrants to vote for them Promised to provide social services in return Led by a “Boss” Officials elected by the “political machine” over charged on public contracts and made huge fortunes Example: Tammany Hall of New York led by Boss William Marcy “Boss” Tweed
Tammany Hall & “Boss” Tweed Estimated that he stole between $25 – 45 million in taxpayer money Later estimates say it was closer to $200 million…
Problems on the Farm Food prices fall Agricultural overproduction – Opening of the Great Plains increased the amount of farmland International competition – farmers faced new competition from foreign countries, which kept prices low Scarcity of money kept food prices low – gold/silver prices fluctuated so the government stopped minting silver dollars Not enough money in circulation
Problems on the Farms Other problems faced by Farmers Profits of the middlemen Farmers did not sell crops directly to urban consumers Bought at harvest time when prices were their lowest, and farmers had no choices but to sell High shipping costs – unfair railroad rates Over charged for “short hauls,” shipments from communities serviced by one railroad line High costs of manufactured products – protective tariffs Farmer debt – had to take on loans when harvest was bad, very high rates Natural disasters Rural isolation
Farmer Organizations Grange Movement National association of farmers’ social clubs – served social and educational purposes Farmers’ Cooperatives Attempts by Grangers to set up their own businesses for buying and selling bulk Populist Party Grangers formed “Farmers’ Alliance,” which formed the populist party in the early 1890s A new national political party that represented the common interests of farmers and workers The “People’s Party”
Granger Laws Laws that regulated grain elevators and railroads Kept prices low to favor farmers Munn v. Illinois SCOTUS ruled that states could regulate the grain elevator industry (the middlemen) Wabash v. Illinois SCOTUS overruled state law regulating railroad rates Said that only Congress could regulate interstate commerce Interstate Commerce Act Passed by Congress after the Wabash v. Illinois ruling First federal law created to regulate Railroads could no longer charge more for short hauls than long hauls Created the Interstate Commerce Commission
Wabash v. Illinois
Populist Party New national political party created in the early 1890s, known as the “people’s party” Wanted to end the hold that the rich and banker class had on the national government
Populist Party – Omaha Platform Omaha Platform – what the Populist wanted Ideas that were passed after the Populist movement ended Direction election of U.S. Senators Secret ballot election, initiative and referendum procedures Restriction on immigration Progressive income tax 8-hour workday Never adopted Government ownership of railroads Unlimited silver coinage
Populist Party – “Cross of Gold” William Jennings Bryan’s “Cross of Gold” Speech Election of 1896 hinged on candidates economic platform Suffering from Depression of 1893 Populists wanted to increase the money supply through bimetallism – would increase the monetary supply with mining silver Democrats were split over the “free silver” debate Bryan won the nomination with his “Cross of Gold” speech Denounced the bankers for attempting to “crucify mankind upon a cross of gold” Bankers demanded to restrict money only to gold Would have increased their profits on loans Bryan ultimately loses the election – populist party dies out