UNIT 7 – THE TILLMAN ERA CHAPTER 7 LESSON Compare the plight of farmers in South Carolina with that of farmers throughout the United States, including the problems of overproduction, natural disasters, and sharecropping and encompassing the roles of Ben Tillman, the Populists, and land-grant colleges Compare migration patterns of South Carolinians to such patterns throughout the United States, including the movement from rural to urban areas and the migration of African Americans from the South to the North, Midwest, and West Compare the Progressive movement in South Carolina with the national Progressive movement, including the impact on temperance; women’s suffrage; labor laws; and educational, agricultural, health, and governmental reform.

The Difficulty of Farming In South Carolina, the problem of debt was made worse by the sharecropping and tenant farming system and the crop lien laws. Farmers first responded to this problem as individuals by planting more so that they could make more profit initially some were successful because of the new phosphate industry increasing soil quality. However, the more farmers planted, the more crop prices fell (because of too much supply). They were also competing with foreign suppliers. Worldwide supply exceeded demand and the price that farmers were able to get for their crops fell throughout the period. In South Carolina, farmers were unable to make payments on the loans that they had taken out to purchase land and equipment; they also felt the impact of bank foreclosures, forfeiture of their land for non-payment of taxes. Along with the economic issues there were also major natural issues that impacted farmers’ lives. Natural disasters had a big impact during this time such as hurricanes & drought as well as pests which destroy crops by eating the plants such as the armyworm (caterpillars that eat everything) and the boll weevil (eat cotton plants) that led to periodic crop failures.

1) HOW DID FARMERS RESPOND TO THE CROP LIEN, SHARECROPPING, AND TENANT FARMING SYSTEMS? BY PLANTING MORE CROP TO MAKE MORE MONEY. 2) HOW DID THIS RESPONSE HELP THE FARMERS ECONOMICALLY? HOW DID THIS RESPONSE HURT THE FARMERS ECONOMICALLY? + SOME WERE SUCCESSFUL INITIALLY BECAUSE OF THE IMPROVED SOIL QUALITY DUE TO THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY. -THE MORE FARMERS PLANTED THE MORE CROP PRICES FELL, DUE TO TOO MUCH SUPPLY. 3) LIST THE VARIOUS DIFFICULTIES THAT FARMERS FACED DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. ECONOMICNATURAL CROP PRICES FELL HURRICANES COMPETING FOREIGN SUPPLIERSDROUGHT CAN’T PAY BACK LOANSARMYWORM BANKS TOOK THE FARMER’S LANDBOLL WEEVIL FARMERS COULDN’T PAY TAXES.

PROBLEMS FACED BY FARMERS

Challenges With Crop Production in S.C. Changes in crop production in various regions of South Carolina occurred as a result of natural disaster, economic issues, and increased competition. Although its epicenter was nearer to Summerville, the effects of the 1886 earthquake were more severe in the city of Charleston rather than the agricultural countryside. However, it did destroy farmland in the region. As the largest, most destructive (thus costly) and most lethal earthquake ever to strike east of the Mississippi, the catastrophe and the city’s response to it revolutionized and modernized practices in construction, disaster preparedness/response and scientific study that continue to this day. The hurricanes that struck Charleston in 1893, 1910 & 1911 wiped out the rice fields as well as competition from the Far East (Asia) brought an end to the production of ‘Carolina Gold.’ Lowcountry farmers turned to truck farming to supply local markets. Tobacco was introduced as a cash crop to the Pee Dee but could not be grown in other parts of the Lowcountry. Some upstate farmers started planting peach trees; however cotton continued to dominate South Carolina agriculture into the 20th century.

EARTHQUAKE OF 1886

1) What are the 3 main reasons for the challenges S.C. farmers faced in the late 1800’s? Natural disaster, economic issues, increased competition 2) How did the earthquake of 1886 impact S.C. agriculture? Destroyed farmland in the region 3) How did hurricanes impact S.C. agriculture? They wiped out all rice fields

4) Because of the hurricanes, who surpassed S.C. in rice production? East Asian rice production increased 5) What type of farming and new crops did S.C. planters turn too after all of the problems they faced? Truck farming (growing produce), tobacco, peach and cotton 6) What crop was still “King” in S.C.? Cotton

The Grange The political roots of the Populist movement began in the South and in the Midwest, as a result of the worsening economic conditions for farmers. Farmers organized first as the Grange (The Patrons of Husbandry), a social organization designed to alleviate the isolation of farm life. In the Midwest, the Grange evolved into a political organization. However, in South Carolina the farmers did not have political power. In the south political power remained in the hands of the elite Conservatives. Farmers organized in regional Farmers’ Alliances in the 1880s that supported and fought for an increase in the monetary supply, especially the coinage of silver. In South Carolina, where society was segregated by both law and practice, there was a white Farmers’ Alliance and a Colored Farmers’ Alliance.

THE GRANGE & FARMERS’ ALLIANCES

1 What caused the development of the Populist movement? Worsening economic conditions 2 What was the purpose of the Grange organization both in the Midwest & the South? A social organization designed to alleviate the isolation of farm life. 3 Was the Grange organization able to become politically powerful in the South? No. Political power remained in the hands of the elite Conservatives

4 In the 1880’s what were the Farmers’ Alliances fighting for? They supported and fought for an increase in the monetary supply, especially the coinage of silver 5 Why were there two different Farmers’ Alliances in South Carolina? Society in S.C. was segregated so there needed to be a white Alliance and black Alliance

The Populist Party In the 1890s, alliances around the country united to form the Populist Party, which supported the regulation of railroads and banking, the free and unlimited coinage of silver, and a system of federal farm loans. The party also advocated democratic reforms such as the popular election of Senators, the secret ballot, and a graduated income tax. The farmers attempted to ally with industrial workers by advocating an eight-hour work day and restrictions on immigration. The Populist Party was successful in electing senators, governors and state legislators in the South and West. In South Carolina, farmers did not form a separate party but worked to control the Democratic Party.

THE POPULIST PARTY st%20Party-

1 What did the Populist political party fight for? Regulation of railroads & banking, the free and unlimited coinage of silver, and a system of federal farm loans 2 Why do you think the Populist Party was so successful at getting supporters? They supported some of the same issues as the Farmers’ Alliances. They also supported reforms to help industrial workers. 3 Why do you think the Populist Party was unable to form a separate political party in South Carolina? Because the Democratic Party was too powerful

Benjamin Ryan Tillman In South Carolina, poor white farmers accepted the leadership of Benjamin Ryan Tillman a.k.a. “Pitchfork Ben”, because of his extraordinary speaking and political skills. Tillman was a Populist because he appealed to the values and needs of the common people against the Conservative elite. However, Tillman was not a true advocate for the ideals of the Populist Party and he strove instead to gain control of the Democratic Party in South Carolina. His ideals were different than those of the idealistic farmers’ reform movement, which advocated more popular control of the government and which Tillman claimed to support. In 1895, Senator Benjamin Tillman urged his followers to call for a new state constitution to replace the Reconstruction constitution of Tillman wished to cement his control of the Democratic Party and to be sure that the black majority did not provide political support to his opposition. The Constitution of 1895 was the last to be written in SC.

“PITCHFORK BEN” TILLMAN  Benjamin Ryan "Pitchfork Ben" Tillman, Jr. (August 11, 1847 – July 3, 1918), was an American politician who served as the 84th Governor of South Carolina, from 1890 to 1894, and as a United States Senator, from 1895 until his death in office. Tillman's outspoken white supremacy and support for lynch law provoked national controversy. The first federal campaign finance law, banning corporate expenditures in campaigns, is commonly called the Tillman Act, Senator Tillman having been its lead sponsor.

1 Ben Tillman used the plight of the farmers & the populist movement to gain power in S.C.. According to the reading, what do you think were his real motivations? he strove to gain control of the Democratic Party in South Carolina 2 Why did Tillman wish to rewrite the S.C. constitution in 1895? Tillman wished to cement his control of the Democratic Party and to be sure that the black majority did not provide political support to his opposition 3 List 3 actions you think Tillman will take to limit the freedoms of African Americans. Take away voting rights, segregation, pay higher taxes, Jim Crow Laws

Tillman Limiting the Rights of African Americans Unlike his Populist counterparts elsewhere in the nation, however, Tillman never supported the appeal for the vote of the African-American farmers, who suffered as much or more from declining economic conditions as did the white farmer. This appeal led to an increase of violence and lynching (hangings carried out by a mob) against African-Americans and opposition to the Populist Party in many parts of the South. In South Carolina, Tillman ran on a platform of white superiority and later led the movement to further disenfranchise (take away the rights of) the African-American voter. Tillman’s new constitution established a literacy test for voting by requiring that voters be able to read and interpret the United States Constitution. It also required that the poll tax be paid six months before the election. Poor farmers had little money so far ahead of harvest time. Poor, illiterate white voters were protected against many of these new laws by the “grandfather clause” which meant that they were able to vote if their grandfathers had been able to vote in This accelerated the trend in limitations on the right to vote that had begun under the Wade Hampton and the Bourbons.

POLL TAXES AFFECT POOR WHITE FARMERS

1 What was the biggest way Ben Tillman was different than other Populist? Tillman didn’t support politicians trying to get African-American farmers to vote for them 2 Other than supporting the poor white farmers, what other ideology did Ben Tillman use to get supporters? White superiority and taking away the rights of African American 3 What kinds of rights were taken away from African Americans as a result of Tillman’s ideology in the Constitution of 1895? Voting rights by using literacy tests & poll taxes 4 How were poor, illiterate, white, farmers able to get around the new voting provisions created by Tillman? Grandfather clause: If your grandfather could vote in 1860 you can vote now. No African American could vote in 1860

Jim Crow Laws South Carolinians also continued to limit the social opportunities of African Americans by passing a series of laws, called Jim Crow Laws, which set social segregation into law, not just practice. The new constitution required that there be separate schools for black and white children. In 1896, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that such laws were constitutional. The Court ruled that separate-but-equal facilities satisfied the 14th amendment’s requirement for equal protection under the law in the case of Plessy v Ferguson. As a result, nationally legal, Jim Crow Laws impacted, both directly and indirectly, every aspect of the African-American experience for most of the next sixty years. Tillman’s bigotry and racist rhetoric led to the reemergence of the terrorism of the Reconstruction era. Soon violence and lynchings increased and African Americans who dared to protest were intimidated into silence. Race baiting increased during economic hard times as poor whites took out their frustrations on an easy target.

JIM CROW LAWS (SETTING SEGREGATION INTO LAW, NOT JUST PRACTICE)

1 What is the main point of the Jim Crow Laws? Set social segregation into law, not just practice 2 What Supreme Court case made the Jim Crow Laws legal across the United States? Plessy v Ferguson 3 What do you think “separate-but-equal” means according to the goals of the Jim Crow Laws? African Americans can have everything that whites can have it just has to be separate from whites.

Agricultural Colleges The fight between the Tillmanites and the Conservative establishment first got statewide attention with Tillman’s support for the establishment of Clemson as an agricultural college and his opposition to the elitism of the University of South Carolina. Tillman advocated the establishment of educational facilities for farmers to teach them better crop management and to develop new crops to increase their economic prosperity. The property at Clemson was a given to the state by Thomas Green Clemson [son-in-law of John C. Calhoun], who supported Tillman’s promotion of an agricultural college. In order to comply with the ‘separate but equal” doctrine South Carolina and other southern states established separate land grant colleges for African America farmers. South Carolina State was authorized by the land grant system but received limited financial support from the state.

1 Why did Ben Tillman support the establishment of Clemson University? To oppose the elitism of the Conservatives and institutes like USC 2 What kind of College was Clemson? What was it teaching?  Agricultural College  Better crop management, how to develop mew crops, and up to date farming techniques 3 Since there was segregation between whites and blacks, different agricultural colleges had to be made. Which agricultural college was for African Americans and which was for whites?  Clemson = whites  SC State = blacks 4 Why was S.C. State College not given equal funding?  Because it was an all-black school and the government didn’t think it deserved equal fund