POLITICAL CHANGE AND REFORM THE POPULIST ERA OBJ: TO DETERMINE THE CAUSES BEHIND FARMER DISCONTENT AND THE RISE OF THE POPULIST PARTY

I. POLITICAL COMPETITION 1880-1894 CONSTANT SHIFTS IN CONGRESS NORTH DISALLUSIONED W/ REPS SOUTHERN DEMS GAINED STRENGTH POPULATION GROWTH: 7 NEW WESTERN STATES 1889-1896 POLITICAL MACHINES, PARTY BOSSES, SORDID AFFAIRS NO ‘GOOD MEN’ IN POLITICS AVOIDED ISSUES FOR FEAR OF LOSING VOTERS RAPID SOC/ECO CHANGE LED TO INDECISIVENESS ELECTIONS DETERMINED OH, NY, IL, IN CAMPAIGNS CIRCUS ATMOSPHERE

FARMERS FACE FACTS *FARMERS UNHAPPY WITH DEMOCRATS *CONSISTENTLY LEFT OUT OF ECO. GROWTH *FARMERS ISSUES FORCED RECKONING *TARIFF, MIDDLEMEN, COMPETITION, WEATHER, ECO. CYCLE & LACK OF CREDIT *HOMESTEAD LED TO POP GROWTH & ECO CYCLE LED TO GHOST TOWNS *PRICES DECLINED 1860’S-1890’S WHEAT $1.50 - .60¢ COTTON .30¢ - LESS THAN .06¢

FARMERS ORGANIZE NATIONAL GRANGE 1867 O. KELLEY LATE 1870’S FARMERS’ ALLIANCES SOUTHERN ALLIANCE INCLUDED WESTERN AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS SOME AFRICAN AMERICAN PARTICIPATION NORTHERN ALLIANCE’S BUT WEAK RR PRICES TOO HIGH, AG PRICES TOO LOW, FINANCIAL SYSTEM NEEDED ADJUSTMENT LIMITED SUCCESS DUE TO PARTY AFFILIATION, TARIFF, SECTIONAL DIVISIONS

POST RECONSTRUCTION PRESIDENTS GRANT 1869-77 & SCANDALS CREDIT MOBILIER ‘65, WHISKEY RING ‘74 HAYES 1877-1881 “AT LEAST I ASKED” GARFIELD 1881-81: POLITICAL PATRONAGE DOWNFALL REPS DIVIDED: STALWARTS & ½ BREEDS ASSASSINATION SOBERED UP ARTHUR ARTHUR 1881-85: PENDELTON ACT CLEVELAND 1883-89: DEMOCRAT & JAMES. G. BLAINE REP – PERSONAL ISSUES SINCE PLATFORMS SIMILAR

THE POPULIST PARTY 4 GOALS: KANSAS 1890 ELECTIONS REPUBLICAN VICTORIES KS ALLIANCE FORMS PEOPLE’S PARTY POPULIST VICTORIES “ELECTRIFIED LABOR & AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS NATIONWIDE” JULY 1892 CONVENTION & OMAHA PLATFORM REDUCE TARIFF CURRENCY REFORM 16:1 COINAGE OF SILVER DIRECT ELECTION OF SENATORS SUB-TREASURY PROGRAM, INITIATIVE/REFERENDUM NATIONALIZE RR LEGALIZE UNIONS RESTRICT IMMIGRATION 4 GOALS: CLEAN UP POLITICS, LIMIT BIG BIZ, REDUCE POVERTY, PROMOTE SOCIAL JUSTICE

II. POLITICAL REALIGNMENT BENJAMIN HARRISON ADMIN. 1889-93 CLEVELAND POP/HARRISON ELECTORAL MCKINLEY TARIFF – ALMOST 50% SHERMAN ANTITRUST ACT SHERMAN SILVER PURCHASE: MEANT TO AID FARMER & MINER – GOV’T PURCHASE $4.5MILL OZ REPUBLICANS CONTROLLED 3 BRANCHES ELECTION 1892 REPUBLICANS – BENJAMIN HARRISON DEMOCRATS – GROVER CLEVELAND POPULISTS – JAMES WEAVER TARIFF HURT REPS WEAVER 1 MILL VOTES IN WEST CLEVELAND HELD SOUTH DESPITE SCANDAL

INTERPRETATIONS HOFSTADTER GINGER YEOMAN FARMER A MYTH FARMER + BANKS = BUSINESSMAN GRIEVANCES LEGITIMATE WEATHER, UNSCRUPULOUS BANK PRACTICES, GOVERNMENT FAILURE TO REIGN IN FINANCIAL PRACTICES

PANIC OF 1893 MONEY QUESTON PARAMOUNT & REVOLVED AROUND SIVLER COINAGE COINAGE ACT 1873 “CRIME OF 73” BLAND ALLISON 1878 - $2-4MILL PURCHASED BY GOV’T – ALWAYS THE MIN. SHERMAN SILVER PURCHASE 1890 – SUPPLY ↑ AND PRICE ↓ SPECIAL SESSION CONGRESS: REPEAL SHERMAN & ÷ DEMS – S. & W. WINGS DESERTED CLEVELAND PANIC 1893 – INTERNATIONAL, WHEAT PRICES IN ARGENTINA PANIC OF 1893

III. ELECTION 1896 REPUBLICANS NOMINATE MCKINELY MARK HANNA – CAMPAIGN MANAGER DEMOCRATS & POPULISTS NOMINATE WILLIAM JENNIGS BRYAN CROSS OF GOLD SPEECH 1896 CAMPAIGN PARTY RE-ALIGNMENT REPUBLICANS JOIN GOLD DEMS SUPPLY SIDE/TRICKLE DOWN POPULISTS & SILVER DEMOCRATS PERCOLATER THEORY REPS: FRONT PORCH, NEWSPAPERS, DEPRESSION DEMS FAULT DEMS: NO $$, NO SPEAKERS BUT BRYAN ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

IMPACT OF 1896 ELECTION POPULIST MOMENTUM DECLINED AG PRICES INCREASED DUE TO IMMIGRATION IMPROVED EXPORTS DUE TO EURO CROP FAILURES GOLD & HIGH TARIFF IN PLACE INDUSTRIAL CONCERNS TOOK PRECEDENCE GOLD DISCOVERED IN ALASKA & SOUTH AFRICA LED TO WORLD WIDE INCREASE IN MONEY SUPPLY MCKINLEY NATIONAL APPROACH WJB REGIONAL APPROACH