Farm Politics in the Gilded Age

Farmer Discontent 1. Mechanization on the farm 2. Competition and tariffs 3. Natural disasters 4. Debt and monetary policy

Total Population (in millions) Changes on the Farm U.S. Population   Year Total Population (in millions) Rural Urban 1870 40 74%  26%  1880 50 72 % 28 % 1890 63 65 % 35 % 1900 76 60 % 40 % Agricultural Productivity    1800 1900  Wheat Worker-hours per acre 56 15 Yield per acre 14 Corn 86 38 25 26 Cotton   185 112 147 191 Growth of Farm Tenancy Percentage of Farms Operated by Tenants    U.S. South Non-South 1880 26 36 19 1900 35 47

Granger Movement Precursor to Populism Granger Laws: Rail commissions Maximum rates for freight and storage

Granger Influence Munn v. Illinois (1877) Wabash v. Illinois (1886) States can regulate businesses with “public interest” Overturned in 1905 Wabash v. Illinois (1886) Ends era of Granger laws by throwing control to the feds Interstate Commerce Act (1887) Freight and passenger rates must be “reasonable and just.” Pools and rebates outlawed Creates the ICC First large-scale attempt to regulate business for the public interest

Populist Party Grew out of Grangers and Farmer’s Alliance Difficulty uniting farmers in the South Viewed both parties as corrupt and tied to big business. Industrial laborers encouraged to join Ocala Demands – becomes platform for the Populist Party in 1892

Success? Election of 1892 Progressives achieve most of their goals James B. Weaver received more than a million popular votes (8.5 percent of the total) and 22 electoral votes. 10 representative, 5 senators, and 4 governors, 345 state legislators, and 1,500 state and county officials Progressives achieve most of their goals

The Election of 1896 William Jennings Bryan Democrats shift pro-silver Loses support of labor Republicans: pro-gold go with McKinley New campaign tactics Death of the silver issue and farmer influence

Percentage of Labor Force in Agriculture 1860 53% 1870 52 % 1880 51 % 1890 43 % 1900 40 % 1910 31 % 1920 26 % 1930 21 %  Farming Profession   Number of Farms (in thousands) Proportion of Total Population 1940 6,350 23.1 % 1950 5,648 15.2 % 1960 3,963 8.7 %  1970 2,949 4.7 %  1980 2,428 2.7 %

The Wizard of Oz Scarecrow Tin Man Cowardly Lion Dorothy and Munchkins the farmers Tin Man industrial workers Cowardly Lion William Jennings Bryan Dorothy and Munchkins Common people Emerald City Wall Street, greenback colored The Wizard the Money Power, whose influence rests on manipulation and illusion. Wicked Witch of East Banks Yellow Brick road gold backed dollar