The Great West: The Populists

ENTRY: Mrs Mary Lease Raises More Hell (~1890) A demagogue (or rabble-rouser) is a leader in a democracy who gains popularity by exploiting prejudice among the common people, whipping up the passions of the crowd and shutting down reasoned deliberation. Mary Elizabeth Lease (1850–1933) was an American lecturer, writer, and political activist. She was born to Irish immigrants Joseph P. and Mary Elizabeth (Murray) Clyens, in Ridgway, Pennsylvania. At the age of 20, she moved to Kansas to teach school in Osage Mission (St. Paul, Kansas), and three years later she married Charles L. Lease, a local pharmacist. They lost their Kingman County farm in the Panic of 1874 and moved to Texas where she studied law.The Leases and their four children later moved to Wichita, Kansas, where she took a leading role in civic and social activities (her preferred causes: suffrage. Temperance, populism

Problems for Farmers Following the Civil War millions of men and women have migrated to the West to stake their claim to farmland and pursue their American Dream, but by the late 1880’s, it was turning into a nightmare - In addition to the hardships of simply farming in such an unrelenting climate/soil conditions, etc.: Falling Prices of Farm Products Rising Cost of Farming Equipment (purchased on credit) Rising Railroad rates and grain storage rates (monopolies) and Banking interest rates Farmers, throughout the country, were going into debt producing crops to feed the US population, while industrialists, bankers and businessmen were getting rich! And the government seemed to be on the side of big business!!! (GILDED AGE politics here.)

The Farmers Organized to Address their Problems- -First in the Midwest, then in the West and the South The Grange was organized in 1867 (Oliver Kelly) The Grange tried to educate farmers on farming techniques and advocated for lower railroad and grain storage costs. The Grangers were somewhat successful in achieving some of their goals (“Grange Laws”). Ex. 1887 establishment of ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission) to oversee interstate trade

The Populist Party Formed Although the Grange declined in the late 1870’s other Farming Alliances continued to grow and spread. This spread resulted in the forming of the Populist party in 1892. The “people’s party”, Populists stood for seeking remedies to the “problems” of political corruption, unresponsive government, and inadequate monetary supply. Populist support reached across regional/sectional political divisions…appealing to farmers in the south and west and industrial workers in the north (whether black or white) against the industrial elite. Achieved a great deal of success in 1892, electing governors, senators, and congressmen and getting some electoral votes for their presidential candidate

Populist Goals Note –also getting into Industrial issues here… Unlimited coinage of silver (Bimetalism) Government ownership of the railroads and communication (telegraph and telephone) companies. Federally run grain storage warehouses Bank Regulations Reduce government corruption (Remember Scandals of Grant ‘s Presidency – also happening on the Local and state level) Direct election of Senators Graduated income tax 8 hour work day for industrial workers Legislative changes to include voter initiatives and referendums Note –also getting into Industrial issues here…

1896 Election: the Dilemma The populists have to decide whether to support their own candidate and continue building support for their small party or support the Democratic Candidate William Jennings Bryan, who, while a Democrat, proposed many Populist ideals…

Bryan’s Cross of Gold Speech The “boy orator’s” address to the 1896 Democratic National Convention Electrifying…he became the 1896 Democratic Candidate In it, he supported the idea of free silver and other Populist platform ideas….thus the dilemma.

Populism: So What? Democrats/Populists (aka Bryan) lost both the 1896 and 1900 elections, despite good fights, to Republican William McKinley. The Populists lingered on for another decade, but basically disappeared as a feasible alternative to Democrats and Republicans after 1900. However…what is the Populist Legacy…what kind of lasting impact did populism provide?

POPULISM’s Legacy After the demise of the Populists, Republicans (quickly becoming The Party of Big Business) will dominate at all government levels The Nature of Politics and Campaigning itself will change and become more “modern” Many Populist Goals became realities in the Early 20th Century, through the Progressive Movement Examples: Graduated Income Tax Regulation of Railroads Bank Regulations