Populism

Objectives Analyze the problems farmers faced and the groups they formed to address them. Assess the goals of the Populists, and explain why the Populist Party did not last.

Terms and People Grange – an organization of farmers who joined to learn about new farming techniques, to call for the regulation of railroad and grain elevator rates, and to prompt the establishment of the ICC Oliver H. Kelley – a Minnesota farmer and businessman who organized the Grange Populist Party – a political party formed in 1892 on a platform of silver coinage, government ownership of the railroads, and fighting the corrupt and unresponsive elite

Terms and People (continued) William Jennings Bryan – the Democratic nominee for president in 1896, who supported many Populist principles including silver coinage, and who toured the country to speak directly to voters William McKinley – the Republican candidate for president in 1896, who followed a traditional strategy of letting party workers campaign for him 4

What led to the rise of the Populist movement, and what effect did it have? Millions of Americans moved west after the Civil War to pursue the American dream. A variety of factors made their lives extremely difficult, which led to the social and political revolt known as Populism—and created one of the largest third-party movements in American history.

People moving to the West and South in the late 1800s knew that their lives would not be easy. Problems facing the farmers of the West and South low prices for crops high transportation, equipment, and loan costs drought reduced influence in politics They did not anticipate the many problems that made survival nearly impossible.

Frustrated by these problems, farmers began to organize.

Farmers created groups to address their problems. These groups formed a network called the Grange movement. The Grange was formally organized by Oliver H. Kelley in 1867 and gained a million members. The Grange declined after the 1870s, but Farmers’ Alliances became important reform organizations that continued the Grange’s goals.

government ownership of railroads The spread of the Farmers’ Alliances led to the formation of the Populist Party in 1892. The Populist platform warned about the dangers of political corruption, an inadequate money supply, and an unresponsive government. They called for: coinage of silver an income tax government ownership of railroads bank regulations 9

The debate over monetary policy was an important issue of the day. Those who wanted to use silver and gold—including the Populist Party—were on the other. Those who wanted only a gold standard were on one side.

The Populists did well in 1892, electing three governors, five senators, and ten congressmen. The Populist candidate for president received one million votes in that election. 11

An economic depression began in 1893, and labor unrest and violence broke out. The Populist Party grew. In 1896, a young lawyer named William Jennings Bryan spoke at the national Democratic convention. The speech, with its Populist message of “free silver,” moved Democrats to nominate Bryan. The Populist Party chose to give him their support.

He toured the country, talking directly to voters. William Jennings Bryan campaigned against Republican candidate William McKinley in a way that had never been seen before. He toured the country, talking directly to voters.

McKinley won against Bryan in 1896 and in 1900. Bryan’s emphasis on money reform wasn’t popular with urban workers.

The Populist Party was weakened by supporting William Jennings Bryan on the Democratic ticket. It survived another decade, but its viability as an alternative to the two major parties was over. Many of the reforms sought by the Populists eventually became reality. The new campaigning style used by Bryan became the norm. 15