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

2. I. POLITICAL COMPETITION 1880-1894
CONSTANT SHIFTS IN CONGRESS
NORTH DISALLUSIONED W/ REPS
SOUTHERN DEMS GAINED STRENGTH
POPULATION GROWTH: 7 NEW WESTERN STATES
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

3. 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 $ ¢ COTTON .30¢ - LESS THAN .06¢

4. 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

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

6. 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

7. II. POLITICAL REALIGNMENT
BENJAMIN HARRISON ADMIN
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

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

9. PANIC OF 1893 MONEY QUESTON PARAMOUNT & REVOLVED AROUND SIVLER COINAGE
COINAGE ACT 1873 “CRIME OF 73”
BLAND ALLISON $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

10. 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

11. 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