1. Gilded Age Politics & The Populist Movement

2. The Presidents Conservative Narrow view of role of president
President= administrative job… not a leadership position!

3. James Garfield/Chester Arthur
Assassination
Charles Guiteau
Chester A. Arthur
Pendleton Act
Garfield
Arthur

4. Grover Cleveland 1st Democrat after Civil War
Served 2 non-consecutive terms
ICC
Pullman Strike

5. Interstate Commerce Commission
1st federal regulatory agency
Regulating Interstate Commerce is a federal right
The Federal Gov’t can now regulate railroad rates!

6. Benjamin Harrison Sherman Anti-Trust Vague & useless
Impossible to enforce
Ban of “illegal combinations” applied to labor unions!

7. The Grange and Populist Movements
“The Plight of the Farmer”

8. Problems of Farmers Difficulty of farmers Decline in commodity prices
International competition
Railroads Fees
High tariffs
Debt
Inadequate currency

9. Organizations for Farmers
The Grange
Educating farmers
Regulation of railroads & grain elevator rates (Grange Laws)
Interstate Commerce Commission
The Farmer’s Alliance
Whites only
Many views the same as Populist Party

10. The Populist Movement Goals William Jennings Bryan
Free coinage of silver
One term for Pres
Popular election of senators
Secret ballot
An 8 hour workday
Nationalization of railroads
Immigration restriction
Income tax
William Jennings Bryan

11. “Cross of Gold”
If they dare to come out in the open field and defend the gold standard as a good thing, we shall fight them to the uttermost, having behind us the producing masses of the nation and the world. Having behind us the commercial interests and the laboring interests and all the toiling masses, we shall answer their demands for a gold standard by saying to them, you shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.

12. Election of 1896 Republicans Democrats Populists Outcome
William McKinley
Democrats
William Jennings Bryan
Cross of Gold
Populists
Outcome
McKinley