1. Populist Party Platform

2. Populist Movement Began with Farmers (debt)
Crop prices falling= less profit for farmers
Take out loans and fall further in debt
Railroads overcharging farmers to ship goods
Begin with local Granges
Local farmers of a particular area (city or county)
Grow to national organizations
Known as Farmers Alliances
Southern Alliance- white southern farmers
Colored Farmers National Alliance- black farmers
From there, become a national political party known as the Populists

3. #1- Farmers in Debt Low Crop Prices led to debt
Deflation- not a lot of money available
Led to high interest rates and banks would not loan money to farmers

4. Populist Solution Bi-Metalism- switch to a gold/silver standard
Increase money supply and allow banks more opportunity to give loans

5. #2- Railroad Price Fixing
Railroads overcharged farmers to store and ship crops= more debt
Railroads gave industrialists rebates and reduce charges

6. Populist Solution
Government Control Railroads and Telegraphs- keep prices fair and fixed
Interstate Commerce Act- railroads must publish rates (ICC- govt. agency in control)

7. #3- State Appointed Senators
State legislatures appoint Senators
Industry and wealthy able to control government and appointments

10. Populist Solution Direct Election of Senators- people elect Senators
Lead to 17th Amendment

11. #4- Class Differences Extreme income gap between rich and poor
Farmers and factory workers in debt and facing financial problems

12. Populist Solution Graduated Income Tax Income tax- tax on earnings
Graduated Income Tax- wealthy pay more (tax based on how much you earn)

13. #5- Corrupt Government
Politicians overly influenced by wealthy business owners
Credit Mobilier Scandal- Railroad owners bribe government officials for loans and money that was stolen and not used for railroad
Former General/President Grant Administration

14. Populist Solution
One Term President- presidents only serve one term (4 years)
22nd Amendment- limit President to 2 terms
Initiative- people propose bills
Referendum- people pass bills

15. #6- Working Conditions Workers Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Low Pay
Long Hours
Dangerous Conditions
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
146 sweatshop women killed due to conditions

17. Populist Solution 8 hour workday for workers
Minimum Wage Laws will eventually be passed

18. 1896 Presidential Election
William Jennings Bryant nominated by Democratic and Populist Party
-Cross of Gold Speech – supports the “free coinage of silver” (silverites)
William McKinley nominated by Republicans
- supports America remaining on the gold standards (goldbugs)
McKinley wins the election and the Populist Party dies out, but its reform ideas are adopted by Republicans and Democrats during the Progressive Era (1890 – 1920)

19. 1896 Election Results

20. Monopoly
Monopoly- one company has complete control over an industry, no competition
2 ways to form a monopoly
Vertical Integration- when one industry controls all parts of production for a product
Example- Andrew Carnegie’s Steel Company
Horizontal Integration- when one company controls the entire industry (eliminate competition by buying out competitors)
Example- John Rockefeller’s Oil Company