Agrarian Protest in the Late 19th Century & the Crisis of the 1890’sThe Prologue to Progressivism

Sources of Agrarian DiscontentEconomic background: Tariff Inflation Gold Standard

Sources of Agrarian Discontent: Deflation/High Tariffs

RailroadsGrain CompaniesAgricultural Equipment Manufacturers

Agrarian ResponsesGrange (late 1860s-early 1870s: IN, IL)

Greenback Labor Party (late 1870s)

Alliance Movement (1880s)

Silver Movement (1880s)

Sherman Silver Purchase Act (1890)

Populist/People’s Party, 1892-1896

Omaha Platform: Subtreasury plan“Free Silver” at 16:1Government control of Railroads, Telegraphs & TelephonesGraduated Income TaxDirect Democracy: Direct Election of SenatorsInitiative Referendum Secret BallotProclamation of sympathy with labor movement

Tom Watson (Georgia)

Election of 1892Grover Cleveland (Dem) (5,555,426 votes; 277 electoral votes)Benjamin Harrison, (Rep) (5,182,600 votes; 145 electoral votes) James B. Weaver, (Pop) (1,029,846 votes; 22 electoral votes) 74.7% Voter Participation Depression of 1893-1897

William Jennings Bryan (Nebraska)

Bryan animated

Election of 1896

Election of 1896

William McKinley, (Rep) (7,102,246 votes; 271 electoral votes)

William Jennings Bryan, (Dem, Pop) (6,492,559 votes; 176 electoral votes)

79.3% Voter Participation

1896 Election, McKinley V Bryan

2004 Election, Bush V Kerry

Crisis of the 1890’sDepression of 1893-1897Unemployment, wage cutsLabor Disputes:

Homestead Strike (1892)Pullman Strike (1894)

Coxey’s Army marches to D.C. (1894)Lattimer Massacre (1897)class conflict, industrial warfare,fear of immigration/European radicalism

Crisis of the 1890’sPolitical corruption

urban problems: overcrowding, crime, disease

“frontier anxiety”: loss of democracy, decline of manhood“Malthusian Alarmism”

agrarian radicalism