Chapter 8

Reform Movements:“It Happens First in Kansas”

The Gilded Age

• Industrialization– Began in late 1800’s– Only benefited a few– No Income or inheritance tax yet.

• The Rich are getting richer and throwing their money around.

• “Gilded Age”– Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner Novel– Was a satire about materialism and corruption of the time.– One Character was modeled after U.S. Senator from KS

Senator Samuel Pomery.

The Gilded Age Cont.

• U.S. senators elected by state legislatures.• Pomeroy was accused of bribery and

corruption, losing his reelection bid.• The other U.S. Senator from KS Caldwell

resigned after similar accusations.

Tough Times for Many• Only 5% of American families controlled most of the

nations wealth.• Average yearly earnings of most Americans fell below the

poverty line.• 1870’s: U.S. depression

– Railroads were all over the country and could not be supported– Europe had economic troubles which reach the U.S.– Banks demanded loans be repaid– Investors sold stocks– Banks closed, thousands lost their jobs, and many railroads

failed.

Kansas and Reform Movements

• “When anything is going to happen in this country, it happens first in Kansas”—William Allen White, Emporia Gazette

• Reformers- Want to solve problems and make things better.

• KS has been a leader of Reform Movements– Abolitionists who came to the Kansas Territory– Women’s Rights– Prohibitionists– Populist movement to reform government policies.

Prohibition

• Alcohol abuse became a major concern during the Gilded Age

• Primarily women took up the fight to end alcohol abuse

• Some wanted temperance, others end to alcohol sales in public place, and others who wanted KS to be a “dry” state– All were trying to preserve families and create a

respectable society– Solution: State made it a local decision

Prohibition: Amending the State Constitution

• 1870’s– John St. John (R) elected governor (Quote p.165) – State legislature followed his lead and but

prohibition to a public vote– Prohibition passed (1st state, 38 yrs before U.S.)

• Women’s temperance groups started the Prohibition Party.– Gov. John St. John ran for President under the new

party ticket and lost.

Prohibition: Carry A. Nation and the Enforcement of Prohibition

• Enforcing Prohibition was difficult– Alcohol was still allowed medicinally and people

continued to make and use in their home.– Saloons continued to ignore the law paid a monthly fee

of $100.• Carry Nation– Medicine Lodge– Lecturer against tobacco and alcohol– Motivated by religious beliefs she began smashing

saloons using a hatchet.

Women’s Suffrage: The Fight for Universal Suffrage

• 6 yrs after KS became a state Kansas began the discussion of universal suffrage in KS.

• Nationally known suffragists– Susan B. Anthony– Elizabeth Cady Stanton– Lucy Stone

• All came to KS fighting for women's rights• They gave lectures and participated in local discussions• Universal suffrage failed in KS a few years later the 15th

Amendment was passed.

Municipal Suffrage

• Municipal suffrage: right to vote in city elections only.– For: women were as intelligent as men– Against: politics was no place for a woman– After 2 years legislation for municipal suffrage

passed.• KS was the 1st state to give women the right

to vote in municipal elections

How Did Women Voters Change Kansas Politics

• Effects of Women’s suffrage– Electioneering pushed back 100 ft. from the

polling location. (still used today)– Moral issues became for relevant• Groups such as Woman’s Christian Temperance Union

formed– Could run for city office– Susan Salter (Argonia)- 1st female mayor in US

The Campaign for Full Suffrage: A Civics Lesson

• Women were not happy only being able to vote in municipal elections.– Contacted every member of the state legislature.

Had the amendment signed by the Governor, and only needed the men of the state to vote for it.

– Many road blocks• Finance- sold balloons “Votes for Mother”• Awareness- gained endorsements, literature, children

essay contests, ect.

• 7th State to grant women full suffrage

Populism:“In God We Trusted, In Kansas We Busted”

• Populism– National movement associated with farmers– During difficult economic times– People’s Party• Most successful third-party political movement in U.S.

history• Farmers frustrated with the distribution of wealth saw

corruption and wanted change.

Populism:“In God We Trusted, In Kansas We Busted” Cont.

• Farmers were going into debt.– Industrial Era farm equipment cut labor costs and

allowed farmers to plant more crops– The down side is that farm equipment was

expensive and many farmers were suffering from hard economic times.

– Also now farmers produced more crops then the market needed. (surplus=falling prices)

Populism:“In God We Trusted, In Kansas We Busted” Cont.

• 1880’s-1890’s KS experienced a drought– Over 11,000 KS farms faced foreclosure– Many people up and left the statea– In western KS life was even more difficult as the

drought caused loss of food and fuel

The People’s Party Platform

• Populism broke down to 1 questions: Who should the government represent, the workers or big business?– Farmers were particularly angry with the railroads• Charging too much to transport crops

– Banks• High interest rates

• The changes proposed by the People’s Party can be found on p.173

Populist players in Kansas

• 1890 Election saw many elected from the People’s Party in KS– 92 legislators – 5 of 7 congressional seats– Republicans still had more state wide power but

began to be friendlier to Populist idea’s– “Sockless Jerry”

• Medicine Lodge• Accused his opponents of having silk socks (sign of wealth)

Populist players in Kansas Cont.

• William Peffer- 1st U.S. senator for the Populist party– He was so important to the Populist movement that

sometimes populism was called Pefferism– Believed:

• Public functions should be done by government agents• Government should serve all not the few

• 1892 election was even better for the Populists– Took ½ the congressional seats– Governor and other elected officials were Populists

Legislative War

• In the House election results were being questioned still when the legislative session started in 1893.– Republicans and Populists set up separate houses and

elected their own officials meaning we had two groups acting like the majority

– They had to share the same space and it was chaos.– Populist Governor and Senate declared the Populist

house the official one but Republicans refused to leave.

Stand-off

• Each party tried to assert their authority until the Republican refused to leave the house chamber– Populists strategy was to starve them out turning off

all utilities– Eventually came before the state Supreme Court (3

justices)• 2 were Republican• Voted in favor of the Republicans• Last remaining Populists joined the Republicans

“What’s the Matter with Kansas”• William Allen White

– Owner and editor of Emporia Gazette– Republican– Did not like the Peoples Part and wrote “What’s the Matter

with Kansas” about it.– Felt it was wrong for states to ignore the needs of businesses– Later in life he began to take some Populist Ideas

• Peoples party decline– “What the Matter with KS”– Democrats pulled support– Internal disagreements

Socialism: Appeal to Reason

• Socialist wanted to see he wealth of the country distributed throughout all economic classes.– Wanted more government control

• Appeal to Reason- Leading socialist newspaper– Published in KS by Julius A. Wayland

• Also started a utopian colony• Was a newspaper man for many years

– ½ a million readers– Many famous contributors: Helen Keller, Jack London, Upton

Sinclair, ect.• Socialist Changes proposed on p.181