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Populism & the Election of 1896. By: Ms. Susan M. Pojer Horace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY. What were some of the major problems facing farmers during the Gilded Age ??. The Silver Issue. “ Crime of ’ 73 ” demonetization of silver (govt. stopped coining silver). - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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By: Ms. Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS
Chappaqua, NY
The Silver IssueThe Silver Issue “Crime of ’73” demonetization of
silver (govt. stopped coining silver). Bland-Allison Act (1878) limited
silver coinage to $2-$4 mil. per mo.(based on the 16:1 ratio of silver togold).
Sherman Silver Purchase Act (1890) The US Treasury must purchase
$4.5 mil. oz. of silver a month. Govt. deposited most silver in the
US Treasury rather than circulation.
Price Indexes for Price Indexes for Consumer & Farm Consumer & Farm Products: 1865-Products: 1865-
19131913
Founder of the Founder of the National Grange of National Grange of
the Patrons of the Patrons of Husbandry Husbandry (1867)(1867)
The Grange The Grange MovementMovement
First organized in the 1870s in First organized in the 1870s in the Midwest, the south, and the Midwest, the south, and Texas.Texas.
Set up cooperative associations.Set up cooperative associations. Social and educational Social and educational
components.components. Succeeded in lobbying for Succeeded in lobbying for ““Granger LawsGranger Laws..””
Rapidly declined by the late Rapidly declined by the late 1870s1870s..
Supreme Court Supreme Court DecisionsDecisions
Munn vs. IllinoisMunn vs. Illinois (1877) (1877)
Wabash, St. Louis, & Wabash, St. Louis, & Pacific Railroad Pacific Railroad Company vs. IllinoisCompany vs. Illinois (1886)(1886)
GiftGiftfor thefor theGrangeGrange
rs:rs:The The
FarmerFarmerPays Pays
for All!for All!
The Farmers The Farmers AlliancesAlliances
Begun in the late 1880s (Texas first Begun in the late 1880s (Texas first the the Southern AllianceSouthern Alliance; then in the ; then in the Midwest Midwest the the Northern AllianceNorthern Alliance).).
Built upon the ashes of the Grange.Built upon the ashes of the Grange. More political and less social than More political and less social than
the Grange.the Grange. Ran candidates for office.Ran candidates for office. Controlled 8 state legislatures & had Controlled 8 state legislatures & had
4747representatives in Congress during representatives in Congress during the 1890s.the 1890s.
United United We We
Stand, Stand, DivideDivided We d We FallFall
In 1889 both In 1889 both the Northern andthe Northern andSouthern AlliancesSouthern Alliancesmerged into one—merged into one—the the FarmersFarmers’’ AllianceAlliance..
The Populist The Populist (Peoples(Peoples’’) Party) Party
1890 Bi-Election:1890 Bi-Election:So. Alliance So. Alliance wanted to wanted to gain control of the Democratic gain control of the Democratic Party.Party.No. Alliance No. Alliance ran 3 ran 3rdrd Party Party candidates.candidates.
1892 1892 800 met in St. Louis, MO 800 met in St. Louis, MOmajority were Alliance members.majority were Alliance members.over 100 were African Americans.over 100 were African Americans.reps. of labor organizations & other reps. of labor organizations & other reformers (Grange, Greenback reformers (Grange, Greenback Party).Party).
Platform of Platform of LunacyLunacy
The Populist The Populist (Peoples(Peoples’’) Party) Party
Founded by James B. Founded by James B. WeaverWeaverand Tom Watson.and Tom Watson.
Omaha, NE Convention in Omaha, NE Convention in July,July,1892.1892.
Got almost 1 million Got almost 1 million popularpopularvotes.votes.
Several Congressional Several Congressional seatsseatswon.won.
James B. Weaver, James B. Weaver, Presidential Presidential CandidateCandidate
&&James G. Field, VPJames G. Field, VP
Omaha Platform Omaha Platform of 1892of 18921.1. System of System of ““sub-treasuries.sub-treasuries.””
2.2. Abolition of the National Bank.Abolition of the National Bank.3.3. Direct election of Senators.Direct election of Senators.4.4. Govt. ownership of RRs, telephone & Govt. ownership of RRs, telephone &
telegraph companies.telegraph companies.5.5. Government-operated postal savings Government-operated postal savings
banks.banks.6.6. Restriction of undesirable immigration.Restriction of undesirable immigration.7.7. 8-hour work day for government 8-hour work day for government
employees.employees.8.8. Abolition of the Pinkerton detective Abolition of the Pinkerton detective
agency.agency.9.9. Australian secret ballot.Australian secret ballot.10.10. Re-monitization of silver.Re-monitization of silver.11.11. A single term for President & Vice A single term for President & Vice
President.President.
Govt.-Owned Govt.-Owned CompaniesCompanies
1892 Election1892 Election
Bi-Metallism Bi-Metallism IssueIssue
Causes of the Causes of the 1893 Panic1893 Panic Begun 10 days after Cleveland took Begun 10 days after Cleveland took
office.office.1.1. Several major corps. went bankrupt.Several major corps. went bankrupt.
Over 16,000 businesses Over 16,000 businesses disappeared.disappeared.
Triggered a stock market crash.Triggered a stock market crash. Over-extended investments.Over-extended investments.
2.2. Bank failures followed causing a Bank failures followed causing a contractioncontractionof credit [nearly 500 banks closed].of credit [nearly 500 banks closed].
3.3. By 1895, unemployment reached 3 By 1895, unemployment reached 3 million.million.
Americans cried out for relief, but the Americans cried out for relief, but the Govt.Govt.continued its laissez faire policies!!continued its laissez faire policies!!
Here Lies Here Lies ProsperityProsperity
Written by a Written by a Farmer at the Farmer at the End of the 19cEnd of the 19cWhen the banker says he's brokeWhen the banker says he's broke
And the merchantAnd the merchant’’s up in smoke,s up in smoke, They forget that it's the farmer They forget that it's the farmer who feeds them all. who feeds them all. It would put them to the testIt would put them to the test If the farmer took a rest;If the farmer took a rest; Then they'd know that it's the Then they'd know that it's the farmer farmer feeds them all. feeds them all.
CoxeyCoxey’’s Army, s Army, 18941894
Jacob Coxey & his Jacob Coxey & his ““Army of Army of the Commonweal of Christ.the Commonweal of Christ.””
March on Washington March on Washington ““hayseed hayseed socialists!socialists!””
Result of Election Result of Election ReturnsReturns
Populist voteincreased by40% in the bi-election year,1894.
Democratic party losses in
the West werecatastrophic!
But, Republicanswon control of
the House.
Gold / Silver Bug Gold / Silver Bug Campaign PinsCampaign Pins
William Jennings William Jennings Bryan Bryan
(1860-1925)(1860-1925)
The The ““Great Great CommonerCommoner””
William Jennings William Jennings BryanBryanPrairie avenger, Prairie avenger,
mountain lion, mountain lion,Bryan, Bryan, Bryan, Bryan, Bryan, Bryan,
Bryan, Bryan,Gigantic troubadour, Gigantic troubadour,
speaking like a speaking like a siege siege gun, gun,Smashing Plymouth Smashing Plymouth Rock Rock with his boulders with his boulders from the West. from the West.
Revivalist style of oratory.
BryantBryant’’ss““Cross of GoldCross of Gold””
SpeechSpeechYou shall not You shall not press down press down upon the brow upon the brow of labor this of labor this crown of crown of thorns; you thorns; you shall not shall not crucify crucify mankind upon mankind upon aa cross of goldcross of gold!!
Bryan: The Bryan: The Farmers FriendFarmers Friend(The Mint Ratio)(The Mint Ratio)
18,000 miles of campaign 18,000 miles of campaign ““whistle whistle stops.stops.””
DemocrDemocratic atic
Party Party Taken Taken
Over by Over by the the
AgrariaAgrarian Leftn Left Platform tariff reductions; income tax;
strictercontrol of the trusts (esp. RRs); free silver.
Mark Hanna: Mark Hanna: The The ““Front-PorchFront-Porch””
CampaignCampaign
William McKinley William McKinley (1843-1901)(1843-1901)
Mark Hanna to Mark Hanna to Candidate Candidate
McKinleyMcKinley
““A Giant A Giant StraddleStraddle””: :
Suggestion for a Suggestion for a McKinley Political McKinley Political
PosterPoster
The The SeasonSeason
ed ed PoliticiPolitici
ananvs.vs.The The ““YounYoun
gg ”” NewcoNewco
mermer
Joshua A. Joshua A. Levering: Levering:
Prohibition PartyProhibition Party
Into Into Which Which Box Box Will Will the the
VoterVoterof of ’’96 96 Place Place His His
BallotBallot? ?
1896 Election 1896 Election ResultsResults
Why Did Bryan Why Did Bryan Loose?Loose?
His focus on silver His focus on silver underminedunderminedefforts to build bridges to efforts to build bridges to urbanurbanvoters.voters.
He did not form alliances He did not form alliances withwithother groups.other groups.
McKinleyMcKinley’’s campaign was s campaign was well-well-organized and highly funded.organized and highly funded.
Gold Triumphs Gold Triumphs Over SilverOver Silver
1900 1900 GoldGoldStandard ActStandard Act
confirmed theconfirmed thenationnation’’s s commitment tocommitment tothe gold the gold standard.standard.
A victory for the A victory for the
forces offorces ofconservatism.conservatism.
The The Wizard Wizard of Ozof Oz by L. by L. Frank Frank BaumBaum
1964: Henry 1964: Henry LittlefieldLittlefield’’s s ““ThesisThesis””??
““Parable of the Parable of the PopulistsPopulists””?? Tornado Tornado ??
Dorothy Dorothy ?? Toto Toto ?? Kansas Kansas ?? Wicked Witch of theWicked Witch of the
East East ?? Tin Woodsman Tin Woodsman ?? Scarecrow Scarecrow ?? Cowardly Lion Cowardly Lion ?? Yellow Brick Road Yellow Brick Road
??
Silver Slippers Silver Slippers ?? Emerald City Emerald City ?? Oz Oz ?? The Wizard The Wizard ?? Munchkins Munchkins ?? Wicked Witch of the Wicked Witch of the
West West ?? Flying Monkeys Flying Monkeys ?? Yellow Winkies Yellow Winkies ??
Heyday of Heyday of Western Western PopulismPopulism
Why Did Why Did Populism Populism Decline?Decline?1.1. The economy experienced rapid The economy experienced rapid
change.change.2.2. The era of small producers and The era of small producers and
farmers was fading away.farmers was fading away.3.3. Race divided the Populist Party, Race divided the Populist Party,
especially in the South.especially in the South.4.4. The Populists were not able to The Populists were not able to
breakbreakexisting party loyalties.existing party loyalties.
5.5. Most of their agenda was co-opted Most of their agenda was co-opted bybythe Democratic Party.the Democratic Party.
But, Populism But, Populism Still Lives!Still Lives!
Al Gore (Dem) in Al Gore (Dem) in 20002000
But, Populism But, Populism Still Lives!Still Lives!
John Edwards John Edwards (Dem) in 2008(Dem) in 2008