Populism & the Election of 1896

1. Populism & the Election of 1896 http://www.historyteacher.net/AHAP/PowerPoints/PopulismandtheElectionof1896.ppt

2. What were some of the major problems facing farmers during the Gilded Age ??

3. The Silver Issue • “Crime of ’73” demonetization ofsilver (govt. stopped coining silver). • Bland-Allison Act (1878)  limitedsilver 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 theUS Treasury rather than circulation.

4. THE CONSEQUENCES OF MODERN FARMING The farmers produced too much and were unable to reimburse their debts They had to sustain the effects of European, Latin American and Australian competition Protectionist measures taken by the Europeans

5. Populism: An Agrarian Revolt

6. Price Indexes for Consumer & Farm Products: 1865-1913

7. Founder of the National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry (1867)

8. The Grange Movement • First organized in the 1870s in the Midwest, the south, and Texas. • Set up cooperative associations. • Social and educational components. • Succeeded in lobbying for “Granger Laws.” • Rapidly declined by the late 1870s.

9. The Grange Takes action http://uncomedia.com/class/notes1/railroads.ppt • Sponsored local and state candidates • 1871 Illinois authorizes commission to set rates and prohibit discrimination • Other states follow “Granger Laws” • Railroads fight back but Supreme Court upholds states right to regulate commerce • 1877 Supreme Court rules states could not regulate Interstate commerce http://uncomedia.com/class/notes1/railroads.ppt

10. Supreme Court Decisions • Munn vs. Illinois (1877) • Did the state-imposed rates deny the warehouse and elevator owners equal protection and due process under the 14th Amendment?Ruling was no. Link • Wabash, St. Louis, & Pacific Railroad Company vs. Illinois (1886) • The result of the case was denial of state power to regulate interstate rates for railroads, and the decision led to creation of the Interstate Commerce Commission.Link

11. Giftfor theGrangers: The FarmerPays for All!

12. The Farmers Alliances • Begun in the late 1880s (Texas first  the Southern Alliance; then in the Midwest  the Northern Alliance). • Built upon the ashes of the Grange. • More political and less social than the Grange. • Ran candidates for office. • Controlled 8 state legislatures & had 47representatives in Congress during the 1890s.

13. United We Stand, Divided We Fall • In 1889 both the Northern andSouthern Alliancesmerged into one—the Farmers’ Alliance.

14. The Populist (Peoples’) Party • 1890 Bi-Election: • So. Alliance  wanted to gain control of the Democratic Party. • No. Alliance  ran 3rd Party candidates. • 1892  800 met in St. Louis, MO • majority were Alliance members. • over 100 were African Americans. • reps. of labor organizations & other reformers (Grange, Greenback Party).

15. Platform of Lunacy

16. The Populist (Peoples’) Party • Founded by James B. Weaverand Tom Watson. • Omaha, NE Convention in July,1892. • Got almost 1 million popularvotes. • Several Congressional seatswon. James B. Weaver, Presidential Candidate &James G. Field, VP

17. Omaha Platform of 1892 System of “sub-treasuries.” Abolition of the National Bank. Direct election of Senators. Govt. ownership of RRs, telephone & telegraph companies. Government-operated postal savings banks. Restriction of undesirable immigration. 8-hour work day for government employees. Abolition of the Pinkerton detective agency. Australian secret ballot. Re-monitization of silver. A single term for President & Vice President.

18. Govt.-Owned Companies

19. 1892 Election

20. Bi-Metallism Issue

21. The Panic of 1893

22. Causes of the 1893 Panic • Begun 10 days after Cleveland took office. • Several major corps. went bankrupt. • Over 16,000 businesses disappeared. • Triggered a stock market crash. • Over-extended investments. • Bank failures followed causing a contractionof credit [nearly 500 banks closed]. • By 1895, unemployment reached 3 million. • Americans cried out for relief, but the Govt.continued its laissez faire policies!!

23. Here Lies Prosperity

24. Written by a Farmer at the End of the 19c When the banker says he's brokeAnd the merchant’s up in smoke,They forget that it's the farmer who feeds them all.It would put them to the testIf the farmer took a rest;Then they'd know that it's the farmer feeds them all.

25. Coxey’s Army, 1894 • Jacob Coxey & his “Army of the Commonweal of Christ.” • March on Washington  “hayseed socialists!”

26. Result of Election Returns • Populist voteincreased by40% in the bi-election year,1894. • Democratic party losses in the West werecatastrophic! • But, Republicanswon control of the House.

27. The 1896 Election

28. Gold / Silver Bug Campaign Pins

29. William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925) The “Great Commoner”

30. William Jennings Bryan Prairie avenger, mountain lion, Bryan, Bryan, Bryan, Bryan, Gigantic troubadour, speaking like a siege gun, Smashing Plymouth Rock with his boulders from the West. • Revivalist style of oratory.

31. Bryant’s“Cross of Gold” Speech You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns; you shall not crucify mankind upon across of gold!

32. Bryan: The Farmers Friend(The Mint Ratio) 18,000 miles of campaign “whistle stops.”

33. Democratic Party Taken Over by the Agrarian Left Platform  tariff reductions; income tax; strictercontrol of the trusts (esp. RRs); free silver.

34. Mark Hanna: The “Front-Porch” Campaign

36. William McKinley (1843-1901)

37. The Seasoned Politician vs. The “Young” Newcomer

38. Into Which Box Will the Voterof ’96 Place His Ballot?

39. 1896 Election Results

40. Why Did Bryan Loose? • His focus on silver underminedefforts to build bridges to urbanvoters. • He did not form alliances withother groups. • McKinley’s campaign was well-organized and highly funded.

41. Gold Triumphs Over Silver • 1900  GoldStandard Act • confirmed thenation’s commitment tothe gold standard. • A victory for the forces ofconservatism.

42. The Wizard of Ozby L. Frank Baum

43. 1964: Henry Littlefield’s “Thesis”?

44. What Are the Metaphors? • Dorothy  ? • Kansas  ? • Wicked Witch of theEast  ? • Tin Woodsman  ? • Scarecrow  ? • Cowardly Lion  ? • Yellow Brick Road  ? • Silver Slippers  ? • Emerald City  ? • Oz  ? • The Wizard  ? • Munchkins  ? • Wicked Witch of the West  ? • Flying Monkeys  ?

45. Heyday of Western Populism

46. Why Did Populism Decline? The economy experienced rapid change. The era of small producers and farmers was fading away. Race divided the Populist Party, especially in the South. The Populists were not able to breakexisting party loyalties. Most of their agenda was co-opted bythe Democratic Party.