Chapter 19: From Chapter 19: From Stalemate to CrisisStalemate to Crisis

The Farmer’s Revolt

Main ideasMain ideas

A series of undistinguished political leaders fails to take

action on problems caused by rapid industrialization and technological advancement,

corruption and monetary issues

In the 1890’s, the U.S.enters a period of

national crisis

Out-of -control trusts

Public demandsregulation of the

railroads

Agrarian (farmer’s)Revolt leads to the

Populist Movement

Sherman Anti –Trust Act wasineffective

Plight of the FarmersPlight of the Farmers

• Overproduction of crops • Falling prices• Greenbacks vs. hard money • Hard money tied to value of gold• Problems with the railroads• Panic of 1893

The Tariff IssueThe Tariff Issue

• Tariff = tax on imported goods

• Democrats opposed the tariff, Republicans favored it.

• Tariff became a huge issue in the election of 1888

• Harrison (R) wins

Public pressure building for Public pressure building for reform of trusts and railroadsreform of trusts and railroads

• See cartoon page 535• Sherman anti –trust act: actually used

against unions more than monopolies• Granger laws against railroads ruled

unconstitutional in Wabash vs. Pacific Railway Company

• Interstate Commerce Act – banned discrimination in railroad rates between short and long trips

Isolated FarmersIsolated Farmers

• Farmers not part of the new urban-industrial order

• Small, non –mechanized farmers suffered the most.

• At the mercy of merchants who charged very high interest

The Populist Movement: The Populist Movement: Farmers Organize Farmers Organize

GrangeOliver H. Kelly

Farmer’s Alliance

People’s Party

““We will use all lawful and peaceful We will use all lawful and peaceful means to free us from the tyranny of means to free us from the tyranny of

monopoly”monopoly”

The Farmers AllianceThe Farmers Alliance

• 4 million members• Lecture circuit

empowered poor farmers

• Established stores, banks and processing plants to free them from merchants who kept them in debt

The Alliance becomes the The Alliance becomes the People’s PartyPeople’s Party

• 1892: James Weaver of the People’s Party gets 8.5 % of the vote and gets 22 electoral votes

• Populists candidates win seats in state legislatures, elect governors, congressmen and senators

Who were these Populists?Who were these Populists?

• Mostly small farmers who felt cut off from the mainstream

• Sharecroppers and tenant farmers• Some middle –class landowners• Engaged in less mechanized farming• Tried but failed to attract labor• Early interracial cooperation faded• Leaders of the Populist movement were

from the middle -class.

The The Populist PlatformPopulist Platform: The The : The The Omaha PlatformOmaha Platform

• Page 542: Find and list the demands in the Populist’s Omaha Platform

Crisis in the 1890’sCrisis in the 1890’s

• Widespread labor unrest • Grover Cleveland comes to office again

just as economy collapses• Panic of 1893 reflects

interconnectedness of the economy• Page 543

The Silver QuestionThe Silver Question

• What would form the basis of the dollar? What would give it value?

• Background on bimetallism

““Crime of 73” (1873): Currency Crime of 73” (1873): Currency arouses emotionsarouses emotions

• In 1873 Congress discontinued coinage of silver

• Farmers and mine owners demand a return to “free silver” – the free and unlimited coinage of silver

• Gold reserves are dropping at the same time• Two things make everything worse:Panic of 1893 and Sherman Silver Purchase Act

of 1890

Attempts to neutralize the Attempts to neutralize the People’s PartyPeople’s Party

The Emergence of the Democrat The Emergence of the Democrat William Jennings BryanWilliam Jennings Bryan

The The Cross of GoldCross of Gold Speech Speech

• “You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns; you shall not crucify mankind on a cross of Gold.”

WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN

The Wizard of Oz as a The Wizard of Oz as a parable about Populismparable about Populism

• Dorothy = everyman

• Scarecrow = farmers

• Tin Man = Industrial workers

• Cowardly Lion = William Jennings Bryan

• Oz = Washington, DC