The 1890s

Boy, did they stink

The Harrison AdministrationPresident Benjamin Harrison

the “Billion Dollar Congress: first time govt. budget over $1billion; gives most money to Civil War veterans

The McKinley Tariff – raises tariff to highest levels yet; causes much unrest in the South and Midwest

Labor Violence

The Homestead Strike (1892) – steel workers strike at Carnegie’s Homestead plant

Pinkertons and strikers clash

Many wounded or killedPinkertons defeated

Eventually put down by PA state militia and US military

Carnegie tainted permanently as anti-labor

Growth of Populism

Populism: a political viewpoint that places the “common man” over corporations and special interests

Made up of mostly farmers, with labor and reformers, as well

The Birth of the Populist Party

1890 – Ocala, Florida: made up of three groups

Organized labor

Farmers

Social reformers

“Raise less corn and more H-E-double toothpicks!” – Mary E. Lease

Tom WatsonWilliamPeffer

Early Success1890 - Populists win state legislatures in

several Midwestern states, sends five Senators and 12 members to the House

1892 – James B. Weaver wins over 1 million votes and 22 electoral votes

The Omaha PlatformPlatform adopted by

Populist Party for 1892 election; source for many reforms to come into the future

Proposals:

8 hour working day

govt. ownership of RRs

term limits on politicians

popular election of senators

income tax

No. 1 demand:

silver in the money supply at a 16:1 ratio to gold

The Depression of 1893Second worst in American history

Causes:

overproduction of manufactured goods

repeal of limited silver in the money supply

loss of gold reserves, causing deflation

Growing unemployment and farm foreclosures

The Depression of 1893 – 981894 – Pullman Strike: wages cut by 10%, but

rent and prices stay the same in company town of Pullman, IL

Strike turns violent

RRs workers strike in support; most rail traffic stopped

The Depression of 1893 – 98

Cleveland ends strike by sending US military

Labor leaders arrested

Eugene V. Debs

The Depression of 1893 – 98 President

Cleveland pursues laissez-faire approach; violence and protests increase

1894 – Jacob Coxey leads a march on DC; thousands join in demands for jobs

The Depression of 1893 – 981895 - J. P. Morgan and partners lend the

government $65 million in gold reserves to stabilize money supply

Weakens Cleveland politically

The Election of 1896Republicans nominate

William McKinley

Considered safe, reliable

Democrats enter convention with no clear frontrunner

Cleveland rejected by Democratic Party for 3rd term

The Election of 1896William Jennings Bryan and the “Cross of

Gold” speech

“You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.”

The Election of 1896

1/3 Populists and 2/3 Democrats merged (“fused”) to recreate the Democratic Party

More populist in ideology; endorsed Omaha Platform

Remainder of Populist Party eventually dissolved by 1908

The Election of 1896: The Candidates:

Democrat – Bryan Republican – McKinley

Gold Democrats:John Palmer

Prohibition:Joshua Levering

William Jennings Bryan3 term House member from Nebraska

Youngest man to run for president (36)

Populist in ideology, supporter of 16:1

Nominated on 5th ballot; unknown outside NE

Changed politics by campaigning personally

The Election of 1896Republican advantages:

More money

raised by Mark Hanna

Support from newspapers and big business

Opposition from conservative Democrats

The Election of 1896The media depicts Bryan as a dangerous

lunatic, or foolish dreamer; workers threatened if they vote for Bryan

The Election of 1896

Results – McKinley wins; Bryan makes it close