Farmer’s Movement
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Transcript of Farmer’s Movement
FARMER’S MOVEMENT
Major Issues: Farmers’ vision of a well-ordered society
dated back to Jefferson’s ideas of an agrarian republic
Enemies of this ideology were the “special privileges” or monopolies: Banks held monopolies over credit Land syndicates monopolized acreage Manufacturers who substituted traditional
relations of shop with wage slavery RR who monopolized transportation
The Grangers (1860s) Began as an assoc. for social and self-
help Panic of 1873- turned it into an agency
for political changeNational Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry
Granger’s Goals Bring farmers together to learn new
technologies Create a feeling of community Relieve loneliness
**Secret fraternal organization- code of secrecy with initiation and rituals
Membership Increased b/c of the Panic of 1873 Local chapters in most states Strongest in agricultural regions
Changing Goals Attempt to organize cooperatives (avoid
the middleman and cut costs) Stores Grain-elevators Warehouses Insurance companies Factories Shipping with RR
Most eventually failed
Grangers: Political Presence Generally ran candidates under another
party At peak- controlled legislatures of most
Midwestern states Wanted to subject RR to government
control The Granger Laws (1870s)- imposed strict
regulations on RR rates and practices Most regulations were defeated by courts
Downfall of the Grangers Temporary agricultural prosperity Inexperience of political leadership Failed cooperatives
Farmer’s Alliance Began as early as 1875 in the South 1880- Southern Alliance had 4 million
members and new chapters were taking root in the Northwest and Midwest
Primarily concerned with local issues Lecturers traveled throughout the
Midwest speaking for the end of economic oppression from the concentration of power. Suggested healthy competition and cooperation instead.
Role of Women Full voting members Held positions of leadership Were lecturers Mary E. Lease- “raise less corn and more
hell” Raised temperance issue
Sobriety a key to stability Supported extending the right to vote to
women nationwide
End of the Farmer’s Alliance Weak
cooperatives Creation of the
Populist (People’s) Party
1890 Mid-term Elections Farmer’s Alliance won partial or full
control of 12 state legislatures Endorsed Democratic candidates Election encouraged farmers to become
involved politically
Creation of the Populist Party Delegates met in Omaha, Nebraska- 1892
Platform: Tariff reduction Graduated income tax Public ownership of RR and telegraphs Free silver Prohibition of land ownership by aliens (foreigners)
Presidential Candidate: James Weaver Strong Populist showing
Election of 3 governors, 5 senators, 10 congressmen
Populist Party Comprised of small farmers struggling to
maintain the family farm Appealed to the geographically isolated Provided an outlet for grievances,
provided a social experience and sense of belonging
Attempted to gain support from laborers Platform added: shorter hours, restrictions
on immigration and denounced the use of private detective agencies for strikebreaking (Pinkertons)
Populist Party Few laborers joined Populists Attracted miners in the Rocky Mountain
States “free silver”
Additional issues: Abolition of national banks (concentration
of power) End of absentee ownership of land Direct election of US senators (17th
Amendment) Improve the ability of average people to
influence the political process
Weaknesses Election won by Grover Cleveland Populists did not gain support from:
No support from New England, urban parts of the East and Midwest
No support from organized labor
**Party is dead by the election of 1896- can not compete against Democratic candidate
Problems Severe depression between 1893-1897 Unemployment as high as 25%
(industry) Farm prices drop 20%- farm foreclosures Coxey’s Army
Middle and upper classes are worried over unrest
Coxey’s Army (1894) Jacob Coxey Approx. 500 unemployed Americans followed
Coxey to Washington, DC Goal: creation of public-works program for new
jobs Met by 1,500 US soldiers Coxey was arrested for walking on the grass in
front of the Capitol (before giving his speech) Demonstration fell apart Coxey gave his speech @ the Capitol 50 yrs.
later
Election of 1896
Congressman from Nebraska
Famous orator Supported “free
silver” and lower tariffs
“Cross of Gold” speech
Senator from Ohio Promises to raise
protective tariff and protect industry
Imperialist Maintain gold
standard $$ from big business Mark Hanna
William Jennings Bryan (Dem) William McKinley (Rep)
Currency Issue
Free & unlimited coinage of silver (16:1)
Cheaper than gold but better than paper
Increase $$ supply Cheaper $$ Populists & Silver
Dems
Stronger value Better for lenders,
hurt borrowers “sound money” Gold Rep. Gold Dems
Free Silver Gold Standard
Bimetallism- using both gold and silver as a currency with a price ratio fixed.
“Cross of Gold” “You shall not press
down upon the brown of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold”
“If you burned down all the cities, fields would grow in their places. But if you destroyed all the fields, cities would wither and die.”
Mark Hanna McKinley’s campaign manager Portrays Bryan as a wild-eyed radical
Cult of personality-“arises when an individual uses mass media, propaganda, or other methods, to create an idealized and heroic public image”
Hanna taking advantage of the working class.- making money off labor.
Hanna dangles his puppet, McKinley, from his hand. Hanna controls McKinley and controlled the election.
Populist Party Does not run a candidate against Bryan
Fears splitting the farm vote End of the Populist Party
**McKinley won the election by 600,000 votes Bryan loses in NE and big cities of Midwest Does not appeal to factory workers, urban
middle class or immigrants----some feared voting against Hanna and big business
The Wizard of Oz & Populism
Click icon to add picture
Wicked Witch- East and West: evil, represents big business (bankers and capitalists)
Munchkins- wage slaves, factory workers
Tin Woodsman
Representation of the East- Industrialism•Unemployed workers•Rust- being out of work ( factories shut down during the depression)•Go to the Emerald City for help….. DC•Heartless- dehumanization of factory work (machines)
Dorothy
Average personLook to the Emerald City to solve your problems
Some believe she represents a child-like Mary E. Lease
Yellow Brick Road
Represents the Gold StandardRoad leads to the East (Emerald City / Washington DC)
Scarecrow
Midwestern farmersBrainlessDon’t know what their own political interests are- how to help themselves
Cowardly Lion
William Jennings BryanHas a “loud roar, but little else.”Inability to appeal to industrial workers- unable to go up against big business
Coxey’s Army
Going to the Emerald City to seek the solution to their problems
Emerald City
Washington, DC
Fashioned from the “White City”
The Wizard of Oz
The PresidentAppears to be whatever people wish to see in him. Revealed to be a fraudRules with deception and trickery
Ruby (Silver) Slippers
“Free Silver”Could have used her shoes at any time to return home = ability of people to control $Lost shoes upon return to Kansas = end of Silver Movement
Winged Monkeys
“once we were a free people, living happily in the great forest, flying from tree to tree, eating nuts and fruit, and doing just as we pleased without calling anybody master.” Represents: Plains Indians
The Message “Those forces that keep the farmer and
worker down are manipulated by frauds who rule by deception and trickery; the President is powerful only as long as he is able to manipulate images and fool the people.”