Populist Party
Grange
• Grange (1867) –
organization (created by
Oliver Kelly) of farmers
that banded together to
fight rising Freight costs
Munn v. Illinois 1877
• Supreme court declared
private property could
be regulated by
state/federal
government when such
regulations would
benefit the public good
*Regulate the railroads
helps farmers
Farmers Alliance
• Farmers' Alliances –
formed after Grange
looses support.
Continues to work to
support farmers
Interstate Commerce Act 1887
• Law that was designed to
regulate the railroad industry
• Required that railroad rates
be "reasonable and just,"
• did not empower the
government to fix specific
rates.
*failed to stop the Monopolies
* Fixed by Hepburn Act (1906)
Beginning of the People’s Party
• Farmers Alliance
•
needed more support
in Washington
Formed the Populist
Party to fight for
Farmers rights in 1892
Omaha Platform
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Goals of Populist party:
government ownership of transportation
Increase in the money supply
Progressive Income Tax- more money you make,
more you pay
Paper currency
Direct elections of senators
Eight hour workday
Panic of 1893
• Worst Economic
depression up to that
date in American
History
• Started due to:
-Railroad Failure from
quick expansion and no
ability to pay loans
-Wall street crash
Gold Standard v. Bimetallism
• Two views on
money
• Gold StandardPaper Money would
be backed by Gold
- Bimetallism- Gold
and Silver would be
used as money
William Jennings Bryan
• Populist leader, Gave
•
speech before
election -“Cross of
Gold Speech”
Bryan states need for
bimetallism and the
dangers of the Gold
Standard
Election of 1896
• Republican William
McKinley
- Wanted Gold Standard
Versus
• William J. Bryan
-wanted bimetallism
• McKinley wins but Bryan
influences future
populist reforms