Farmers and the
Populist Movement
Farmers Face Economic Problems
• Bad weather would often put farmers in debt
• Poor crop prices made it difficult for farmer to
make money
• Railroads charged high prices to western farmers
to ship their crops to the east
• After the Civil War, the supply of U.S. dollars
tightened
• U.S. dollars were backed by gold, which meant a
dollar bill could be exchanged for a dollar’s worth
of gold
The Grange Forms
• Farmers began groups
known as the Grange
• They would meet in
halls to discuss their
problems
• The Grange pushed for
economic policies to
help farmers
Populist Party
• The Populist Party, or
People’s Party formed
from many political
groups including the
Granges
• In the 1892 election, the
Populist Party showed
it’s strength by getting
10% of the national vote
• The Populist Party
pushed for reforms like
the direct election of
Senators and the secret
ballot for voting
The Currency Issue
Goldbugs vs. Silverites
• In 1893, there was a financial panic that led
to an economic depression that hurt farmers
• The Populist Party called for “bi-metalism”
or “loose money” which was dollars backed
by gold or silver, they were called Silverites
• The Republican Party wanted to keep the
gold standard or “tight money”, they were
called the Goldbugs
Silverites
• Silverites were mainly
farmers in the central and
western states
• They wanted silver or gold
money so that more dollars
would be in circulation
• This would mean more
dollars for them to buy
things and pay back debts
Goldbugs
• Goldbugs were mainly
the wealthy in the east
• They wanted the gold
standard because their
money was more
valuable as currency
was limited
• City workers also were
goldbugs because they
feared “loose money”
would lead to inflation
Election of 1896
Bryan vs. McKinley
William Jennings Bryan
• William Jennings Bryan
was nominated by the
Populist and Democratic
Parties
• He toured the country
promoting bi-metalism
• His famous “Cross of
Gold” speech claimed
the farmers were being
“crucified” by the gold
standard
William McKinley
• William McKinley ran for the
Republicans
• He did not campaign much
and counted on votes from
the east
• His running mate was a
young, ambitious politician
from New York, Theodore
Roosevelt
• Roosevelt worried the
Republican Party so they put
him in a position with no real
power as a vice-presidential
candidate
End of the Populist Party
• In a close election the
Republican candidate
William McKinley was
elected President
• The Populist Party collapsed
as a political power
• However, many populist
ideas for reform would live
on and eventually become
realities
McKinley Assassinated
• Shortly after assuming
office, McKinley is
killed by a lone gunman
at a public reception
• Teddy Roosevelt
becomes the youngest
U.S. President
• The worst fears of the
Republican Party come
true- a President the
Republicans can not
control