HIST 2112 Silver and Gold The Populist Revolt Against Revolution Most of America is still heavily rural Populism o The rural response to Industrialism Populists o Farmers who are anxious about Industrialism to themselves and to the country o Very closely related to the labor unions Idealology very similar Agrarianism o Farmer is a hero Hardworking Honest Independent o Ideal Americans o Ideal to run a democracy Vote for the best interest of the country No other influences o Industrialism had a tendency to destroy democracy Depend on their employer for a job wages food etc They vote when they are told to vote o Republic loved the farmer o Industrialists hated them Felt they were living in the past Holding everything back Populists are not revolutionary o They do idealize their own past o Not anti progress capitalist etc o Want an industrialism that is more humane Overproduction o Too much agricultural product o The government gave away too much land Everyone became a farmer o Prices drop o Hard times for all the farmers Farmers didn t trust the East o Banks screwed them out of money o Hated the railroads because they were monopolies and could charge you as they pleased Wealth is a product of labor Wealth belongs to him who makes it Create farmers alliances o The alliance movement o Starts in Western New York in the 1860 s and 70 s o The Patrons of Husbandry The Grange casual name First farmers alliances o Replaced with the National Farmer s Alliance Equivalent of the Knights of Labor Organized like a movement Headquarters Officials Hierarchy Sent speakers around the country to rally supporters Organize politically Form a third party They want national ownership of the railroads Want direct election of senators o Weren t originally allowed to vote for senators Want graduated income tax o Want the rich to be taxed heavily o Don t believe their money was earned honestly Want all protection of industries gone o Seen as unfair assistance Free coinage of silver o Control the supply of the crops to control prices o Get a very low loan with very low interest from the credit union to get you through until you sell your crops o Gold standard money is backed up by gold There is only as much money as there is gold o Want to back up money with silver as well o Can produce more money Cause inflation through silver Populists and Democrats unify William Jennings Bryan Ran for both Populist and Democratic vote at the same time Lost
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