The Populists:

The People’s Party FAQ

Chicago Daily News negatives collection, DN-0003451. Courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society.

What is a Populist?• the common people—especially farmers

or anyone that advocates for the masses and opposes control by elites

Nebraska State Historical Society, [Digital ID, e.g., nbhips 12036]

Where were the Populists?• Mostly in the South and West, the agricultural

and rural centers of the nation

Fred Hultstrand History in Pictures Collection, NDIRS-NDSU, Fargo; and F.A. Pazandak Photograph Collection, NDIRS-NDSU, Fargo.

When were the Populists?• Last quarter of the 19th Century; they began

forming around social clubs like the Grange, labor-type organizations, like the Farmers Alliance, and political organizations, like the Greenbacks

How did the Populists become a political party?

• The party formally organized in St. Louis in 1892 to represent the interests of the common folks and defend them against the railroads, bankers, processors, corporations, and the politicians in league with big business. Mark Hanna, McKinley’s campaign manager,

the industrialist’s friend. http://projects.vassar.edu/1896/0711hw.html

What did Populists believe?

According to their founding statement, the Omaha Platform:1. public/government ownership of the railroads, post

offices, telephone, and telegraph systems2. the free coinage of silver3. a graduated income tax4. An 8 hour work day (as opposed to the 15 or 16 most

people worked)5. government banks, not commercial banks6. excess land held by railroads and foreign speculators

should be taken by the government and reserved for settlers.

And…

They also believed…There should be more

democracy, so they advocated

– Direct election of senators

– Referendum and Initiative

– Recall elections– Secret ballots

Fred Hultstrand History in Pictures Collection, NDIRS-NDSU, Fargo; and F.A. Pazandak Photograph Collection, NDIRS-NDSU, Fargo.

The Who’s Who of Populism

• William Jennings Bryan, perennial presidential candidate famous for his Cross of Gold Speech

www.wikipedia.org

The Who’s Who of Populism

• James Weaver

• 1892 Presidential candidate

www.wikipedia.org

The Who’s Who of Populism• This was one of the first parties to actively

include women (like Mary Lease) and African-Americans (implored by southern politician Tom Watson to join the movement)

http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/eagle/congress/congress.html

http://projects.vassar.edu/1896/watson.html

Wilmington Race Riot of 1898

• Unfortunately, the successes of blacks to win office and thrive in the Populist Movement in NC led white supremacist factions to retake power by fraud and force in Wilmington and across the state.

• When the riot was over, an unknown number of blacks had been killed (perhaps several hundred) and hundreds had been driven from town, their property seized or destroyed by white rioters.

Wilmington Race Riot 1898

http://www.mith.umd.edu/courses/amvirtual/wilmington/wilmington.html

1898 Wilmington Race Riot• This event marked a turning point for

blacks in the South.

• African-American political power was diminished by restrictions on voting and office holding, and their economic power shrank as well.

http://www.pbs.org/jazz/time/time_jim_crow.htm

What happened to the Populists?• Anyone who portrays him or herself to be

a champion of the common man is considered a populist.

• However the power of the Populist Party diminished and gradually faded after the 1896 election.

What about the Populists’ agenda?

• Many of the Populists’ ideals and goals were achieved, if not by them, by others, such as the Progressives.

http://rooseveltinstitution.org/about/roosevelts

So, what is the Populist legacy?• The secret ballot

• Initiative, referendum, recall elections

• 16th Amendment-graduated income tax

• 17th Amendment-direct election of senators

• Government regulation, if not ownership of big businesses, like rail, communications, and banks

• The US left the gold standard