The Populists and Progressives

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THE FARMERS UNITE
Some farmers would burn their crop as fuel due to the high cost unlike the workers in the east – there were no “unions” to
look after the interest of the farmers – so they got together and decided to make one

THE POPULIST PARTY

In July 1892, the members of the People's Party of America, also known as the Populists, gathered in Omaha to organize a national reform effort. Their platform, largely the work of Ignatius Donnelly of Minnesota, stated their main grievances and hopes for change. The party also nominated General James B. Weaver as their candidate for president. Weaver received more than a million votes and carried four western states. As you examine the Populist Party platform, think about the nation's economic and political situation in 1892.

Omaha Platform of 1892
In 1890, farmers elected 5 United States senators, 6 governors, and 46 congressmen. Encouraged by this electoral success, farmers again set their sights on a national coalition. The three major farmers' organizations held a convention in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1892. Six principal demands emerged from this meeting:

A permanent union of all working classes
Wealth for the workers
Government ownership of railroads
Government ownership of all communications systems
More flexible and fair distribution of the national currency
No more ownership of land by those who do not actually use it

As it turned out, the Populists' less radical demands, such as their call for a secret ballot, a graduated income tax, and the direct election of Senators, became law within twenty years.

UNITY = SUCCESS
Grange – Farmer’s Alliance – Populist Party

"Farmers were by nature independent and individualistic— dead set against consolidation or regimentation."
American Pageant p 611

Republican laissez-faire policies that favored big business and allowed corporations to consolidate. These corporations were hard to regulate with an undefined government role. City, state, and federal governments added to this by gouging the farmers, ripping them off by making them pay painful taxes when they could least afford to do so.

1867- Oliver Kelley started the first National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry AKA the Grange it began as a non-political group whose goals were to stimulate farm families (social, educational, and fraternal) Milton Grange

Farmers and Laborers' Union of America was a regional association in the Southwest. By 1890, it had 3 million members.

Northwest Farmers' Alliance began in Chicago and spread throughout the Midwest. By 1890, it had 2 million members.

Colored Farmers National Alliance addressed the needs of African-American farmers in the South and in the Midwest. By 1890, it had between 1 and 1.5 million members.

Munn v. Illinois (1877) – Railroad discrimination against farmers led to pro-farming legislation in the Grange Laws. These laws were challenged by large corporations, but the Supreme Court ruled in favor of state regulation because it had a direct effect on the general public. In its ruling, the court upheld the right of state legislatures to regulate railroad rates.

"Chief Justice Morrison R. Waite wrote the majority opinion. In it he stated that private property becomes subject to regulation by the government through its 'police powers' when the property is devoted to the public interest" Eric Foner and John A. Garraty, eds., The Reader's Companion to American History (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1991) 759.

"Common carriers exercise a sort of public office, and have duties to perform in which the public is interested.... Their business is, therefore, 'affected with a public interest.'"-- (From the majority opinion of Chief Justice Waite.)

After this legal victory, the Grange backed away from political activism. In addition, improved agricultural conditions in the Midwest caused membership to drop.

Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific RR Co. v. IL (1886) – Reversal of 1877 decision, only the federal government was declared able to regulate interstate commerce

THE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT

AP FOCUS: Progressives and “muckraker” writers attacked city corruption, corporate greed, poor living and working conditions, alcohol, and women’s right to vote. Each of these ills saw laws and/or Amendments passed to attempt to better the condition.

The Targets of Progressive Reformers (Optimism and possibility of improving society)

Living and working conditions in the growing urban centers
Transforming individuals – Indians (Dawes Act/Indian Schools and Immigrants/Settlement Houses)
Racial Tensions and reactions to Jim Crow - Booker T Washington visits the White House
Ida Wells - Lynchings: Without Sanctuary Website PBS Jim Crow Interactive Lynching Map
Labor issues - Child Labor, Women’s Labor
Extended voting rights women: Suffrage Image and Suffrage Map
Making government more responsive and less corrupt. This includes concern about concentrated power in government and the "organized corruption of the Boss system

The Geography of Progressivism (where did the Progressive reformers do their work?)

Working within the Government	Working outside the Government
Mayors and Governors: Thomas Johnson, “Golden Rule” Jones, Hazen Pingree, Seth Low, Charles Evans Hughes, Robert LaFollette	Journalists, muckrakers, social scientists: Upton Sinclair, Jacob Riis, Ida Tarbell , Ida Wells-Barnett, David Phillips; Lincoln Steffens

MUCKRAKING ALL-STARS
Who were the "muckrakers" and how did they pressure for government reforms?
Editors and publishers were eager to provide support for muckrakers' efforts as a way to boost circulation numbers and profits. Thus, the genre that emerged was a combination of investigation, advocacy, sensationalism and yellow journalism.

The Progressives in Government

City Reforms
Progressive reform began at the local or city level because it was easier to implement than at the vast state or national level. Urban corruption from political machines was a major focus, resulting in the reorganization of local government using the commissioner-and city-manager-styles of management.

City Commisioner Plan

Cities hired experts in different fields to run a single aspect of city government. For example, the sanitation commissioner would be in charge of garbage and sewage removal. Connection - City Commisioner Plan Galveston Texas

City Manager Plan

A professional city manager is hired to run each department of the city and report directly to the city council. Connection Troy - Michigan

Saratogian News Story on City Managers

State Reforms
Reform governors such as Theodore Roosevelt of New York, Robert LaFollete of Wisconsin, and Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey, all helped get reforms passed in their respective states. In addition, reforms first proposed by the Populist Party were enacted in order to make state governments more responsive to the needs of the people.

Secret Ballot	Privacy at the ballot box ensures that citizens can cast votes without party bosses knowing how they voted.
Initiative	Allows 5% of voters to petition state legislatures in order to consider a bill desired by citizens. Connections - ballot intiatives
Referendum	Allows voters to decide if a bill or proposed amendment should be passed. Connections - Ballston Facilities Referendum
Recall	Allows voters to petition to have an elected representative removed from office. Connections - California Recall 2003
Direct Primary	Ensures that voters select candidates to run for office, rather than party bosses.