Progressives/Populist Movement

The Farmer’s Alliance formed the Populist movement because they were tired of railroads charging higher rates to the farmer than to big businesses. It cost a farmer to ship his product to a nearby city double what big businesses were charged to ship it across the country. There was a lack of currency and credit for the farmers. The “banking system was rooted in the gold standard and dominated by eastern commercial banks”.

“Populism was more than a set of demands and a list of economic grievances. At its heart were the emotion and the promise of a religious revival”. The Populist wanted an economic democracy so they could reclaim the land that was sold to the railroad and foreign investors, g

The following are four issues that the Progressives focused their concerns: Americanization, democratization, humanization, and rationalization. Americanization represented the fear that the United States would allow too many immigrants into the country and not know what to do with them. The Progressives felt we should teach them the American ways and values, thus pushing them out of their ethnic neighborhoods and into a more cultivated one. Also, they strived to keep the children out of the workforce and make it mandatory for them to attend school. Democratization focused on the political arena. They wanted more professionals and less corrupt individuals. They felt the cities should own and operate the utilities, therefore, to eliminate the monopolies, which kept the rich from getting richer. They were successful in “passing two important reforms to break the power of the political machines: the direct primary and at large voting”. The at large voting added seats to the council, and put an end to the all ethnic neighborhood voting power. The Progressives supported the bill, which Congress passed in 1912 to directly elect Senators. Humanization was an issue that was really sought for. The Progressives wanted labels put on contaminated food, dangerous products, and fraudulent advertisers. They also wanted chlorinated clean drin

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