Populist Party

There were a few reasons why the Populists emerged in the late 19th century. This third political party originated in America in the later part of the 19th century. This party was derived from farmer’s discontent and also an economic distress.
The discontent was caused by the country’s shift from an agricultural and agrarian America to an America in which industrialists dominated the nation’s development. The public felt as if they had been cheated by the robber barons. These robber barons, a term given to those who took advantage of the middle and lower classes, legally took advantage of classes inferior to them. Vanderbilt, a well-known railroad baron once said, “Law! What do I care about the law? Hain’t I got the power?†The change from agrarian to industrial had a profound effect on everyone’s life.
Ignatius Donnelly, a leader in the Populist Party wrote, “We meet in the midst of a nation brought to the verge of moral, political, and material ruin. Corruption dominates the ballot-box, the Legislatures, the Congress, and touches even the ermine of the bench . . . A vast conspiracy against mankind has been organized “ As a result of this significant change, several reform movements were commenced. Prohibition b

These were the reasons why the Populists emerged in the late 19th century. The party was derived from the farmer’s discontent and their economic distress.

Their platform included: free and unlimited coinage of silver at the 16:1 ratio; inflation at a rate of $50 per capital; transportation, telephone, and telegraph; implementation of the sub-treasury plan; wanted excess lands given to railroads; direct election of senators; child labor laws; mandatory education; eight-hour work day; one-year terms for president; and an income tax for the middle and upper class. Populists wanted the government to take over the railroads, telephones, and telegraphs and regulate these services. The industrialists who owned and ran these services were cheating the public and overcharging. Populists wanted to reduce special privilege. Also, the farmers wanted the government to take back all the land the railroads were given that it doesn\'t need. These lands should have then be given, or sold at very cheap prices, to farmers.

The Populist Party was the result of a movement that begun with the Granger movement, which was, in fact, a social movement. It organized various activities for women and children, established a mail-order program, and took an interest in education. The Grange united the farmers, who started to participate in politics through different independent third parties. As the Granger