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Sam Weinberg
The labor movements of the late nineteenth century, sparked by aggressive business owners and a lackluster effort of protection by politicians, gave birth to a new political movement determined to give the American worker a fighting chance against the rail, oil, and steel tycoons of the day. The populist movement as it was later named sprang primarily out of destitute farmers paying high shipping prices to transport their crop to market. Sky high freight charges coincided with a severe drop in grain prices spurred farmers to elect Democratic congressmen, senators, and state officials who vowed to better look out for their well being. What the anarchists, communists, and socialists were doing in the cities for factory workers, the Grangers were doing for farmers in the rural establishments of the mid-west. In Kansas, which had become known as the liberal and progressive testing grounds of the country, the Grangers found widespread support – undoubtedly due to the disproportionate number of grain farmers in the state. The principles of the Grangers – and later the Populists – were not unlike those of socialists: stressing cooperation and a unified labor force; which appealed greatly to disadvantaged farm workers. James D. Holden, in his twenty three page treatise on the state of the American farmer titled Is It Ignorance? Or Is It Treachery? Are our National Rulers the Tools, or, Are they the Dupes of the Money Changers? (1893), describes the tenets of the Populist platform which was published from Topeka in 1893 – the height of the Populist upwelling (http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/200111/page/1) . Holden argues that the economic and political system was designed to undermine the workers in favor of big business and bureaucrats; rejecting the term ‘money’ and the economic system of the status quo. While no Kansan was elected to the presidency on a Populist platform, several won seats in the house, senate, and governorship of Kansas. But as quickly as it started Populism fizzled out after the 1896 elections when Democrats began adopting the same platforms.
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Interesting post. I like how you tied in what other politically active groups and other start up political parties were doing in the cities with what the Grangers were doing in Kansas. I am very intrigued by all the political activism that is going on in this time. It seems like one of the big pushes that America has every once in a while where people are more aware politically and demand action. Also I think this post is a great tie in to what’s going on today and the economic collapse. Holden, like many people today, arguing that the economic system is not set up for the “common man.” Just like people are saying that Wall Street mislead the country and abused the system.
Comment by Zach White October 30, 2009 @ 1:04 pm