1984 DBQ: Farmer
It's amazing that a group of farmers sick of their surroundings and the inequalities all around them could get together a political party that would be the first third-party in history to mount one millions votes. That party, of course, is the Populist party, which was introduced and invented by planters who were irate about getting the rest of the nation rich. These farmers of the late 1800's were bitter, and most of their reasons for this bitterness were valid arguments. Their farms and crops were lining the pockets of many different people involved in the farm industry, but not the farmers themselves. They were isolated and in debt, working hard to keep the nations agriculture alive. They were at the mercy of many other people, including intermediaries such as grain elevators, and of course railroads. They knew what was happening to them and they wanted it to stop. Although some farmers stretched to find reasons for their own poverty, most were faced with many real problems and inequalities and had genuine valid claims. The farmer's revolution of the late 1800's started with a sharp depression in the 1880's. The price of agricultural goods declined and farmers began to feel the pressure . . .
The Eastern manufacturers, bankers, railroad barons, and intermediaries still controlled the agricultural class, as is shown in The Farmer's Voice cartoon, "The Eastern Master and His Western Slaves. They were isolated and in debt, working hard to keep the nations agriculture alive. Another claim that farmers made was that silver coinage was neglected, but free-silver advocates convinced Congress to enact two silver acts: the Bland-Allison Act in 1878 and the Sherman Silver Purchase Act in 1890, which obligated the government to purchase 4. They were constantly confronted with poverty and expenses which they couldn't afford. " Free silver was the only fallacious claim made by the homesteaders. It seemed like everyone involved in the agriculture industry, except for those actually doing the farming, were all profiting off farmers themselves. As stated in the Populist party platform of 1892, "The conditions which surround us best justify out cooperation; we meet in the midst of a nation brought to the verge of moral, political, and material ruin. Even the manufacturers who received agricultural goods kept rich off the farmers, for if prices were down a simple hike in the tariff could keep their profits the same. Make? Why, I will owe, - I'll be-be- That ruins me, do you understand. The Railroad had raised the rate on hops from two cents to five. of high mortgages, railroad rates, and the creeping up of poverty. D) This is a perfect example of how the planters of late 1800's were still under the power of all those involved in agriculture.
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