OUTLINE

The Populist Revolt

I. The Redeemers

A. ideology

1. limited government

2. white supremacy

3. attract industry

B. policies

1. Constitution of 1876

2. abolish public schools

3. convict lease system

4. cut social programs

5. public lands for railroads

II. Self-help

A. A. J. Rose and the Grange (Patrons of Husbandry)

1. the Grange’s self-help philosophy

2. attempts at cooperation

a) the Texas Cooperative Association and Grange Stores

B. The Farmers’ Alliance

1. the Alliance’s self-help philosophy

2. cooperatives

3. lecturers and politics

III. The Alliance hesitates

A. Alliance supports James Hogg and railroad regulation, 1886-1889

1. grievances against the railroads

a) land speculation

b) monopoly

c) poor service

d) rate discrimination

e) free passes

f) harshly anti-Union (Great Southwest Strike, 1886)

B. Charles W. Macune and the Alliance Exchange, 1887-1889

IV. birth of the People’s Party

A. final straws

1. failure of Alliance Exchange, 1889

2. Hogg disappoints

B. Alliance demands

1. land reforms

a) prohibit railroads from owning land for speculation

b) prohibit alien land ownership

2. transportation and communication reforms

a) government ownership of railroads, telegraphs, telephones

3. monetary reforms

a) gold and silver money

b) subtreasury plan

c) fiat money up to $50 per capita

d) graduated income tax

4. political reforms

a) direct election of senators

b) direct legislation (initiative and referendum)

c) secret ballot

5. labor reforms

a) right of Unions to organize

b) right to strike for better wages and working hours

C. People’s Party founded, 1891

1. endorses Alliance demands

2. includes African Americans

V. The Populist crusade

A. election of 1892

1. James B. Weaver for president, 1 million votes

2. Thomas Nugent for governor, 25 percent of vote (Hogg re-elected)

B. election of 1894

1. Nugent, 36 percent of vote

2. Populists hold 22 seats in state house and 2 in state senate

C. election of 1896

1. Democratic strategy at national level

a) endorse silver coinage

b) nominate William Jennings Bryan

2. Demoratic strategy at state level

a) appeal to party loyalties

b) play the race card

c) fraud and violence

3. Result

a) Bryan loses to William McKinley

b) Populist Jerome Kearby, 44 percent of vote for governor

c) Populism destroyed

VI. Legacies of Populist revolt

A. racial and party loyalties stronger than economic interests

B. Texans not ready to embrace public solutions to public problems

C. some Populist ideas would resurface in twentieth century