Agrarian and Immigration

1. Agrarian and Immigration AP US HISTORY

2. Agrarian Stats • Rural Wealth – 1860 – 4 million 1890 – 16 million • Urban Wealth – 1860 – 3 million 1890- 49 million • % National Wealth Agriculture 1860 – 50% 1900 20% • # NATL Income Farming 1860 – 30% 1900 18% • Farms under mortgage 1890 – 27% 1910 – 37% • Farm tenancy 1890 – 25% 1910 – 37%

3. Farm Prices • 1867 – 1869 – it took 1200 bushels of wheat to pay back $1000 mortgage • 1886-88 – it took 2300 bushels of wheat to pay back a $1000 mortgage

4. Major Farm Problems • Overproduction due to technological advances • Outmoded way of life • Political losses • Natural factors • Imperialism • The nature of farming • Exploitation

5. Overproduction due to technological advances • 1839 – ½ hour to prepare and sow one bushel of wheat • 1900 – 2 minutes • 1830 – 61 hours to harvest 20 bushels of grain • 3 hours • 1830 21 hours to harvest a ton of timothy • 1900 – 4 hours • The result – falling prices – • How can farmers maintain their standard of living in a time period of falling prices - raise more – what does that result in?

6. Outmoded way of life • Industrialization left farmers feeling like odd man out • Social and physical isolation contribute to this

7. Political losses • Despite the fact that rural areas remain over represented – they obviously lose power • Bossism and state political machines generally represented urban interests

8. Natural factors • Severe drought and harsh winters during the 1880s – cattle farmers hit particularly hard • Grasshopper plagues • Marginal rainfall

9. Imperialism • Foreign (European) expansion increased world agricultural production further lowering prices and closing some world markets for US goods • Brazil, Argentina, Russia, Canada, and Australia all increase agricultural production

10. Nature of farming • Need for extension of credit • Increasing need to buy improved technology on credit • Effect of panics – foreclosures on mortgages, decreased food consumption

11. Exploitation • Similarity of the farmers plight to that of antebellum South – they develop the same need to find a scapegoat • Railroads • Seen as chief enemy – farmers are totally dependent on the availability and price of transportation to get their crops to market • Individual famers have limited effectiveness in combating abuses of the railroads • If farmers protested, railroads would refuse to ship their produce at any price • Credit institutions of the East from whom farmers had to borrow money were seen as villians charging excessive interest • Protective tariffs • They sold in a free market which lowered prices • They bought in a protected market which increased prices • Industrial goods were therefore more expensive than they might have been

12. Attempts at agrarian organization • Think about – consolidation and centralization going on during the time period

13. Greenbackers 1860s • Sought to increase the money supply through the repeal of the Specie Resumption Act of 1875 • In the early days they attempted to lobby for their beliefs but they lacked the clout of big business • 1870s – they will offer a third party challenge to the existing parties • 1878 they will poll over 1 million votes in state and congressional elections

14. Greenbackers Platform • Lower tariffs • Personal and corporate income tax – tie to tariff • Increase the money supply through the printing of Greenbacks, later the free and unlimited coinage of silver

15. Post 1873 Economy – Greenbackers • The post 1873 economic recovery dooms the Greenbackers chances • Vote totals continue to decline as more consolidated organization take up some of their causes

16. The Grange – Patrons of Husbandry • Founded by Oliver Hudson Kelley - official in the Dept of Agriculture • Purpose – “to keep agriculture in step with the music of the age” • Designed as a self- help organization keeping farmers abreast of changes in technology • Social aspects of Grange – take off – thus it becomes a focal point of farmer discontent • Slow growth – in good times – farmers are individuals – in bad times – they are largely ignored – early attempts tried to locate Granges in cities

17. Slow growth of Grange • Panic of 1873 causes rapid acceleration in members • 1875 – 800,000 – 1.5 m – with 20,000 lodges • Expansion brought a change in focus – though its orginial ideas were never given up totally • Focus shifts to economic matters • Sought to establish cooperatives, stores, grain elevators, warehouses, insurance companies, and factories to produce farm machinery

18. Grange • Reasons for failure • Periodic prosperity – no one continues to make sacrifices during the good times – these are long range support efforts • Lack of capital • Opposition from within – initial higher cost of goods destroys some efforts • Mismanagement – lack of expertise in management techniques • Opposition from without – big businesses can cut prices to undersell cooperatives- discriminatory rate schedules, etc

19. Grange – Political arena • Fair success – particularly at state level • Attempted to work through existing parties rather than third party • Gain control of some state legislatures – particularly in the upper MS river and Oh river valleys

20. Passage of Granger laws • These were designed to regulate the abuses of big business – trusts and monopolies • Munn v IL 1877 • Wabash Case 1886

21. Farmers Alliances • Southern farmers alliance 4.5 million • Northern alliance – 2m (black 1.5) • Goals are similar to those of the Grange • Cooperative stores, banks, processing plants • Similar problems – opposition and mismanagement

22. Alliances in 1880s • By the late 1880s, they come up with concrete political goals – Ocala Demands • Experience considerable political success in state and congressional elections in 1890 • Claim – 2 legislatures, 6 governors, 3 Senators, 50 Congressmen • Claim are exaggerated because many are duel candidates • Nevertheless, by 1892 – they are ready to launch a third party attempt for the presidency

23. The Populist Party 1892 – (Omaha Platform) • Strongest in the Rockies, the Great Plains and the South • Weakest in areas were the Grange is the strongest • Appeals most strongly to small, one crop, minimally mechanized, family farm, and tenant farmers – • Characteristic in common – they are obsolete types of farming – they also represent the debtor class

24. Populist Party • It was unable to attract the labor vote due to lack of common ground • It is unwillingly to appeal to blacks – racism is more entrenched than problems • Leadership is composed of middle class farmers, lawyers, editors

25. Populist Party • Composed of three basic elements • A concrete program of reform complete with specifics • Vocal denunciation of their enemies – revivalist in style • Establishment of a just and stable society – the elimination of laissez faire – movement toward the new view that the government is responsible for the economic welfare of its citizens

26. Populist Party – specific planks • Establishment of sub treasury system – govt loans against surplus crops • Elimination of national banks • End of absentee ownership • Direct election of senators – why – ends ties with big business • Initiative and referendum • Government ownership of railroads, telegraph, telephones • Graduated income tax • Currency inflation – increased supply • Free and unlimited coinage of silver

27. Populist • Nominate James B Weaver – 1892 • Southern problem insurmountable for Populists – how do you win votes from Democrats when your appeal is to the same people?

28. Populist – Silver issue • 1888 – both parties attempt to avoid problems – fear of alienating voter groups • It is increasingly difficult to do so – • Cleveland tried to make the tariff a major issue in 1888 – not wholly successful • Concern is the surplus of 145 million per year • 1888 – Harrison defeats Cleveland

29. Billion Dollar Congress • Congress is controlled by big business – spends money rather than reduce the tariff • Veterans benefits soar – 81m to 135 m – this helped save the tariff by reducing surpluses • Sherman Anti trust Act passed 1890 – j • Sherman Silver Purchase Act – Mckinley Tariff 1890 • Sherman Silver Purchase Act – 4.5 ounces of silver would be purchased each month - paper currency would be issued – redeemable in either gold or silver • McKinley tariff – raised duties to 48.4 • Is this a deal?

30. 1890 Congressional Elections • Democrats gain control of the House in 1890 • Campaign of 1893 relatively clean – Cleveland and Harrison rematch • Cleveland wins again • Tariff reduction becomes one of the first priorities

31. Wilson Gorman Tariff • Reduced rates by about 10% - originally designed to be more significant – • Established an income tax – 2% on incomes more than 4,000 • Quickly ruled unconstitutional 1895 – Pollock v Farmer’s Loan and trust – 5-4 ruling

32. Panic of 1893 • Hurts Cleveland’s chances of accomplishing much • Caused overspeculation, labor discord, agricultural depression • Cleveland (stubborn) blames the Sherman Silver purchase act

33. Panic of 1893 • This causes a run of gold • Government attempted to keep 100m in reserve • Reserves of 190m in 1890 dwindled to 100 million in 1893 • By 1894 they fell to 41 m and there was fear that the US would be forced off the gold standard • Cleveland sought repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act – succeeded – caused great bitterness within the party • 1895 – JP Morgan agreed to purchase $65 million in bonds so the government could purchase more gold – made a profit of 7 million

34. Election of 1896 • William McKinley nominated by Republicans • Platform had two primary planks • Maintenance of the gold standard • High protective tariff

35. Election of 1896 • Democrats were unhappy with Cleveland – Sherman Silver Purchase, tariff, panic, 1893 • In mid term elections Republicans had regained control of the House • Convention was held in Chicago – silverites gain the majority but are leaderless

36. Election of 1896 • William Jennings Bryan emerges after his famous “Cross of Gold” speech • Platform • Reduced tariff • Stricter regulation of railroads and industry • Principle of the income tax • Limiting the use of the injunction • Free and unlimited coinage of silver

37. Populists • Populists are left out in the cold – Options • Nominate a candidate and sacrifice any chance of victory – though they keep their platform in tact • Support Bryan and stand a chance of winning – but sacrifice a major portion of the platform (called Fussionists) • Given these options – most supported Bryan

38. Republican • Campaign strategy • “McKinley and the full dinner pail” • An orchestrated front porch campaign • “spellbinders” – speeches and pamphlets

39. Democratic • Campaign strategy • Took to the stump to utilize Bryan’s strength • Travels 18,000 miles, speaks to 5 million people, gives 500-600 speeches (36 in one day) – becomes known as the “Great Commoner” • Covers the entire country

40. Bryan’s undoing • Employer tools – threats to workers about jobs – bankers threat to foreclose • Revivalist style alienates many Catholics – stress the importance of this as Bryan lost votes in eastern industrial centers • Attracted few Republican farmers (generally prosperous content with laissez faire view) – located in the doubtful states • Price of wheat rises just before election • Inability to sustain emotionalism – campaign lost steam as the election approached • McKinley wins

41. McKinley Administration • Conservative in outlook – controlled by bosses to a degree • 1897 – Dingley tariff enacted – the highest in US history to that date • Gold Standard Act of 1900 – redemption of paper currency in gold only

42. Return of Prosperity – reasons • Foreign crop failures – 1898 • Full business recovery from the Panic of 1893 • Technology and new discoveries increase the supply of gold – currency inflation – cyanide process

43. Immigration • 1890 – shift in the character of immigration • New immigration v old immigration • Old immigrants – northern and western Europe (Ireland, Germany, England) • New immigrants – southern and eastern Europe (Italy, Russia, and Poland) • Acceleration in the pace of immigration • 1860 – 1900 – 14 million immigrants came (most in the 1890s) • 1900-1915 – 14.5 million immigrants

44. Negative Reasons for Immigration • Poverty • Militarism (wars, social unrest, conscription) • Religious persecution • Political tyranny

45. Positive Factors • Opportunities associated with economic growth • Propaganda from steamship and railroad companies • Recruitments by industry • Glowing accounts of earlier immigrants

46. Assimilation Factors • Characteristics of Southeast and Northwest Immigrants

47. NW Immigrant Characteristics • Similar language bases • Similar customs (holidays, etc) • Relative wealth – middle class immigrants allowed the purchase of land and prevented the concentration of immigrants • Similar governmental structure (limited government, democracy, stability) • Higher rate of literacy • Similar religions (mostly Protestant)

48. Southeast Immigrants • Different language bases • Dissimilar customs (holidays,dress, eating habits) • Object poverty limited their mobility and opportunities and led them to concentrate in eastern industrial cities • Totalitarian governmental structures (democratic process was foreign to them – totalitarian governments are not changed through a democratic process but through violent upheaval – thus US citizens were concerned about the threat to democratic institutions • Iliteracy – not only with English but with native tongue – lack of educational opportunities – nativists associate this with stupidity • Dissimilar religions (Catholic and Jewish)

49. Movement toward immigration restriction • Existed early with nativist groups like Know Nothings • Accelerated with the shift to SE immigration – why? • American Protective Association – 1887 • Immigration Restriction League – 1894

50. Reasons for Movements • Labor unions tended to favor them – competition for jobs and control of unions – old immigrants don’t wish to give up control • Republican party – immigrants tended to align themselves with the Democrats • Racism – KKK – fear of the mongrelization of American race and character • Relate to frontier thesis – has a distinctively American character developed or is this merely a rationalization for basic social and economic motives