Revolt of Workers and Farmers

1. Revolt of Workers and Farmers

2. The Search for Alliances • The 1890s saw a continuation in the disparity of wealth that was growing in America. • A few Americans were enjoying astonishing wealth and lavish homes. • Most, however, toiled long hours under dangerous conditions for low pay. • Categories of race and class pitted Americans against each other.

3. Unifying Forces • Even in the midst of all these tensions, middle class Americans hoped that the nation could be unified by certain forces: • Public schools • Cultural institutions (i.e. museums & libraries) • “American values”

4. Class Conflict • Pension Act of 1890 for disabled Union veterans funded by McKinley Tariff • Northeastern manufacturing states supported a high tariff. • Western states supported tariff in exchange for Sherman Silver Purchase Act (1890) • However, tariff hurt consumers whose wages didn’t keep pace. Led to revolts. • i.e. Homestead Strike of 1892

5. Barriers to Labor Organization • Protestants v. Roman Catholics • Irishmen v. Englishmen • Whites v. Mexicans/Chinese/Blacks

6. Depression of 1873 • 8000 businesses failed resulting in the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs. • 20 percent of all workers lost their jobs • Many became tramps and hoboes to find jobs; others simply begged for handouts. • Jacob S. Coxey’s “army” • 5000 men petitioned Congress for relief • Summarily arrested for trampling on grass in from of the Capitol.

7. Eugene V. Debs • Head of American Railway Union • Led protest of its 150k members against conditions at Pullman Car Company (lowered wages; not rents) • Strike crippled RRs • Prez Cleveland sent troops to crush strike & issued fed injunction to force strikers back 2 work

8. Significance of Pullman Strike • The Pullman strike signaled big trouble for the poor and unemployed. • Marked the first time the courts had ordered strikers to return to work. • Highlighted the dangerous alliance between government and big business.

9. Judicial Confirmation of Government-Business Relations • In 1895 the Supreme Court rendered two opinions that favored big business & wealthy Americans: • United States v. E.C. Knight • Rule: Sherman Act only applies to Interstate Commerce, not to manufacturers. • Pollack v. Farmers’ Loan and Trust Company • Courts struck down an extremely modest federal income tax (2% on $4000+/yr.)

10. 1896 Presidential Election • Republicans nominated Congressman William McKinley of Ohio • Democrats rejected Grover Cleveland who was regarded as a pariah after supporting big business and strike busters. • Democrats and Populist both nominated William Jennings Bryan, a 36-year-old Populist from Nebraska. • Marcus Hanna (wealthy iron magnate) • Raised $16 million for McKinley & smeared Bryan • McKinley won & the Populist Party disintegrated

11. Legacy of the Populist • Yielded some remarkable interracial coalitions. • Coalition between black Republicans and poor white Democrats resulted in victories in state legislatures and several governorships. • However, were unable to sustain a region-wide coalition in the South • White southern democrats campaigned to disenfranchise black men • Blacks & poor whites would find no common political ground again until the 1930s*

12. Barriers to U.S. Workers Political Movement • Although socialism took hold in many parts of Europe during the 1890s, it never did so in America for a number of reasons: • Farmers and industrial workers found difficult in allying with each other. • Large influx of immigrants created competition amongst the poor. • Employers manipulated racial, ethnic, and religious prejudices between workers (i.e. using blacks as scabs). • Unions themselves remained segregated. • Employers sold pipe dreams to many of the poor who therefore would not join unions etc.

13. Challenges to Traditional Gender Roles • In the 1890s women’s suffrage, club, missionary, and social settlement movements emerged as significant political forces. • Unfortunately, white women in these movements refused to include their non-white counterparts.

14. Suffrage • In 1890 the two largest suffrage associations merged to form the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) • Elizabeth Cady Stanton served as its president for the first two years. • Unfortunately, the organization had contradictory impulses: • Brought supporters together from around the country • But did not allow poor, immigrant, or black women to join

15. Women’s Clubs • Some women entered the political realm through women’s clubs during the 1880s • These clubs focused on self-improvement initially, but by the 1890s had embraced political activism • Improvements in education, social welfare, hospitals, & playgrounds • The General Federation of Women’s Clubs (1892) united many local clubs.

16. National Association of Colored Women • Because the GFWC excluded blacks, women formed their own federation in 1896 – the NACW. • Mary Church Terrell was their 1st president • They spoke out against lynch mobs and segregation while working to improve local communities

17. Settlement Clubs • Founded and staffed by well-educated women who had attended elite colleges. • Hoped to instill in poor women the values of domesticity and pride in American citizenship. • Jane Addams’ Hull House the most well-known. • Most settlement houses did not reach out to blacks however; therefore blacks founded their own settlement houses (i.e. the Phyllis Wheatley Settlement, MN & the Neighborhood Union, Atl)