The Populists In the late 19th century, the Peoples Party was created and it served as a well-recognized third

party during the elections. They are more widely known as the Populist Party and were consisted of many farmers and workers. Created in 1892, the farmers in the West and South were upset, for the economic depression sent them into despair and hardships. As they entered politics, the first meeting took place in Omaha Nebraska. There, they created a platform calling for change for economy, society, and labor. Their goals could be considered liberal, radical, or even reactionary. The platform displayed most of their demands, and overall, the Populists would be deemed liberal, since they wanted change that was not extreme. The liberal changes the Populists wanted in political terms consisted of quite a few. They demanded secret ballot, allowing voters to just write their choice and leaving them anonymous. Another change they wanted was direct election of their own senators. They also believed reducing the two year term for presidency to one, for both the president and the vice president. In their point of view, if a poor president was chosen, they would leave office sooner. The initiative and referendum was an additional goal to give people a more direct voice in government standing. Today some of these ideas are used, but not entirely and drastically. Economical changes they desired were liberal as well. They wanted bimetallism with the coinage of both gold and silver, which would cause a small inflation. An income tax was also demanded as the rich would pay a fair amount to the government and it would lower the taxation for the country. William James Bryan was in favor of this tax as well as supporting the goal of the government in charge of issuing money and the banking system. The banks would keep the money safe from spending it on the government and this way, corporations and businesses would not have

control over it. The Populists also wanted the government to be in charge of running the railroads and the ownership of telegraphs and telephones. These goals were able to be reached, but did not radically transform the country. The social changes the Populists included the want to limit immigration of foreign peoples. This was one of the reactionary changes they wanted. Another change was the call for the eighthour workday in order to achieve shorter hours for workers, thus appealing to unions and factory workers. The boycotting of Rochester clothing goods were demanded as well as the ban of the Pinkerton army. This appealed to the Knights of Labor. Not many social changes were demanded and are seen as very liberal. The Populists were not conservative as they wanted changes in many areas. Some ideas are radical or reactionary, but mainly their goals and demands are considered liberal. The change they wanted did not change the nation greatly. Many of their economical, social, and political ideas are used in the present day, such as the secret ballot. The Populists Party was successful for a limited time, but they left an impact. They were even successful in the 1896 election as they nominated Bryan as a candidate and gained quite a good amount of votes. They did not win the election, but their importance of being an actual third party is of notice. The platform combined the agrarian concerns of the farmers as well as the goals of many unions. The Populist Party was short-lived, but their views that the common people ruled and their liberal goals were able to be reached to a degree.