3.4 Farm Issues and Populism

Which factor contributed to the accumulation of debt among farmers?

• Banks set low interest rates.

• The prices of crops declined.

• Farmers took ownership of their farms.

• Farmers were elected to be national leaders.

One of the main goals of the Grange was to

• regulate railroad and grain elevator rates.

• protest the establishment of “sub-treasuries.”

• establish a “short haul and long haul” practice.

• form alliances between black and white farmers.

Which problem did the Populist Party seek to remedy?

• the threat of women’s suffrage

• excessive government regulations

• an insufficient monetary supply

• government ownership of railroads

How did the election of 1896 affect the Populist Party?

• The Populist Party gained support from urban workers.

• Bryan’s defeat permanently weakened the Populist Party.

• McKinley’s victory destroyed the objectives of the Populist Party.

• The Populist Party accumulated millions of dollars during the campaign.

Among the reasons for the collapse of the Populist Party was the fact that

• it proposed ideas that were unpopular with rural Americans.

• it could not capture support in southern and western states.

• its top candidates did not appeal to “average” Americans.

• its position on monetary reform did not appeal to urban workers.

Why did many farmers go into debt in the late 1800s?

• They took out loans to invest in new industries because agriculture was declining.

• They took loans out to diversify their crops because consumers demanded new varieties of produce.

• They took out loans to build roads to bring their produce to distant cities.

• They took out loans on the value of their farms to pay the increased costs for new machines and other supplies

What led to the formation of the Populist Party?

• the spread of Farmers’ Alliances

• the emergence of women’s suffrage

• competition between railroad companies

• racial tensions within reform organizations

What effect did the growth of the Populist Party have on the two major political parties of the time?

• It helped them to strengthen and fund their campaigns.

• It drew support away from the Republican Party, allowing the Democratic Party become dominant.

• It pressured them to consider endorsing some new demands.

• It threatened to replace them as the most prominent political party.

Why was William Jennings Bryan’s campaign unlike any campaign before it?

• He campaigned directly to the people.

• His speeches were persuasive and captivating.

• He defended the gold standard and opposed silver coinage.

• He raised an unprecedented amount of money.

What happened to the issue of railroad regulation after the decline of the Populist Party?

• The Democratic Party gained power and ruled against railroad regulation.

• Railroad regulation became irrelevant and disappeared from political campaigns.

• Railroad regulation was endorsed by big businesses that demanded lower transportation costs.

• The Progressives promoted railroad regulation, bringing the issue into the twentieth century.