The Populist Party

With the sharp decline of farm prices in the late 1800s, the farmers who felt the effects of a depressed economy put the blame squarely on Eastern financial interests. Continuing hard times for the farmers led to the emergence of farmers' alliances. From these alliances grew the beginnings of the Populist Party, which advocated a number of populist reforms such as a secret ballot, the popular election of U. S. senators, a direct democracy, banking reform, and a graduated income tax. Many of these ideas were later adopted by law or amendment to the U.S. Constitution.