Although not entirely successful at first, the Farmer's Alliance evolved into the strong third party, the People's Party, also known as the Populists. This party of farmers wanted the nationalization of telephones, telegraphs, and railroads; the institution of a graduated income tax; and a plan to provide farmers with loans for crops stored in government warehouses, called a "subtreasury". As a group made of debtors, they also called for free silver coinage to cause inflation.
One major advocate for free silver coinage was William Hope Harvey. In 1894, he wrote Coin's Financial School, a pamphlet led nation wide. This pamphlet included clever illustrations and convincing "facts" that made many enthusiastic about the cause of silver coinage and inflation.
Women also played a major role in the Populist Party. Ignatius Donnelly was elected to Congress three times. Of great notability was Mary Elizabeth "Yellin'" Lease, who quite aweseomely said that Kansas should raise "less corn and more hell".
The Populists were to be taken seriously. In 1892, they elected several of their candidates to Congress and received over a million votes for their presidential candidate, James B. Weaver. However, most of the Populists' strength came from the West, and they still needed to win over the South and the urban workers in the East.
(^James B. Weaver)
