The party was distinctly a farmers' party. In 1884, it
nominated the lurid Ben Butler who had been, according to report,
"ejected from the Democratic party and booted out of the
Republican." His demagogic appeals, however, brought him not much
more than half as many votes as the party received at the
preceding election, and helped to end the political career of the
Greenbackers.
With the power of the farmers on the wane, the balance began to
shift. There now followed a number of attempts to organize labor
in the Union Labor party, the United Labor party, the Progressive
Labor party, the American Reform party, and the Tax Reformers.
There were still numerous farmers' organizations such as the
Farmers' Alliance, the Anti-Monopolists, the Homesteaders, and
others, but they were no longer the dominant force. Under the
stimulus of the labor unions, delegates representing the Knights
of Labor, the Grangers, the Anti-Monopolists, and other farmers'
organizations, met in Cincinnati on February 22, 1887, and
organized the National Union Labor party.* The following May the
party held its only nominating convention. Alson J. Streeter of
Illinois was named for President and Samuel Evans of Texas for
Vice-President. The platform of the party was based upon the
prevalent economic and political discontent. Farmers were
overmortgaged, laborers were underpaid, and the poor were growing
poorer, while the rich were daily growing richer. "The paramount
issues," the new party declared, "are the abolition of usury,
monopoly, and trusts, and we denounce the Republican and
Democratic parties for creating and perpetuating these monstrous
evils.
Pages:
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202