The conditions
were just such as would spread disaffection among the farmers,
and their discontent sought an outlet. The growth of political
agitation in the agricultural class, accompanied by a thorough-
going disapproval of existing party leadership, gave rise to
numerous new party movements. Delegates from the Agricultural
Wheel, the Corn-Planters, the Anti-Monopolists, Farmers'
Alliance, and Grangers, attended a convention in February, 1887,
and joined the Knights of Labor and the Greenbackers to form the
United Labor party. In the country, at this time, there were
numerous other labor parties of local origin and composition,
with trade unionists predominating in some places and Socialists
in others. Very early, however, these parties showed a tendency
to division that indicated a clash of incompatible elements.
Single taxers, greenbackers, labor leaders, grangers, and
socialists were agreed only in condemning existing public policy.
When they came to consider the question of what new policy should
be adopted, they immediately manifested irreconcilable
differences. In 1888, rival national conventions were held in
Cincinnati, one designating itself as the Union Labor party, the
other as the United Labor party. One made a schedule of
particular demands; the other insisted on the single tax as the
consummation of their purpose in seeking reform. Both put
presidential tickets in the field, but of the two, the Union
Labor party made by far the better showing at the polls though,
even so, it polled fewer votes than did the National Prohibition
party.
Pages:
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140