Ocala Demands
Encyclopedia
The Ocala Demands was a platform for economic and political reform that was later adopted by the People's Party
.
In December, 1890, the National Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union
, more commonly known as the Southern Farmers' Alliance, its affiliate the Colored Farmers' Alliance
, and the Farmers' Mutual Benefit Association
met jointly in the Marion Opera House in Ocala, Florida
, where they adopted the Ocala Demands.
of moving from its fraternal and mutual benefit roots towards an increasingly political and radical position. Earlier in the year the Farmers' Alliance had successfully backed a number of candidates for state
and Federal
office, and the convention delegates hoped that future political gains would lead to major economic and political reforms.
s; the establishment of sub-treasuries
or depositories in every state, which would make low interest direct loans to farmers and property owners; the increase of money in circulation to not less than $50 per capita; the abolishment of futures
of all agricultural and mechanical productions; the introduction of free silver
; the prohibition of alien ownership of land, the reclamation of all lands held by railroads
and other corporations in excess of what was actually used and needed by them, held for actual settler
s only; legislation to ensure that one industry was not be built up at the expense of another; removal of the tariff
tax on necessities of life; a graduated income tax; the limitation of all national and state revenues to the necessary expenses of the government economically and honestly administered; strict regulation or ownership of the means of public communication and transportation; and an amendment of the United States Constitution
providing for the direct election of United States Senators.
. As the focus of the Farmers' Movement
shifted into politics, the Farmer's Alliance faded away.
2: We demand that the government shall establish sub-treasuries or depositories in the several states, which shall loan money direct to the people at a low rate of interest, not to exceed two per cent per annum, on non-perishable farm products, and also upon real estate, with proper limitations upon the quantity of land and amount of money.
3: We demand that the amount of the circulating medium be speedily increased to not less than $50 per capita.
4: We demand that Congress shall pass such laws as will effectually prevent the dealing in futures of all agricultural and mechanical productions; providing a stringent system of procedure in trials that will secure the prompt conviction, and imposing such penalties as shall secure the most perfect compliance with the law.
5: We condemn the silver bill recently passed by Congress, and demand in lieu thereof the free and unlimited coinage of silver.
6: We demand the passage of laws prohibiting alien ownership of land, and that Congress take prompt action to devise some plan to obtain all lands now owned by aliens and foreign syndicates; and that all lands now held by railroads and other corporations in excess of such as is actually used and needed by them be reclaimed by the government and held for actual settlers only.
7: Believing in the doctrine of equal rights to all and special privileges to none, we demand --
a: That our national legislation shall be so framed in the future as not to build up one industry at the expense of another.
b: We further demand a removal of the existing heavy tariff tax from the necessities of life, that the poor of our land must
c: We further demand a just and equitable system of graduated tax on incomes.
d: We believe that the money of the county should be kept as much as possible in the hands of the people, and hence we demand that all national and state revenues shall be limited to the necessary expenses of the government economically and honestly administered.
e: We demand the most rigid, honest and just state and national government control and supervision of the means of public communication and transportation, and if this control and supervision does not remove the abuse now existing, we demand the government ownership of such means of communication and transportation.
f: We demand that the Congress of the United States submit an amendment to the Constitution providing for the election of United States Senators by direct vote of the people of each state.
Populist Party (United States)
The People's Party, also known as the "Populists", was a short-lived political party in the United States established in 1891. It was most important in 1892-96, then rapidly faded away...
.
In December, 1890, the National Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union
Farmers' Alliance
The Farmers Alliance was an organized agrarian economic movement amongst U.S. farmers that flourished in the 1880s. One of the goals of the organization was to end the adverse effects of the crop-lien system on farmers after the American Civil War...
, more commonly known as the Southern Farmers' Alliance, its affiliate the Colored Farmers' Alliance
Farmers' Alliance
The Farmers Alliance was an organized agrarian economic movement amongst U.S. farmers that flourished in the 1880s. One of the goals of the organization was to end the adverse effects of the crop-lien system on farmers after the American Civil War...
, and the Farmers' Mutual Benefit Association
Farmers' Mutual Benefit Association
The Farmers' Mutual Benefit Association grew out of the agricultural unrest of the 1880s in the United States. Farmers who felt that they were being taken advantage of by merchants and brokers formed cooperatives for buying implements and house-hold supplies, and storing and selling crops...
met jointly in the Marion Opera House in Ocala, Florida
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
, where they adopted the Ocala Demands.
Context in the Farmers' Movement
The Ocala convention was part of a trend in the Farmers' movementFarmers' movement
The Farmers Movement was, in American political history, the general name for a movement between 1867 and 1896 remarkable for a radical socio-economic propaganda that came from what was considered the most conservative class of American society...
of moving from its fraternal and mutual benefit roots towards an increasingly political and radical position. Earlier in the year the Farmers' Alliance had successfully backed a number of candidates for state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
and Federal
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
office, and the convention delegates hoped that future political gains would lead to major economic and political reforms.
Content
The "Demands" adopted by the Ocala convention called for the abolition of national bankNational bank
In banking, the term national bank carries several meanings:* especially in developing countries, a bank owned by the state* an ordinary private bank which operates nationally...
s; the establishment of sub-treasuries
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
or depositories in every state, which would make low interest direct loans to farmers and property owners; the increase of money in circulation to not less than $50 per capita; the abolishment of futures
Futures contract
In finance, a futures contract is a standardized contract between two parties to exchange a specified asset of standardized quantity and quality for a price agreed today with delivery occurring at a specified future date, the delivery date. The contracts are traded on a futures exchange...
of all agricultural and mechanical productions; the introduction of free silver
Free Silver
Free Silver was an important United States political policy issue in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Its advocates were in favor of an inflationary monetary policy using the "free coinage of silver" as opposed to the less inflationary Gold Standard; its supporters were called...
; the prohibition of alien ownership of land, the reclamation of all lands held by railroads
Pacific Railway Acts
The Pacific Railroad Acts were a series of acts of Congress that promoted the construction of the transcontinental railroad in the United States through authorizing the issuance of government bonds and the grants of land to railroad companies. The Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 was the original act...
and other corporations in excess of what was actually used and needed by them, held for actual settler
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
s only; legislation to ensure that one industry was not be built up at the expense of another; removal of the tariff
Tariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
tax on necessities of life; a graduated income tax; the limitation of all national and state revenues to the necessary expenses of the government economically and honestly administered; strict regulation or ownership of the means of public communication and transportation; and an amendment of the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
providing for the direct election of United States Senators.
Result
In 1892 the Farmers' Alliance founded the People's (or Populist) Party, and the Ocala Demands were incorporated in the party's Omaha PlatformOmaha Platform
The Omaha Platform was the party program adopted at the formative convention of the Populist Party held in Omaha, Nebraska on July 4 1892.-Significance of the Omaha Platform:The platform preamble was written by Ignatius L. Donnelly...
. As the focus of the Farmers' Movement
Farmers' movement
The Farmers Movement was, in American political history, the general name for a movement between 1867 and 1896 remarkable for a radical socio-economic propaganda that came from what was considered the most conservative class of American society...
shifted into politics, the Farmer's Alliance faded away.
Text of the Ocala Demands
1: We demand the abolition of national banks.2: We demand that the government shall establish sub-treasuries or depositories in the several states, which shall loan money direct to the people at a low rate of interest, not to exceed two per cent per annum, on non-perishable farm products, and also upon real estate, with proper limitations upon the quantity of land and amount of money.
3: We demand that the amount of the circulating medium be speedily increased to not less than $50 per capita.
4: We demand that Congress shall pass such laws as will effectually prevent the dealing in futures of all agricultural and mechanical productions; providing a stringent system of procedure in trials that will secure the prompt conviction, and imposing such penalties as shall secure the most perfect compliance with the law.
5: We condemn the silver bill recently passed by Congress, and demand in lieu thereof the free and unlimited coinage of silver.
6: We demand the passage of laws prohibiting alien ownership of land, and that Congress take prompt action to devise some plan to obtain all lands now owned by aliens and foreign syndicates; and that all lands now held by railroads and other corporations in excess of such as is actually used and needed by them be reclaimed by the government and held for actual settlers only.
7: Believing in the doctrine of equal rights to all and special privileges to none, we demand --
a: That our national legislation shall be so framed in the future as not to build up one industry at the expense of another.
b: We further demand a removal of the existing heavy tariff tax from the necessities of life, that the poor of our land must
c: We further demand a just and equitable system of graduated tax on incomes.
d: We believe that the money of the county should be kept as much as possible in the hands of the people, and hence we demand that all national and state revenues shall be limited to the necessary expenses of the government economically and honestly administered.
e: We demand the most rigid, honest and just state and national government control and supervision of the means of public communication and transportation, and if this control and supervision does not remove the abuse now existing, we demand the government ownership of such means of communication and transportation.
f: We demand that the Congress of the United States submit an amendment to the Constitution providing for the election of United States Senators by direct vote of the people of each state.