"We meet in the midst of a nation brought to the verge of moral, political, and material ruin. Corruption dominates the ballot-box, the legislatures, the Congress. The fruits of the toil of millions are boldly stolen to build up colossal fortunes, while their possessors despise the Republic. From the same prolific womb of governmental injustice we breed the two great classes — tramps and millionaires." — Omaha Platform, People's Party, 1892
The People's Party effectively dissolved after 1896 because it
- Acheck_circle
Fused with Bryan Democrats and lost a single-issue silver campaign
- B
Lost southern Black support to the GOP
- C
Was banned by federal court ruling
- D
Splintered over imperialism in the Philippines
Explanation
Populists endorsed Bryan in 1896; his defeat and the silver focus drained the party's broader reform identity.