> Alan Rudy
>
> > Come on, Chip. The Ku Klux Klan was never anywhere near as large, robust
> or politically important as the multiregional form of agrarian populism
>
> I think Chip may be right here. The KKK in the '20s had ( just for
> instance)
> marches in South Bend Indiana of thousands (in their regalia). They
> controlled a number of state governments if I recall correctly, not to
> speak
> of municipalities.
>
> That it was "multi-generational" seems irrelevant. And after all, large
> sections of it turned virulently racist, thus probably contributing to the
> KKK of the '20s.
>
> Carrol
>
>
I don't think so, Carrol.
The People's Party, alone, there were other agrarian populist parties and
movements, elected five governors (and, in self-destructive collaboration
with Dems or Reps, another six), six Senators and thirty nine
Representatives, more than 1500 State Senators and Representatives, not to
mention county, township and city officials in the 1890s. In 1892, running
a sure loser of a campaign, The People's Party candidate, James Weaver
picked up more than a million votes, took four states and parts of two or
three others.