Direct election of senators, creation of a federal income tax, government control of railroads
Explanation:
Initially, senators were elected by members of the state legislatures, but since 1913, after the 17th amendment to the Constitution came into force, the election of senators became direct. The most important was the populist argument - there was a need to “awaken the senators a sharper sense of responsibility to the people,” which, according to the reformers, they lacked; the appointment by the state legislatures was considered an anachronism that did not keep pace with the desires of the American people and led to the transformation of the Senate into a kind of aristocratic body - too far from the people, beyond its reach and without much interest in its welfare. By 1912, 239 political parties at the level of both the Federation and the states supported some sort of direct election of senators, and 33 states introduced their direct primary elections.
Populists sought nationalization of the railways, telegraph, and telephone. However, the requirements for the nationalization of railways, telephone and telegraph were impossible to fulfill in the conditions of the industrial-capitalist realities of America at the end of the 19th century. In the Midwest area, Granger Laws were promulgated, thanks to which the railway began to be regulated. Naturally, the owners of the railways opposed them. Litigation began, which reached the Supreme Court. At first, the Supreme Court sided with the farmers (Munn v. Illinois 1876). But by 1886, the balance changed in favor of the railway companies.
In 1894, the recession and intervention of the party of populists created the prerequisites for the short-term introduction of income tax, but in the same year it was declared unconstitutional and repealed - until in 1913 the corresponding constitutional amendment was introduced and adopted.
In the debates at national conventions, monometallism and bimetallism occupied a large place. The populists did not recognize Sherman’s silver circulation act of 1890 and insisted on free and unlimited coinage of silver dollars. Many delegates demanded unlimited coinage of silver, rating it as 16: 1 against gold. Members of the People’s Party presented bills on inflationary increase in the money supply. These were mainly bills for unlimited coinage of silver. Kansas Congressman Benjamin Clover has proposed increasing small coinage. The most radical in monetary matters was the initiative of Senator William Peffer. The parliamentarian proposed to prohibit the coinage of gold in the United States. None of these initiatives of the members of the United States People’s Party reached not only the vote, but even the discussion stage.
In 1894, the recession and intervention of the party of populists created the prerequisites for the short-term introduction of income tax. It was canceled after the decision of the US Supreme Court, which issued a verdict that income tax is illegal: firstly, it is not mentioned in the Constitution, and secondly, all states did not agree to recognize its introduction. However, 1913 put an end to ‘tax freedom’ - the 16th Amendment to the Constitution was adopted, which made income tax a reality.
In 1887, the Law to Regulate Commerce was passed in the United States, according to which rail transportation of goods became the subject of comprehensive economic regulation by the state, and for the next 93 years, the US federal government represented by Interstate Commerce commingle controlled the entire scope of rail transportation.
