In the 1904 election, the national Populist Party ticket fared fairly well. Its total was twice the party's total in the 1900 election, and in ten states, it received over 1% of the vote. It also offered 47 candidates for the U.S. House, though the only ones elected were cross-endorsed by one of the major parties. The party remained in fusion with either the Democrats or the Republicans in many states.

The three following years were a trying time for the party. When Democrats began to call for the nomination of William J. Bryan in 1908, western Populist leader Thomas H. Tibbles announced that the Populist Party would probably not support him, since he had gone into the hands of the Eastern business interests [New York Times, 6/11/1906]. Two months later, Nebraska Democrats decided in their state convention to break the fusion with the Populists, but they changed their mind after an all-night conference [New York Times, 8/17/1906]. In the 1906 midtern elections, the party only offered 10 candidates for U.S. House. The Kansas Populist Party officially disbanded on 12/27/1906 when the state party leader announced that he was joining the Republicans [New York Times, 12/8/1906].

By late 1907, many Populists were hoping that Thomas E. Watson would agree to run for President again in 1908. The previous three years had been unusual for Watson. He gave a speech to a gathering of farmers in Greensborough GA,

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In the 1904 election, the national Populist Party ticket fared fairly well. Its total was twice the party's total in the 1900 election, and in ten states, it received over 1% of the vote. It also offered 47 candidates for the U.S. House, though the only ones elected were cross-endorsed by one of the major parties. The party remained in fusion with either the Democrats or the Republicans in many states.

The three following years were a trying time for the party. When Democrats began to call for the nomination of William J. Bryan in 1908, western Populist leader Thomas H. Tibbles announced that the Populist Party would probably not support him, since he had gone into the hands of the Eastern business interests [New York Times, 6/11/1906]. Two months later, Nebraska Democrats decided in their state convention to break the fusion with the Populists, but they changed their mind after an all-night conference [New York Times, 8/17/1906]. In the 1906 midtern elections, the party only offered 10 candidates for U.S. House. The Kansas Populist Party officially disbanded on 12/27/1906 when the state party leader announced that he was joining the Republicans [New York Times, 12/8/1906].

By late 1907, many Populists were hoping that Thomas E. Watson would agree to run for President again in 1908. The previous three years had been unusual for Watson. He gave a speech to a gathering of farmers in Greensborough GA, and while preparing for supper, the house where he was staying was burned [NYT 1/4/1905]. In mid-1906, Watson called on Georgia Populists to vote for Hoke Smith for governor in the Democratic primary, which fueled speculation that Watson was thinking of returning to the Democrats [NYT 6/26/1906]. In early 1907, Watson started a network of Populist-leaning publications to keep the party's principles alive; Tibbles was chosen to serve as the chief editor [NYT 2/10/1907]. One month later, someone fired shots into the Watsons' house in Augusta GA [NYT 3/16/1907]. He had an altercation with a Negro porter on a train; when the porter said that he was unable to increase the train's speed, Watson hit the man in the face with the cap of his cane [NYT 4/15/1907].

The Populist National Committee met on 11/26/1907 to make preparations for the 1908 national convention. James H. Ferriss, national chairman, indicated that Thomas Watson was the front runner for the nomination. He said that the party hoped to forge an alliance with one or more of the other minor parties, including possibly the Independence League or the Prohibitionists [NYT 11/24/1907]. In early 1908, however, at least one member of the national committee believed that Sen. LaFollette would win the Populist nomination [NYT 3/30/1908].

The 1908 National Convention

The 5th Populist Party National Convention was held in St. Louis MO on 4/2-3/1908.

On the first day of the convention, Nebraska Populists worked to adjourn the convention. They had already decided to support Bryan if he became the Democratic nominee. They managed to delay the official organization of the convention all day. One of their delegates, A.M. Walling of Nebraska, told the New York Times "we shall bolt if the convention attempts to nominate Thomas E. Watson, or any one else. We are not alone, for we have assurances that Minnesota, Georgia, and possibly Michigan and Kansas will walk out when we do" [NYT 4/3/1908].

The convention was organized on the second day and completed all its relevant business. Watson supporters chose George A. Honnecker of New Jersey to serve as the permanent chairman, defeating the Bryan supporters' choice, Jacob Coxey. The platform called for inflation of the currency; public ownership of railroads, telephones, and telegraphs; labor legislation; and a ban on futures gambling.

When the time for nominations began, a division took place. Watson's name was placed in nomination, and the Nebraska delegation bolted. They were followed by T.J. Weighan, the sole delegate from Minnesota. Watson was then nominated for President; his running mate was Samuel Williams of Indiana [NYT 4/4/1908].

Campaign of 1908

On 7/9/1908, the Populist Party fall campaign was officially kicked off. Judge J.W. Forrest had been appointed by the convention to notify Watson of his nomination, and a mass meeting was held in Atlanta for the purpose. In his acceptance speech, Watson compared leading industrialists of the day to the men in ancient Rome who were forced by Caesar to spend all money they had hoarded in excess of $3,000 [NYT 7/10/1908].

Watson took an extended tour around the nation. He attended the Populist state convention in Nashville TN on 7/16/08, where he said that Bryan was taking the South for granted and had offended the South with his stand on the Brownsville incident. Watson told the delegates that he would win Georgia and run a strong campaign in other states [NYT 7/17/1908].

In Nebraska, the Populist Party was called the Populist Independent Party. It nominated the Democratic slate of Presidential Electors [NYT 7/25/1908]. Populist leaders in Virginia also left for the Bryan camp [NYT 7/23/1908].

Jacob Coxey became one of Watson's leading campaigners in the campaign. He had supported Bryan after the Democratic National Convention, but within a month he was disillusioned. While marketing a gas turbine invention in rural areas in Ohio, Georgia, and New York, Coxey made public speeches on Watson's behalf, pointing out that Watson was the only candidate attacking the "Banking Trust" [NYT 8/31/1908].

On election day, the Populists were sorely disillusioned. Watson's total vote fell by two-thirds; he lost votes in every state except Florida and Virginia. Two-thirds of his vote was cast in his home state of Georgia. The party offered only seven candidates for the U.S. House (though five additional Populists ran in Nebraska on the fusion ticket that had endorsed Bryan).

After 1908, the Populist Party existed on paper only. Its Nebraska affiliate officially disbanded in 1916.

4th Populist National Convention [1904]

Popular Vote of 1908

Electoral Vote of 1908

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