The Forum was a late 19th and early 20th century American intellectual journal. It was a major publication of ideas in its time and today it is a good source of insight into the issues and thinking of the period. John Hicks used many Forum articles as source material for his classic history of the late 19th century radical farmers’ movement, The Populist Revolt. Every Forum article referred to in his book is listed and linked to below. Comments on the articles are by Hicks himself from his bibliography. Forum articles are posted on this page as possible source material for students of the Populists or of the era in which they flourished.

1. Gleed, Charles S., “The True Significance of the Western Unrest”, The Forum 16, 251-260 (Nov 1893). Opposes the idea that the western radicals are socialistic.

2. Gladden, Washington, “The Embattled Farmers”, The Forum 10, 315-322 (Nov 1890). The interesting conclusions of a keen and sympathetic observer.

3. Butler, Marion, “The People’s Party”, The Forum 28, 653-662 (Feb 1900). Butler was chairman of the Populist national committee and claimed that the party was not disintegrating.

4. Gleed, J. Willis, “Western Mortgages,” The Forum 9, 93-105 (Mar 1890). A fair statement of the existing situation.

5. Goodloe, Daniel R., “Western Farm Mortgages,” The Forum 10, 346-355 (Nov 1890). Pessimistic.

6. Hague, James D., “The Costs of Silver and the Profits of Mining,” The Forum 15, 60-67 (Mar 1893). Points out that only the most fortunate producers could mine silver at a profit.

7. Morgan, John T., “The Danger of the Farmers’ Alliance,” The Forum 12, 399-409 (Nov 1891). The danger is seen to lie in the politicians who have secured control of the Alliance.

8. Peffer, Williams A., “The Farmers’ Defensive Movement,” The Forum 8, 464-473 (Dec 1889). Senator Peffer was an able defender of the farmers’ point of view.

9. Smith, Goldwyn, “The Brewing of the Storm,” The Forum 22, 436-446 (Nov 1896). An anti-Populist view.

10. Tracy, Frank B., “Menacing Socialism in the Western States,” The Forum 15, 332-342 (May 1893). The author failed to appreciate the hold that individualism had on the Populist farmer.

10. Tracy, Frank B., “The Rise and Doom of the Populist Party,” The Forum 16, 240-250 (Oct 1893). The author again fails to appreciate the hold that individualism had on the Populist farmer.

11. Atkinson, Edwards, “The True Meaning of the Farm Mortgage Statistics,” The Forum 17, 310-325 (May 1894). Concludes that the western mortgage burden is relatively light.

12. Canfield, James, “Is the West Discontented? A Local Study of Facts,” The Forum 18, 449-61 (Jul 1894). Canfield, Univ. of Nebraska chancellor, features the “contented” classes of the West in this article.

13. Carlisle, John, “The Tariff and the Farmer,” The Forum 8, 475-88 (Jan 1890). An argument for low tariffs.

14. Cullom, Shelby M., “Protection and the Farmer,” The Forum 8, 136-147 (Oct 1889). Tries to show how protection helps the farmer.

15. Davis, C. Wood, “Why the Farmer Is Not Prosperous,” The Forum 9, 231-241 (Apr 1890). A contemporary study of prices by a Kansas farmer.

16. Davis, R. Means, “The Matter with the Small Farmer,” The Forum 14, 381-389 (Nov 1892). Concerned chiefly with the cotton planter.

17. Gleed, J. Willis, “Is New York More Civilized Than Kansas?” The Forum 17, 217-234 (Apr 1894). Finds the greater possibilities in Kansas.

18. Gleed, J. Willis, “Western Lands and Mortgages,” The Forum 11, 468-471 (Jun 1891). Regards the prospects of western recovery as bright.

19. Vaile, Joel F., “Colorado’s Experiment with Populism,” The Forum 18, 714-723 (Feb 1895). An ill-tempered and hostile account.

20. Welch, Rodney, “The Farmers’ Changed Condition,” The Forum 10, 689-700 (Feb 1891). Points out the difficulty that the farmer has in adapting himself to the changed conditions.