Bourbon Triumvirate in Georgia

• Georgia transitioned into the New South Era between 1877 and the mid-1890s.

Democrats in the New South Era

• Republicans lost control throughout the South after Reconstruction, which resulted in them having little to no influence in Georgia for over 100 years.
• Many Democrats began a campaign to "redeem" the state, attempting to reclaim the old Southern lifestyle that was destroyed during the Civil War and Reconstruction.
• Some Democrats wanted to shift Georgia away from a cotton-based economy into a more industrial one.

The Bourbon Triumvirate

• From the late 1870s to the 1890s, Joseph E. Brown, Alfred H. Colquitt, and John B. Gordon, three Democratic leaders, encouraged growth in industry and business.
• The three leaders were known as the "Bourbon Triumvirate".
• This era in Georgia is known as the Bourbon Democracy, with "Bourbon" referring to a powerful ruling class.
• The Bourbon Triumvirate's policies replaced Georgia's former large agricultural class with a new middle and business class.
• Agriculture diversification was desired as opposed to only relying on cotton.
• Georgians were encouraged to become more self-sufficient by producing and manufacturing its own goods.
• Unfortunately, Georgia lacked the funds needed to make these changes in the state.
• Investors, specifically wealthy Northern investors, were sought out by Brown, Gordon, and Colquitt.
• The Bourbon Triumvirate aimed to help Georgia's economy by building new industries that allowed residents to buy and sell goods within the state.
• The new jobs and skills improved the lives of Georgia's impoverished workers.
• The Bourbon Triumvirate controlled state politics for about 20 years, with each man serving as governor and U.S. senator.
• The Bourbon Triumvirate expanded railroads, increased industrialization, and gained wealth as railroads, cities, and factories flourished in Georgia from 1872 to 1890.
• The Bourbons backed members of the old antebellum planter class, despite previously being secessionists. They were often political rivals.
• All three men were white supremacists who intended to uphold traditional racial views, denying African Americans equal rights.
• The "Convict Lease System", which leased convicted criminals to businesses for labor, was supported by the Bourbon Triumvirate.
• Low taxes were established, resulting in fewer government services for Georgia's poor citizens.
• The Bourbons began losing power in 1890 as the ideals of the Populist Party gained prominence in Georgia's politics.

Joseph E. Brown

• Joseph E. Brown was born in South Carolina.
• Brown was raised in the mountains of Georgia and graduated from Yale.
• He was the governor of Georgia during the Civil War and was a Republican for a period of time.
• Brown switched back to the Democrats after Reconstruction and served as a Senator from 1880 to 1890.

Alfred H. Colquitt

• Alfred H. Colquitt was born in Walton County and graduated from Princeton.
• He was a Congressman, was elected to the General Assembly, and was a Confederate officer in the Civil War.
• Colquitt was governor from 1876-1882 and a Senator from 1883-1894.

John B. Gordon

• John B. Gordon was born in Upson County and attended, but didn't graduate from UGA.
• He was an officer in the Confederate army, Senator from 1872-1880 and 1891-1897, and Governor from 1886-1890.
• Gordon was likely a leader of the KKK in Georgia.

Henry Grady

• From 1880 to 1889, Henry Grady was the editor of the Atlanta Constitution newspaper.
• Grady strongly supported industrial growth in the South and coined the term "New South" to describe the region's rebuilding.
• Grady encouraged the South to move away from farming and embrace the North's economic model.
• Grady believed that Georgians should transition from the economics of the past and establish a new state based on industry.
• Grady often told Northern businesses that the South was prepared to "forgive and forget" the Civil War (which wasn't true) to attract them to invest in Georgia's textile industry.
• Grady used his newspaper to promote the New South's message of industry and progress, and he became known as the "Voice of the New South.”
• Grady agreed with the Bourbon Democrats' stance on business growth and used his position to persuade voters to elect the Bourbons for nearly twenty years.
• Despite being regarded as the most influential leader in the New South, Grady faced criticism from many Georgians.
• Tom Watson and Georgia's farmers opposed Grady's focus on industrialization.
• Other major cities in Georgia, such as Athens, Augusta, and Macon, criticized Grady for favoring Atlanta.
• Civil Rights groups condemned Grady's inaccurate depiction of race relations to encourage Northern investment in the South.
• Grady founded the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).
• Grady died at the young age of 39.

International Cotton Expositions

• The International Cotton Expositions took place in Atlanta in 1881, 1887, and 1895.
• Atlanta and Georgia's recovery from the Civil War was showcased at these industrial fairs, with the city highlighting how it was a great place to invest.
• The expositions were large "fair" style events with exhibits, entertainment, amusements, new technologies, celebrities, and attractions.
• Henry Grady played a crucial role in organizing and promoting the events, utilizing his newspaper to draw a larger audience to Georgia's industries.
• The 1881 exposition attracted 200,000 paid visitors and demonstrated to the country that Georgia was ready for increased industry.
• News of the event's success spread quickly; the second fair in 1887 drew 350,000 attendees from 33 states and 7 different countries.
• The third fair in 1895 had more than 800,000 visitors, thus proving that Grady's idea was a huge success.
• Booker T. Washington delivered his famous “Atlanta Compromise" speech at the 1895 expo.

Farmers in the New South Era

• Rural farmers faced difficulties as many businesses and banks thrived in Georgia.
• Finding labor was difficult after the slaves were emancipated, and cotton prices fell dramatically.
• Most farmers suffered economically and fell further into debt during the 1880s.

The Farmers' Alliance

• The Farmers' Alliance movement began growing in popularity throughout the U.S.
• There were approximately 100,000 Farmers' Alliance supporters in Georgia.
• The Farmers' Alliance formally established the Populist Party in 1891.

Populists

• The Populists represented farmers and the "common man" throughout the South and were also known as the "People's Party.”
• The Populists challenged the powerful Democratic Party in Georgia by threatening to split the white vote and bring in black Republicans.
• Wealthy industrialists possessed the majority of political and economic power, but the Populists believed it should change since the majority of Georgians were farmers.
• The Populists defended farmers' interests and encouraged them to unite.
• The Populists supported black and white political equality and acknowledged the necessity of uniting regardless of race.
• The Populists advocated lowering state tax regulations for farmers, government regulation of railroads, better roads, and labor regulations restricting the workday to eight hours.

Tom Watson

• Tom Watson was a Georgia lawyer who opposed the "New South" because he believed it harmed small farmers.
• Watson began his national political career in 1890 by winning a seat in Congress.
• Watson pushed for concerns affecting impoverished farmers in Washington.
• In his early career, Watson worked to improve the lives of Georgia's black and white farmers.
• Watson later became a staunch white supremacist and anti-Semite.
• Watson left the Democratic Party to become the leader of the Populist Party in Georgia.
• Watson strived to serve farmers and the "little people" (non big-business).
• Watson fiercely disagreed with Northern industrialists profiting from the labor of the South's impoverished farmers.
• Watson's most significant achievement occurred in 1896, when he assisted in passing the Rural Free Delivery Bill.
• In the late 1800s, mail services didn't deliver to various rural areas of Georgia, leaving many rural farmers without news for extended periods of time.
• The Rural Free Delivery Bill gave farmers across Georgia free daily mail delivery of newspapers, letters, and magazines, etc.
• With the Rural Free Delivery system, rural farmers were connected to what was occurring in Georgia and in the rest of the United States.
• Watson was a Congressman, the leader of the Populist Party, and a senator from 1920-1922.

Explore the impact of the Bourbon Triumvirate on Georgia's economy and politics in the late 19th century. Learn about their goals, connections, and influence during the post-Reconstruction era. Understand their efforts to reshape Georgia and attract Northern investments.