Anti-Monopoly Party

The Anti-Monopoly Party was a short-lived U.S. political party that was founded as a national political party in 1884 at its convention in Chicago, which took place on May 14 of that year. Prior to this convention, however, there were Anti-Monopoly Parties operating at the state level, notably in California and New York. The party's platforms were similar to those of other parties identified as progressive, as the party advocated such measures as direct election of senators, a graduated income tax, legal rights for labor unions, and antitrust legislation, among others.

Former U.S. army general and Massachusetts governor Benjamin F. Butler was nominated to run as the party's candidate for President in the 1884 election, and he was similarly nominated by the Greenback Party. Both parties nominated Absolom M. West of Mississippi for Vice President. Butler received 175,370 votes in the election, although the Anti-Monopoly Party did not exist for long after the election. The People's Party's Omaha Platform contained many planks of the Anti-Monopoly platform. Subsequently the Progressive movement saw the enactment of many political reform measures first championed by the Anti-Monopolists and Greenbackers.

Elected officials

The Anti-Monopoly party elected one member to the United States House of Representatives and one member to the U.S. Senate:

• Newton Booth, senator from California. Served in the 44th, 45th, and 46th United States Congress, from 1875 to 1881.

• Benjamin F. Shively, representative from Indiana's 13th congressional district. Served in the 48th United States Congress from March 4, 1883 to March 3, 1885.

External links

• Information about the party from the History Channel's "This Day in History."