What was the main motivation for the early populists

In 1892 the Populist Party, or "the People's Party", was formed under the motivations of strengthening political democracy and giving farmers economic equality with business and industry.

Populists advocated for: an increase in the circulating currency (by the unlimited coinage of silver), a graduated income tax, government owning of railroads, a tariff for revenue, and the direct election of U. S. senators.