Who were the Populists? What did they want?
Best Answer: Populists were generally western or southern farmers--both white and black. They were often in debt, they owed money to east coast bankers, and they were never able to get out of debt.They felt they were victims of big railroads, big corporations, and big government.They were led by Mary Elizabeth Lease, William Jennings Bryan, and James B. Weaver. They advocated the free and unlimited coinage of silver (NOT gold.) They advocated this because silver was cheaper and easier to get.est Answer: Populists were generally western or southern farmers--both white and black. They were often in debt, they owed money to east coast bankers, and they were never able to get out of debt.