Page "L. Frank Baum" Paragraph 50

Although numerous political references to the " Wizard " appeared early in the 20th century, it was in a scholarly article by Henry Littlefield, an upstate New York high school history teacher, published in 1964 that there appeared the first full-fledged interpretation of the novel as an extended political allegory of the politics and characters of the 1890s.

Special attention was paid to the Populist metaphors and debates over silver and gold.

As a Republican and avid supporter of Women's Suffrage, it is thought that Baum personally did not support the political ideals of either the Populist movement of 1890-92 or the Bryanite-silver crusade of 1896-1900.

He published a poem in support of William McKinley .< sup >< ref >