Which group primarily supported the increase in silver coinage during the late 19th century?

The primary support for the increase in silver coinage during the late 19th century came from farmers and miners. This alignment stemmed from the economic challenges they faced in a predominantly gold-backed monetary system. Farmers were experiencing significant debt and felt that increasing the money supply through the coinage of silver would help inflate prices for their crops, making it easier to repay debts.

Miners, on the other hand, directly benefited from the mining of silver; thus, their interests were aligned with efforts to promote the free coinage of silver, which would increase demand and potentially raise the value of the silver they were extracting. This movement was part of a larger populist push, where those economically disadvantaged were advocating for monetary policies that would support their financial well-being amid the industrialization that was favoring larger corporations over agrarian interests. As a result, the support for silver coinage was primarily rooted in the economic interests of these two groups.