Final answer:
Bourbon Democrats in Louisiana limited Populist influence by enacting literacy tests, poll taxes, and the grandfather clause in the state constitution to disenfranchise black voters and those uniting on economic issues.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Bourbon Democrats in Louisiana sought to prevent Populists from gaining political power through various mechanisms that exploited the racial tensions and economic concerns of the time. After the fusion of white and black voters under the Populist banner began to threaten the Democratic Party's control in the 1890s, Louisiana's state legislature responded by rewriting the state constitution. This new constitution included literacy tests and the grandfather clause in 1898, which were designed to disenfranchise black voters and discourage participation based on economic issues rather than race. Additionally, mechanisms like poll taxes and subjective measures, such as the "understanding clause", were implemented to prevent black voters from polling, which ultimately reduced the number of eligible voters and minimized Populist influence.