As an evangelical Christian and a believer in the literal interpretation of the Bible, Bryan also saw a grave threat in the application of Charles Darwins theory to human society. His father, Silas Bryan, was a Jacksonian Democrat, judge, lawyer, and local party activist. Bryan often spoke on the issue of the currency. When he spoke of himself as the nominee, some reacted as [journalist] Willis J. Abbot did and doubted his mental capacity. This was a matter of intense interest for the silver delegates: Bryan had written to large numbers of delegates urging them to support his men over their gold rivals; once in Chicago, he and his fellow Nebraskans had spoken with many others about the dispute. [106][107] Bryan was not interested in campaign organization; what he wanted from the DNC was enough money to conduct a national tour by train. I will not aid them to press down upon the bleeding brow of labor this crown of thorns."[26]. Bryan and many other Democrats believed the economic malaise could be remedied through a return to bimetallism, or free silvera policy they believed would inflate the currency and make it easier for debtors to repay loans. [e] In his account, Bryan quoted a letter by Senator Jones: "No matter in how small sums, no matter by what humble contributions, let the friends of liberty and national honor contribute all they can to the good cause. NAACP what organization used the court system to fight discrimination? At the center of these efforts was a campaign to end the teaching of evolution in public schools. Poor Grover Cleveland a hard-money, laissez-faire Democrat was blamed for the panic of 1893, and many leading Cleveland Democrats lost their gubernatorial and senatorial posts in the 1894 elections. Carrying some 200 people, the train bore signs on each of its five cars, such as "The W.J. Although Bryan was successful in winning the non-binding popular vote, Republicans gained a majority in the legislature and elected John Thurston as senator.[11]. In 1896, William Jennings Bryan ran unsuccessfully for president of the United States. [10], In May 1894, Bryan announced he would not seek re-election to the House of Representatives, feeling the incessant need to raise money to campaign in a marginal district was inhibiting his political career. Cross of Gold speech, classic of American political oratory delivered on July 8, 1896, by William Jennings Bryan in closing the debate on the party platform at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago during the campaign for the presidential election of 1896. Wherever his train went people, who had travelled from nearby farms and villages, waved and shouted encouragement. "[100] Populist Kansas Congressman Jerry Simpson wrote, "I care not for party names. [124], Bryan rarely emphasized other issues than silver; leader of a disparate coalition linked by the silver question, he feared alienating some of his supporters. [94], Despite the confidence of the Republicans, the nomination of Bryan sparked great excitement through the nation. The 1896 campaign, which took place during an economic depression known as the Panic of 1893, was a realigning election that ended the old Third Party System and began the Fourth Party System. [90], Following his nomination in June, McKinley's team had believed that the election would be fought on the issue of the protective tariff. [62][64] He responded to an argument by Senator Vilas that from silver forces might arise a Robespierre. Biographies of the Secretaries of State: William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925). Many Republican leaders had gone on vacation for the summer, believing that the fight, on their terms, would take place in the fall. McKinley was supported by middle-class and wealthy voters, urban laborers, and prosperous farmers; this coalition would keep the Republicans mostly in power until the 1930s. William Jennings Bryan (D) Loading. Why did the populist party support william jennings Bryan for president in the presidential election of 1896? The coalition of wealthy, middle-class and urban voters that defeated Bryan kept the Republicans in power for most of the time until 1932. These results made the Midwest the crucial battlefield that would decide the presidency. In 1890, he agreed to run for Congress against William James Connell, a Republican, who had won the local congressional seat in 1888. Sherman's act required the government to pay out gold in exchange for silver and paper currency, and through the early months of 1893 gold flowed out of the Treasury. [108] According to Stanley Jones in his study of the 1896 campaign, "Bryan expected that he alone, carrying to the people the message of free silver, would win the election for his party. [95], The Populist strategy for 1896 was to nominate the candidate most supportive of silver. [1] As a judge's son, the younger Bryan had ample opportunity to observe the art of speechmaking in courtrooms, political rallies, and at church and revival meetings. [65], Bryan concluded the address, seizing a place in American history:[66], Having behind us the producing masses of this nation and the world, supported by the commercial interests, the laboring interests, and the toilers everywhere, we will answer their demand for a gold standard by saying to them: "You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns; you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold. William Jennings Bryan, (born March 19, 1860, Salem, Illinois, U.S.died July 26, 1925, Dayton, Tennessee), Democratic and Populist leader and a magnetic orator who ran unsuccessfully three times for the U.S. presidency (1896, 1900, and 1908). Much of the blizzard of paper the Republican campaign was able to pay for concentrated on this area/ By September, this had its effect as silver sentiment began to fade. [31] Most state conventions did not bind, or "instruct", their delegates to vote for a specific candidate for the nomination; this course was strongly supported by Bryan. The campaign, as it proved, was badly organized: This was Jones' first national campaign, and the party structure in many states was either only newly in the control of silver forces, or in gold states wanted no part of the national ticket. His father, Silas, was a dedicated Jacksonian Democrat and a successful lawyer who served in various local elected positions and passed on his politics to his son. Governor Altgeld had held Illinois, which was subject to the "unit rule" whereby the entirety of a state's vote was cast as a majority of that state's delegation directed. Bryan was quoting from an 1878 speech by Cleveland's Treasury Secretary, Hill remained neutral in the campaign, despite urgings to go over to the Gold Democrats, seeking to preserve his control of the state Democratic party, and also hoping (in vain) to secure his own re-election by the legislature. The central issue was the country's money supply. Treat all candidates fairly. "[130], In September, the Gold Democrats met in convention in Indianapolis. Historian James A. Barnes deemed the DNC's vote immaterial; once the convention met on July 7, it quickly elected a silver man, Virginia Senator John Daniel, as temporary chairman and appointed a committee to review credentials friendly to the silver cause. While speaking in McKinley's hometown of Canton, Ohio, Bryan yielded to impulse and called upon his rival at his home with Congressman Bland; the Republican candidate and his wife, somewhat startled, received the two men hospitably in a scene Williams calls, "surely bizarre. Bryan, with this declaration, set the theme of his argument, and as it would prove, his campaign: that the welfare of humanity was at stake with the silver issue. why did william jennings bryan lose the election of 1896? Members of the Committee on Resolutions (also called the Platform Committee) intended to elect California Senator Stephen M. White as chairman; they found that he had already been co-opted as permanent chairman of the convention. Their enthusiasm at the unrehearsed rear platform appearances and in the formal speeches was spontaneous and contagious. [129] Republican newspapers and spokesmen claimed that Bryan's campaign was expensively financed by the silver interests. The President's uncompromising stand for gold alienated many in his own party (most southern and western Democrats were pro-silver). At the outset of the 1890s, with drought destroying the livelihoods of many American farmers, the Peoples Party (also known as the Populist Party) was growing as a force in U.S. politics by appealing to small farmers, shopkeepers and other less wealthy voters. An ardent read more, A native of Tennessee, Al Gore served as vice president of the United States under President Bill Clinton from 1992 to 2000, after a long tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. [127], Republican newspapers painted Bryan as a tool of Governor Altgeld, who was controversial for having pardoned the surviving men convicted of involvement in the Haymarket bombing. A free silver policy would inflate the currency, as the silver in a dollar coin was worth just over half the face value. They read Bryan when they couldn't go off to listen to him. Historian H. Wayne Morgan described Bryan: Robert La Follette remembered Bryan as "a tall, slender, handsome fellow who looked like a young divine". They quickly endorsed Bryan and Sewall, urging all silver forces to unite behind that ticket. The first report from the Credentials Committee, on the afternoon of July 8, recommended the seating of Bryan's delegation. According to historian Stanley Jones in his account of the 1896 election, "it seemed in retrospect a curious logic that gave a capitalist from Maine a leading role in a campaign intended to have a strong appeal to the masses of the South and West". He was defeated in the general election by the Republican candidate, former Ohio governor William McKinley . The election of 1896 is seen as the beginning of a new era in American politics, or a "realignment" election. In addition to the frontrunners, other silver men were spoken of as candidates. [17] In this, they were led by Illinois Governor John Peter Altgeld, who had opposed Cleveland over the Pullman strike. Writer Edgar Lee Masters, who witnessed Bryan's speech, remembered, "Suddenly I saw a man spring up from his seat among the delegates and with the agility and swiftness of an eager boxer hurry to the speaker's rostrum. In the book, Bryan made it clear that the first battle would not be the last, "If we are right, we shall yet triumph. William Jennings Bryan. Jill Lepore. Advocates of free silver (or bimetallism) wanted the government to accept all silver bullion presented to it and to return it, struck into coin, at the historic value ratio between gold and silver of 16 to 1. [58] He began: I would be presumptuous, indeed, to present myself against the distinguished gentlemen to whom you have listened if this were a mere measuring of abilities; but this is not a contest between persons. "[72] Bryan had made no arrangements for formal nominating speeches given the short timeframe, and was surprised when word was brought to him at the Clifton House that he had been nominated by Henry Lewis of Georgia: the candidate had expected the Kansas delegation to name him. [4] Looking for a growing city in which his practice could thrive, he moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1887. Rather than continue the free silver battle, he dedicated himself to opposing American imperialism, which he saw as immoral and undemocratic. The election of 1896 was just as much a partisan battle over the future of American economic policy as the 2012 election. However, he was deemed unlikely to succeed, as many Democrats feared that if elected, he might fill some patronage jobs with Republicans. The answer was simple, Bryan told Abbothe had prepared a speech that would stampede the convention. (W.W. Norton & Company, 2018), William Jennings Bryan, the Great Commoner. Constitutional Rights Foundation, Spring 2010 (Volume 25, No. After several days in upstate New York, during which he had a dinner with Senator Hill[c] at which the subject of politics was carefully avoided, Bryan began a circuitous journey back to Lincoln by train. The main candidates headquartered at the Palmer House, their rooms often crowded as they served free alcoholic drinks. National Archives and Records Administration. A large banner outside the Clifton House proclaimed the presence of Nebraska's delegation headquarters, but did not mention Bryan's campaign, which was run from Nebraska's rooms. Ever since the election of 1800, American presidential contests had, on some level, been a referendum on whether the country should be governed by agrarian interests (rural indebted farmers-the countryside-"main street") or industrial interests (business-the city-"wall street"). Most cities that were financial or manufacturing centers voted for McKinley. However, the President ruled this out; his Cabinet members also refused to run. As Hill was determined to take the platform fight to the full convention, the committee discussed who should speak in the debate, and allocated 75minutes to each side. [139], In most areas, Bryan did better among rural voters than urban. He spoke some 600 times, to an estimated 5,000,000 listeners. In 1896, William Jennings Bryan ran unsuccessfully for president of the United States. How could a boy in appearance, one not yet admitted to the convention, without a single state behind him, dare claim the nomination? The day after his Cross of Gold speech, Bryan won the Democratic presidential nomination; he also won the support of the Populist and National Silver parties. Bimtallism. Southern newspapers stayed with Bryan; they were unwilling to endorse McKinley, the choice of most African Americans, though few of them could vote in the South. In 1896 it was kept as a forum, and by day and night men and womenmet there to talk about the Crime of '73, the fallacies of the gold standard, bimetallism and international consent, the evils of the tariff, the moneybags of Mark Hanna, the front porch campaign of McKinley. The position involved no day-to-day duties, but allowed him to publish his political commentaries. Neither candidate had much money to spend on his campaign. President Cleveland, stunned by the convention's repudiation of him and his policies, decided against open support for a bolt from the party, either by endorsing McKinley or by publicly backing a rival Democratic ticket. Bryan affirmed that the people could be counted on to prevent the rise of a tyrant, and noted, "What we need is an Andrew Jackson to stand, as Jackson stood, against the encroachments of organized wealth. United States presidential election of 1896, American presidential election held on November 3, 1896, in which Republican William McKinley defeated Democrat - Populist William Jennings Bryan. The economy failed to improve, and when the President in 1894 sent federal troops to Illinois to break up the Pullman Strike, he outraged even more Democrats. I will add for the encouragement of those who still believe that money is not necessary to secure a Presidential nomination that my entire expenses while in attendance upon the convention were less than $100. Mary Bryan had joined her husband in late September; on The Idler, the Bryans were able to eat and sleep in relative comfort. Bryan spent most of October there160 of his final 250 train stops were in the Midwest. William Jennings Bryan delivering a campaign speech in 1910. Now among the most famous politicians in the country, Bryan would run twice more for president, losing again to McKinley in 1900 and to William Howard Taft in 1908. Although defeated in the election, Bryan's campaign made him a national figure, which he remained until his death in 1925. [73] As Missouri Senator George Vest nominated Bland, his oratory was drowned out by the gallery, "Bryan, Bryan, W.J. "[145], The consequences of defeat, however, were severe for the Democratic Party. Why was the 1896 election devastating for Populist movement? See. Despite his defeat, Bryan's campaign inspired many of his contemporaries. The nominations The presidential campaign of 1896 was one of the most exciting in American history. A streak of the moralist preacher raised his political chances among a people attuned to the biblical phrase and Shakespearan [sic] stance. [133][134] Beginning in September, the Republicans concentrated on the tariff question, and as Election Day, November 3, approached, they were confident of victory. Didn't want to split pro-silver vote Populists 1892 He then lowered his arms, and began the journey back to his seat in the silence. However, many delegates disliked Sewall because of his wealth and ownership of a large business, and believed that nominating someone else would keep Populist issues alive in the campaign. [99], Even before their convention in late July, the Populists faced dissent in their ranks. He was followed by Senator William Vilas of Wisconsin and former Massachusetts Governor William D. Russell. Why did William Jennings Bryan lose? In 1986, he began his long tenure as the U.S. read more, William Seward (1801-1872) was a politician who served as governor of New York, as a U.S. senator and as secretary of state during the Civil War (1861-65). The book, composed of accounts of (fictitious) lectures on the silver issue given by an adolescent named Coin to Chicago audiences, became an immense bestseller. His campaign focused on silver, an issue that failed to appeal to the urban voter, and he was defeated. [128] For the most part, Bryan ignored the attacks, and made light of them in his account of the 1896 campaign. Former Governor William McKinley, the Republican candidate, defeated Democrat William Jennings Bryan. [117] McKinley's chosen strategy was a front porch campaign; he would remain at home, giving carefully scripted speeches to visiting delegations, much to the gratification of Canton's hot dog vendors and souvenir salesmen, who expanded facilities to meet the demand. Many of the elements of the speech had appeared in prior Bryan addresses. Instead, he sought the Senate seat that the Nebraska legislature would fill in January 1895. Nevertheless, Gold Democrats began plans to hold their own convention, which took place in September. Author: William Jennings Bryan Publisher: Haskell House Pub Limited ISBN: Size: 56.95 MB Format: PDF, ePub, Docs View: 4174 Get Book Disclaimer: This site does not store any files on its server.We only index and link to content provided by other sites. William Jennings Bryan on the Stand Calling Bryan to the stand was a shock for the court. Party members in many states, including Nebraska, demanded inflation of the currency through issuance of paper or silver currency, allowing easier repayment of debt. The 1896 race is generally seen as a realigning election. This was not the case: the mining industry was seeing poor times, and had little money to donate to Bryan. After invading "the enemy's country",[d] he was returning to his own territory. [41], Bryan's Nebraska delegation left Lincoln by train on July 5. The coalition of wealthy, middle-class and urban voters that defeated Bryan kept the Republicans in power for most of the time until 1932. Bryan quipped, "I seem to have plenty of friends now, but I remember well when they were very few. [48], As the committees met, the convention proceeded, though in considerable confusion. He was not yet done with campaigning, however; on November 2, he undertook a train journey across Nebraska in support of Democratic congressional candidates. The Democrats nominated Arthur Sewall, a wealthy Maine banker and shipbuilder, for vice president. He made 27speeches, including seven in Omaha, the last concluding a few minutes before midnight. Senator Tillman, a fiery speaker who wore a pitchfork on his lapel, began the debate. It began as a simple courtesy, with a telegram that William Jennings Bryan sent. South Carolina Senator Benjamin Tillman, a silver supporter, wanted an hour to address the convention, and to close the debate. [22][23] In the 17months between his departure from Congress and the Democratic National Convention in July 1896, Bryan travelled widely through the South and West, speaking on silver. "[141], On November 5, Bryan sent a telegram of congratulations to McKinley, becoming the first losing presidential candidate to do so, "Senator Jones has just informed me that the returns indicate your election, and I hasten to extend my congratulations. At first, he rode in public cars, and made his own travel arrangements, looking up train schedules and even carrying his own bags from train station to hotel. Many seats were vacant before he concluded.[113][114]. "[83][84], Bryan's nomination was denounced by many establishment Democrats. I was thinking of finding a book for him for Christmas that could help his research. As the economic downturn continued, free silver advocates blamed its continuation on the repeal of the silver purchase act, and the issue of silver became more prominent. The smell of victory seemed to hang in the air. Bryan arrived during the delay; he was greeted with a musical tribute from one of the convention bands,[a] which then returned to playing a medley of Irish melodies. Populists claim to speak for ordinary people, taking an "us versus them" stance. "[16], Even as Cleveland took office as president in March 1893, there were signs of an economic decline. [121], During this tour, Bryan spoke almost exclusively on the silver question, and attempted to mold the speeches to reflect local issues and interests. Bryan's supporters raised at most $500,000 for the 1896 campaign; McKinley's raised at least $3.5 million. He won the prize in his junior year, and also secured the affection of Mary Baird, a student at a nearby women's academy. If those in favor of honest money don't do something to offset its influence the country is going to the dogs. In 1887, Bryan moved to the fast-growing state of Nebraska, where he settled in Lincoln and established a thriving law practice. [57][71] According to The Boston Globe, Bryan "had locked himself within the four walls at the Clifton House, down town, and there blushes unseen. Taken prisoner after his plane was shot down, he suffered five and a half years of torture and confinement before his release in 1973. The Republicans, at the request of their nominee for president, former Ohio governor William McKinley, included a plank in their party platform supporting the gold standard. By early October, the DNC, at the urging of Populist officials who felt Bryan was being worn out, procured the services of North Carolina journalist Josephus Daniels to make travel arrangements, and also obtained a private railroad car, The Idlera name Bryan thought somewhat inappropriate due to the strenuous nature of the tour. [13] Bryan, who had been elected after the passage of the latter enactment, initially had little to say on the subject. A bowery had been built for the Fourth of July picnic and dance. Bryans pacifist stance put him increasingly at odds with the president, however, and he resigned in 1915 in protest after Wilson sent a second note to Germany demanding an end to submarine warfare after the sinking of the Lusitania, an action Bryan felt went too far toward violating American neutrality. "[144] Williams believes that Bryan did better than any other Democrat would have, and comments, "The nominee of a divided and discredited party, he had come remarkably close to winning. The DNC seated a rival, pro-gold Nebraska delegation, and recommended New York Senator David B. Hill as the convention's temporary chairman, each by a vote of 2723. The shortness of the speech did not dismay the crowds, who knew his arguments well: they were there to see and hear William Jennings Bryanone listener told him that he had read every one of his speeches, and had ridden 50 miles (80km) to hear him, "And, by gum, if I wasn't a Republican, I'd vote for you. He supported many Populist policies. "[19] A Minnesota correspondent wrote in Outlook magazine: "high school boys are about equally divided between silver and baseball, with a decided leaning toward the former". [14] After his election to Congress, Bryan studied the currency question carefully, and came to believe in free silver; he also saw its political potential. The increasing economic struggles of poor farmers during the 1870s and 1880s led to the Populist movement. Soon afterwards, the delegates, bored, shouted for a speech from Bryan, but he was not to be found. Each made their cases for gold, and likely changed few votes. "[75] On the first ballot, Bryan had 137 votes, mostly from Nebraska and four southern states, trailing Bland who had 235; Boies was fourth with 67 votes and was never a factor in the balloting. [37], In the run up to the Democratic National Convention, set to begin at the Chicago Coliseum on July 7, 1896, no candidate was seen as an overwhelming favorite for the presidential nomination. Bryan, an attorney and former Congressman, galvanized support with his Cross of Gold speech, which called for a reform of the monetary system and attacked business leaders as the cause of ongoing economic depression. Through 1895 and early 1896, Bryan sought to make himself as widely known as an advocate for silver as possible. Bryan Club" and "Keep Your Eye on Nebraska. The dark horse is in his stall, feasting on the oats of hope and political straws. Populism and the Election of 1896. The minority had indicated its position. [49] Bryan had been widely supported as a candidate for permanent chairman by the silver men, but some western delegates on the Committee on Permanent Organization objected, stating that they wanted the chance to support Bryan for the nomination (the permanent chairman was customarily ruled out as a candidate). There was little advantage to the Democratic Party in nominating a candidate from Nebraska, a state small in population that had never voted for a Democrat. [24][25] Several times, in his addresses, Bryan repeated variations on lines he had spoken in Congress in December 1894, decrying the gold standard, "I will not help to crucify mankind upon a cross of gold. William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925), the U.S. congressman from Nebraska, three-time presidential nominee and secretary of state, emerged near the end of the 19th century as a leading voice in the. Roosevelt was extremely popular as president, and many thought he might reconsider and run as 1908 neared. June 1894 marked the publication of William H. Harvey's Coin's Financial School. In anticipation of a presidential campaign, he spent much of 1895 and early 1896 making speeches across the United States; his compelling oratory increased his popularity in his party. If the USA had been on a bimetallic standard between 1875 and 1890, the economy could have expanded far more than it did, restricted as it was in its monetary straight jacket. [126] In what Williams describes as "a political campaign that became an American legend",[106] Bryan traveled to 27 of the 45 states, logging 18,000 miles (29,000km), and in his estimated 600 speeches reached some 5,000,000 listeners. Someone who presented ten dollars in silver bullion would receive back almost twice that in silver coin. [115], Bryan's plan for victory was to undertake a strenuous train tour, bringing his message to the people. The left-wing Populist Party (which had hoped to nominate the only silver-supporting candidate) endorsed Bryan for president, but found Sewall unacceptable, substituting Thomas E. Watson of Georgia. He was admitted to the Illinois bar and began practicing law in Jacksonville, marrying Mary Elizabeth Baird in 1884; the couple went on to have three children. On September 27, The New York Times published a letter by an "eminent alienist" who, based on an analysis of the candidate's speeches, concluded that Bryan was mad. Active in Democratic Party politics, Sewall was one of the few eastern party leaders to support silver, was wealthy and could help finance the campaign; he also balanced the ticket geographically. We have submitted the issues to the American people and their will is law. Gold Democrats had success in the Northeast, and little elsewhere. [148], One legacy of the campaign was the career of William Jennings Bryan. Bryans inability to differentiate between social Darwinism and the scientific theory of evolution galvanized his more fundamentalist, religious supporters but earned him the disdain of many others who shared his progressive politics. Bryan believed he could use the coalition-building techniques he had applied in gaining election to Congress, uniting pro-silver forces behind him to gain the Democratic nomination and the presidency. Free silver was very popular among Nebraskans, though many powerful Democrats opposed it. As a result, disillusioned farmers and others formed a new far-left party, which came to be known as the Populist Party. Bryan, a former Democratic congressman from Nebraska, gained his party's presidential nomination in July of that year after electrifying the Democratic National Convention with his Cross of Gold speech. 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Advocate for silver as possible began as a result, disillusioned farmers and formed! Far-Left party, which took place in September during the 1870s and 1880s led to the biblical phrase Shakespearan!
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