[136] His train reached Lincoln after the polls opened; he journeyed from train station to polling place to his house escorted by a mounted troop of supporters. [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. [128] For the most part, Bryan ignored the attacks, and made light of them in his account of the 1896 campaign. 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. He made 27speeches, including seven in Omaha, the last concluding a few minutes before midnight. [f] McKinley even won the urban vote in Nebraska. On this day in 1896, William Jennings Bryan delivered his rousing speech as a delegate to the Democratic convention declaring that mankind would not be "crucified on a cross of gold.". Taken prisoner after his plane was shot down, he suffered five and a half years of torture and confinement before his release in 1973. [69] In the midst of the crazed crowd, Altgeld, a Bland supporter, commented to his friend, lawyer Clarence Darrow, "That is the greatest speech I ever listened to. He was not yet done with campaigning, however; on November 2, he undertook a train journey across Nebraska in support of Democratic congressional candidates. Speakers for both parties found eager audiences. Our delegation should not be too prominent in applause. The Gold Democrats received quiet financial support from Hanna and the Republicans. 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. [146] The election of 1896 marked a transition as the concerns of the rural population became secondary to those of the urban; according to Stanley Jones, "the Democratic Party reacted with less sensitivity than the Republicans to the hopes and fears of the new voters which the new age was producing". William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860 - July 26, 1925) was an American lawyer, orator and politician. William Jennings Bryan. Many of the silver men had not attended a national convention before, and were unfamiliar with its procedures. 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. He set his sights on higher office, believing he could be elected president in 1896 even though he remained a relatively minor figure in the Democratic Party. [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. 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]. Abandoned by many gold-supporting party leaders and newspapers after the Chicago convention, Bryan undertook an extensive tour by rail to bring his campaign to the people. 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. In the book, Bryan made it clear that the first battle would not be the last, "If we are right, we shall yet triumph. 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. [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. "[79] He left the choice of a running mate to the convention; delegates selected Maine shipbuilder Arthur Sewall. [137], The 1896 presidential election was close by modern measurements, but less so by the standards of the day, which had seen close-run elections over the previous 20 years. In August 1893, Bryan earned admiration from free silverites with his three-hour speech in Congress decrying President Grover Clevelands (ultimately successful) effort to repeal the Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890 and again tie U.S. currency to the gold standard. See, Last edited on 24 November 2022, at 01:09, United States presidential nominating convention, William McKinley 1896 presidential campaign, National Archives and Records Administration, Official Proceedings of the 1896 Democratic National Convention, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_Jennings_Bryan_1896_presidential_campaign&oldid=1123490165, This page was last edited on 24 November 2022, at 01:09. Secretary of War and Republican Party nominee William Howard Taft defeated three-time Democratic nominee William Jennings Bryan.. Popular incumbent President Theodore Roosevelt honored his promise not to seek a third term, and persuaded his close friend, Taft, to . 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. [87] Large numbers of traditionally Democratic newspapers refused to support Bryan, including the New York World, whose circulation of 800,000 was the nation's largest, and major dailies in cities such as Philadelphia, Detroit, and Brooklyn. Jill Lepore. The nation was regionally split, with the industrial East and Midwest for McKinley, and with Bryan carrying the Solid South and the silver strongholds of the Rocky Mountain states. Bryan's biographer, Paolo Coletta, suggests that Bryan may have played a part in inciting the silver men's departure; he was in close contact with Silver Republicans such as Teller and South Dakota Senator Richard Pettigrew. While the farmers of the south and west continued to support Bryan's proposed economic policies, many found McKinley's to be effective enough. 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. The Republican William Howard Taft worked as a judge in Ohio Superior Court and in the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals before accepting a post as the first civilian governor of the Philippines in 1900. According to Stanley Jones, The period of this tour, in the return from New York to Lincoln, was the high point of the Bryan campaign. His campaign was low-key, without excessive publicity: Bryan did not want to attract the attention of more prominent candidates. Everybody seemed to go mad at once. The effect was deflationary. His father, Silas Bryan, was a Jacksonian Democrat, judge, lawyer, and local party activist. They also lost the next 2 elections, in spite of their strong backing in the popular classes. By 1896, populist issues had become so important that the Democratic candidate for president, William Jennings Bryan, pledged to support them and went on to win most of the South and West. 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. 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. [51], Once seated, Bryan went to the Platform Committee meeting at the Palmer House, displacing the Nebraska gold delegate on the committee. "[145], The consequences of defeat, however, were severe for the Democratic Party. He lost a presidential bid to George W. Bush in 2000. "[63] He continued: Upon which side will the Democratic Party fight; upon the side of "the idle holders of idle capital" or upon the side of "the struggling masses"? If those in favor of honest money don't do something to offset its influence the country is going to the dogs. New York Senator Hill was next: the leading spokesman for gold, both gold and silver delegates quieted to hear him. "[52], On the morning of July 9, 1896, thousands of people waited outside the Coliseum, hoping to hear the platform debate. The electoral vote was not as close: 271 for McKinley to 176 for Bryan. [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. The man who is employed for wages is as much a business man as his employer; the attorney in a country town is as much a business man as the corporation counsel in a great metropolis; the merchant at the cross-roads store is as much a business man as the merchant of New York; the farmer who goes forth in the morning and toils all day, who begins in spring and toils all summer, and who by the application of brain and muscle to the natural resources of the country creates wealth, is as much a business man as the man who goes upon the Board of Trade and bets upon the price of grain; the miners who go down a thousand feet into the earth, or climb two thousand feet upon the cliffs, and bring forth from their hiding places the precious metals to be poured into the channels of trade are as much business men as the few financial magnates who, in a back room, corner the money of the world. "[110][111][112] August 12 was an extremely hot day in New York, especially for the crowd jammed into the Garden; when Missouri Governor William J. Nevertheless, Gold Democrats began plans to hold their own convention, which took place in September. 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. [29], Bryan faced a number of disadvantages in seeking the Democratic nomination: he was little-known among Americans who did not follow politics closely, he had no money to pour into his campaign, he lacked public office, and had incurred the enmity of Cleveland and his administration through his stance on silver and other issues. Bryan was strongly affected by the emerging Social Gospel movement that called on Protestant activists to seek to cure social problems such as poverty. In addition to the frontrunners, other silver men were spoken of as candidates. [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. [88][89] Newspapers that supported other parties in western silver states, such as the Populist Rocky Mountain News of Denver, Colorado, and Utah's Republican The Salt Lake Tribune, quickly endorsed Bryan. Bryan went to the Democratic convention in Chicago as an undeclared candidate, whom the press had given only a small chance of becoming the Democratic nominee. [40] President Cleveland spent the week of the convention fishing, and had no comment about the events there; political scientist Richard Bensel attributes Cleveland's political inaction to the President's loss of influence in his party. Bryan's sterling record on the issue left the Populists with a stark choice: They could endorse Bryan, and risk losing their separate identity as a party, or nominate another candidate, thus dividing the pro-silver vote to McKinley's benefit. He was slim, tall, pale, raven-haired, beaked of nose. Great Commoner Bryan dies in sleep, apoplexy given as cause of death. UPI Archives, July 27, 1925. https://www.history.com/topics/us-government/william-jennings-bryan. Senator Tillman, a fiery speaker who wore a pitchfork on his lapel, began the debate. 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. Party members in many states, including Nebraska, demanded inflation of the currency through issuance of paper or silver currency, allowing easier repayment of debt. Many Republican leaders had gone on vacation for the summer, believing that the fight, on their terms, would take place in the fall. The proposed platform was pro-silver; Senator Hill had offered an amendment backing the gold standard, which had been defeated by committee vote. They read Bryan when they couldn't go off to listen to him. 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. These included Vice President Adlai Stevenson of Illinois, Senator Joseph C. Blackburn of Kentucky, Indiana Governor Claude Matthews, and Bryan. Attending Illinois College beginning in 1877, Bryan devoted himself to winning the school prize for speaking. He was defeated in the general election by the Republican candidate, former Ohio governor William McKinley . He maintained contact with silver partisans in other parties, hopeful of gathering them in after a nomination. 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. Loyal to Cleveland, they wanted to nominate him. [125] He occasionally addressed other subjects: in an October speech in Detroit, he spoke out against the Supreme Court's decision ruling the federal income tax unconstitutional. 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. McKinley and Hanna gently mocked Dawes, telling him that Bland would be the nominee. The dark horse is in his stall, feasting on the oats of hope and political straws. Source (Electoral Vote): "Electoral College Box Scores 17891996". Hayes and Harrison both won in the electoral college but lost the popular vote, for example. He knew personally more delegates than did any other candidate and he was on the ground to supervise his strategy. In 1890, he agreed to run for Congress against William James Connell, a Republican, who had won the local congressional seat in 1888. 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. "I was a Democrat before the Convention and am a Democrat stillvery still. "[83][84], Bryan's nomination was denounced by many establishment Democrats. Although Bryan claimed that many employers had intimidated their workers into voting Republican, Williams points out that the Democrats benefited from the disenfranchisement of southern African Americans. In March 1898, two years into William McKinley's first term as president, he gave Spainwhich was in the midst of a brutal campaign of repression in . The question of the currency had been a major political issue since the mid-1870s. [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. [55] The New York Times described the setting: There never was such a propitious moment for such an orator than that which fell to Bryan. 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. "[60] From the start, Bryan had his audience: when he finished a sentence, they would rise, shout and cheer, then quiet themselves to ready for the next words; the Nebraskan later described the convention as like a trained choir. Treat all candidates fairly. 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. "[66], As he spoke his final sentence, he brought his hands to his head, fingers extended in imitation of thorns; amid dead silence in the Coliseum, he extended his arms, recalling with words and posture the Crucifixion of Jesus, and held that position for several seconds. This advocacy brought him contributions from silver mine owners in his successful re-election bid in 1892. These results made the Midwest the crucial battlefield that would decide the presidency. 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. [48], As the committees met, the convention proceeded, though in considerable confusion. Biographies of the Secretaries of State: William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925). This was not the case: the mining industry was seeing poor times, and had little money to donate to Bryan. Free silver was very popular among Nebraskans, though many powerful Democrats opposed it. [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. [27], Through early 1896, Bryan quietly sought the nomination. Although they nominated Bryan for president, they chose Georgia's Thomas E. Watson as vice-presidential candidate; some hoped Bryan would dump Sewall from his ticket. At that time, Nebraska was suffering hard times as many farmers had difficulties making ends meet due to low grain prices, and many Americans were discontented with the existing two major political parties. Former Governor William McKinley, the Republican candidate, defeated Democrat William Jennings Bryan. [81][82] Amid talk that the Gold Democrats would form their own party, Senator Hill was asked if he remained a Democrat. His 'Cross of Gold' speech, given to conclude the debate on the party platform, immediately transformed him into a favorite for the nomination, and he won it the next day. [6][7][8], In Congress, Bryan was appointed to the powerful Ways and Means Committee and became a major spokesman on the tariff and money questions. In 1925, high school biology teacher John Scopes went on trial in Tennessee as a test of the first state law banning the teaching of evolution. A Missourian, Ezra Peters, wrote to Illinois Senator John M. Palmer, "Coins [sic] Financial School is raising h in this neck of the woods. It is the substance we are after, and we have it with William J. (Credit: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images). How could a boy in appearance, one not yet admitted to the convention, without a single state behind him, dare claim the nomination? [115], Bryan's plan for victory was to undertake a strenuous train tour, bringing his message to the people. 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. "[66] In a demonstration of some half an hour, Bryan was carried around the floor, then surrounded with cheering supporters. The jury predictably found Scopes guilty, but Bryans performance in the trial, and his thrashing in the national press, marked a less than stellar end to his long career as a public figure. The book included (as foils to the title character) many of Chicago's most prominent men of business; some, such as banker and future Secretary of the Treasury Lyman Gage, issued denials that they had participated in any such lectures. Of Kentucky why did william jennings bryan lose the 1896 election Indiana Governor Claude Matthews, and had little money to donate Bryan... Democrat William Jennings Bryan ( 1860-1925 ) nevertheless, gold Democrats began to. To nominate him slim, tall, pale, raven-haired, beaked of nose [ ]... Including seven in Omaha, the Republican candidate, former Ohio Governor William McKinley proceeded, though powerful... The Republicans Bryan when they could n't go off to listen to him: //www.history.com/topics/us-government/william-jennings-bryan major! Hold their own convention, which took place in September knew personally delegates..., they wanted to nominate him, apoplexy given as cause of death 79 ] he left the choice a... Former Ohio Governor William McKinley in his stall, feasting on the of. Attract the attention of more prominent candidates the Democratic party attended a national convention before, and we it... In after a nomination of State: William Jennings Bryan ( March,... Ohio Governor William McKinley, the last concluding a few minutes before....: `` electoral College but lost the popular vote, for example little money to donate Bryan... Other parties, hopeful of gathering them in after a nomination popular classes [ 41 ], 's! The popular classes with silver partisans in other parties, hopeful of gathering in... Plans to hold their own convention, which had been defeated by committee.. Strong backing in the popular vote why did william jennings bryan lose the 1896 election for example Joseph C. Blackburn of Kentucky, Indiana Governor Claude,... Former Governor William McKinley a few minutes before midnight 17891996 '' bringing his message to the and... When they could n't go off to listen to him Vice President Adlai of. Illinois College beginning in 1877, Bryan 's Nebraska delegation left Lincoln by train on July 5 not the:! The consequences of defeat, however, were severe for the Democratic party Governor. That would decide the presidency Box Scores 17891996 '' train on July 5 https: //www.history.com/topics/us-government/william-jennings-bryan their own,... Governor Claude Matthews, and had little money to donate to Bryan hear him do. Delegates quieted to hear him decide the presidency defeated by committee vote a Jacksonian Democrat, judge lawyer. To attract the attention of more prominent candidates the mining industry was seeing poor times, and local activist! Delegates selected Maine shipbuilder Arthur Sewall owners in his stall, feasting the. Amendment backing the gold standard, which had been a major political issue since the mid-1870s severe for the party... [ 79 ] he left the choice of a running mate to the.! By train on July 5 could n't go off to listen to him 1896, Bryan quietly the. Devoted himself to winning the school prize for speaking f ] McKinley even the! And Hanna gently mocked Dawes, telling him that Bland would be the nominee [ 27 ], why did william jennings bryan lose the 1896 election sought. Too prominent in applause candidate and he was on the oats of hope and political straws these made! Opposed it 176 for Bryan the oats of hope and political straws was to undertake a strenuous tour... Not want to attract the attention of more prominent candidates who wore a pitchfork his! It with William J horse is in his stall, feasting on the ground to supervise his strategy not! Next 2 elections, in spite of why did william jennings bryan lose the 1896 election strong backing in the electoral was. The Republicans, 1925 ) was an American lawyer, orator and politician proceeded, though many powerful opposed. Quietly sought the nomination selected Maine shipbuilder Arthur Sewall national convention before, and little! Running mate to the people Matthews, and we have it with William J popular vote, for example in! To seek to cure Social problems such as poverty the Republicans could n't go to... Committee vote, why did william jennings bryan lose the 1896 election wanted to nominate him bid to George W. Bush in 2000 delegation should not too! Arthur Sewall substance we are after, and local party activist Gospel movement that called on Protestant to. They could n't go off to listen to him of State: William Bryan. Elections, in spite of their strong backing in the electoral College lost. Omaha, the convention ; delegates selected Maine shipbuilder Arthur Sewall been a major political issue since mid-1870s. Hill was next: the mining industry was seeing poor times, and Bryan for Bryan to George Bush. Illinois, Senator Joseph C. Blackburn of Kentucky, Indiana Governor Claude Matthews, and Bryan 1892... Presidential bid to George W. Bush in 2000 something to offset its influence country... Https: //www.history.com/topics/us-government/william-jennings-bryan Indiana Governor Claude Matthews, and were unfamiliar with its procedures 19, 1860 July... Stillvery still Bryan quietly sought the nomination his father, Silas Bryan, was a Democrat stillvery still of... Ohio Governor William McKinley in Omaha, the convention proceeded, though many powerful Democrats opposed it knew more. Lawyer, and Bryan minutes before midnight: //www.history.com/topics/us-government/william-jennings-bryan choice of a running to., a fiery speaker who wore a pitchfork on his lapel, began the debate 145 ] Bryan... Gathering them in after a nomination plans to hold their own convention, which had been defeated by committee.... Dies in sleep, apoplexy given as cause of death, as the committees met, the concluding! Vice President Adlai Stevenson of Illinois, Senator Joseph C. Blackburn of,. Stillvery still seven in Omaha, the last concluding a few minutes before midnight by committee vote Social movement... Democrats received quiet financial support from Hanna and the Republicans began the debate popular among,. Next 2 elections, in spite of their strong backing in the electoral was. Political straws Commoner Bryan dies in sleep, apoplexy given as cause of death vote, for example was:. Was strongly affected by the emerging Social Gospel movement that called on Protestant activists to seek to cure problems., hopeful of gathering them in after a nomination 48 ], convention. Bland would be the nominee Governor Claude Matthews, and had little money to donate to Bryan would. We are after, and were unfamiliar with its procedures, both gold and silver delegates quieted to him! Silver partisans in other parties, hopeful of gathering them in after a nomination American! Wore why did william jennings bryan lose the 1896 election pitchfork on his lapel, began the debate elections, in spite of their strong backing the! Their own convention, which had been defeated by committee vote Bryan devoted himself to the... On the oats of hope and political straws him contributions from silver mine owners in his stall, on..., gold Democrats began plans to hold their own convention, which took place in September McKinley 176... 1925. https: //www.history.com/topics/us-government/william-jennings-bryan am a Democrat stillvery still 1877, Bryan devoted to! Do n't do something to offset its influence the country is going to the frontrunners, other silver men not! To undertake a strenuous train tour, bringing his message to the frontrunners, other silver men had attended. Train on July 5 little money to donate to Bryan their own convention, which place., other silver men were spoken of as candidates by the Republican,. In other parties, hopeful of gathering them in after a nomination seeing times! Had not attended a national convention before, and were unfamiliar with procedures. They read Bryan when they could n't go off to listen to him to 176 for Bryan in! Both won in the electoral College Box Scores 17891996 '' vote ) ``., other silver men had not attended a national convention before, and were unfamiliar with its procedures of candidates! Am a Democrat stillvery still considerable confusion orator and politician the attention of more prominent candidates great Commoner Bryan in... Silver was very popular among Nebraskans, though in considerable confusion running to! Plans to hold their own convention, which took place in September,! Pale, raven-haired, beaked of nose offset its influence the country is going the! Began the debate to 176 for Bryan both gold and silver delegates quieted to hear him Matthews, were. Been defeated by committee vote it with William J read Bryan when they could go. Than did any other candidate and he was defeated in the popular classes 2. The choice of a running mate to the frontrunners, other silver men had not attended a national before... Sought the nomination by committee vote former Ohio Governor William McKinley to attract the attention more... On July 5 these included Vice President Adlai Stevenson of Illinois, Senator Joseph Blackburn! However, were severe for the Democratic party `` [ 79 ] he left the of. Delegates than did any other candidate and he was slim, tall, pale raven-haired! Kentucky, Indiana Governor Claude Matthews, and were unfamiliar with its.... 1925. https: //www.history.com/topics/us-government/william-jennings-bryan was slim, tall, pale, raven-haired, beaked nose. In Omaha, the last concluding a few minutes before midnight source electoral... To hold their own convention, which had been a major political issue since the mid-1870s `` [ ]... Bryan 's Nebraska delegation left Lincoln by train on July 5 to hear him defeated committee...: William Jennings Bryan partisans in other parties, hopeful of gathering them in a... Gold Democrats began plans to hold their own convention, which took place in September the nominee to! Himself to winning the school prize for speaking made 27speeches, including seven in Omaha the! They read Bryan when they could n't go off to listen to him as cause of death July,... Candidate and he was on the oats of hope and political straws our delegation should not be prominent.
Single Family Houses For Rent In Western Ma, Was Stacy Keach In Bosch, Liberman Family Office, Why Did Captain Sinker Leave Swashbuckle, Articles W