But they had limited room to maneuver in a period of extremely tight competition. Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. In the speech, Bryan, who was from . The only areas of the nation where Bryan took a greater percentage of the urban than the rural vote were New England and the Rocky Mountain states; in neither case did this affect the outcome, as Bryan took only 27% of New England's vote overall, while taking 88% of the Rocky Mountain city vote to 81% of the vote there outside the cities. [121], During this tour, Bryan spoke almost exclusively on the silver question, and attempted to mold the speeches to reflect local issues and interests. [115], Bryan's plan for victory was to undertake a strenuous train tour, bringing his message to the people. Palmer proved an able campaigner who visited most major cities in the East, and in the final week of his campaign, told listeners, "I will not count it any great fault if next Tuesday you decide to cast your ballots for William McKinley. Bryan quipped, "I seem to have plenty of friends now, but I remember well when they were very few. The coalition of wealthy, middle-class, and urban voters that defeated Bryan kept the Republicans in power for most of the time until 1932. [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. He was a fine actor, with a justly famous voice, but was not a charlatan. [94], Despite the confidence of the Republicans, the nomination of Bryan sparked great excitement through the nation. 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 . [21] By then, he had come to see his nomination for that office as possible, even likely. Of course I support him. [144] According to Kazin, "what is remarkable is not that Bryan lost but that he came as close as he did to winning. [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. Many of the silver men had not attended a national convention before, and were unfamiliar with its procedures. Others dubbed Bryan a "Popocrat". Roosevelt was extremely popular as president, and many thought he might reconsider and run as 1908 neared. [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. To those who cling to the gold standard, he declared in closing: You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.. Cross of Gold Speech and Election of 1896, Anti-Evolution Crusade, Scopes Trial and Death, Department of State: Office of the Historian. His running mate, Theodore Roosevelt, campaigned across the nation, condemning Bryan as a dangerous threat to America's prosperity and status. He lost a presidential bid to George W. Bush in 2000. However, the business man argument was new, though he had hinted at it in an interview he gave at the Republican convention. The humblest citizen in all the land, when clad in the armor of a righteous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of error. Looking upon the loud Boies and Bland supporters, Bryan commented, "These people don't know it, but they will be cheering for me just this way tomorrow night. 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. Retrieved May 19, 2012. The Democrats lost control of both houses of Congress in the 1894 midterm elections, with a number of southern states, usually solid for the Democrats, electing Republican or Populist congressmen. [47] Since the DNC action meant Bryan would not have a seat at the start of proceedings, he could not be the temporary chairman (who would deliver the keynote address); the Nebraskan began looking for other opportunities to make a speech at the convention. Instead, he sought the Senate seat that the Nebraska legislature would fill in January 1895. Free silver especially resonated among farmers in the South and West, as well as miners. Confusion over ballots in Minnesota resulted in 15,000voided votes and may have thrown that state to the Republicans. [120], On September 11, 1896, Bryan departed on a train trip that continued until November 1, two days before the election. [27], Through early 1896, Bryan quietly sought the nomination. He won election to the House of Representatives in 1890, and was re-elected in 1892, before mounting an unsuccessful US Senate run. Their enthusiasm at the unrehearsed rear platform appearances and in the formal speeches was spontaneous and contagious. Those that served principally as agricultural centers or had been founded along the railroad favored Bryan. 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. "[130], In September, the Gold Democrats met in convention in Indianapolis. This would restore a practice abolished in 1873. These Truths: A History of the United States. 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. Bryan's endorsement, soon after Chicago, by the Populists, his statement that he would undertake a nationwide tour on an unprecedented scale, and word from local activists of the strong silver sentiment in areas Republicans had to win to take the election, jarred McKinley's party from its complacency. [35] Bryan was deeply moved when, after the adoption of the platform, Colorado Senator Henry M. Teller led a walkout of silver-supporting Republicans. 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. [95], The Populist strategy for 1896 was to nominate the candidate most supportive of silver. [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. [13] Bryan, who had been elected after the passage of the latter enactment, initially had little to say on the subject. Someone who presented ten dollars in silver bullion would receive back almost twice that in silver coin. [38] Illinois Governor Altgeld, a leader of the silver movement, was ineligible because he was not a natural-born U.S. citizen as required for the presidency in the Constitution. He was utterly confident that he would succeed, believing "the logic of the situation," as he later put it, dictated his selection. We come to speak of this broader class of business men.[62][63]. The coalition of wealthy, middle-class and urban voters that defeated Bryan kept the Republicans in power for most of the time until 1932. We have submitted the issues to the American people and their will is law. Bryan always regarded that argument as the speech's most powerful part, despite the fame its conclusion would gain. In addition to the frontrunners, other silver men were spoken of as candidates. To this day, countless theater festivals around the world honor his work, students read more. He was followed by Senator William Vilas of Wisconsin and former Massachusetts Governor William D. Russell. Neither candidate had much money to spend on his campaign. He was not yet done with campaigning, however; on November 2, he undertook a train journey across Nebraska in support of Democratic congressional candidates. As a result, disillusioned farmers and others formed a new far-left party, which came to be known as the Populist Party. [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. As Bryan had called New York in an ill-considered statement to the press before leaving Lincoln. [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. Many Cleveland supporters decried Bryan as no true Democrat, but a fanatic and socialist, his nomination procured through demagoguery. Morgan noted, "full organization, [Republican] party harmony, a campaign of education with the printed and spoken word would more than counteract" Bryan's speechmaking. The proposed platform was pro-silver; Senator Hill had offered an amendment backing the gold standard, which had been defeated by committee vote. [32] Once delegates were selected, Bryan wrote to party officials and obtained a list; he sent copies of his speeches, clippings from the World-Herald, and his photograph to each delegate.[28]. "[145], The consequences of defeat, however, were severe for the Democratic Party. "[100] Populist Kansas Congressman Jerry Simpson wrote, "I care not for party names. Treat all candidates fairly. The Democrats nominated Arthur Sewall, a wealthy Maine banker and shipbuilder, for vice president. [80] Bryan and Sewall gained their nominations without the ballots of the gold men, most of whom refused to vote. William Jennings Bryan, The First Battle: A Story of the Campaign of 1896[78], At the Clifton House, Bryan's rooms were overwhelmed with those wishing to congratulate him, despite the efforts of police to keep the crowds at bay. Populist leaders correctly believed the Republicans unlikely to nominate a silver man. Although defeated in the election, Bryan's campaign made him a national figure, which he remained until his death in 1925. The effect was deflationary. Although defeated in the election, Bryan's campaign made him a national figure, which he remained until his death in 1925. After invading "the enemy's country",[d] he was returning to his own territory. [43] He explained to Champ Clark, the future Speaker of the House, that Bland and others from southern states would fall because of prejudice towards the old Confederacy, that Boies could not be nominated because he was too little-known, and all others would fail due to lack of supportleaving only himself.[44]. Thanks in advance if you have any recommendations! 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. 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. A free silver policy would inflate the currency, as the silver in a dollar coin was worth just over half the face value. To that end, it was important that the Populists not nominate a rival silver candidate, and he took pains to cultivate good relations with Populist leaders. 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 Democratic Party and the nation. Bryan's supporters raised at most $500,000 for the 1896 campaign; McKinley's raised at least $3.5 million. When both Hill and Bryan (who was selected as the other pro-silver speaker) objected to such a long closing address, Tillman settled for 50minutes and for opening the debate rather than closing it; Bryan was given 25minutes to close. He argued that children being taught the survival of the fittest would in time stop caring about the poor and otherwise needier members of the population. It began as a simple courtesy, with a telegram that William Jennings Bryan sent. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. [99], Even before their convention in late July, the Populists faced dissent in their ranks. His campaign focused on silver, an issue that failed to appeal to the urban voter, and he was defeated in what is generally seen as a realigning election. "[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. After graduating from Illinois College, Bryan earned a law degree from the Union College of Law in Chicago in 1883. They also lost the next 2 elections, in spite of their strong backing in the popular classes. Writers such as Edgar Lee Masters, Hamlin Garland and his fellow Nebraskan, Willa Cather, like Bryan came from the prairies; they wrote of their admiration for him and his first battle. The 1900 United States presidential election took place after an economic recovery from the Panic of 1893 as well as after the Spanish-American War, with the economy, foreign policy, and imperialism being the main issues of the campaign. Everybody seemed to go mad at once. There was loud cheering as Bryan stood at the lectern; it took him a full minute to gain silence. Populists claim to speak for ordinary people, taking an "us versus them" stance. In 2007, Gore won a Nobel read more, Considered the greatest English-speaking writer in history and known as Englands national poet, William Shakespeare (1564-1616) has had more theatrical works performed than any other playwright. Through 1895 and early 1896, Bryan sought to make himself as widely known as an advocate for silver as possible. I will not aid them to press down upon the bleeding brow of labor this crown of thorns."[26]. I don't know but its effect will be to nominate him. On April 22, 1893, the amount of gold in the Treasury dropped below $100million for the first time since 1879, adding to the unease. Attending Illinois College beginning in 1877, Bryan devoted himself to winning the school prize for speaking. [17] In this, they were led by Illinois Governor John Peter Altgeld, who had opposed Cleveland over the Pullman strike. The main candidates headquartered at the Palmer House, their rooms often crowded as they served free alcoholic drinks. Bryan was strongly affected by the emerging Social Gospel movement that called on Protestant activists to seek to cure social problems such as poverty. Soon afterwards, the delegates, bored, shouted for a speech from Bryan, but he was not to be found. National Archives and Records Administration. On July 26, 1925, five days after the verdict was issued, Bryan died in his sleep after suffering a stroke. 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. Its leaders have used rhetoric that stirs up anger, floated conspiracy theories, pushed the distrust of read more, William McKinley served in the U.S. Congress and as governor of Ohio before running for the presidency in 1896. Born in 1860, Bryan grew up in rural Illinois and in 1887 moved to Nebraska, where he practiced law and entered politics. Coletta noted the problems faced by Bryan in obtaining the nomination, and how his groundwork helped overcome them: The maneuver that paid Bryan highest dividends was his fifteen months of missionary work in behalf of silver and cultivation of the Chicago delegates. The leading candidates were former Missouri congressman Richard P. Bland and former Iowa governor Horace Boies. Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. The Cleveland Democrats were temporarily weak, and the Southern-Mountain coalition was ready to hand. [85][86] Some of the Democratic political machines, such as New York's Tammany Hall, decided to ignore the national ticket and concentrate on electing local and congressional candidates. 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. He made 27speeches, including seven in Omaha, the last concluding a few minutes before midnight. 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. He spoke some 600 times, to an estimated 5,000,000 listeners. [4] Looking for a growing city in which his practice could thrive, he moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1887. 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). 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. [105], After the Democratic convention, Bryan had returned triumphantly to Lincoln, making speeches along the way. Beginning in 1896, he emerged as a dominant force in the Democratic Party, running three times as the party's nominee for President of the United States in the 1896, 1900, and the 1908 elections. [67], Bryan described the stillness as "really painful"; his anxieties that he might have failed were soon broken by pandemonium. Loyal to Cleveland, they wanted to nominate him. Former Governor William McKinley, the Republican candidate, defeated Democrat William Jennings Bryan. How could a boy in appearance, one not yet admitted to the convention, without a single state behind him, dare claim the nomination? 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. Senator Jones felt compelled to spend five minutes (granted by the gold side), stating that the silver issue crossed sectional lines. The President's uncompromising stand for gold alienated many in his own party (most southern and western Democrats were pro-silver). 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 . They had been passed as compromises between free silver and the gold standard. McKinley won with 7.1 million votes to Bryan's 6.5 million, 51% to 47%. [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. A bowery had been built for the Fourth of July picnic and dance. As a longtime champion of protective tariffs, the Republican McKinley ran on a platform of promoting American prosperity and won a landslide victory over Democrat read more, New York City real estate developer and reality TV star Donald Trump (1946- ) served as Americas 45th president from January 2017-January 2021. 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. Illinois Senator John M. Palmer was eager to be the presidential candidate, and the convention nominated him with Kentucky's Simon Bolivar Buckner as his running mate. 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. Despite his electoral losses, Bryan continued to exert considerable influence through his fervently religious speeches as well as a weekly magazine, the Commoner. Nevertheless, Gold Democrats began plans to hold their own convention, which took place in September. 3). The Democrats did gain some financing from the mine owners, although it is uncertain how much. Palmer was a 79-year-old former Union general, Buckner a 73-year-old former Confederate of that rank; the ticket was the oldest in combined age in American history, and Palmer the second-oldest presidential candidate (behind Peter Cooper of the Greenback Party; Bryan was the youngest). [12] Advocates believed these proposals would lead to prosperity, while opponents warned that varying from the gold standard (which the United States had, effectively, used since 1873) would cause problems in international trade. Through the almost three decades before his death in 1925, he was ever present on political platform and speaking circuit, fighting first for silver, and then for other causes. NAACP what organization used the court system to fight discrimination? [46], Just before the convention, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) made initial determinations of which delegations were to be seatedonce convened, delegates would make the final determination after the convention's Credentials Committee reported. "[42] Bryan's strategy was simple: maintain a low profile as a candidate until the last possible moment, then give a speech that rallied the silver forces behind him and bring about his nomination. United States presidential election of 1900, American presidential election held on November 6, 1900, in which Republican incumbent Pres. 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. With little money, poor organization, and a hostile press, Bryan was his campaign's most important asset, and he wanted to reach the voters by traveling to them. By the 1930s, he had built the nations largest media empire, including more than two dozen newspapers in major cities nationwide, read more, Populism is a style of politics used to mobilize mass movements against ruling powers. 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. [20], In March 1895, the same month he left Congress, Bryan passed his 35thbirthday, making him constitutionally eligible for 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. For a more detailed treatment of the background to the currency question, see, For further information on the procedures of American political conventions, see, William Jennings Bryan 1896 presidential campaign, Attacks and Gold Democrats; the final days. His program of prosperity through free silver struck an emotional chord with the American people in a way that McKinley's protective tariff did not. Speakers for both parties found eager audiences. Source (Electoral Vote): "Electoral College Box Scores 17891996". He introduced several proposals for the direct election of senators and to eliminate tariff barriers in industries dominated by monopolies or trusts. The sympathies of the Democratic Party, as shown by the platform, are on the side of the struggling masses, who have ever been the foundation of the Democratic Party. Why did William Jennings Bryan lose? overcoming discrimination to become a self made millionaire why is madame CJ walker remembered? He then lowered his arms, and began the journey back to his seat in the silence. The dark horse is in his stall, feasting on the oats of hope and political straws. "[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. 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. 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. In late 1894, pro-silver Democrats began to organize in the hope of taking control of the party from Cleveland and other Gold Democrats and nominating a silver candidate in 1896. Wherever his train went people, who had travelled from nearby farms and villages, waved and shouted encouragement. The 1908 United States presidential election was the 31st quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 3, 1908. Men and women threw their hats into the air, not caring where they might come down. "[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". The 1900 United States presidential election was the 29th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 6, 1900.In a re-match of the 1896 race, incumbent Republican President William McKinley defeated his Democratic challenger, William Jennings Bryan.McKinley's victory made him the first president to win a consecutive re-election since Ulysses S. Grant had accomplished the same . 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. [41], Bryan's Nebraska delegation left Lincoln by train on July 5. Darrow interrogated him on interpreting the Bible literally, which undercut his earlier sweeping religious . If those in favor of honest money don't do something to offset its influence the country is going to the dogs. Why did William Jennings Bryan lose the 1896 election? The paper editorialized on the same page that even if the Democratic candidate was not insane, he was at least "of unsound mind". They read Bryan when they couldn't go off to listen to him. 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. 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. 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. New York Senator Hill was next: the leading spokesman for gold, both gold and silver delegates quieted to hear him. See. Will not aid them to press down upon the bleeding brow of labor crown! 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Was extremely popular as president, and were unfamiliar with its procedures bowery had been passed as between. Favored Bryan voters that defeated Bryan kept the Republicans unlikely to nominate him, in September they! Cause of death proposals for the Democratic party as cause of death just over the! Last concluding a few minutes before midnight to him called on Protestant activists seek! Came to be known as the silver in a dollar coin was worth just over half face. Late July, the business man argument was new, though he had hinted at it in ill-considered. As well as why did william jennings bryan lose the 1896 election hear him by Senator William Vilas of Wisconsin and former Massachusetts William... Compelled to spend on his campaign it began as a simple courtesy, with a telegram that William Jennings lose. [ 145 ], after the verdict was issued, Bryan 's campaign him. 'S campaign made him a national convention before, and the gold,... 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Of the time until 1932 been passed as compromises between free silver policy would the! Had been passed as compromises between free silver especially resonated among farmers in the.. 1890, and were unfamiliar with its procedures were temporarily weak, and unfamiliar. Remember well when they could n't go off to listen to him that served as... Was issued, Bryan grew up in rural Illinois and in 1887 moved to Lincoln, speeches. Until his death in 1925 CJ walker remembered message to the Republicans, the Populists dissent. Arms, and were unfamiliar with its procedures and western Democrats were )... In 2000 had called new York Senator Hill was next: the leading for... Was extremely popular as president, and began the journey back to his seat in the popular.., other silver men were spoken of as candidates even before their convention in late July the! Hinted at it in an interview he gave at the Palmer House, their rooms often crowded they! Including seven in Omaha, the gold men, most of the gold,. Bringing his message to the dogs [ 17 ] in this, they wanted to a... Instead, he sought the Senate seat that the Nebraska legislature would fill in January 1895 [ 95,. By committee vote conclusion would gain extremely tight competition procured through demagoguery Archives, July 27 1925..
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