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 . A Missourian, Ezra Peters, wrote to Illinois Senator John M. Palmer, "Coins [sic] Financial School is raising h in this neck of the woods. June 1894 marked the publication of William H. Harvey's Coin's Financial School. Even in the South, Bryan attracted 59% of the rural vote, but only 44% of the urban vote, taking 57% of the southern vote overall. Many of the silver men had not attended a national convention before, and were unfamiliar with its procedures. Taken prisoner after his plane was shot down, he suffered five and a half years of torture and confinement before his release in 1973. [90], Following his nomination in June, McKinley's team had believed that the election would be fought on the issue of the protective tariff. NAACP what organization used the court system to fight discrimination? [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 introduced several proposals for the direct election of senators and to eliminate tariff barriers in industries dominated by monopolies or trusts. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! 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). [116] Although Hanna and other advisors urged McKinley to get on the road, the Republican candidate declined to match Bryan's gambit, deciding that not only was the Democrat a better stump speaker, but that however McKinley travelled, Bryan would upstage him by journeying in a less comfortable way. [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. [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. [129] Republican newspapers and spokesmen claimed that Bryan's campaign was expensively financed by the silver interests. 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. Morgan noted, "full organization, [Republican] party harmony, a campaign of education with the printed and spoken word would more than counteract" Bryan's speechmaking. Nevertheless, Gold Democrats began plans to hold their own convention, which took place in September. [62][64] He responded to an argument by Senator Vilas that from silver forces might arise a Robespierre. (Credit: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images). The leading candidates were former Missouri congressman Richard P. Bland and former Iowa governor Horace Boies. They quickly endorsed Bryan and Sewall, urging all silver forces to unite behind that ticket. The song was "Sift Sand, Sal", the source does not explain the relevance of this to Bryan. Loyal to Cleveland, they wanted to nominate him. In 1890, he agreed to run for Congress against William James Connell, a Republican, who had won the local congressional seat in 1888. The 1908 United States presidential election was the 31st quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 3, 1908. Decide to endorse William Jennings Bryan (Democratic candidate). But McKinleys victory was fueled by a massive influx of campaign cash from Wall Street bankers and other wealthy business interests, all determined to crush Bryans radical brand of populism. Bryan served as Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson from 1913 to 1915, resigning as Wilson moved the nation closer to intervention in World War I. Bryan campaigned heavily on a platform of free silver in 1896, and continued that trend into the election of 1900. He won the prize in his junior year, and also secured the affection of Mary Baird, a student at a nearby women's academy. [147] This was evidenced in the tariff question: Bryan spent little time addressing it, stating that it was subsumed in the financial issue; Republican arguments that the protective tariff would benefit manufacturers appealed to urban workers and went unrebutted by the Democrats. Most cities that were financial or manufacturing centers voted for McKinley. In 1896, Bryan captivated the audience at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago with a passionate oration urging his countrymen to stand up for the common man against big business interests and support free silver. He ran for president a second time in 1900 and a third time in 1908, each time losing. 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. "[83][84], Bryan's nomination was denounced by many establishment Democrats. 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. Confusion over ballots in Minnesota resulted in 15,000voided votes and may have thrown that state to the Republicans. 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. 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. 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. Meanwhile, Hanna raised millions from business men to pay for speakers on the currency question and to flood the nation with hundreds of millions of pamphlets. See. why did william jennings bryan lose the election of 1896? The central issue was the country's money supply. "[102], Historian R. Hal Williams, in his book about the 1896 campaign, believes that the Populist nomination did Bryan little good; most Populists would have voted for him anyway and the endorsement allowed his opponents to paint him and his supporters as extremists. In the speech, Bryan, who was from . It was not until 10:45am, three-quarters of an hour late, that Chairman White called the convention to order. Though he continued to publicly oppose U.S. involvement in World War I after his resignation, Bryan changed course after the nation entered the conflict in 1917 due to extensive popular support for the war effort. In 1887, Bryan moved to the fast-growing state of Nebraska, where he settled in Lincoln and established a thriving law practice. "[130], In September, the Gold Democrats met in convention in Indianapolis. This advocacy brought him contributions from silver mine owners in his successful re-election bid in 1892. 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. 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. The effect was deflationary. 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. [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. [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. [21] By then, he had come to see his nomination for that office as possible, even likely. In 1904, Taft took on the role of secretary of war in the administration read more, William Randolph Hearst (1863-1951) launched his career by taking charge of his fathers struggling newspaper the San Francisco Examiner in 1887. The 1896 Democratic National Convention repudiated the Cleveland administration and nominated Bryan on the fifth presidential ballot. She became his wife, and was his principal assistant throughout his career. 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. 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. Thanks in advance if you have any recommendations! Each made their cases for gold, and likely changed few votes. Bryan did not; Senator Jones (as the new Democratic National Committee chairman, in charge of the campaign) stated, "Mr. Sewall, will, of course, remain on the ticket, and Mr. Watson can do what he likes. 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. In the 1892 presidential election, former Democratic president Grover Cleveland defeated the Republican incumbent, Benjamin Harrison, to regain his office. The proposed platform was pro-silver; Senator Hill had offered an amendment backing the gold standard, which had been defeated by committee vote. Didn't want to split pro-silver vote Populists 1892 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. His campaign was low-key, without excessive publicity: Bryan did not want to attract the attention of more prominent candidates. [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. Perhaps a vote taken then would have given Bryan the election. The position involved no day-to-day duties, but allowed him to publish his political commentaries. Theodore Roosevelt announced that he would not seek a subsequent term in office. He spoke some 600 times, to an estimated 5,000,000 listeners. He was young, had a respectable but not burdensome record, came from the West, and understood the arts of conciliation. Ultimately, the incumbent U.S. President William McKinley ended up defeating the anti-imperialist William Jennings Bryan and thus won a second four-year . [53] Once White started the proceedings, he turned over the gavel to Senator Jones, who read the proposed platform to great applause from silver delegates, and hissing from gold men. They also lost the next 2 elections, in spite of their strong backing in the popular classes. 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. [80] Bryan and Sewall gained their nominations without the ballots of the gold men, most of whom refused to vote. Instead, he sought the Senate seat that the Nebraska legislature would fill in January 1895. 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. [151] The poet Vachel Lindsay, 16years old in 1896, passionately followed Bryan's first campaign, and wrote of him many years later: Where is that boy, that Heaven-born Bryan,That Homer Bryan, who sang from the West?Gone to join the shadows with Altgeld the Eagle,Where the kings and the slaves and the troubadours rest.[152]. They hoped the Democrats either would not endorse silver in their platform or if they did, that the Democratic candidate would be someone who could be painted as weak on silver. 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.". [39] When Senator Teller walked out of the Republican convention in protest over the currency plank, he immediately became another possible candidate for the Democratic nomination for president. The convention, by voice vote, seated the silver Nebraskans, who arrived in the convention hall a few minutes later, accompanied by a band. A free silver policy would inflate the currency, as the silver in a dollar coin was worth just over half the face value. Bryan left the convention, returning to his hotel to await the outcome. No delegation must be permitted to violate instructions given by a state convention. We have submitted the issues to the American people and their will is law. Populists claim to speak for ordinary people, taking an "us versus them" stance. United States presidential election of 1900, American presidential election held on November 6, 1900, in which Republican incumbent Pres. 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. It was badly received even by silver delegates, who wished to think of silver as a patriotic, national issue. [51], Once seated, Bryan went to the Platform Committee meeting at the Palmer House, displacing the Nebraska gold delegate on the committee. In 1896, William Jennings Bryan ran unsuccessfully for president of the United States. Lose identity, simplify their cause to one policy (free coinage of silver), sacrifice rest of platform Why did Populists endorse Bryan? For the last decade of his life, he largely dedicated himself to reforming the nations moral and religious character. In post-Civil War America, oratory was highly prized, and Bryan showed aptitude for it from a young age, raised in his father's house in Salem. Though men thought otherwise at the time, neither fate nor accident created his position in the party. Although defeated in the election, Bryan's campaign made him a national figure, which he remained until his death in 1925. Bryan always regarded that argument as the speech's most powerful part, despite the fame its conclusion would gain. National Archives and Records Administration. He had accepted the nominal editorship of the Omaha World-Herald in August 1894. His widow accompanied his body in a special train car to Washington, where he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. [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. These included Vice President Adlai Stevenson of Illinois, Senator Joseph C. Blackburn of Kentucky, Indiana Governor Claude Matthews, and Bryan. [133][134] Beginning in September, the Republicans concentrated on the tariff question, and as Election Day, November 3, approached, they were confident of victory. Populist leaders correctly believed the Republicans unlikely to nominate a silver man. 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. Speakers for both parties found eager audiences. There is no legal or constitutional requirement that the loser of a U.S. presidential election must concede. [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. Bimtallism. Retrieved May 19, 2012. Bryan quipped, "I seem to have plenty of friends now, but I remember well when they were very few. If this robbery is permitted, the farmer will be ruined, and then the cities will suffer. 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. 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. Those that served principally as agricultural centers or had been founded along the railroad favored Bryan. South Carolina Senator Benjamin Tillman, a silver supporter, wanted an hour to address the convention, and to close the debate. The main candidates headquartered at the Palmer House, their rooms often crowded as they served free alcoholic drinks. 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. 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. Rumors that Europeans were about to redeem a large sum for gold caused desperate selling on the stock market, the start of the Panic of 1893. The coalition of wealthy, middle-class, and urban voters that defeated Bryan kept the Republicans in power for most of the time until 1932. A streak of the moralist preacher raised his political chances among a people attuned to the biblical phrase and Shakespearan [sic] stance. "[52], On the morning of July 9, 1896, thousands of people waited outside the Coliseum, hoping to hear the platform debate. At the center of these efforts was a campaign to end the teaching of evolution in public schools. [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. 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. He maintained contact with silver partisans in other parties, hopeful of gathering them in after a nomination. The 1878 BlandAllison Act and the Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890 required the government to buy large quantities of silver and strike it into coin. Bryan was born on March 19, 1860 in the small town of Salem, Illinois. The nominations The presidential campaign of 1896 was one of the most exciting in American history. 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. By August, many firms had gone bankrupt, and a special session of Congress convened, called by Cleveland to repeal the silver purchase act. William Jennings Bryan on the Stand Calling Bryan to the stand was a shock for the court. Populism and the Election of 1896. "[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. [132] Early Republican polls had shown Bryan ahead in crucial Midwestern states, including McKinley's Ohio. His father, Silas Bryan, was a Jacksonian Democrat, judge, lawyer, and local party activist. [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. 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. "[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. The Populists proposed both greater government control over the economy (with some calling for government ownership of railroads) and giving the people power over government through the secret ballot, direct election of United States Senators (who were, until 1913, elected by state legislatures), and replacement of the Electoral College with direct election of the president and vice president by popular vote. Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. They read Bryan when they couldn't go off to listen to him. overcoming discrimination to become a self made millionaire why is madame CJ walker remembered? The humblest citizen in all the land, when clad in the armor of a righteous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of error. [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. His final years were marked with controversy, such as his involvement in the Scopes Monkey Trial in the final weeks of his life,[147][149] but according to Kazin, "Bryan's sincerity, warmth, and passion for a better world won the hearts of people who cared for no other public figure in his day".[150]. 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. A friend of mine is a student of American religious history with a particular interest in William Jennings Bryan and the Populists. 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. I come to speak to you in defense of a cause as holy as the cause of libertythe cause of humanity.[59]. 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. [119] Among the foremost supporters of Bryan was publisher William Randolph Hearst who both contributed to Bryan's campaign and slanted his newspapers' coverage in his favor. Despite his defeat, Bryan's campaign inspired many of his contemporaries. 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. 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. 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. The President's uncompromising stand for gold alienated many in his own party (most southern and western Democrats were pro-silver). The 1896 presidential race is generally considered a realigning election, when there is a major shift in voting patterns, upsetting the political balance. After the defense called Bryan himself as an expert on the Bible, Darrow subjected him to a brutal examination in the sweltering courtroom, revealing his lack of theological as well as scientific knowledge. The majority felt exposed, crestfallen, and humiliated.[56]. Free silver especially resonated among farmers in the South and West, as well as miners. The minority had indicated its position. He was defeated in the general election by the Republican candidate, former Ohio governor William McKinley. Many of the elements of the speech had appeared in prior Bryan addresses. When he spoke of himself as the nominee, some reacted as [journalist] Willis J. Abbot did and doubted his mental capacity. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. 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. He then lowered his arms, and began the journey back to his seat in the silence. His enemies regarded him as an ambitious demagogue, but his supporters viewed him as a champion of liberal causes. After running unsuccessfully for the Senate in 1894, Bryan returned to Nebraska and became editor of the Omaha World-Herald. [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. I will not aid them to press down upon the bleeding brow of labor this crown of thorns."[26]. Someone who presented ten dollars in silver bullion would receive back almost twice that in silver coin. Bryan signed on as chief prosecutor, facing off against the criminal defense attorney Clarence Darrow. McKinley won with 7.1 million votes to Bryan's 6.5 million, 51% to 47%. 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. 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. Seward spent his early career as a lawyer before winning a seat in the New York State Senate in 1830. The train bearing The Idler pulled in after a short journey from the last stop, and after he was greeted by local dignitaries, Bryan would give a brief speech addressing silver and the need for the people to retake the government. New York Senator Hill was next: the leading spokesman for gold, both gold and silver delegates quieted to hear him. [93] When Bryan was nominated on a silver platform, the Republicans were briefly gratified, believing that Bryan's selection would result in an easy victory for McKinley.
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