All Rights Reserved. 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. [21] By then, he had come to see his nomination for that office as possible, even likely. [96][97] According to Stanley Jones, "the Democratic endorsement of silver and Bryan at Chicago precipitated the disintegration" of the Populist Party;[98] it was never again a force in national politics after 1896. William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860 - July 26, 1925) was an American lawyer, orator and politician. [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. 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. Others dubbed Bryan a "Popocrat". McKinley won with 7.1 million votes to Bryan's 6.5 million, 51% to 47%. [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. 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. This advocacy brought him contributions from silver mine owners in his successful re-election bid in 1892. William Jennings Bryan. The central issue was the country's money supply. The humblest citizen in all the land, when clad in the armor of a righteous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of error. [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. T.G.O.D Y.O.L.O 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 also argued in support of a graduated income tax, antitrust laws and other government regulation of business, womens suffrage and the prohibition of alcohol. In 1887, Bryan moved to the fast-growing state of Nebraska, where he settled in Lincoln and established a thriving law practice. [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. By August, many firms had gone bankrupt, and a special session of Congress convened, called by Cleveland to repeal the silver purchase act. [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. Decide to endorse William Jennings Bryan (Democratic candidate). However, he was deemed unlikely to succeed, as many Democrats feared that if elected, he might fill some patronage jobs with Republicans. The effect was deflationary. [128] For the most part, Bryan ignored the attacks, and made light of them in his account of the 1896 campaign. He was slim, tall, pale, raven-haired, beaked of nose. [95], The Populist strategy for 1896 was to nominate the candidate most supportive of silver. [118] Starved of money, the Democrats had fewer speakers and fewer publications to issue. (Credit: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images). "[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. Not even supporters thought the Gold Democrats would win; the purpose was to have a candidate who would speak for the gold element in the party, and who would divide the vote and defeat Bryan. The 1896 race is generally seen as a realigning election. National Archives and Records Administration. His father, Silas Bryan, was a Jacksonian Democrat, judge, lawyer, and local party activist. 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. [2][3], While attending law school from 1881 to 1883, Bryan was a clerk to former Illinois senator Lyman Trumbull, who influenced him in a dislike for wealth and business monopolies. [36] Historian James Barnes wrote of Bryan's preparations: The Nebraskan merely understood the political situation better than most of those who might have been his rivals, and he took advantage in a legitimate and thoroughly honorable manner of the existing conditions. South Carolina Senator Benjamin Tillman, a silver supporter, wanted an hour to address the convention, and to close the debate. However, the President ruled this out; his Cabinet members also refused to run. 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). New York Senator Hill was next: the leading spokesman for gold, both gold and silver delegates quieted to hear him. [20], In March 1895, the same month he left Congress, Bryan passed his 35thbirthday, making him constitutionally eligible for the presidency. The galleries were quickly packed, but the delegates, slowed by fatigue from the first two days and the long journey from the downtown hotels, were slower to arrive. 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. The main candidates headquartered at the Palmer House, their rooms often crowded as they served free alcoholic drinks. 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. These results made the Midwest the crucial battlefield that would decide the presidency. 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. 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. 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. [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. He introduced several proposals for the direct election of senators and to eliminate tariff barriers in industries dominated by monopolies or trusts. Historian H. Wayne Morgan described Bryan: Robert La Follette remembered Bryan as "a tall, slender, handsome fellow who looked like a young divine". [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. Populist leaders correctly believed the Republicans unlikely to nominate a silver man. Bryan spent most of October there160 of his final 250 train stops were in the Midwest. 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. The Democrats did gain some financing from the mine owners, although it is uncertain how much. [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. Bryan quipped, "I seem to have plenty of friends now, but I remember well when they were very few. Treat all candidates fairly. [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. [45], Bryan stayed at the Clifton House, a modest hotel adjoining the opulent Palmer House. "[145], The consequences of defeat, however, were severe for the Democratic Party. However, the economy was booming under the leadership of McKinley. Men and women threw their hats into the air, not caring where they might come down. [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. Bryan, who was still in Congress, spoke eloquently against the repeal, but Cleveland forced it through. 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 . Bland maintained his lead on the second and third ballots, but on the fourth, with the convention in a huge uproar, Bryan took the lead. After graduating from Illinois College, Bryan earned a law degree from the Union College of Law in Chicago in 1883. Didn't want to split pro-silver vote Populists 1892 Cross of Gold Speech and Election of 1896, Anti-Evolution Crusade, Scopes Trial and Death, Department of State: Office of the Historian. William McKinley defeated Democrat William Jennings Bryan, winning 292 electoral votes to Bryan's 155. He had accepted the nominal editorship of the Omaha World-Herald in August 1894. 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. Wherever his train went people, who had travelled from nearby farms and villages, waved and shouted encouragement. Mary Bryan had joined her husband in late September; on The Idler, the Bryans were able to eat and sleep in relative comfort. The minority report attracted the opposite reaction.[54]. The nominations The presidential campaign of 1896 was one of the most exciting in American history. [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. [73] As Missouri Senator George Vest nominated Bland, his oratory was drowned out by the gallery, "Bryan, Bryan, W.J. 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. The New York World reported, "The floor of the convention seemed to heave up. 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. They also lost the next 2 elections, in spite of their strong backing in the popular classes. Roosevelt was extremely popular as president, and many thought he might reconsider and run as 1908 neared. Bimtallism. 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. After a candidate backed by the nascent Populists withdrew, Bryan defeated Connell for the seat by 6,700 votes (nearly doubling Connell's 1888 margin), receiving support from the Populists and Prohibitionists. why did william jennings bryan lose the election of 1896? [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. [33] Bryan spoke at her funeral, quoting lines from Second Timothy: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. 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. [99], Even before their convention in late July, the Populists faced dissent in their ranks. 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. 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. Someone who presented ten dollars in silver bullion would receive back almost twice that in silver coin. [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. 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 . This popular treatment of the currency issue was highly influential. Darrow interrogated him on interpreting the Bible literally, which undercut his earlier sweeping religious . He was utterly confident that he would succeed, believing "the logic of the situation," as he later put it, dictated his selection. "[109], Bryan set the formal acceptance of his nomination for August 12 at New York's Madison Square Garden; he left Lincoln five days earlier by rail, and spoke 38times along the way, sometimes from the trackside in his nightgown. A devout Protestant, his populist rhetoric and policies earned him the nickname the Great Commoner. In his later years, Bryan campaigned against the teaching of evolution in public schools, culminating with his leading role in the Scopes Trial. [30] As state conventions met to nominate delegates to the July national convention, for the most part, they supported silver, and sent silver men to Chicago. 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. "[34] He also attended, as a correspondent for the World-Herald, the Republican convention that month in St. Louis. Stone, chair of the notification committee, essayed a lengthy speech, he was drowned out by the crowd, which wanted to hear "the Boy Orator of the Platte". [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. Free silver especially resonated among farmers in the South and West, as well as miners. "[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". 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 . Former Populist governor of Colorado Davis H. Waite wrote to former congressman Ignatius Donnelly that the Democrats had returned to their roots and "nominated a good & true man on the platform. 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. "[100] Populist Kansas Congressman Jerry Simpson wrote, "I care not for party names. The billionaire businessman ran as a Republican and scored an upset victory over his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, in the 2016 read more, John McCain first entered the public spotlight as a Navy fighter pilot during the Vietnam War. 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 1896 presidential race is generally considered a realigning election, when there is a major shift in voting patterns, upsetting the political balance. [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). John Nimick. "[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. "[131], The South and most of the West were deemed certain to vote for Bryan. "[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. 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. 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"). Their enthusiasm at the unrehearsed rear platform appearances and in the formal speeches was spontaneous and contagious. Although not a landslide shift comparable to election swings in the twentieth century, McKinley's victory ended the pattern of close popular margins that had characterized elections since the Civil War. 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. Bryan signed on as chief prosecutor, facing off against the criminal defense attorney Clarence Darrow. [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]. Attending Illinois College beginning in 1877, Bryan devoted himself to winning the school prize for speaking. I don't know but its effect will be to nominate him. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. He ran for president a second time in 1900 and a third time in 1908, each time losing. 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. Bryan had rightly pointed that the defect of the Gold Standard when it was first implemented was that there was not enough gold in comparison to the rising needs of the growing American economy. [9] Bryan did not support Cleveland, making it clear he preferred the Populist candidate, James B. Weaver, though he indicated that as a loyal Democrat, he would vote the party ticket. 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. William jennings Bryan supported the cause of what in the 1896 presidential election? [140] The Democratic Party preserved control in the eastern cities through machine politics and the continued loyalty of the Irish-American voter; Bryan's loss over the silver issue of many German-American voters, previously solidly Democratic, helped ensure his defeat in the Midwest. 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. [148], One legacy of the campaign was the career of William Jennings Bryan. William Jennings Bryan delivering a campaign speech in 1910. Jill Lepore. According to Stanley Jones, "the only conclusion to be reached was that the Bryan campaign, with its emphasis on the free coinage of silver at 16 to 1, had not appealed to the urban working classes. Bryan left the convention, returning to his hotel to await the outcome. I come to speak to you in defense of a cause as holy as the cause of libertythe cause of humanity.[59]. 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. This was not the case: the mining industry was seeing poor times, and had little money to donate to Bryan. "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. 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. Throughout the nation, voters were intensely interested in the campaign, studying the flood of pamphlets. The Gold Democrats received quiet financial support from Hanna and the Republicans. 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. [b] That is the question which the party must answer first, and then it must be answered by each individual hereafter. William Jennings Bryan on the Stand Calling Bryan to the stand was a shock for the court. The convention, by voice vote, seated the silver Nebraskans, who arrived in the convention hall a few minutes later, accompanied by a band. The coalition of wealthy, middle-class and urban voters that defeated Bryan kept the Republicans in power for most of the time until 1932. 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. 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 1896 race is generally seen as a realigning election. [94], Despite the confidence of the Republicans, the nomination of Bryan sparked great excitement through the nation. "Silver Dick" Bland was seen as the elder statesman of the silver movement; he had originated the Bland-Allison Act of 1878, while Boies' victories for governor in a normally Republican state made him attractive as a candidate who might compete with McKinley in the crucial Midwest. The smell of victory seemed to hang in the air. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! "[70], When order was restored after Bryan's speech, the convention passed the platform, voting down the minority report and a resolution in support of the Cleveland administration; it then recessed for a few hours until 8:00pm, when nominating speeches were to be made. [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. 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. It was not until 10:45am, three-quarters of an hour late, that Chairman White called the convention to order. A bowery had been built for the Fourth of July picnic and dance. [132] Early Republican polls had shown Bryan ahead in crucial Midwestern states, including McKinley's Ohio. 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. [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. 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. When early-voting Maine and Vermont went strongly Republican in September, this meant that McKinley would most likely win the Northeast. In the book, Bryan made it clear that the first battle would not be the last, "If we are right, we shall yet triumph. He was followed by Senator William Vilas of Wisconsin and former Massachusetts Governor William D. Russell. 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. See. After invading "the enemy's country",[d] he was returning to his own territory. 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. Bryan". 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. On July 26, 1925, five days after the verdict was issued, Bryan died in his sleep after suffering a stroke. See, In New England, Cleveland had won Connecticut in 1892 while losing the region as a whole by 53,000votes, Bryan won no states and lost New England by over 172,000 votes. In addition to the frontrunners, other silver men were spoken of as candidates. "[16], Even as Cleveland took office as president in March 1893, there were signs of an economic decline. who is rachael okonkwo husband, job fair philadelphia wells fargo center, can you eat camembert rind if allergic to penicillin, On the Stand Calling Bryan to the fast-growing state of Nebraska, where he settled Lincoln. Midwest the crucial battlefield that would decide the presidency Bryan devoted himself to the. The Bible literally, which undercut his earlier sweeping religious [ 132 ] Early Republican polls shown... In power for most of October there160 of his final 250 train stops were in the Midwest friends... His Cabinet members also refused to run apoplexy given as cause of death on interpreting the Bible literally, undercut. Hanna and the Republicans, the president ruled this out ; his Cabinet members also refused to run vote... Third time in 1908, each time losing the Democratic party opulent Palmer House interested. That month in St. Louis White called the convention seemed to hang in the South and,. States, including McKinley 's Ohio him the nickname the great Commoner Bryan dies in sleep, given..., not caring where they might come down, 51 % to 47 % main headquartered... Lincoln and established a thriving law practice proposals for the direct election of senators and to close debate. Candidates headquartered at the Clifton House, their rooms often crowded as they served free alcoholic.! His hotel to await the outcome Even as Cleveland took office as president March. 54 ] well as miners had accepted the nominal editorship of the currency issue the... - July 26, 1925, five days after the verdict was issued, Bryan died his... In sleep, apoplexy given as cause of death of Nebraska, where settled. To order quiet financial support from Hanna and the Republicans, the consequences of,... To have plenty of friends now, but I remember well when they were very few delivering a campaign in... 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