1. Democratic Convention in Chicago favorable to Bryan
Coliseum was largest exhibit hall in world - 5.5 acres and seated 20,000 - rowdy crowd seated on solid oak chairs - Bryan's powerful voice gave him key advantage
silver delegates in majority but lacked 2/3 needed to nominate - much electioneering - perfume bottles and souvenirs
Bryan had friends on important committees: Credentials Committee seated Michigan and Nebraska silverites giving pro-Bryan delegates close to 2/3 needed; Platform Committee motion made to allow Bryan the last and most important speech on July 9
2. July 9 - the Cross of Gold Speech
as platform debate neared end, Bryan rose to make one of most famous political speeches in U.S. history
when introduced, jumped from seat in Nebraska delegation, ran to platform, jumped up steps 2 at a time, stood triumphant behind speaker podium
tall, slender, eyes flashing, great jaw firmly set, head thrown back, right foot thrust forward, raised hand over head toward delegates
tremendous applause that grew louder as he waved hand for silence
his reputation as orator made delegates anxious. They wanted to hear a great silver speech and they got it
opening of speech set emotional tone: "The humblest citizen in all the land, when clad in the armour of a righteous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of error. I come to speak to you in defense of a cause so holy as the cause of liberty - the cause of humanity."
voice rose to the key sentence: "Having behind us the producing masses of this nation . . . we will answer their demands 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 on a cross of gold.'"
as he spoke this metaphor, he raised his hands to his temples and pulled down an imaginary crown of thorns, then spread his arms out like cross, stood for 5 seconds, then lowered his arms - crowd was absolutely silent - he stepped backwards and began to walk off platform. The crowd remained silent until he reached floor, then erupted into a frenzy. Bryan was carried on shoulders of friends back to Nebraska delegation
next day, he was nominated on 5th ballot - no deals made (VP Arthur Sewall, not millionaire John McLean) - Bryan to be his own campaign manager
campaign would be a true crusade, just Bryan and the people
expenses for week in Chicago only $100 - declined private RR car for return trip to Nebraska - newspaperman Willis Abbott christened him the "Great Commoner"
3. Bryan moved to bring other silverites into his coalition:
fusion of radicals
Populist Party (Tom Watson as VP)
National Silver Party
Single Taxers of Henry George
Rev. W. D. P. Bliss's Christian Socialists
"Broad gauge" Prohibitionists
Bryan waged vigorous campaign - set record for physical endurance - gin rubdowns --from rear platform of railroad car - West and South - full advantage of his remarkable voice
Yet Bryan lost - close - 21 to 26 states (176 - 271 electoral votes), 47% vs. 51% (6.4m vs. 7.1m popular vote)
managed McKinley's "front porch" campaign stay at home, say nothing, avoid all issues
raised millions of dollars to defeat Bryan ($16m to Bryan's $3.5m)
every bank in NYC assessed 1/4 of 1% of its capital
while Bryan had a righteous cause, Hanna had a professional organization
Hanna controlled daily press; flooded nation w/ 120m pieces of campaign literature; handed out millions of U.S. flags; cities declared "flag days"; organized great parades; purchased votes; $5 per vote in NY and Chicago; in a Philadelphia district of 30,000 Hanna's men counted 48,000 ballots; fraud was so prevalent that Bryan would have won 6 states (and election) if honest
2. Silver issue
Bryan's evangelical silver emphasis caused the election to be portrayed as contest between good and evil. It intensified conflict, created fears, caused the middle class to vote for Republicans out of fear of anarchy and revolution. the labor vote was divided and Gompers did not support the silver crusade of the populists. Bryan failed to carry any urban industrial state.
3. Farm prices improved
U.S. farm prices rose after a crop failure in India. As happened to the Grangers, farmers deserted the cause when propserous. The August price was $.53/bu; Nov. price rose to $.80/bu. Bryan failed to carry Iowa, Minn., ND
Significance of Election
1. discontent
Large segments of American population remained discontent. The American political system would have to come to grips with this discontent, or else radical parties such as the Populists and Socialists would seize control.
2. urbanization
Power shifting from rural to urban America. Bryan captured 3/4 land area but McKinley won crucial North-East and North-Central cities with 1/2 total U.S. population on 1/7 land area.
Charles Beard thesis of "Second American Revolution" of 1915 described a shift of power from landed farmers to urban industrialists that began with the Civil War and reached a crisis in the 1890s
3. Democratic collapse
Jeffersonian political rhetoric of old Democrats like Bryan would not solve problems of industrialization - strategy of single-issue politics such as silver failed
new politics would succeed on basis of coalitions of interest groups and classes
the fundamental purpose of political parties remained to harmonize, not divide voters
4. Growing influence of the mass media
Joseph Pulitzer's anti-boss New York World newspaper - 1898 Maine
