bryan's cross of gold political cartoon analysis

[5] It was not until 1834 that Congress acted, changing the gold/silver ratio to 16.002:1. Bryan consented, on condition that his own time was extended by the same amount; this was agreed to. The miners who go 1,000 feet into the earth or climb 2,000 feet upon the cliffs and bring forth from their hiding places the precious metals to be poured in the channels of trade are as much businessmen as the few financial magnates who in a backroom corner the money of the world. Publishing regularly in Harper's Weekly . ; William Jennings Bryan was a leading member of the Democratic party who ran for President several times. [74], With this call to action, Bryan abandoned any hint at compromise, and adopted the techniques of the radical, polarizing orator, finding no common ground between silver and gold forces. Why, if they tell us that the gold standard is a good thing, we point to their platform and tell them that their platform pledges the party to get rid of a gold standard and substitute bimetallism. The next day the convention nominated Bryan for President on the fifth ballot. Although Bryan ran again on a silver platform in the 1900 presidential election, the issue failed to produce the same resonance with the voters. Can you find the other strategies in his speech? "[69] The gold men, during the address, paid close attention and showed their appreciation for Bryan's oratory. If they say bimetallism is good but we cannot have it till some nation helps us, we reply that, instead of having a gold standard because England has, we shall restore bimetallism, and then let England have bimetallism because the United States have. It is intended to spark pedagogical creativity by giving a sample approach to the material. Lafayette, CA: d press, 1995. my friends, we say not one word against those who live upon the Atlantic Coast; but those hardy pioneers who braved all the dangers of the wilderness, who have made the desert to blossom as the rosethose pioneers away out there, rearing their children near to natures heart, where they can mingle their voices with the voices of the birdsout there where they have erected schoolhouses for the education of their children and churches where they praise their Creator, and the cemeteries where sleep the ashes of their deadare as deserving of the consideration of this party as any people in this country. When McKinley and his advisers, such as industrialist and future senator Mark Hanna, realized that the views were more than transitory, they began intensive fundraising from corporations and the wealthy. [54] He was followed by two other gold men, Senator William Vilas of Wisconsin and former Massachusetts Governor William E. Russell. 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. Old leaders have been cast aside when they refused to give expression to the sentiments of those whom they would lead, and new leaders have sprung up to give direction to this cause of freedom. There is more reason for him to do that than for us to expect to fail to maintain the parity. time before some commentator alludes to William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech at the 1896 Democratic convention as the leading example of an orator's ability to sway listeners. [58] Bryan's lecture tours had left him a well-known spokesman for silver. [45] The DNC's action could be reversed, but not until the convention's credentials committee reported. Instructors: CLICK HERE to request a free trial account (only available to college instructors) Primary Source Readers "[24], In the aftermath of the 1894 election, the silver forces, led by Altgeld and others, began an attempt to take over the machinery of the Democratic Party. You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold. Bryan begins. [96] Bryan spoke on silver throughout the campaign; he rarely addressed other issues. The speech was given at the Democratic National Convention, so the audience was pledged delegates from the 50 states of the US so that . Unfortunately, no recordings exist of his original speech. Our website may have some collections that include images that are in the public domain, not protected by copyright or where the copyright ownership is unknown. [27] The leader of those who left was Colorado Senator Henry M. Teller; he was immediately spoken of as a possible candidate for the Democratic nomination. You come to us and tell us that the great cities are in favor of the gold standard; we reply that the great cities rest upon our broad and fertile prairies. BRYAN: CROSS OF GOLD. But note the change. But Bryan first wished to tie the silver question to a greater cause:[46][76], Upon which side will the Democratic Party fight; upon the side of "the idle holders of idle capital" or upon the side of "the struggling masses"? Conclusion: -main message of Latuff's cartoon process . [87] The pro-silver Cleveland Plain Dealer called Bryan's speech "an eloquent, stirring, and manly appeal". His sympathetic comparison contrasted the hardworking farmer with the city businessman, whom Bryan cast as a gambler. Gold and silver factions in some states, such as Bryan's Nebraska, sent rival delegations to the convention. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [64] According to Bensel, the self-deprecation helped disarm the delegates. The image that is selected for the analysis is from the pre-1856 epoch of US history, and it represents the imagination of the political and social life as it was imagined by artists. If the gold standard, and I might call your attention to the fact that some of the very people who are in this convention today and who tell you that we ought to declare in favor of international bimetallism and thereby declare that the gold standard is wrong and that the principles of bimetallism are betterthese very people four months ago were open and avowed advocates of the gold standard and telling us that we could not legislate two metals together even with all the world. We go forth confident that we shall win. [39], Despite the desire of silver delegates to nominate a candidate who shared their beliefs, and although several states instructed their delegates to vote for a specific candidate, there was no overwhelming favorite for the nomination going into the convention. Jones deemed the Democrats likely to nominate a candidate who would appeal to the Populist Party, and Bryan had been elected to Congress with Populist support. The Democratic party has won the greatest success in its history. "[56], As Russell concluded, to strong applause from gold delegates,[57] there was a buzz of anticipation as Bryan ascended to the podium. [90], The Pullman Company offered Bryan a private car for his trip home; he declined, not wishing to accept corporate favors. Political cartoons are generally regarded as a hypertrophied imagination of the political or social reality of the particular time epoch. The Democratic idea, however, has been that if you legislate to make the masses prosperous, their prosperity will find its way up through every class which rests upon them. [50], "Pitchfork Ben" Tillman lived up to his nickname with an incendiary address which began with a reference to his home state's role in beginning the Civil War. Mr. American cartoon by Grant Hamilton, 1896, on William Jennings Bryan's 'Cross of Gold' speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which won Bryan the presidential nomination. . However, he stated, facing towards the gold delegates, "when you come before us and tell us that we are about to disturb your business interests, we reply that you have disturbed our business interests by your course. Some people, for the most part Democrats, joined the far-left Populist Party. W.J. Bryan traveled 18,000 miles by train to give over 600 speeches (36 in one day) to about five million people. He would subsequently win the Democratic nomination for president in 1900 and again . Although Altgeld and his adherents urged voters to distinguish between Cleveland and his party, the Democrats lost 113 seats in the House in the 1894 midterm elections, the greatest loss by a majority party in congressional history. Our silver Democrats went forth from victory unto victory, until they are assembled now, not to discuss, not to debate, but to enter up the judgment rendered by the plain people of this country. If they say bimetallism is good, but that we cannot have it until other nations help us, we reply that, instead of having a gold standard because England has, we will restore bimetallism, and then let England have bimetallism because the United States has it. Cross of Gold title of speech William Jennings Bryan gave Cross of Gold speech at Democratic National Covention Nebraska congressman seeking presidential nomination Democratic National Convention To whom did Bryan gives his Cross of Gold Speech in Chicago? My friend, in this land of the free you need fear no tyrant who will spring up from among the people. [87], According to the New York World, "Lunacy having dictated the platform, it was perhaps natural that hysteria should evolve the candidate. Ah, my friends. [46] However, Barnes deemed the actions by the committee immaterial to the outcome due to the silver strength in the convention: Anyone who doubts the power the silverites were ready to unleash in a disciplined and irresistible attack needs only to read the results of the election of temporary chairman. [1][78], Now, Bryan was ready to conclude the speech, and according to his biographer, Michael Kazin, step "into the headlines of American history". 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 . Bryan, having established the right of silver supporters to petition, explained why that petition was not to be denied: It is for these that we speak. "[61] Bryan would say little that he had not said beforethe text is similar to that of a speech he had given the previous week at Crete, Nebraska[62]but he would give the convention its voice. Bryan had a distinguished and active political career, supporting workers' rights and women's suffrage while opposing monopolies and teaching evolution in schools. This speech, delivered at the Democratic National Convention, helped win the Bryan, former Representative to Congress for Nebraska, the presidential nomination of the Democratic party. [4] In 1830, Treasury Secretary Samuel D. Ingham proposed adjusting the ratio between gold and silver in US currency to 15.8:1, which had for some time been the ratio in Europe. Forward-Looking Statements Except for historical information, this presentation may contain certain "forward-looking statements". However, as late as June, the gold forces, which still controlled the Democratic National Committee (DNC), continued to believe that the nominee could be pro-gold. Mr. Carlisle said in 1878 that this was a struggle between the idle holders of idle capital and the struggling masses who produce the wealth and pay the taxes of the country; and my friends, it is simply a question that we shall decide upon which side shall the Democratic Party fight. "And I needed it for the speech I was to make." But if he means to say that we cannot change our monetary system without protecting those who have loaned money before the change was made, I want to ask him where, in law or in morals, he can find authority for not protecting the debtors when the act of 1873 was passed when he now insists that we must protect the creditor. Grant Hamilton cartoon for Judge Magazine on William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech, Democratic National Convention, Chicago, July 9, 1896. We reply that when we advocate a thing which we believe will be successful we are not compelled to raise a doubt as to our own sincerity by trying to show what we will do if we are wrong. "[67] Harpine suggested that, "by appealing in such an uncompromising way to the agrarian elements and to the West, Bryan neglected the national audience who would vote in the November election". They have tried for thirty yearsthirty yearsto secure an international agreement, and those are waiting for it most patiently who dont want it at all. As Hill moved to the podium, a reporter friend passed Bryan a note urging him to make a patriotic speech without hint of sectionalism; Bryan responded, "You will not be disappointed. He faced in the direction of the gold-dominated state delegations: There are two ideas of government. Cross of Gold Speech - Analysis | Milestone Documents - Milestone Documents William Jennings Bryan: "Cross of Gold" Speech Log in to see the full document and commentary. I had never had such an opportunity before in my life and never expect to have again. [90] The only paper to predict, after Bryan gave his speech, that he would not be nominated was The Wall Street Journal, which stated, "Bryan has had his day". According to William Jennings Byran:. They tell us that the income tax ought not to be brought in here; that is not a new idea. Although Bryan had decided on a strategy to gain the nominationto give a speech which would make him the logical candidate in the eyes of delegateshe faced obstacles along the way. [27] However, part of his strategy was to remain inconspicuous until the last possible moment at the convention. Cleveland tried to replenish the Treasury through issuance of bonds which could only be purchased with gold, with little effect but to increase the public debt, as the gold continued to be withdrawn in redemption for paper and silver currency. [95] However, Bryan did gain the support of the Populists, as well as a convention of Silver Republicans. People who were free-silver thought that currency reform would end them. "[1], As Bryan spoke his final sentence, recalling the Crucifixion of Jesus, he placed his hands to his temples, fingers extended; with the final words, he extended his arms to his sides straight out to his body and held that pose for about five seconds as if offering himself as sacrifice for the cause, as the audience watched in dead silence. As the gold men spoke, Bryan ate a sandwich to settle his stomach; he was often nervous before major speeches. The Cross of Gold was a speech given by William Jennings Bryan at the Democratic National Convention in 1896 which advocated for bimetallism, or the use of both gold and silver in funding the currency. Reprinted in The Annals of America, Vol. We have simply called attention to what you know. But we stand here representing people who are the equals before the law of the largest cities in the state of Massachusetts. The individual is but an atom; he is born, he acts, he dies; but principles are eternal, and this has been a contest over a principle. However, he lost the general election to William McKinley, and the United States formally adopted the gold standard in 1900. Now, my friends, let me come to the great paramount issue. He also proposed the establishment of a mint, at which citizens could present gold or silver, and receive it back, struck into money. Cross of Gold speech, classic of American political oratory delivered on July 8, 1896, by William Jennings Bryan in closing the debate on the party platform at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago during the campaign for the presidential election of 1896. Will it choose blessings or cursingslife or deathwhich? This statement attracted great cheering, and Bryan turned to rhetorically demolish the compromise position on bimetallismthat it should only be accomplished through international agreement: It is the issue of 1776 over again. When this debate is concluded, a motion will be made to lay upon the table the resolution offered in commendation of the administration and also the resolution in condemnation of the administration. I stand with Jefferson rather than with them, and tell them, as he did, that the issue of money is a function of the government and that the banks should go out of the governing business. Accordingly, Bryan became the final speaker on the platform. Bryan also ran in the years 1900 and 1908 which became failures. Afrocentrists, Evangelicals, Hebrew-Israelites and the False Revolution. His speech, delivered at the close of the debate on the party platform, electrified the convention and is generally credited with earning him the nomination for president. We beg no longer; we entreat no more; we petition no more. Pursuant to this promise, government gold reserves dwindled over the following three years. With far less money than McKinley, Bryan embarked on a nationwide campaign tour by train on a then-unprecedented scale. Silver producers complained, and many Americans came to believe that only through bimetallism could the nation achieve and maintain prosperity. W.J. [20], Bryan had long planned to run for president. Conditions have arisen and we are attempting to meet those conditions. If you will read what Thomas Benton said, you will find that he said that in searching history he could find but one parallel to Andrew Jackson. [84][85] On the second ballot, Bryan still stood second, but had gained as other candidates had fallen away. [98], After McKinley's inauguration in March 1897, increases in gold availability from new discoveries and improved refining methods led to a considerable increase in the money supply. He had already begun work on a speech. Bryan is arguing against the gold standard and so he isn't apt to paint gold in those idyllic terms. The 1896 Democratic National Convention followed events unique in post-Civil War American history. [82] The convention passed the platform in Bryan's absence and recessed. Hamilton proposed a monetary system based on bimetallism, in which the new currency would be equal to a given amount of gold, or a larger amount of silver; at the time a given weight of gold was worth about 15 times as much as the same amount of silver. "[60] Bensel noted, "The pump was more than primed, it was ready to explode. Speakers in some states cursed Cleveland; the South Carolina convention denounced him. Burn down your cities and leave our farms, and your cities will spring up again as if by magic; but destroy our farms and the grass will grow in the streets of every city in the country.[76]. We have entreated, and our entreaties have been disregarded. It made no secret of these preparations. The Populists would reach the high water mark of their political power in 1896, when the Democratic Party nominated William Jennings Bryan as its candidate for President of . Known as an orator even then, Bryan had not always favored free silver out of conviction, stating in 1892 that he was for it because the people of Nebraska were for it. Mr. McKinley was nominated at St. Louis upon a platform which declared for the maintenance of the gold standard until it can be changed into bimetallism by international agreement. My friends, we have made no criticism. [81] Bryan was urged by Senator Jones to allow it, but refused, stating that if his boom would not last overnight, it would never last until November. The third ballot saw Bland still in the lead, but Bryan took the lead on the fourth ballot. He says that he wants this country to try to secure an international agreement. I shall object to bringing this question down to a level of persons. (This inflationary measure would have increased the amount of money in circulation and aided cash-poor and debt-burdened farmers.) There are those who believe that if you just legislate to make the well-to-do prosperous, that their prosperity will leak through on those below. William Jennings Bryan delivered his "Cross of Gold" speech at the Democratic National Convention in July of 1896 as part of his bid for the party's presidential nomination. Although he would only be 36 years old in 1896one year above the constitutional minimumhe believed the silver question could carry him not only to the nomination, but to the presidency. In passing the Coinage Act, Congress eliminated bimetallism. One farmer in the gallery had been about to leave rather than listen to Bryan, whom he deemed a Populist; he had been persuaded to stay. Bryan's 1896 campaign was groundbreaking for more than his oratorical skill. They can find where the holders of fixed investments have. It was not in any concerted or open action, however, that Bryan had his strength; it was in the friendly predisposition of the mass of the delegates that he had hopes.[30]. . [68] He denied, however that the contest was personal; he bore no ill-will towards those who supported the gold standard. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The dissidents nominated their own ticket; the split in the vote would contribute to Bryan's defeat. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [103][104], Writer Edgar Lee Masters called the speech, "the beginning of a changed America. [81] Newspaper accounts of the convention leave little doubt but that, had a vote been taken at that moment (as many were shouting to do), Bryan would have been nominated. The President's move was opposed by the Democratic Governor of Illinois, John Altgeld. [36], Bryan arrived quietly and took rooms at a modest hotel; the Nebraskan later calculated that he spent less than $100 while in Chicago. From the beginning of the speech, Bryan suggests that his cause is righteous and. The most famous speech in American political history was delivered by William Jennings Bryan on July 9, 1896, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. He favored the monetary policy . Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 12, 18951904: Populism, Imperialism, and Reform (Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 1968), 100105. 28 Monday Mar 2016. The legislation also established the Mint of the United States. This exhibit features cartoons from Jay N. "Ding" Darling, Homer C . It showed American support for european economic interests in East Africa. The Nebraskan later described the audience as like a trained choir. The thirty-six-year-old former Congressman from Nebraska aspired to be the Democratic nominee for president, and he had been skillfully, but quietly, building support for himself among the delegates. [105] Author and political commentator William Safire, in his political dictionary, traced the term "trickle-down economics" (common in the Reagan era) to Bryan's statement that some believe that government should legislate for the wealthy, and allow prosperity to "leak through" on those below. Updates? As he traveled by rail to Lincoln, he saw farmers and others standing by the tracks, hoping for a glimpse of the new Democratic nominee. Introduction: -attractions of a political cartoon ii. [Note on the recording: In 1896 recording technology was in its infancy, and recording a political convention would have been impossible. In later years Bryan delivered numerous variations on the speech, some captured on early phonograph recordings. Three months later, at Memphis, an organization was perfected, and the silver Democrats went forth openly and boldly and courageously proclaiming their belief and declaring that if successful they would crystallize in a platform the declaration which they had made; and then began the conflict with a zeal approaching the zeal which inspired the crusaders who followed Peter the Hermit. When you come before us and tell us that we shall disturb your business interests, we reply that you have disturbed our business interests by your action. Bryan, who remained at his hotel, sent word to the Nebraska delegation to make no deals on his behalf. [41], One of the leaders of the silver movement was Illinois Governor Altgeld; a native of Germany, he was constitutionally barred from the presidency by his foreign birth. South Carolina Senator Benjamin Tillman was to be the other pro-silver speaker, and originally wished to close the debate. Why, as individuals we might have been glad to compliment the gentleman from New York [Senator Hill], but we knew that the people for whom we speak would never be willing to put him in a position where he could thwart the will of the Democratic Party. A cartoon from the magazine "Judge" criticizing William Jennings Bryan for his "Cross of Gold" speech. "[92], When McKinley heard that Bryan was likely to be the nominee, he called the report "rot" and hung up the phone. [35] Well aware of the overwhelming forces against them, many gold delegates were inclined to concede the platform battle. [72] When Bryan resumed, his comparison of miner with miser again electrified the audience; the uproar prevented him from continuing for several minutes. [86], Most contemporary press accounts attributed Bryan's nomination to his eloquence, though in the case of Republican and other gold-favoring newspapers, they considered it his demagoguery. The gentleman from Wisconsin has said he fears a Robespierre. Albert Shaw, editor of The Review of Reviews, stated that after Bryan's nomination, many easterners professed not to have heard of him but: "If, indeed, they had not heard of Mr. Bryan before, they had failed to follow closely the course of American politics in the past eight years. In 1921 (25 years after the original speech), he recorded portions of the speech for Gennett Records in Richmond, Indiana. He then lowered them, descended from the podium, and began to head back to his seat as the stillness held. But note the change. The silver campaign of 1896 was a big controversy among the people. No, my friends, it will never be the judgment of this people. That was Cicero, who destroyed the conspiracies of Cataline and saved Rome. [63] Two alert police officers had joined Bryan as he left the podium, anticipating the crush. Pledging support for American workers, he sought high tariffs to make foreign manufactured goods unattractive and he supported the gold standard. Second, like many people, Bryan thought the gold standard disadvantaged the working classes and farmers by keeping the price of debt high. Because upon the paramount issue in this campaign there is not a spot of ground upon which the enemy will dare to challenge battle. He mocked McKinley, said by some to resemble Napoleon, noting that he was nominated on the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. An 1896 cartoon of William Jennings Bryan supporting "Free Silver." What exactly did he mean that money did not need to be "backed" by gold? These statements may involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity and performance to be materially different from the expectations and projections of Globex. The sympathies of the Democratic Party, as described by the platform, are on the side of the struggling masses, who have ever been the foundation of the Democratic Party. The memorable speech was given at the 1896 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. W.J. That is the question which the party must answer first, and then it must be answered by each individual hereafter. [93] The Republican nominee was slow to realize the surge of support for Bryan after the nomination, stating his view that the silver sentiment would be gone in a month. [94], Bryan's nomination divided the party. They have tried to strain it to mean that which it does not mean. The farmer who goes forth in the morning and toils all day, begins in the spring and toils all summer, and by the application of brain and muscle to the natural resources of this country creates wealth, is as much a businessman as the man who goes upon the Board of Trade and bets upon the price of grain. Historian Stanley Jones, in his study of the 1896 election, suggests that western Democrats would have opposed Cleveland even if the party had held its congressional majority in 1894; with the disastrous defeat, they believed the party would be wiped out in the West if it did not support silver. The task of relieving the jobless fell to churches and other charities, as well as to labor unions. Ah. One after another, state conventions to elect delegates to the national convention in Chicago repudiated an incumbent elected president of their party, who had not declared whether he would be a candidate for renomination. Students will be engaged by analyzing this speech, a political cartoon, and being able to critically think .

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