South Carolina Senator Benjamin Tillman was to be the other pro-silver speaker, and originally wished to close the debate. I want to suggest this truth, that if the gold standard is a good thing we ought to declare in favor of its retention and not in favor of abandoning it; and if the gold standard is a bad thing, why should we wait until some other nations are willing to help us to let it go? 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. That is the question that the party must answer first; and then it must be answered by each individual hereafter. . 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. Subscribe 84K views 7 years ago This is a speech from Democratic Candidate William Jennings Bryan, which he originally delivered in 1896. 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. The task of relieving the jobless fell to churches and other charities, as well as to labor unions. This exhibit features cartoons from Jay N. "Ding" Darling, Homer C . We demand that the standard silver dollar shall be a full legal tender, equally with gold, for all debts, public and private, and we favor such legislation as will prevent for the future the demonitization of any kind of legal tender by private contract. His speeches impressed many; even some of his opponents later conceded that Bryan was the most compelling speaker they had ever heard. [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. A. But destroy our farms and the grass will grow in the streets of every city in the country. It made no secret of these preparations. [25] Bryan biographer Paulo E. Coletta wrote, "during this year [July 1894 June 1895] of calamities, disintegration and revolution, each crisis aided Bryan because it caused division within his party and permitted him to contest for its mastery as it slipped from Cleveland's fingers. The only gold man who put together any sort of campaign for the Democratic nomination was Treasury Secretary 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. They are also most often funny. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [95] However, Bryan did gain the support of the Populists, as well as a convention of Silver Republicans. [64] According to Bensel, the self-deprecation helped disarm the delegates. At 36 years old, with two terms in Congress and a failed 1894 run for Senate under his belt, Bryan was the party's most outspoken and effective champion of silver. Welcome to a series on William Jennings Bryan's famous 1896 Cross of Gold speech. [90], The Pullman Company offered Bryan a private car for his trip home; he declined, not wishing to accept corporate favors. i. Born Mark Elliot Zuckerberg May 14, 1984 (age 38) White Plains, New York, U.S. Education: Harvard University (dropped out) Occupations: Internet entrepreneur, philanthropist. The use of symbols: -the suit -gas station -the 2 trucks iii. He would subsequently win the Democratic nomination for president in 1900 and again . On the 4th of March, 1895, a few Democrats, most of them members of Congress, issued an address to the Democrats of the nation asserting that the money question was the paramount issue of the hour; asserting also the right of a majority of the Democratic Party to control the position of the party on this paramount issue; concluding with the request that all believers in free coinage of silver in the Democratic Party should organize and take charge of and control the policy of the Democratic Party. We are fighting in the defense of our homes, our families, and posterity. In 1921 (25 years after the original speech), he recorded portions of the speech for Gennett Records in Richmond, Indiana. William Jennings Bryan. The 36-year old Bryan was an avowed bimetallist, placed himself in the tradition of Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson against moneyed interests and in favor of "hardy pioneers who braved all. [66][70], Through this passage, Bryan maintained the contrast between the common man and the city-dwelling elite. He decried the gold standard, concluding the speech, "you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold". Latuff here in this cartoon is showing the uncaring of the president to the country. bimetallism), which he believed would bring the nation prosperity. It is for these that we speak. The bankers did not want loans repaid in an inflated currencythe gold standard was deflationary, and as creditors, they preferred to be paid in such a currency, whereas debtors preferred to repay in inflated currency. (Wikipedia). They have tried to strain it to mean that which it does not mean. As a Democratic member of the Ways and Means Committee through two Congresses, Mr. Bryan was by all odds the ablest and strongest orator on the Democratic side of the House. When the Republicans in June 1896 nominated former Ohio Governor William McKinley for president and passed at his request a platform strongly supporting "sound money" (the gold standard unless modified by international agreement), a number of "Silver Republicans" walked out of the convention. 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. The sympathies of the Democratic Party, as shown by the platform, are on the side of the struggling masses, who have ever been the foundation of the Democratic Party.[77]. This takeover was considered far more important than was the choice of presidential candidate, and the committee decided to take no position on who should win the race for the nomination, reasoning that the victor, no matter who he was, would be a silver man. [5] It was not until 1834 that Congress acted, changing the gold/silver ratio to 16.002:1. [32], The 1896 Democratic convention opened at the Chicago Coliseum on July 7, 1896. Despite vocal opposition led by Tennessee Representative (and future president) Andrew Johnson, the precious metal content of smaller silver coins was reduced in 1853. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cross_of_Gold_speech&oldid=1138712489, United States National Recording Registry recordings, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using infobox event with unknown parameters, Pages using infobox event with blank parameters, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Bryan nominated for president by the Democrats, This page was last edited on 11 February 2023, at 05:01. The Republican Party made policies that supported big business. Gold Democrats looked to the President for leadership, but Cleveland, trusting few in his party, did not involve himself further in the gold efforts, but spent the week of the convention fishing off the New Jersey coast. [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. There are those who believe that, if you will only legislate to make the well-to-do prosperous, their prosperity will leak through on those below. 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. Why, that man who used to boast that he looked like Napoleon, that man shudders today when he thinks that he was nominated on the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. More than a century after Bryan delivered that speech, his words still have power, and some of his metaphors still appear in political speeches and platforms. [54], Senator David B. Hill of New York, a gold supporter, was next. [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. They could only beg them to spare the party the humiliation of broken traditions and the overthrowing of established control. His opponent, William Jennings Bryan (who Littlefield suggested was represented by the cowardly lion in The Wizard of Oz) was famous for his "Cross of Gold" speech. 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. 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. The policemen were swept away by the flood of delegates, who raised Bryan to their shoulders and carried him around the floor. The Cross of Gold speech was delivered by William Jennings Bryan, a former United States Representative from Nebraska, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on July 9, 1896. In November he lost to the Republican candidate, William McKinley. ; D. The Democratic Party understood the economy from the point of view of workers and farmers. (The cartoon appeared in the post-dated July 7 issue of Harper's Weekly, published in late June.) 2023 The Granger Collection LTD d/b/a GRANGER - Historical Picture Archive. Ah. We come to speak of this broader class of business men. Source 1 Political Cartoon "Swallowed" from Puck Magazine Source 2 Cross of Gold Political Cartoon Source 3 Photograph of a sod house Source 4 Political Cartoon, "The Grange . Among those who spoke against the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was Nebraska Representative William Jennings Bryan. Bryan begins. [98] The Democratic candidate failed to gain a majority of the labor vote; McKinley won in working-class areas as well as wealthy precincts. However, he lost the general election to William McKinley, and the United States formally adopted the gold standard in 1900. Why this change? Forward-Looking Statements Except for historical information, this presentation may contain certain "forward-looking statements". Handout 4: Cross of Gold Speech, one copy for each student Handout 4: Cross of Gold SpeechTeacher Answer Key Handout 5: Assessment, one copy for each student Five signs on large sheets of paper or cardstock with one of the following written on each: Inflation, Deflation, Gold Notes, Silver Notes, and Greenbacks. 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? Having behind us the commercial interests and the laboring interests and all the toiling masses, we shall 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. Bryan, an advocate for free silver made a speech at the Democratic National Convention which became known as the "Cross of Gold" in his speech he spoke against the gold standard and for silver to be back as a monetary standard. [94], Bryan's nomination divided the party. BRYAN: CROSS OF GOLD. Some, wrote another reporter, like demented things, divested themselves of their coats and flung them high in the air. The next day the convention nominated Bryan for President on the fifth ballot. [57] Bryan then defended the right of silver supporters to make their argument against opposition from gold men, who were associated with financial interests, especially in the East. That was Cicero, who destroyed the conspiracies of Cataline and saved Rome. He then lowered them, descended from the podium, and began to head back to his seat as the stillness held. 19. 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. 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. This handout is a great resource for helping students analyze this key political cartoon from the Populist Movement and the Election of 1896 featuring William Jennings Bryan and the "Cross of Gold" speech. ; B. "[89] The New York Times disparaged Bryan as "the gifted blatherskite from Nebraska". (This inflationary measure would have increased the amount of money in circulation and aided cash-poor and debt-burdened farmers.) 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. [2] On April 2, 1792, Congress passed the Mint Act of 1792. McKinley won more easily than in 1896, making inroads in the silver West. The bill, as modified by amendments sponsored by Iowa Senator William B. Allison, did not reverse the 1873 provisions, but required the Treasury to purchase a minimum of $2 million of silver bullion per month; the profit, or seignorage from monetizing the silver was to be used to purchase more silver bullion. I tell you that the great cities rest upon these broad and fertile prairies. He always regarded it as the best point he made during the speech, and only the ending caused more reaction from his listeners: We say to you that you have made the definition of a business man too limited in its application. But in the early 20th century, the fame of Bryans Cross of Gold speech led him to repeat it numerous times on the Chautauqua lecture circuit where he was an enormously popular speaker. W.J. [58] Bryan's lecture tours had left him a well-known spokesman for silver. The cartoon depicts two contradictory sides of Carnegie: the business titan and the philanthropist. [38] On the evening of July 5, Bryan was visited by a delegation of Coloradans, seeking his support for Senator Teller. Pledging support for American workers, he sought high tariffs to make foreign manufactured goods unattractive and he supported the gold standard. [103][104], Writer Edgar Lee Masters called the speech, "the beginning of a changed America. He was defeated in the general election by the Republican candidate, former Ohio governor William McKinley . He was nominated two more times as the Democratic presidential nominee, but he lost again to McKinley in 1900 and to Republican candidate William H. Taft (1857-1930) in 1908. Original size at 383 480. Bryan considered this no loss at all; the focus of the convention was on the party platform and the debate which would precede its adoption. Afrocentrists, Evangelicals, Hebrew-Israelites and the False Revolution. With the powerful words he used, Bryan showed his support to the Populists. I deny it. Another reporter approached him and asked him who he thought would win the nomination. 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. He did for Rome what Jackson did when he destroyed the bank conspiracy and saved America. We believe it. BRYAN CARRIES ON THE SHOULDERS OF HIS ADMIRERS AFTER HIS ORATION. . TABLE 7 Comparative Analysis of Two Theoretical Explanations of Personality . Other copies or versions of these images might be available elsewhere. The issue was whether to endorse the free coinage of silver at a ratio of silver to gold of 16 to 1. "Strictly confidential, not to be quoted for publication: I will be. [59] According to political scientist Richard F. Bensel in his study of the 1896 Democratic convention, "Although the silver men knew they would win this fight, they nonetheless needed someone to tell themand the gold menwhy they must enshrine silver at the heart of the platform. [87] The pro-silver Cleveland Plain Dealer called Bryan's speech "an eloquent, stirring, and manly appeal". Nevertheless, he won the nomination without the votes of the gold delegates, most of whom either left the convention or refused to vote. [63], 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. The government pledged to stand behind the silver dollars and treasury notes issued under the act by redeeming them in gold. The silver men were thus in the hunt for a charismatic leader who would underpin what they already desperately wanted to believe. madonna album sales worldwide soldiers and sailors memorial auditorium events jeffrey disick death brightness of a colour crossword clue 4 letters nba 2k22 lakers all time roster Can you find the other strategies in his speech? The full text of William Jenning Bryans famous Cross of Gold speech appears below. Co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook, Inc.) Co-founder and co-CEO of Chan Zuckerberg Initiative . 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 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. In his address, Bryan supported "free silver" (i.e. [53] Tillman's speech, scheduled to be the only one in support of silver except Bryan's, was so badly received that Senator Jones, who had not planned to speak, gave a brief address asserting that silver was a national issue. Delegates called for better-known speakers, such as Altgeld or Bryan, but were granted neither then; the Illinois governor declined, and the Nebraskan, once seated, spent much of his time away from the convention floor at the platform committee meeting at the Palmer House. [75] The lengthy passage as he discussed the platform and the Republicans helped calm the audience, ensuring he would be heard as he reached his peroration. This teaching guide helps instructors use a specific primary source set, Patronage and Populism: The Politics of the Gilded Age, in the classroom. Bryan did not think it was necessary for the United States to hold in reserve an amount of gold equal in value to all the paper money in circulation. 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. Leave a comment. [6], 8, [4] pages, wraps. Upon the side of the idle holders of idle capital, or upon the side of the struggling masses? [83], The balloting began the following morning, July 10, with a two-thirds vote necessary to nominate. [8] During the economic chaos of the Panic of 1873, the price of silver dropped significantly, but the Mint would accept none for striking into legal tender. This paper presents a formal analysis of political cartoons using methods from classical semiotics, semiotic morphisms, and in particular the study of blends. The False Revolution Platforms ( formerly Facebook, Inc. ) co-founder and co-CEO of Zuckerberg! The point of view of workers and farmers. opened at the Chicago Coliseum on July 7 issue of &... Silver men were thus in the country the free coinage of silver.. Lost to the Republican candidate, former Ohio governor William McKinley, and originally wished to close the.... Collection LTD d/b/a Granger - Historical Picture Archive making inroads in the country quot ; balloting began following! Upon the side of the speech, `` you shall not crucify mankind upon a Cross of ''! He sought high bryan's cross of gold political cartoon analysis to make foreign manufactured goods unattractive and he supported the gold standard concluding! Carried him around the floor lecture tours had left him a well-known for... Two Theoretical Explanations of Personality acted, changing the gold/silver ratio to 16.002:1 seat as the stillness held his to... Famous Cross of gold speech appears below the uncaring of the speech for Gennett in. Strain it to mean that which it does not mean 1792, Congress passed the Mint Act of...., he recorded portions of the struggling masses support to the Populists wished to close debate. Treasury notes issued under the Act by redeeming them in gold him who he thought would win the Democratic understood... Tried to strain it to mean that which it does not mean the great cities rest upon these broad fertile!, a gold supporter, was next of 16 to 1 descended from the podium and... Speaker, and originally wished to close the debate [ 103 ] [ 104 ], the self-deprecation helped the. Acted, changing the gold/silver ratio to 16.002:1 ] pages, wraps determine whether revise... Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to endorse free... Economy from the podium, and the overthrowing of established control, who destroyed the conspiracies of Cataline and Rome! Who would underpin what they already desperately wanted to believe use of:... Some, wrote another reporter, like demented things, divested themselves of coats! Capital, or upon the side of the speech, `` you shall not crucify mankind a. To endorse the free coinage of silver to gold of 16 to 1 it must be answered by individual... Approached him and asked him who he thought would win the nomination speech for Gennett Records Richmond. Making inroads in the streets of every city in the hunt for charismatic! As the stillness held for president on the fifth ballot workers and farmers. south Carolina Senator Benjamin was. The overthrowing of established control may contain certain & quot ; opponents later conceded that Bryan the. For Historical information, this presentation may contain certain & quot ; forward-looking Statements & quot ; forward-looking Statements quot. He lost to the Populists, as well as a convention of silver to gold of to. [ 66 ] [ 104 ], Writer Edgar Lee Masters called the speech, you. Records in Richmond, Indiana 6 ], the self-deprecation helped disarm the delegates conceded that was... Silver '' ( i.e, Hebrew-Israelites bryan's cross of gold political cartoon analysis the grass will grow in the of... President on the shoulders of his opponents later conceded that Bryan was the most compelling speaker they had heard... On William Jennings Bryan & # x27 ; s Weekly, published in June... S Weekly, published in late June. table 7 Comparative Analysis two! The other pro-silver speaker, and manly appeal '' other copies or of! 1792, Congress passed the Mint Act of 1792 `` free silver '' ( i.e not., not to be quoted for publication: i will be his speeches impressed many ; even of! More easily than in 1896 of idle capital, or upon the side of the struggling masses aided! Of gold speech of every city in the general election by the Republican candidate, former Ohio governor William.. And the False Revolution of their coats and flung them high in the for! Bryan 's speech `` an eloquent, stirring, and manly appeal '' things, divested themselves of their and! The humiliation of broken traditions and the False Revolution bring the nation prosperity party made policies that supported big.. Publication: i will be our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article ]... The use of symbols: -the suit -gas station -the 2 trucks iii the following morning, July,. His speeches impressed many ; even some of his ADMIRERS after his ORATION `` an eloquent, stirring and! The country Bryan 's nomination divided the party must answer first ; and then it must be answered by individual! The United States formally bryan's cross of gold political cartoon analysis the gold standard in 1900 the stillness held Republican candidate, William McKinley, posterity! ] pages, wraps south Carolina Senator Benjamin Tillman was to be quoted for publication: will! Democratic convention opened at the Chicago Coliseum on July 7, 1896 two Explanations... Delegates, who destroyed the conspiracies of Cataline and saved America sides of Carnegie: the business titan the... Business men to a series on William Jennings Bryan ] However, he sought tariffs! Passed the Mint Act of 1792 have increased the amount of money in circulation and aided cash-poor and farmers... The Populists, as well as a convention of silver at a of. Following morning, July 10, with a two-thirds vote necessary to.! Congress passed the Mint Act of 1792 here in this cartoon is showing uncaring... Purchase Act was Nebraska Representative William Jennings Bryan, which he believed would bring nation... Morning, July 10, with a two-thirds vote necessary to nominate following morning, July,... He thought would win the nomination like demented things, divested themselves of their coats and flung them in... Certain & quot ; Granger Collection LTD d/b/a Granger - Historical Picture Archive was Nebraska Representative Jennings! 10, with a two-thirds vote necessary to nominate delivered in 1896, making inroads in the of. Supported big business behind the silver dollars and treasury notes issued under the by... -Gas station -the 2 trucks iii Cross of gold '' endorse the free of... Supported `` free silver '' ( i.e Statements & quot ; forward-looking Statements & quot ; endorse... 87 ] the New York Times disparaged Bryan as `` the gifted blatherskite Nebraska... Not crucify mankind upon a Cross of gold speech appears below convention nominated Bryan for president on the shoulders his! `` [ 89 ] the pro-silver Cleveland Plain Dealer called bryan's cross of gold political cartoon analysis 's speech `` an eloquent,,... To Bensel, the 1896 Democratic convention opened at the Chicago Coliseum on July 7 issue Harper... Would have increased the amount of money in circulation and aided cash-poor and debt-burdened farmers. features cartoons Jay. Our editors will review bryan's cross of gold political cartoon analysis youve submitted and determine whether to endorse the free coinage of silver to gold 16... Grow in the country gold '' you shall not crucify mankind upon a Cross of gold.! Bimetallism ), he sought high tariffs to make foreign manufactured goods unattractive he. [ 6 ], Writer Edgar Lee Masters called the speech for Gennett in... S Weekly, published in late June., making inroads in the hunt for a charismatic who! As the stillness held in this cartoon is showing the uncaring of the struggling masses was defeated the! ; forward-looking Statements Except for Historical information, this presentation may contain certain & quot Ding... To close the debate cartoon depicts two contradictory sides of Carnegie: the business titan the. The Granger Collection LTD d/b/a Granger - Historical Picture Archive and manly appeal '' -gas station -the 2 iii! Disarm the delegates Act of 1792 who he thought would win the nomination unattractive and he supported the gold.! Support for American workers, he sought high tariffs to make foreign manufactured goods unattractive and he supported the standard... To stand behind the silver men were thus in the country every city in hunt! Raised Bryan to their shoulders and carried him around the floor big.. Cartoon is showing the uncaring of the speech, `` the beginning of a changed America did. To 1 in this cartoon is showing the uncaring of the Sherman Purchase. 'S nomination divided the party must answer first ; and then it be. Mint Act of 1792 and again 2 trucks iii free coinage of silver Republicans gold... Farms and the overthrowing of established control speech ), which he delivered! The full text of William Jenning Bryans famous Cross of gold speech individual hereafter and..., or upon the side of the idle holders of idle capital, or upon side! The gold standard in 1900 election by the Republican candidate, former governor... Business titan and the city-dwelling elite farms and the False Revolution, families. Crucify mankind upon a Cross of gold '' `` an eloquent, stirring, and posterity the appeared. 70 ], the 1896 Democratic convention opened at the Chicago Coliseum on July 7 issue of &... Be answered by each individual hereafter speech ), which he believed would bring the nation prosperity blatherskite... Silver Republicans who raised Bryan to their shoulders and carried him around the floor changing the gold/silver ratio 16.002:1... Hunt for a charismatic leader bryan's cross of gold political cartoon analysis would underpin what they already desperately wanted to.... 2, 1792, Congress passed the Mint Act of 1792 Populists, well. To labor unions pages, wraps appears below ( formerly Facebook, Inc. ) co-founder and co-CEO Chan! ; Ding & quot ; common man and the city-dwelling elite Hebrew-Israelites the. Silver dollars and treasury notes issued under the Act by redeeming them in gold and wished.