The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-18
Presidential Campaigns
XIX-- The McKinley-Bryan Race of 1896
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By Frederic J. Haskin.


 | bimetaIIism, which permitted Republicans who had been shouting for silver to come down gracefully. Senator Plau may not
 be regarded as great statesman but in l 1S96 and 1900 he did things that left a great mark on the history of the country When the gold plank was adopted thirty four western Republican delegates. headed | by Senator Teller of Colorado. Senator Can non of Utah, and Senator Dubois of Idaho walked out of the convention and into the there were Republicans who loudly pro. claimed the fact that they had bolted the nomination of Mckinley. A national Hanna. chosen chairman of the national committee, knew that he had a great job ahead of him and he set to work. The Democratic convention met in Chi cago The Cleveland wing of the party con trolled the national committed, but the | recommendations of that body were swept that the silver men controlled the conven- ton resolution commenting the then l down with vengeful hoots. No one man was ever hated more than the Democratic | national convention of 1896 hated Grover Cleveland, the Democratic President of the United States.
 Leading free silver advocates like Rich ard P. Bland of Missouri, and John R, Mclean of Ohio. were contesting for the nomination. The story of their defeat Is a most familiar bit of political history. Will liam Jennings Bryan, who had reported the St Louis convention which nominated Mo- Kinley. for Nebraska newspaper. came to Chicago at the head of contesting delega- 1 ton. He was given seat Then came the great debate on the platform. the East ern Democrats fighting hard against the majority. In that debate Mir. Bryan then only thirty-six years old, slim Of figure and full of mane. leaped into the worldwide fame in moment The famous crown of the figure was borrowed from Representa- tive Mccall of Massachusetts not. sent that convention wild. Bryan was norninat- ed.
 A little later the Populists and the Silver Republicans also nominated the Boy Ora tor of the Platte" The Cleveland Deme- crats called a convention at Indianapolis and organized the National Democracy" General John H. Palmer. of Illinois. a soldier or the r Unon wan son nYer i8r cEnsr Kentucky, soldier of the Confederacy for ice-president. They polled but few votes, the majority of the gold Democrats vot- ing straight for Mckinley.
 Bryan soon began his unprecedented and unequalied campaign tour. He did not then possess the suavity of his later years but he nightly in earnest No man has ever aroused the enthusiasm which he cre- five million people, making over a thousand separate speeches. In the first part Of the campaign he travelled In ordinary day for him as possible. Toward the end of the campaign the railroads relented and he was enabled to get private car. He was without money and in his great can vas was sometimes forced to borrow the price of ticket to . the next stopping place.
 Against this terrific campaign. which seemed to be sweeping the country for the Democrats. Mir. Hanna planned the great Scampaign of education" The farmers of the agricultural states east of the Mississippi were induced to believe that the election of Bryan would mean bankruptcy for them All of the wealth of the country was back of Hanna, and he had s8.00O, 900 to spend and he knew how to do H.
 Careful canvasses taken two months be- fore the elections showed that such states Ohio and Indiana were for Bryan. The work that was done to turn that defeat into the overwhelming victory of Novem- Der was due to the political sagacity of Marcus A. Hanna.
 Bryans appeals to the people of every section, the enormous popular interest in his personality and the picturesqueness of his campaign, on the one side, and the efforts of the Republicans to reach every voter with campaign literature and personal argument on the other side, resulted in a widespread popular interest In politics such as had nev- CT been known.
 While the campaign was decisive. and while 1t practically settled the money ques- ton for all time. Defeat did not diminish the popularity of the Democratic standard bearer, who has ever since stood at the head of his party. Mckinley was chosen President and his administration witnessed the return of prosperity the greatest the country has ever known After all, not the least among the Republican assets of 1S9s was the fact that the panic of 1893 came during DemocI atic administration.
 Copyright, 1908, by Frederic ] Haskin.)
 Tomorrow-Presidentiai Campaigns.
 xxx. The Mckinley Bryan Race of 1900.