LAD #24 William Jennings Bryan's Cross of Gold Speech

Summary of William Jennings Bryan's Cross of Gold Speech, July 9th, 1896:

Bryan opens by saying that, as a person, he could run against the talented politicians for the Democratic nomination. However, he claims that the race is a matter of principle, and that it is the humanitarian principle which he supports that is running. He claims that every working man is a businessman, and that the hard-working, Westward-moving pioneers are as supported by the party as the Eastern Elite. he speaks to defend families against "the encroachment of aggregated wealth". He supports the Democratically-introduced income tax law that was recently declared by the Supreme Court to be unconstitutional. Against common Democratic beliefs, he supports the governmental control of money and banking. He discusses in great depth the issue of the free silver over the Republicans's gold standard. He discusses how the Republican nominee, McKinley, is losing popularity because his party once endorsed the gold standard, but now only supports it until international decisions change to bimetalism. He is thus confidant that his party will win in the Presidential election. He then completes his speech by describing how the Democratic party supports the struggling masses of workers who build the country's wealth. He says that the U.S. should turn to bimetalism before other nations and lead the world, as opposed to waiting for other nations to adopt it first. He concludes:


"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. You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold."