Figure 1.--This political cartoon summarizes the 1896 campaign. The caption read, "A noisy mob ... but the sound money police are closing in on them." The cartoonist was Joseph Keppler (1838-94), an Austrian-born American cartoonist and caricaturist who greatly influenced the growth of satirical cartooning in the United States.

The United States in the late-19th century was a country evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans. Elections could go eitherway. The 1896 election was a cloese one, but it would prove to be one of the transformational elections in American history and usher in a period of Republican accendency. At the 1896 Republican Convention, in time of depression, the wealthy Cleveland businessman Marcus Alonzo Hanna ensured the nomination of his friend William McKinley as "the advance agent of prosperity." The Democrats on the 5th ballot nominated William Jennings Bryan. He would mesmerized the Democratic Partyfor two decades. He was of Scotts-Irish and English origins. Religion played a very important role in his life from an early age. He was one of the most influential American politicans of turn-of-the century America, but had an unimpressive political history and proved not very successful at winning elections. The economy was the central issue in the election. The Democrats, advocating the "free and unlimited coinage of both silver and gold"--which would have mildly inflated the currency--nominated William Jennings Bryan. This was a kind of coming attraction for the 20th century with the Democrats advocating inflationsry policies and the Republicans sound fiscal policies. While Hanna used large contributions from eastern Republicans frightened by Bryan's views on silver, McKinley met delegations on his front porch in Canton, Ohio. Bryan swept the Solid South and most of the west, except Califormnos and Oregon. McKinnley carried the industrial northeast and industrialized upper mid-West. McKinnley won by the largest majority of popular votes since 1872, although it was relatively close. The Republican victory was much greater in the electoral College. Bryan proved to be one of the most electrifying losers in American political history. He lost his first campaign to McKinley. Money was a major factor in the campaign. The business community strongly supported McKinnley and the Republicans. Jennings spent about $0.25 million on his campaign. Mark Hanna suceeded in raising 10 times that ammount for McKinley. It proved to be a high-turnout election and a close finish. It is sometimes lost on modern commentators that the voter's choice of McKinley and sound fiscal policues resulted in a period of economic growth, expansion, and prosperity. This would make the Republicans the dominant political part in America for three decades.

Political Situation

The United States in the late-19th century was a country evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans. Elections could go eitherway. The Republicans (Garfield) won in 1880, the Democrats (Cleveland) won in 1884, the Republicans (Harrison) in 1888, and the Democrats (Clevelans again) in 1892. Congressiuonal elctions were also mixed. Thus no one knew who would win in 1896.

The Populists

Perhaps the single most important reform movement in American history and one which seriously threatened the two-party system was the reform movement of the late 19th century. The reform movement was born out of the Panic of 1873. Farmers in the Mid-West and South were greatly affected by the Panic and did not benefit from the recovery as did the Eastern financial and industrial class. Farmers focused on the currency, but the Greenback Party had little success. The Popullist Party was founded on a platform of government ownership of the railroads and free coinage of silver (1891). The Populists nominated J.B. Weaver for President with a platform of major reforms (1892). He polled over 1 million votes and represented a major threat to the establish parties, especially the Democrats. Adopting some of the Populist reforms, the Democrats led by William Jennings Bryan and his Cross of Gold speech captured much of the Populist vote (1896). The demise of Popularism in its Southern stronghold was the success of the Democraic Party in raising social issues--the race issue. They convinced Southern farmers and workers that Populist reforms meant integration and eventual Black dominance. This led to a generation of demagogic governors and legislators and the vicious racism of the early 20th century. This led to control of Southern state governments by the plantation class allied with millowners and other industrial interests. Blacks wre denied the vote and working-class whites voted to maintain the system out of fear of Blacks.

The Panic of 1893

The Panic of 1893 was the worst financial crisis meaning depression in American history until the Great Depression of the 1930s. It was comparable to the Panic of 1837, but at the time America was much more rural and people living on self sustaining farms were much lss exposed to financial disaster than the more urbamized, industrial pppulation of the 1890s. Soup lines were opened and as they grew longer, voters' grew angry, some at the Democrats. Others at the system. A good example of this was Coxey's Army. Jacob S. Coxey of Ohio marched 200 supporters into Washingtion, D.C. to demand reforms (spring 1894). Some saw this an impending revolution. Coxey's arm was easily dispersed, but the growing Populist Party sought a winning Presidential candidate. As a result of the economic down turn, the economy would be the central focus of the election.

Republican Convention

William McKinley was the governor of Ohio. At the 1896 Republican Convention, in time of depression, the wealthy Cleveland businessman Marcus Alonzo Hanna, woirked to obtain the nomination of his friend William McKinley as 'the advance agent of prosperity'. American businessmen strongly supported the stability affiorded by the gold system. Hanna reopresented tthe striong belief that the free coinage of silver would result in inflation if not financial.

Democratic Convention

The Democrats on the 5th ballot nominated William Jennings Bryan. He would mesmerize the Democratic Party for two decades. He was of Scotts-Irish and English origins. Religion played a very important role in his life from an early age. He was one of the most influential American politicans of turn-of-the century America, but had an unimpressive political history and proved not very successful at winning elections. Bryan was a deparyture for the Democrats. He essentially adopted the Populist platform. Before Bryan, the Democrats and Republiucans had relatively similar platforms. Beginning with Bryan, there were real differences. It would be Bryan who would promote the the Populist platform. Bryan was an attorney from Lincoln, Nebraska. He was a phenomenal public speaker. He became known as the 'Great Commoner'. He position himself as the defender of the farmer. With the spread of Populis ideas, many Democratic voters of the South and West enthusiastically supporting them moving the Democrats toward the Populists. Bryan at the Convention delivered the most electriifying sppech of his life which given his speaking career is saying something. He demanded the free coinage of silver and entoned, "You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold!". The delegates rose, shouting their endorsement. At the age of only 36 years, the 'Boy Orator' had the Democratic nomination. He would be a factir in American politics for over three decades. The Populists were not sure what to do. The were concerned about surrendering their identity, but Bryan represented their best chance of political victory. The Populist Party decided to also nominate Bryan.

The Campaign

The economy dominated the campaign. The issues included bimetallism, the gold standard, free silver, and the tariff, were crucial. Bimetalism would have enflated the economy which the Democrats believed would create jobs and promote economic growth. Mark Hanna, Bryan's campaign manager, is credited with pioneering with developing modern campaign methods. Bryan and McKinnely not only differed on issues, they had diiferences on campaigning. McKinley campaigned from his home, speaking to reporters from his front porch. He left the camaigning to the Party supportrs. Bryan also dramatically revolutionized American campaign politics. He launching a national whistle-stop effort, making an incediuble 20-30 daily. No one has ever matched that incredible performnce. Hanna used large contributions from eastern Republicans frightened by Bryan's views on silver, McKinley met delegations on his front porch in Canton, Ohio. Bryan proved to be one of the most electrifying losers in American political history. He lost his first campaign to McKinley. Money was a major factor in the campaign. The business community strongly supported McKinnley and the Republicans. Jennings spent about $0.25 million on his campaign. Mark Hanna suceeded in raising 10 times that amount for McKinley. Bryan's incederary rhetoric was essentially a repufiation of the Bourbon Democrats, the Democrats pro-business wing that Prsident Clevelans had supported. The economy in 1896 was improving as America was recovering from the Panic of 1893. Farm prices were also on the upswing. The economy was an important factor. Had the election been held earlier, the results may have been different The Republican gained 110 House sears in 1994, but the advance of Populist ideas may well aided the Democrats in 1896 had the ecomomy not begun to recover.

Results

It proved to be a high-turnout election and a close finish. The 1896 election was a cloese one, but it would prove to be one of the transformational elections in American history and usher in a period of Republican accendency. Bryan swept the Solid South and most of the west, except Califormnos and Oregon. He was also supported by the Populist Party and the Silver Republicans. McKinnley carried the industrial northeast and industrialized upper mid-West by forging a winning coalition with businessmen, professionals, skilled factory workers, and prosperous farmers. McKinnley won by the largest majority of popular votes since 1872, although it was relatively close. The Republican victory was much greater in the electoral College. It is sometimes lost on modern commentators that the voter's choice of McKinley and sound fiscal policues resulted in a period of economic growth, expansion, and prosperity. This would make the Republicans the dominant political part in America for three decades, interupted only by President Wilson (1913-21) because formner President Theodore Rooseveklt split the Republican Party. The Populist Party was dealt a death blow with Bryan's loss. They continued to exist and run candidates, but as the ecoinomy unfer McKinley boomed, most of their voters returned to the major parties.

Created: 5:44 AM 4/22/2012
Last updated: 6:14 PM 9/22/2018