nov 7, 1896 - Election of 1896 (Nov)

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Grievances of farmers and laborers = imp in in this election; Conservatives feared impending upheaval, workers wanted political salvation; Monetary policy was biggest issue of election

Rep - former Congressman William McKinley from Ohio, sponsor of tariff of 1890; Est credible Civ War record bcuz was major, from swing state, had years of honorable service in Ohio, made many friends bcuz was conciliatory, was puppet of Marcus Alonzo Hanna from Ohio; Alonzo Used $$ to support McKinley, Believed that prosperity would trickle down to laborer;

Repub platform straddled money question, leaned toward hard-money, Declared for gold standard even though McKinley would vote for Silver in congress, Platform also condemned hard times, praised protective tariff, insulted Dems;


Cleveland couldn't be candidate bcuz of depression → everyone hated him, Debtor groups remember pullman strike, Morgan bond deal, hard-money policies; Bryan made plea for silver, Cross of Gold speech = iconic → dems nominate him; Dem platform - demand inflation thru unlimited coinage of silver at ratio of 16 oz silver= 1 gold; Some gold advocates in Dem party couldn't take Bryan's platform, Some even secretly wanted McKinley to win; Populists in dillemma bcuz dems endorse their 16 to 1 plea, Many populists = scared that McKinley would win → fused w/ Dems, Only some Populists refuse to support Bryan;

Hanna wrongly assumed he could make tariffs focus of campaign, Bryan forced free-trade issue into backseat for silver issue; Free silver = biggest issue, Fervent supporters of free silver hailed Bryan; Bryan created panic among E conservatives w/ threat of converting holding overnight into silver; Widespread fear of Bryan → Bryan (now chairman of Rep National Committee) to be depicted as money-raiser;

Repub remind voters of Cleveland's Dem panic, appealed to "belly vote"; Bryan supporters accuse Hanna of buying election

Bryan's campaign lost steam as time passed; Fear hurt him the most; Republican businessppl placed contract w/ manufacturers contingent on election of McKinley; Few factory owners pay off workers, said not to come to work next day if McKinley won; Reports circulated that employers threatening to pay in 50 cent pieces instead of $$ if Bryan won; McKinley won 271 - 176 electoral, 7.1 mill to 6.4 mill popular; Fear and excitement → many voters flock to polls; Mckinley = pop in E, got New Eng and upper Miss Valley; Bryan won S and trans-Miss W, more land but less pop

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