The Election of 1896

1
The Election of 1896

• McKinley vs. Bryan

2
U.S. in 1896

• Depression of 1893 still causing unemployment(3
  million) and farm foreclosures
  
• Banks and businesses had failed
• Some people believed that the nation would be
  brought to the verge of ruin

3
Money-The Central Issue of the Election

• Democrats wanted bimetallism- government would
  give the people either gold or silver in exchange
  for paper currency
  
• Wanted cheap money called free silverites
• Republicans favored the gold standard- government
  would exchange only gold for paper currency
  
• Wanted a stable currency called goldbugs

4
Republicans

• Nominated Governor William McKinley from Ohio
• Supported by financial and business interests of
  the industrial Northeast
  
• Won the nomination for two reasons
• Appearance was stable,solid and reassuring
• Backed by Marcus Hanna, a wealthy businessman and
  Republican boss of Cleveland and a great
  political organizer

5
The Front Porch Campaign

• McKinley stayed in Canton, Ohio where supporters
  were brought to him complements of free tickets
  or cheap rates
  
• Made speeches and shook hands from his front
  porch
  
• 750,000 people from 30 states came to see McKinley

6
Marcus Hanna

• Raised 3.5 million in campaign contributions from
  big businesses
  
• Organized a Campaign of Education to convince
  factory workers that a threat to the gold
  standard was a threat to their job
  
• Sent thousands of speakers to all parts of the
  U.S. with literature printed in 13 languages
  
• Convinced newspapers to support McKinley

7
Democrats

• Nominated William Jennings Bryan, a former
  Congressman from Omaha, Nebraska and the editor
  of the Omaha World-Herald
  
• Great orator- the Boy Orator of the Platte
• Made the Cross of Gold speech during the
  convention- You shall not press down upon the
  brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not
  crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.

8
Campaign

• Bryan traveled around the U.S. making political
  speeches
  
• Traveled over 18,000 miles by train
• Visited 27 states
• Delivered over 600 speeches to about 5 million
  people
  

9
Results

• McKinley- 7 million votes carried the North,
  East and California and Oregon271 electoral
  votes
  
• Bryan- 6.5 million votes carried the South, the
  West was split176 electoral votes
  
• Industrial Middle West states of Ohio, Illinois,
  Wisconsin and Michigan put McKinley in office
  
• Rising middle class also voted Republican because
  they feared currency inflation

10
Results of the Results

• Resounding victory for big business, the big
  cities, middle class values, and financial
  conservatism
  
• Last attempt to win the White House with mostly
  agrarian votes
  
• Republican grip on the Executive Branch for the
  next 16 years
  
• Business given a free rein and the trusts were
  allowed to grow without serious restraints
  
• Depression of 1893 was over as prosperity returned