LAD/Blog #26: William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" Speech

On July 9th, 1896, William Jennings Bryan presented his "Cross of Gold" speech. This speech addressed the issue over free coinage of silver at a ratio of silver to gold 16 to 1. He lays the foundation with "an individual is but an atom, he is born, he acts, he dies; but principles are eternal; and this has been a contest of principle." Bryan is stating how running in an election has everything to do with being a humanitarian principles. He addresses how Democrats have proposed the issue of money, but ties and friendships are still disregarded. He voices his disapproval of the dominating businesses of the time , and, instead he states how they are all businessmen. Bryan also encourages that people fight "in defense of our homes, our families, and posterity." Bryan ends his speech by saying that if anyone tries to defend the gold standard, he will take issue with them because he believes people should not "crucify mankind on the cross of gold."

This is similar to the "Nixon Shock" which was when Nixon cancelled the direct international convertibility of the United States dollar to gold; like the Cross of Gold speech, the Nixon Shock combatted the gold standard. 

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