will it turn its face to the rising or the setting sun? Will 

 it choose blessings or cursings — life or death — which? 

 Which? "1 



Perhaps the young Congressman was thinking that 

 God had raised up a new Jackson — William Jennings 

 Bryan. "^ Between 1892 and 1896, the silver issue 

 penetrated the nation to become the most contro- 

 versial, single, public question and the righteous 

 cause of many reformers. Indeed, propagated by a 

 remarkably efTective promotional efTort, the currency 

 cjuestion tended for a time to crowd out other im- 

 portant problems. The cry of "free silver" seemed 

 to offer to Americans, who were accustomed to think- 

 ing in terms of moral absolutes, a righteous solution 

 to the national problems."'' For orators such as 

 William Jennings Bryan, the silver issue created great 

 opportunities for evangelical speechmaking. 



Bryan also participated in Democratic campaigns 

 outside of Nebraska, enhancing his reputation and 

 gaining valuable experience. During the state and 

 local campaigns of 1891 in Iowa and South Dakota, 

 Bryan spoke out with his usual vigor and eloquence. 

 At Creston, Iowa, his speech was the "first demo- 

 cratic gun of the Union county campaign . . . ." 

 His oration was characterized by "plain, cominon 

 sense, reasoning and sound arguments ..." which 

 demolished the tariff advocates. One of the attrac- 

 tive features of Bryan's style was its simplicity, 

 which made for ease of understanding. The local 

 press commented on the "splendid reputation" 

 which the "energetic young man" had made in 



111 Bryan, The First Battle, p. 114. On August 16, 1893, 

 Bryan wrote of his strong feelings on the silver question: "I 

 never felt more deeply the gravity of a question. I believe our 

 prosperity depends upon its right solution and I pray that I 

 may be the instrument in the hands of Providence of doing 

 some good for my country .... Am satisfied that the speech 

 as written is the most forcible I have yet produced. The only 

 thing I fear is the delivery." 



"2 Ibid., p. 121, Bryan spoke out on the silver question on 

 other occasions in Congress. Describing it in evangelical 

 terms as a "righteous cause," he said, "It will rise and in its 

 rising and its reign will bless mankind." See pp. 76-121 for 

 extensive excerpts from Bryan's speeches on the currency issue 

 in Congress. 



'13 The full history of the silver campaign has never been 

 told. For a sympathetic view, see chapters 14—17 in Elmer 

 Ellis, Henry Moore Teller: Defender of the West (Caldwell, 

 Idaho, 1941), chs. 14—17. See also, chapters 12 and 17 in 

 James \. Barnes, John G. Carlisle (New York, 1931), for a 

 description of the antisilvcr crusade. 



11' Creston, Iowa, Advertiser, n.d. [1891], in Bryan clipping 

 collection, unmounted material, Nebraska State Historical 

 Society, Lincoln, Nebraska. 



Iowa."* Bryan also spoke at Sioux City and 

 other Iowa towns."' Toward the close of the 

 contest, he delivered an impressive address at Sioux 

 Falls, South Dakota. As in Iowa, he appeared 

 young and clean-cut and his oratory was simple 

 yet clear, masterful, and inspiring: 



Mr. Bryan is an orator, easy, graceful and possessing 

 a thorough grasp of detail and a power of utterance 

 which drive his points home, and make them stick. 

 His speech was new in the political line. It consisted 

 not in abuse of opponents or empty assertions but in 

 compact logical arguments, founded upon facts and 

 couched in language polished and convincing."" 



It would be difhcult to assess the impact and impor- 

 tance of Bryan's work in campaigns of this sort. It 

 surely increased and spread his reputation, and its 

 apparent success must have encouraged the young 

 man to steer an independent political course. For it 

 seemed that he was most successful when he worked by 

 himself, relying on the influence of his own effective 

 oratory and his dynamic manner to convert his 

 audiences. 



Bryan ran for a second term in the House of Repre- 

 sentati\'es in 1892, conducting an energetic campaign 

 which followed closely the pattern of his efforts in 1882 

 and 1890. Even more than in 1890, a victory in 1892 

 would require much Bryan support from the third 

 party. Nebraska had been redistricted, and Omaha, 

 a Democratic stronghold, had been subtracted from 

 the First District."" In order to win the election, 

 Bryan needed greater majorities in the country towns. 

 Hoping to gain Populist votes, Bryan came out fully 

 for free silver in this campaign, much to the distress of 

 both his Republican opponents and conservative 

 Democrats such as J. Sterling Morton. The young 

 candidate must have felt somewhat complimented 

 when the Republican Party dispatched William 

 McKinley to Nebraska to campaign against him. 

 After an exhausting canvass, with days of oratory, 

 debates with his opponent, handshaking, and traveling 

 from meeting to meeting, with little time for rest or 

 reflection, Bryan struggled to a close victory with a 

 plurality of only 140 votes, having run well ahead of 

 the Democratic state ticket throughout his district to 

 win a difficult three-cornered contest. It is little 

 wonder that he was satisfied with his performance and 



115 Ibid., Sioux City Daily Tribune, October (28?) 1891. 



11" Ibid., Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Argus-Leader, October 27, 

 1891. 



11' Omaha World-Herald, February 22, 1891, describes various 

 plans for redistricting Nebraska. 



PAPER 46: BRYAN THE CAMPAIGNER 

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