denounce the Bryan platform, to assert the fidelity of 

 true Democrats to the gold standard and the conserv- 

 ative principles of Grover Cleveland. "The Demo- 

 cratic party has not yet surrendered to populism and 

 anarchy," declared a New York leader. Another 

 conservative announced: "We are the propagandists 

 of no new creed. We are the upholders of the old. 

 We appeal from Democracy drunk with delusion to 

 Democracy sobered by reason." The gold Demo- 

 crats, or "National Democrats," as they called them- 

 selves, nominated Senator John M. Palmer, of Illinois, 

 for President, and General Simon B. Buckner, of 

 Kentucky, for Vice President. The new party cam- 

 paigned bitterly against Bryan, cooperating with 

 Republicans and encouraging "JefTcrsonian" Demo- 

 crats to vote for McKinley. Conservatives from both 

 parties rallied to battle against Bryan's undignified, 

 but strenuous and apparently effective campaign 

 efiforts."''' 



On November 3, a majority of the ballots were cast 

 against Bryan: he received 6,492,559 popular votes, 

 while McKinley received 7,102,246. The electoral 

 count was even more lopsided: 176 to 271. But if he 

 had lost, he had waged an extraordinarily active 

 fight, obtaining more popular votes in losing than any 

 previous victorious candidate. Although McKinley 

 won every state north of the Ohio and east of the 

 Mississippi, plus a few western states. West Virginia, 

 and half of Kentucky (because of the closeness of the 

 balloting, Kentucky's electoral votes were divided 

 between the candidates), a change of 19,436 votes 

 perfectly distributed in six states would have given 

 victory to Bryan. Moreover, the gold Democrats 

 attracted 133,148 votes, most of which would nor- 

 mally have gone to the regular party nominee. The 

 question remains: was Bryan's strategy in 1896 ap- 

 propriate? How accurate was Mark Hanna's famous 

 statement, "He's talking free silver all the time; 

 that's where we've got him"? To some degree, 

 Bryan was hindered by his own commitment to the 

 silver issue: he could not readily switch to other ideas 

 when silver ceased to shine, or where gold was in favor. 

 The evangelical flavor of Bryan's campaign was an 

 asset in some areas of the country, but it fell on un- 

 attuned ears in large sections of the East. And his 

 individual exertions, while they were dramatic and 

 impressive, did not fill the need for the careful nurtur- 

 ing of converts which a wclI-de\'eloped political ma- 



if'9 Bryan, The First Baltic, pp. 386-387 

 PAPER 46: BRY.AN THE CAMP.AIGNER 



Figure 15. — Pressed class mugs from the 

 campaign of i8g6. The slogans "Protection 

 and Prosperity," and "The People's Money" 

 emphasized the differing points of view of 

 the two candidates. (Smithsonian photo 

 49346-B, Becker collection.) 



chine could accomplish. Here, the Republicans had 

 a real advantage in possessing Hanna's competent, 

 extensive, and well-financed organization. A few 

 words here, a few dollars there, could strike fear into 

 the hearts of laboring men and change votes. 



Had Bryan been more flexible in his emphasis on 

 the issues and his manner of presentation, and had 

 he been possessed of a unified, well-organized, well- 

 financed political machine, the outcome of the 

 balloting in 1896 might have been quite different. 

 Despite its limitations, however, his campaign strategy 

 in 1896 appears in retrospect surprisingly eflfective. 

 In view of the obstacles to his election, Bryan's 

 showing was truly remarkable. He represented a 

 national party which had been divided and dis- 

 credited by an economic depression and a lack-luster 

 administration; he battled almost singlehandedly 

 with scarcely any financial support against the ma- 

 jority party of the nation which conducted a tre- 

 mendously expensive campaign to defeat him; and he 

 fought against a strong, well-financed wing of his 

 own party. To some extent, the moral victory was 

 his, although his opponent won the Presidency. 

 It was Bryan's misfortune that he never came closer 

 to the highest office. The campaign of 1896 was his 

 most successful political battle in his three great 

 attempts to reach the Presidency. 



77 



