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137-603: The convergence was noted by statesmen and scholars of the time, but the term "Great Rapprochement" may have been coined by American historian Bradford Perkins in his 1968 study of the period The Great Rapprochement: England and the United States 1895–1914 . Perkins attributes the convergence to growing imperial ambitions in the United States, British withdrawal from the Western Hemisphere to focus on preservation of its African colonies and naval threat from

274-543: A party platform that repudiated Cleveland, attacked the conservative rulings of the Supreme Court, and called the gold standard "not only un-American but anti-American". Conservative Democrats demanded a debate on the party platform, and on the third day of the convention, each side put forth speakers to debate free silver and the gold standard. Bryan and Senator Benjamin Tillman of South Carolina were chosen as

411-421: A Missouri senator whose career had been almost wholly unremarkable. Bryan's motivation was not any belief that Cockrell could defeat Roosevelt in the election, but rather that he would lose decisively, thus paving the way for Bryan to be re-nominated in 1908. However, the possibility of Hearst getting the nomination alarmed the party's moderates enough that they moved to support Parker, who was narrowly nominated on

548-532: A cabinet consisting largely of conservative Democrats like Morton, who became Cleveland's secretary of agriculture . Shortly after Cleveland had taken office, a series of bank closures brought on the Panic of 1893 , a major economic crisis. In response, Cleveland called a special session of Congress to call for the repeal of the 1890 Sherman Silver Purchase Act , which required the federal government to purchase several million ounces of silver every month. Bryan mounted

685-591: A campaign to save the Sherman Silver Purchase Act, but a coalition of Republicans and Democrats successfully repealed it. Bryan, however, was successful in passing an amendment that provided for the establishment of the first peacetime federal income tax. As the economy declined after 1893, the reforms favored by Bryan and the Populists became more popular among many voters. Rather than running for re-election in 1894, Bryan sought election to

822-708: A closer relationship between the two countries. W. T. Stead even proposed that year in The Americanization of the World for both to merge to unify the English-speaking world , as doing so would help Britain "continue for all time to be an integral part of the greatest of all World-Powers, supreme on sea and unassailable on land, permanently delivered from all fear of hostile attack, and capable of wielding irresistible influence in all parts of this planet." The Scottish-born American Andrew Carnegie shared

959-463: A cross of gold. By 1896, free silver forces were ascendant within the party. Though many Democratic leaders were not as enthusiastic about free silver as Bryan was, most recognized the need to distance the party from the unpopular policies of the Cleveland administration. By the start of the 1896 Democratic National Convention , Representative Richard P. Bland , a long-time champion of free silver,

1096-512: A deflationary gold standard while agrarian and mining interests favored an inflationary bimetallist or outright free silver policy to reduce or erase nominal debts. The soundness of the American dollar also had implications for access to international trade, which was dominated by the gold-backed British pound sterling and German mark . Many American manufacturing interests therefore called for "sound currency," meaning either acceptance of

1233-578: A fierce opponent of American imperialism , and much of his campaign centered on that issue. In the election, McKinley again defeated Bryan and won several Western states that Bryan had won in 1896. Bryan's influence in the party weakened after the 1900 election, and the Democrats nominated the conservative Alton B. Parker in the 1904 presidential election . Bryan regained his stature in the party after Parker's resounding defeat by Theodore Roosevelt and voters from both parties increasingly embraced some of

1370-507: A future in which the US and Britain would form a close military alliance and in a decades-long war defeat and subdue all other nations, uniting the world under their joint rule—with Washington, D.C., and London serving as joint planetary capitals and the US President and British Monarch being the joint Heads of State of this World State. The poem The White Man's Burden by Rudyard Kipling

1507-627: A large crowd upon his return to the United States in 1906 and was widely seen as the likely 1908 Democratic presidential nominee. Partly due to the efforts of muckraking journalists, voters had become increasingly open to progressive ideas since 1904. President Roosevelt himself had moved to the left, favoring federal regulation of railroad rates and meatpacking plants. However, Bryan continued to favor more far-reaching reforms, including federal regulation of banks and securities , protections for union organizers and federal spending on highway construction and education. Bryan also briefly expressed support for

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1644-649: A last resort, appeal to force". At Governor Silas A. Holcomb 's request, Bryan recruited a 2000-man regiment for the Nebraska National Guard and the soldiers of the regiment elected Bryan as their leader. Under Colonel Bryan's command, the regiment was transported to Camp Cuba Libre in Florida , but the fighting between Spain and the United States ended before the regiment had been deployed to Cuba. Bryan's regiment remained in Florida for months after

1781-818: A lobbyist for the Venezuelan government, published British Aggressions in Venezuela: The Monroe Doctrine on Trial , claiming that Britain sought to expand their territorial claim in British Guiana to incorporate the Orinoco River watershed. The Congress, led by a Republican majority under Senator Henry Cabot Lodge , called for a vigorous American enforcement of the Monroe Doctrine. President Grover Cleveland and Secretary of State Richard Olney acquiesced, adopting

1918-921: A major blow to the cause of American neutrality. The May 1915 sinking of RMS Lusitania by another German U-boat further galvanized anti-German sentiment in the United States, as 128 Americans died in the incident. In response, Bryan argued that the Allied blockade of Germany was as offensive as the German U-boat Campaign , and maintained that by traveling on British vessels "an American citizen can, by putting his own business above his regard for this country, assume for his own advantage unnecessary risks and thus involve his country in international complications". After Wilson sent an official message of protest to Germany and refused to warn Americans publicly not to travel on British ships, Bryan delivered his letter of resignation to Wilson on June 8, 1915. During

2055-642: A mansion located in Lincoln; Bryan referred to the house as the " Monticello of the West", and frequently invited politicians and diplomats to visit. Bryan's defeat in 1900 cost him his status as the clear leader of the Democratic Party and conservatives such as David B. Hill and Arthur Pue Gorman moved to re-establish their control over the party and return it to the policies of the Cleveland era. Meanwhile, Roosevelt succeeded McKinley as president after

2192-546: A minute, he turned out 63,000 words a day, enough to fill 52 columns of a newspaper. The Republican Party's superior organization and finances boosted McKinley's candidacy and, as in the previous campaign, most major newspapers favored McKinley. Bryan also had to contend with the Republican vice presidential nominee, Theodore Roosevelt , who had emerged a national celebrity in the Spanish–American War and proved to be

2329-426: A nationalist alternative: It is the issue of 1776 over again. Our ancestors, when but three millions in number, had the courage to declare their political independence of every other nation; shall we, their descendants, when we have grown to seventy millions, declare that we are less independent than our forefathers? No, my friends, that will never be the verdict of our people. Therefore, we care not upon what lines

2466-400: A nationwide speaking tour designed to boost free silver, move his party away from the conservative policies of the Cleveland administration, lure Populists and free silver Republicans into the Democratic Party, and raise Bryan's public profile before the next election. Speaking fees allowed Bryan to give up his legal practice and devote himself full-time to oratory. If they dare to come out in

2603-455: A nearby general store , and began courting her. Bryan and Mary Elizabeth married on October 1, 1884. Mary Elizabeth would emerge as an important part of Bryan's career by managing his correspondence and helping him prepare speeches and articles. Bryan then studied law in Chicago at Union Law College (now Northwestern University School of Law ). While attending law school, Bryan worked for

2740-598: A negotiated end to the war, but the leaders of both the Entente and the Central Powers were ultimately uninterested in American mediation. Bryan remained firmly committed to neutrality, but Wilson and others within the administration became increasingly sympathetic to the Entente. The March 1915 Thrasher incident , in which a German U-boat sank the British steamship Falaba with a U.S. citizen on board, provided

2877-555: A progressive, the convention nominated Bryan's brother, Charles W. Bryan, for vice president. Bryan was disappointed by the nomination of Davis but strongly approved of the nomination of his brother and he delivered numerous campaign speeches in support of the Democratic ticket. Davis suffered one of the worst losses in the Democratic Party's history, taking just 29 percent of the vote against Republican President Calvin Coolidge and

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3014-525: A really bona-fide measure to propose, we are in unison with them." Conservative appraisals of "provincial reciprocity" as a question of legislative sovereignty, rather than solely international commerce and political economy, became crucial for fictional and nonfictional narratives of Anglo-American reunion as well as burgeoning New England tourism in the Atlantic Maritimes. In The Moon Maid , American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs envisioned

3151-399: A reciprocal conciliatory measure to pay Britain a long-withheld arbitration award. Over Pauncefote's objection and with Chamberlain's support, Arthur Balfour (acting as Foreign Secretary in his uncle Salisbury's absence) instructed a policy of strict non-interference. This ardent permissiveness toward American action set Britain apart from other European powers and was particularly decisive in

3288-539: A reduction in tariff rates, the coinage of silver at a ratio equal to that of gold and action to stem the power of trusts . In part because of a series of strong debate performances, Bryan defeated incumbent Republican William James Connell , who had campaigned on the orthodox Republican platform, centered around the protective tariff . Bryan's victory made him only the second Democrat who ever represented Nebraska in Congress. Nationwide, Democrats picked up 76 seats in

3425-521: A resolution condemning the Ku Klux Klan because he expected that the organization would soon fold. Bryan disliked the Klan but never publicly attacked it. He also strongly opposed the candidacy of Al Smith due to Smith's hostility towards Prohibition. After over 100 ballots, the Democratic convention nominated John W. Davis , a conservative Wall Street lawyer. To balance the conservative Davis with

3562-421: A strong progressive record as governor. As the 1912 Democratic National Convention approached, Bryan continued to deny that he would seek the presidency, but many journalists and politicians suspected that Bryan hoped a deadlocked convention would turn to him. After the start of the convention, Bryan engineered the passage of a resolution stating that the party was "opposed to the nomination of any candidate who

3699-478: A strong public speaker. Bryan's anti-imperialism failed to register with many voters and as the campaign neared its end, Bryan increasingly shifted to attacks on corporate power. He once again sought the vote of urban laborers by telling them to vote against the business interests that had "condemn[ed] the boys of this country to perpetual clerkship". By election day, few believed that Bryan would win, and McKinley ultimately prevailed once again over Bryan. Compared to

3836-458: A trip around the globe and visited eighteen countries in Asia and Europe. Bryan funded the trip with public speaking fees and a travelogue that was published on a weekly basis. Bryan's travels abroad were documented in a study called "The Old World and its Ways", in which he shared his thoughts on different topics such as those related to progressive politics and labor legislation. Bryan was greeted by

3973-523: A well-received speech that strongly defended Wilson's domestic record. Bryan served as a campaign surrogate for Wilson by delivering dozens of speeches, primarily to audiences west of the Mississippi River . Ultimately, Wilson narrowly prevailed over the Republican candidate, Charles Evans Hughes . When the United States entered World War I in April 1917, Bryan wrote to Wilson: "Believing it to be

4110-413: Is a representative of, or under any obligation to, J. Pierpont Morgan , Thomas F. Ryan , August Belmont , or any other member of the privilege-hunting and favor-seeking class". Clark and Wilson won the support of most delegates on the first several presidential ballots of the Democratic convention, but each fell short of the necessary two-thirds majority. After Tammany Hall came out in favor of Clark and

4247-621: Is acknowledged by historians as one of the most influential figures of the Progressive Era . William Jennings Bryan was born in Salem, Illinois , on March 19, 1860, to Silas Lillard Bryan and Mariah Elizabeth (Jennings) Bryan. Silas Bryan had been born in 1822 and had established a legal practice in Salem in 1851. He married Mariah, a former student of his at McKendree College , in 1852. Of Scots-Irish and English ancestry, Silas Bryan

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4384-697: The Alabama claims , direct hostilities declined. However, other incidents, such as the Murchison letter and disputes over borders and fishing rights between the U.S. and Canada (then a dominion of the British Empire), stoked continued American popular resentment toward the British. Americans considered Britain their "natural enemy" and "prime villain," though acknowledged closer cultural and political affinity with Britain than with mainland European nations. The fundamental socioeconomic distinctions between

4521-483: The 1916 presidential election , members of the Prohibition Party attempted to place Bryan into consideration for its presidential nomination, but he rejected the offer via telegram. Bryan supported Wilson's 1916 re-election campaign. Bryan did not attend as an official delegate, but the 1916 Democratic National Convention suspended its own rules to allow Bryan to address the convention; Bryan delivered

4658-536: The American Federation of Labor . As in previous campaigns, Bryan embarked on a public speaking tour to boost his candidacy but was later joined on the trail by Taft. Defying Bryan's confidence in his own victory, Taft decisively won the 1908 presidential election. Bryan won just a handful of states outside of the Solid South, as he failed to galvanize the support of urban laborers. Bryan remains

4795-721: The Caribbean . The exception among the cabinet was Chamberlain (a Liberal Unionist rather than Conservative), who now gave speeches in support of American intervention and privately suggested an outright alliance to Hay. However, publication of the De Lôme Letter (wherein the Spanish Ambassador suggested that Great Britain desired war with the United States) outraged the Salisbury government, and after

4932-680: The Democratic Party , running three times as the party's nominee for President of the United States in the 1896 , 1900 , and 1908 elections. He served in the House of Representatives from 1891 to 1895 and as the Secretary of State under Woodrow Wilson from 1913 to 1915. Because of his faith in the wisdom of the common people, Bryan was often called " the Great Commoner ", and because of his rhetorical power and early fame as

5069-595: The Eighteenth Amendment , which provided for nationwide Prohibition, in 1917. Two years later, Congress passed the Nineteenth Amendment , which granted women the right to vote nationwide. Both amendments were ratified in 1920. In 1916 Bryan expressed his belief to John Reed that the government "may properly impose a minimum wage, regulate hours of labor, pass usury laws, and enforce inspection of food, sanitation and housing conditions." During

5206-679: The Olney interpretation of the Doctrine and asserting American authority to arbitrate all boundary disputes in the Western Hemisphere . Cleveland's acquiescence may also have been influenced by his Democratic Party 's reliance on Irish-American voters. Guided by Secretary of State for the Colonies Joseph Chamberlain , the British cabinet of Lord Salisbury rejected both the applicability and legal validity of

5343-759: The Panama Canal . At the same time, the British Empire was coming under increasing pressure from the growth of the German Empire 's economy and navy, and it was cutting back on potential conflicts on its periphery to focus on the rising threat across the North Sea . Washington refused to give support to the Boers during the Second Boer War . By 1901, many influential Britons advocated for

5480-500: The Twelfth Amendment . After the Democrats won the presidency in the 1912 election , Woodrow Wilson rewarded Bryan's support with the important cabinet position of Secretary of State. Bryan helped Wilson pass several progressive reforms through Congress. In 1915, he considered that Wilson was too harsh on Germany and finally resigned after Wilson had sent Germany a note of protest with a veiled threat of war in response to

5617-676: The United States Senate . He also became the editor-in-chief of the Omaha World-Herald although most editorial duties were performed by Richard Lee Metcalfe and Gilbert Hitchcock . Nationwide, the Republican Party won a huge victory in the elections of 1894 by gaining over 120 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. In Nebraska, despite Bryan's popularity, the Republicans elected a majority of

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5754-626: The latter's assassination in September 1901 at the Pan-American Exposition , in Buffalo, New York. Roosevelt prosecuted antitrust cases and implemented other progressive policies, but Bryan argued that Roosevelt did not fully embrace progressive causes. Bryan called for a package of reforms, including a federal income tax, pure food and drug laws, a ban on corporate financing of campaigns, a constitutional amendment providing for

5891-490: The sinking of the Lusitania by a German U-boat . After leaving office, Bryan retained some of his influence within the Democratic Party, but he increasingly devoted himself to Prohibition , religious matters, and anti-evolution activism. He opposed Darwinism on religious and humanitarian grounds, most famously in the 1925 Scopes trial , dying soon after. Bryan has elicited mixed reactions from various commentators but

6028-527: The 1871 Treaty of Washington , contributed to debates in the 31st General Assembly of Prince Edward Island . These conflicts began with U.S. Senate Republicans' 1885 abrogation of fishery articles in the Treaty of Washington, U.S. Senate Republicans' rejection of the 1888 Bayard-Chamberlain Treaty (after passage of the Retaliation Act), and the 1888 U.S. presidential election . Neil McLeod , Leader of

6165-415: The 1920s, Bryan called for further reforms, including agricultural subsidies, the guarantee of a living wage , full public financing of political campaigns and an end to legal gender discrimination. Some Prohibitionists and other Bryan supporters tried to convince the three-time presidential candidate to enter the 1920 presidential election , and a Literary Digest poll taken in mid-1920 ranked Bryan as

6302-605: The Americas served to ease British-American tensions. The British acquiescence to negotiation and arbitration in the Venezuelan crisis may have been influenced by a desire to avoid negotiation with William Jennings Bryan , a leading candidate for President of the United States in 1896. American currency policy was a dominant domestic issue throughout the 19th century with an international tinge. Generally speaking, banking interests, which were then heavily centered in London , favored

6439-496: The British soldiers and sailors in the harbor openly cheered for them. Observing the war in the final months before his death, Otto von Bismarck remarked that the most significant event of the 20th century would be "the fact that the North Americans speak English." The United States emerged from the war as an imperial power with possessions around the globe, and a special interest in the approaches to what in 1914 became

6576-770: The Conservative Party (1895–1905) and the Liberal Party (1905–16). The Republican Party became noticeably warmer toward Britain during the period, while the shift from Conservative to Liberal government favored the United States in London. British Foreign Secretaries British ambassadors to the United States United States Secretaries of State United States ambassadors to the Court of St. James Shortly after

6713-526: The Democratic nomination, Bryan argued that the election represented "a contest between democracy and plutocracy". He also strongly criticized the U.S. annexation of the Philippines and compared it to Britain's past rule over the Thirteen Colonies . Bryan argued that the United States should refrain from imperialism and should seek to become the "supreme moral factor in the world's progress and

6850-560: The Dominion Government want[s] to undertake some great measure, such as a treaty with the United States, he [the Liberal delegate] knows that instead of being weakened by the assistance of Local Parliaments, they will be strengthened by that assistance. I do not mean to say that we ought to raise any factious difficulties or anything of that kind, but we should in any and every way show the Dominion Government that when they have

6987-490: The Eighteenth Amendment. Bryan declined the presidential nomination of the Prohibition Party and refused to campaign for Cox, which made the 1920 campaign the first presidential contest in over thirty years in which he did not actively campaign. Though he became less involved in Democratic politics after 1920, Bryan attended the 1924 Democratic National Convention as a delegate from Florida. He helped defeat

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7124-659: The German Empire , and rapid industrialization and integration into the emerging global financial system by the United States. American sentiment towards England and the British Empire was harshly negative for much of the 19th century. Enmity between the two nations, largely driven from the American side, had peaked amid the American Civil War and the Trent affair . After 1872 and the settlement of

7261-434: The House Champ Clark . As Speaker, Clark could lay claim to progressive accomplishments, including the passage of constitutional amendments providing for the direct election of senators and the establishment of a federal income tax. However, Clark had alienated Bryan for his failure to lower the tariff and Bryan viewed the Speaker as overly friendly to conservative business interests. Wilson had criticized Bryan but had compiled

7398-410: The House and so obtained a majority in that chamber. The Populist Party, a third party that drew support from agrarian voters in the West, also won several seats in Congress. With the help of Representative William McKendree Springer , Bryan secured a coveted spot on the House Ways and Means Committee . He quickly earned a reputation as a talented orator and set out to gain a strong understanding of

7535-412: The Legislative Council, but they do not advocate that now in this House. It would not be pleasing to some of their friends in the other branch of the Legislature." Alterations to Liberal "reciprocity" resolutions proved more divisive within Conservative ranks than narratives of the origins of " amalgamation ." Although nine Conservative delegates (in addition to McLeod) voted for his amendments, three joined

7672-441: The Liberal bloc in defeating the proposed revisions. In Prince Edward Island, Conservative challenges against "provincial reciprocity" did not preclude Conservative advocacy for U.S. trade treaties by "Dominion reciprocity" with "provincial" support. For example, when a Liberal delegate accused Conservatives of attempting to "press upon the Dominion Government to get a treaty with the United States," Neil McLeod countered that "when

7809-404: The Monroe doctrine and asserted that Britain remained an imperial power in the Americas. Cleveland responded in kind, establishing an investigatory commission to determine the true boundary and publicly stating that his administration would use "every means in its power" to prevent British expansion into Venezuelan territory. Partly due to the influence of business interests, who feared war between

7946-405: The New York delegation threw its support behind the Speaker, Bryan announced that he would support Wilson. In explaining his decision, Bryan stated that he could "not be a party to the nomination of any man... who will not, when elected, be absolutely free to carry out the anti-Morgan-Ryan-Belmont resolution". Bryan's speech marked the start of a long shift away from Clark: Wilson would finally clinch

8083-406: The Opposition, held that any proposal for "provincial reciprocity" would pressure the "Dominion Government to go on their marrow bones to the American Republic and ask them for better trade relations...it would show the Americans that we were in some dire distress, and without some assistance from them in the shape of trade relations, we were at their mercy. I think that when an important case, such as

8220-415: The Republican candidate, William McKinley , over Bryan. Many urban newspapers in the Northeast and Midwest that had supported previous Democratic tickets also opposed Bryan's candidacy. Bryan, however, won the support of the Populist Party, which nominated a ticket consisting of Bryan and Thomas E. Watson of Georgia. Though Populist leaders feared that the nomination of the Democratic candidate would damage

8357-423: The Republican platform also advocated for progressive policies, which left relatively few major differences between the two major parties. One issue that the two parties differed on concerned deposit insurance, as Bryan favored requiring national banks to provide deposit insurance . Bryan largely unified the leaders of his own party and his pro-labor policies won him the first presidential endorsement ever issued by

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8494-419: The Republican ranks helped give Wilson the presidency; he won over 400 electoral votes but only 41.8 percent of the popular vote. In the concurrent congressional elections, Democrats expanded their majority in the House and gained control of the Senate, which gave the party unified control of Congress and the presidency for the first time since the early 1890s. President Wilson named Bryan as Secretary of State,

8631-478: The South. After the election, Bryan returned to journalism and oratory and frequently appeared on the Chautauqua circuits to give well-attended lectures across the country. In January 1901, Bryan published the first issue of his weekly newspaper, The Commoner , which echoed his favorite political and religious themes. Bryan served as the editor and publisher of the newspaper; Charles Bryan, Mary Bryan and Richard Metcalfe also performed editorial duties when Bryan

8768-408: The United States and putting the two countries on the same terms of trade. The resolution of the currency issue thus also served to realign Republican Party opinion in favor of the British at the turn of the century, paving the way for rapprochement under successive Republican presidents. While the period was dominated by the Republican Party in the United States, British government was split between

8905-430: The United States embraced unreservedly during the Theodore Roosevelt administration (1901–1909). In addition to geopolitical alignment brought about by the American turn toward empire, the United States and Great Britain resolved long-held trade disputes during the period. Britain's adoption of John Hay 's Open Door Policy toward China garnered much goodwill on the western side of the Atlantic and further accelerated

9042-409: The United States had an obligation to "civilize" the Philippines, but Bryan strongly opposed what he saw as American imperialism . Despite his opposition to the annexation of the Philippines, Bryan urged his supporters to ratify the Treaty of Paris. He wanted to quickly bring an official end to the war and then to grant independence to the Philippines as soon as possible. With Bryan's support, the treaty

9179-414: The United States on the gold standard . Bryan remained popular in the Democratic Party and his supporters took control of party organizations throughout the country, but he initially resisted shifting his political focus from free silver. Foreign policy emerged as an important issue due to the ongoing Cuban War of Independence against Spain , as Bryan and many Americans supported Cuban independence. After

9316-429: The accepted arbiter of the world's disputes". By 1900, the American Anti-Imperialist League , which included individuals like Benjamin Harrison, Andrew Carnegie , Carl Schurz and Mark Twain , had emerged as the primary domestic organization opposed to the continued American control of the Philippines. Many of the leaders of the League had opposed Bryan in 1896 and continued to distrust Bryan and his followers. Despite

9453-422: The age of four. Silas was a Baptist and Mariah was a Methodist , but William's parents allowed him to choose his own church. At age fourteen, he had a conversion experience at a revival. He said that it was the most important day of his life. At 15, he was sent to attend Whipple Academy, a private school in Jacksonville, Illinois . After graduating from Whipple Academy, Bryan entered Illinois College , which

9590-579: The agrarian and isolationist United States and the industrialized British Empire rapidly diminished after 1865. The United States emerged from the Civil War as a major industrial power with a renewed commitment to a stronger federal government as opposed to one ruled by individual states, permitting engagement in imperial expansion and economic globalization. The post-war Reconstruction era therefore generated or expanded Anglo-American geopolitical and commercial networks. In 1895, former United States ambassador to Venezuela William Lindsay Scruggs , working as

9727-427: The arbitration agreement in the Venezuela crisis, Secretary Olney and Ambassador Pauncefote reached an agreement to settle all further disputes between the United States and Great Britain via arbitration. The treaty was approved by President Cleveland during his lame duck session and submitted to Congress with support from many academics and peace advocates, but was rejected resoundingly by the United States Senate. In

9864-497: The attorney Lyman Trumbull , a former senator and friend of Silas Bryan who would serve as an important political ally to the younger Bryan until his death in 1896. Bryan graduated from law school in 1883 with a Bachelor of Laws and returned to Jacksonville to take a position with a local law firm. Frustrated by the lack of political and economic opportunities in Jacksonville, Bryan and his wife moved west to Lincoln in 1887,

10001-665: The battle is fought. If they say bimetallism is good, but that we cannot have it until other nations help us, we reply that, instead of having a gold standard because England has, we will restore bimetallism, and then let England have bimetallism because the United States has it. If they dare to come out in the open field and defend the gold standard as a good thing, we will fight them to the uttermost. Other Bryanite populists including John Peter Altgeld , William Hope Harvey , and Mary Elizabeth Lease echoed this theme in their speeches, alarming British opinion. In his 1894 tract Coin's Financial School , Harvey went so far as to argue that

10138-467: The campaign trail, the Republican nominee conducted a front porch campaign . Hanna, meanwhile, raised an unprecedented amount of money, dispatched campaign surrogates and organized the distribution of millions of pieces of campaign literature. Facing a huge campaign finance disadvantage, the Democratic campaign relied largely on Bryan's oratorical skills. Breaking with the precedent set by most major party nominees, Bryan gave some 600 speeches, primarily in

10275-433: The capital of the fast-growing state of Nebraska. Bryan established a successful legal practice in Lincoln with partner Adolphus Talbot, a Republican whom Bryan had known in law school. Bryan also entered local politics by campaigning for Democrats like Julius Sterling Morton and Grover Cleveland . After earning notoriety for his effective speeches in 1888, Bryan ran for Congress in the 1890 election . Bryan called for

10412-456: The convention, but he fell far short of the necessary two-thirds vote. Bryan finished in a distant second on the convention's first ballot, but his Cross of Gold speech had left a strong impression on many delegates. Despite the distrust of party leaders like Altgeld, who was wary of supporting an untested candidate, Bryan's strength grew over the next four ballots. He gained the lead on the fourth ballot and won his party's presidential nomination on

10549-487: The direct election of senators, local ownership of utilities, and the state adoption of the initiative and the referendum , and provisions for old age. He also criticized Roosevelt's foreign policy and attacked Roosevelt's decision to invite Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House in 1901. Before the 1904 Democratic National Convention , Alton B. Parker , a New York and conservative ally of David Hill,

10686-493: The distrust, Bryan's strong stance against imperialism convinced most of the league's leadership to throw their support behind the Democratic nominee. Once again, the McKinley campaign established a massive financial advantage, and the Democratic campaign relied largely on Bryan's oratory. In a typical day Bryan gave four hour-long speeches and shorter talks that added up to six hours of speaking. At an average rate of 175 words

10823-469: The duty of the citizen to bear his part of the burden of war and his share of the peril, I hereby tender my services to the Government. Please enroll me as a private whenever I am needed and assign me to any work that I can do." Wilson declined to appoint Bryan to a federal position, but Bryan agreed to Wilson's request to provide public support for the war effort through his speeches and articles. After

10960-541: The early stages of the Spanish–American War of 1898, the common belief in the United States, fueled by Ambassador John Hay and Liberal pressmen like W. T. Stead , was that the British public took the side of the Cuban revolutionaries against Spanish colonial rule. Attitudes within the Salisbury ministry, however, were cooler. Conservative disposition opposed anti-colonial revolution as a rule and Britain had previously favored Spanish control over Cuba to protect stable trade in

11097-411: The eastern moneyed interests and crusaded for inflationary policies built around the expanded coinage of silver coins . In a repudiation of incumbent President Grover Cleveland and his conservative Bourbon Democrats , the Democratic convention nominated Bryan for president, making Bryan the youngest major party presidential nominee in U.S. history. Subsequently, Bryan was also nominated for president by

11234-534: The easy American victory, in light of British naval supremacy. At times, formal permissiveness crossed into material or moral support. During the 90-day war, Britain sold coal to the United States Navy and allowed the United States military to use Britain's submarine communications cables . When Commodore George Dewey 's fleet sailed out of Hong Kong harbor for Manila at the onset of war,

11371-518: The effects of inflation. Bryan sought re-election in 1892 with the support of many Populists and backed the Populist presidential candidate James B. Weaver over the Democratic presidential candidate, Grover Cleveland. Bryan won re-election by just 140 votes, and Cleveland defeated Weaver and incumbent Republican President Benjamin Harrison in the 1892 presidential election . Cleveland appointed

11508-493: The election by a fairly comfortable margin by taking 51 percent of the popular vote and 271 electoral votes . Democrats remained loyal to their champion after his defeat; many letters urged him to run again in the 1900 presidential election . William's younger brother, Charles W. Bryan , created a card file of supporters to whom the Bryans would send regular mailings to for the next thirty years. The Populist Party fractured after

11645-621: The election; many Populists, including James Weaver, followed Bryan into the Democratic Party, and others followed Eugene V. Debs into the Socialist Party . Because of better economic conditions for farmers and the effects of the Klondike Gold Rush in raising prices, free silver lost its potency as an electoral issue in the years after 1896. In 1900, President McKinley signed the Gold Standard Act , which put

11782-645: The end of the war, which prevented Bryan from taking an active role in the 1898 midterm elections . Bryan resigned his commission and left Florida in December 1898 after the United States and Spain had signed the Treaty of Paris . Bryan had supported the war to gain Cuba's independence, but he was outraged that the Treaty of Paris granted the United States control over the Philippines . Many Republicans believed that

11919-454: The endorsement of numerous local and state organizations. Conservative Democrats again sought to prevent Bryan's nomination, but were unable to unite around an alternative candidate. Bryan was nominated for president on the first ballot of the 1908 Democratic National Convention . He was joined by John W. Kern , a former state senator from the swing state of Indiana. Bryan campaigned on a party platform that reflected his long-held beliefs, but

12056-594: The entire East and industrial Midwest and did well along the border and the West Coast. Bryan swept the South and Mountain states and the wheat growing regions of the Midwest. Revivalistic Protestants cheered at Bryan's semi-religious rhetoric. Ethnic voters supported McKinley, who promised they would not be excluded from the new prosperity, as did more prosperous farmers and the fast-growing middle class. McKinley won

12193-616: The explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor , the United States declared war on Spain in April 1898, which began the Spanish–American War . Though wary of militarism , Bryan had long favored Cuban independence and so supported the war. He argued that "universal peace cannot come until justice is enthroned throughout the world. Until the right has triumphed in every land and love reigns in every heart, government must, as

12330-457: The fifth ballot. At the age of 36, Bryan became the youngest presidential nominee of a major party in American history, a position that he still holds. The convention nominated Arthur Sewall , a wealthy Maine shipbuilder who also favored free silver and the income tax, as Bryan's running mate. Conservative Democrats, known as the " Gold Democrats ", nominated a separate ticket. Cleveland himself did not publicly attack Bryan but privately favored

12467-564: The first ballot at the convention, with Cockrell finishing a distant third place. Bryan would nonetheless get his desired outcome when Roosevelt won by the biggest popular vote margin since James Monroe was re-elected without opposition in 1820. Afterwards, Bryan published a post-election edition of The Commoner that advised its readers: "Do not Compromise with Plutocracy". Bryan traveled to Europe in 1903, meeting with figures such as Leo Tolstoy , who shared some of Bryan's religious and political views. In 1905, Bryan and his family embarked on

12604-443: The fourth-most popular potential Democratic candidate. Bryan, however, declined to seek public office and wrote, "if I can help this world to banish alcohol and after that to banish war... no office, no Presidency, can offer the honors that will be mine". He attended the 1920 Democratic National Convention as a delegate from Nebraska but was disappointed by the nomination of Governor James M. Cox , who had not supported ratification of

12741-546: The goal by telling Stead, "We are heading straight to the Re-United States." As American Anglophobia declined, London realized the value of a long-term ally that would prevent an upset in Britain's balance of power , which Germany and Russia appeared to threaten. The US seemed to understand and to some extent agree with British imperial aspirations, if not always with the methods used in their pursuit. As part of

12878-461: The growing power of trusts. Bryan, however, decided that his campaign would focus on anti-imperialism, partly to unite the factions of the party and win over some Republicans. The party platform contained planks supporting free silver and opposing the power of trusts, but imperialism was labeled as the "paramount issue" of the campaign. The party nominated former Vice President Adlai Stevenson to serve as Bryan's running mate. In his speech accepting

13015-509: The hotly-contested Midwest. Bryan invented the national stumping tour , reaching an audience of 5 million in 27 states. He was building a coalition of the white South, poor northern farmers and industrial workers and silver miners against banks and railroads and the "money power". Free silver appealed to farmers, who would be paid more for their products, but not to industrial workers, who would not get higher wages but would pay higher prices. The industrial cities voted for McKinley, who won nearly

13152-451: The international gold standard or bimetallism contingent upon international agreement . Populist William Jennings Bryan won the 1896 Democratic Party nomination for President on a platform explicitly opposed to the sound currency argument. Near the conclusion of his famous Cross of Gold speech , Bryan directly accused England of interference in American economic sovereignty and framed outright bimetallism without international approval as

13289-432: The introduction of the initiative and referendum as a means of giving voters a direct voice while he made a whistle-stop campaign tour of Arkansas in 1910. Although some observers, including President Taft, speculated that Bryan would make a fourth run for the presidency, Bryan repeatedly denied that he had any such intention. An escalating split in the Republican Party gave Democrats their best chance in decades to win

13426-413: The issue's unpopularity among many Democrats. According to biographer Paolo Colletta, Bryan "sincerely believed that prohibition would contribute to the physical health and moral improvement of the individual, stimulate civic progress and end the notorious abuses connected with the liquor traffic". In 1910, he also came out in favor of women's suffrage . Bryan crusaded as well for legislation to support

13563-521: The key economic issues of the day. During the Gilded Age , the Democratic Party had begun to separate into two groups. The conservative northern " Bourbon Democrats ", along with some allies in the South, sought to limit the size and power of the federal government. Another group of Democrats, drawing its membership largely from the agrarian movements of the South and West, favored greater federal intervention to help farmers, regulate railroads, and limit

13700-527: The left-wing Populist Party , and many Populists would eventually follow Bryan into the Democratic Party. In the intensely-fought 1896 presidential election , the Republican nominee, William McKinley , emerged triumphant. At age 36, Bryan remains the youngest person in United States history to receive an electoral vote for president and cumulatively, the most electoral votes without ever being elected president. Bryan gained fame as an orator, as he invented

13837-686: The members of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors . Secretary of State Bryan pursued a series of bilateral treaties that required both signatories to submit all disputes to an investigative tribunal. He quickly won approval from the president and the Senate to proceed with his initiative. In mid-1913, El Salvador became the first nation to sign one of Bryan's treaties, and 29 other countries, including every great power in Europe other than Germany and Austria-Hungary , also agreed to sign

13974-527: The most prestigious appointive position. Bryan's extensive travels, popularity in the party, and support for Wilson in the election made him the obvious choice. Bryan took charge of a State Department that employed 150 officials in Washington and an additional 400 employees in embassies abroad. Early in Wilson's tenure, the president and the secretary of state broadly agreed on foreign policy goals, including

14111-527: The most received by a presidential candidate who was never elected. Bryan remained an influential figure in Democratic politics, and after Democrats took control of the House of Representatives in the 1910 midterm elections , he appeared in the House of Representatives to argue for tariff reduction. In 1909, Bryan came out publicly for the first time in favor of Prohibition . A lifelong teetotaler , Bryan had refrained from embracing Prohibition earlier because of

14248-476: The national stumping tour when he reached an audience of 5 million people in 27 states in 1896, and continued to deliver well-attended lectures on the Chautauqua circuit well into the 20th century. Bryan retained control of the Democratic Party and again won the presidential nomination in 1900 . After serving as a colonel in the 3rd Nebraska Infantry Regiment during the Spanish–American War , Bryan became

14385-458: The only individual since the Civil War to lose three separate U.S. presidential elections as a major party nominee. Since the ratification of the Twelfth Amendment , Bryan and Henry Clay are the lone individuals who received electoral votes in three separate presidential elections but lost all three elections. The 493 cumulative electoral votes cast for Bryan across three separate elections are

14522-436: The open field and defend the gold standard as a good thing, we shall fight them to the uttermost, having behind us the producing masses of the nation and the world. Having behind us the commercial interests and the laboring interests and all the toiling masses, we shall answer their demands for a gold standard by saying to them, you shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind upon

14659-619: The pace of rapprochement after 1900. The Atlantic Maritimes played an important role in furthering reconciliation on the eve of the Great Rapprochement. The 1890 appointment of Massachusetts Republican and fishing magnate Isaac C. Hall, a key figure in developing conceptions of "provincial reciprocity," as U.S. Consul to Prince Edward Island spurred Conservative calls for "Dominion reciprocity." The revived idea of "provincial reciprocity," distinguished from "Dominion reciprocity" by Harrison Administration construction of Article 33 in

14796-431: The party in the long term, they shared many of Bryan's political views and had developed a productive working relationship with Bryan. The Republican campaign painted McKinley as the "advance agent of prosperity" and social harmony and warned of the supposed dangers of electing Bryan. McKinley and his campaign manager, Mark Hanna , knew that McKinley could not match Bryan's oratorical skills. Rather than giving speeches on

14933-426: The power of large corporations. Bryan became affiliated with the latter group and advocated for the free coinage of silver (" free silver ") and the establishment of a progressive federal income tax . That endeared him to many reformers, but Bryan's call for free silver cost him the support of Morton and some other conservative Nebraska Democrats. Free silver advocates were opposed by banks and bondholders who feared

15070-461: The powers, tensions were defused. The British cabinet agreed to approach the Americans diplomatically, and Great Britain and Venezuela signed an arbitration agreement in 1896. In 1899, the arbitration committee ultimately awarded Britain ninety percent of the disputed territory. The resolution of the crisis through arbitration (rather than war) and its establishment of the United States' free hand in

15207-529: The presidency. Bryan did not seek the Democratic presidential nomination; his continuing influence gave him a major voice in choosing the nominee. Bryan was intent on preventing the conservatives in the party from nominating their candidate, as they had done in 1904. For a mix of practical and ideological reasons, Bryan ruled out supporting the candidacies of Oscar Underwood , Judson Harmon , and Joseph W. Folk , which left two major candidates competing for his backing: New Jersey Governor Woodrow Wilson and Speaker of

15344-490: The presidential nomination after over 40 ballots. Journalists attributed much of the credit for Wilson's victory to Bryan. In the 1912 presidential election , Wilson faced off against President Taft and former President Roosevelt, the latter of whom ran on the Progressive Party ticket. Bryan campaigned throughout the West for Wilson and also offered advice to the Democratic nominee on various issues. The split in

15481-521: The process of imperial retrenchment, Britain resolved a border conflict between Canada and Alaska , withdrew its objections to an American-controlled canal in the Hay–Pauncefote Treaty of 1901, and agreed in 1902 to arbitrate a debt collection dispute with Venezuela . After a final British flirtation with Germany's anti-American designs during the Venezuelan crisis of 1902–03 , Britain and

15618-416: The progressive reforms that had long been championed by Bryan. Bryan won his party's nomination in the 1908 presidential election , but he was defeated by Roosevelt's chosen successor, William Howard Taft . Along with Henry Clay , Bryan is one of the two individuals who never won a presidential election despite receiving electoral votes in three separate presidential elections held after the ratification of

15755-623: The question of trade relations with the United States is pending, the local Legislature should remain quiet, and let the Dominion Government carry the burden." McLeod also presaged his own proposed amendments to Liberal "reciprocity" trade resolutions--"we hope the negotiations will result in establishing the freest trade relations between the countries, consistent with the exigencies of the Dominion and our relations with Great Britain"—with his interpretations of lulls in " amalgamation " deliberations: "formerly our Liberal friends advocated doing away with

15892-497: The rejection of Taft's Dollar diplomacy . They also shared many priorities in domestic affairs and, with Bryan's help, Wilson orchestrated passage of laws that reduced tariff rates, imposed a progressive income tax, introduced new antitrust measures, and established the Federal Reserve System . Bryan proved particularly influential in ensuring that the president, rather than private bankers, was empowered to appoint

16029-429: The results of the 1896 election, McKinley increased his popular vote margin and picked up several Western states, including Bryan's home state of Nebraska. The Republican platform of victory in war and a strong economy proved to be more important to voters than Bryan's questioning the morality of annexing the Philippines. The election also confirmed the continuing organizational advantage of the Republican Party outside of

16166-505: The sinking of the USS Maine , Ambassador Julian Pauncefote rushed to express British sympathies to the Americans. Most European powers remained aloof from the conflict, fearing American retaliation, but publicly urged peace. The Salisbury ministry, by contrast, secretly sought McKinley's personal approval before urging peace and went so far as to expedite the sale of two cruisers to the United States as part of its mobilization effort. At Hay's suggestion, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge introduced

16303-428: The speakers who would advocate for free silver, but Tillman's speech was poorly received by delegates from outside the South because of its sectionalism and references to the Civil War. Charged with delivering the convention's last speech on the topic of monetary policy, Bryan seized his opportunity to emerge as the nation's leading Democrat. In his "Cross of Gold" speech , Bryan argued that the debate over monetary policy

16440-403: The state and federal ownership of railroads in a manner similar to Germany but backed down from that policy in the face of an intra-party backlash. Roosevelt, who enjoyed wide popularity among most voters even while he alienated some corporate leaders, anointed Secretary of War William Howard Taft as his successor. Meanwhile, Bryan re-established his control over the Democratic Party and won

16577-408: The state legislators, and Bryan lost the Senate election to Republican John Mellen Thurston . Bryan, nonetheless, was pleased with the result of the 1894 election, as the Cleveland wing of the Democratic Party had been discredited, and Bryan's preferred gubernatorial candidate, Silas A. Holcomb , had been elected by a coalition of Democrats and Populists. After the 1894 elections, Bryan embarked on

16714-473: The time of the convention and he won his party's nomination unanimously. Bryan did not attend the convention but exercised control of the convention's proceedings via telegraph. Bryan faced a decision regarding which issue his campaign would focus on. Many of his most fervent supporters wanted Bryan to continue his crusade for free silver, and Democrats from the Northeast advised Bryan to center his campaign on

16851-498: The total extermination of the English name from the face of the planet would be popular and just. However, Bryan lost the election to William McKinley , paving the way for fourteen years of unanimous Republican government. Soon after, the Klondike Gold Rush , a final failed international conference, and the legal adoption of a pure American gold standard in 1900 effectively ended the currency issue, thereby securing British loans in

16988-802: The treaties. Despite Bryan's stated aversion to conflict, he oversaw U.S. military interventions in Haiti , the Dominican Republic and Mexico as part of the Banana Wars . After World War I broke out in Europe, Bryan consistently advocated for American neutrality between the Entente and the Central Powers . With Bryan's support, Wilson initially sought to stay out of the conflict, urging Americans to be "impartial in thought as well as action". For much of 1914, Bryan attempted to bring

17125-491: The war, despite some reservations, Bryan supported Wilson's unsuccessful effort to bring the United States into the League of Nations . After leaving office, Bryan spent much of his time advocating for the eight-hour day , a minimum wage , the right of unions to strike and increasingly women's suffrage . However, his main crusades focused on support for prohibition and opposition to the teaching of evolution. Congress passed

17262-530: The youngest presidential candidate, " the Boy Orator ". Born and raised in Illinois , Bryan moved to Nebraska in the 1880s. He won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1890 elections , served two terms, and made an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate in 1894. At the 1896 Democratic National Convention , Bryan delivered his "Cross of Gold" speech which attacked the gold standard and

17399-459: Was Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan . He was Commonwealth Fund Lecturer at University College London . This biography of an American historian is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . William Jennings Bryan William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860 – July 26, 1925) was an American lawyer, orator, and politician. He was a dominant force in

17536-541: Was a professor at the University of Rochester . He served in the U.S. Army during World War II in the European theater. He received his A.B. in 1947 from Harvard University , and completed his doctoral work there in 1952 under the direction of Frederick Merk . Perkins taught at the University of California, Los Angeles . He joined the University of Michigan history department in 1962 and retired in 1997. He

17673-466: Was also located in Jacksonville. During his time at Illinois College, Bryan served as chaplain of the Sigma Pi literary society . He also continued to hone his public speaking skills, taking part in numerous debates and oratorical contests. Bryan graduated from Illinois College in 1881 at the top of his class. In 1879, while still in college, Bryan met Mary Elizabeth Baird , the daughter of an owner of

17810-444: Was an avid Jacksonian Democrat and an admirer of Andrew Jackson and Stephen A. Douglas , who would pass on his Democratic affiliation to his son, William. Silas Bryan won election as a state circuit judge and in 1866 moved his family to a 520-acre (210.4 ha) farm north of Salem. He lived in a ten-room house that was the envy of Marion County . Silas served in various local positions and sought election to Congress in 1872, but

17947-453: Was narrowly defeated by the Republican candidate. William's cousin, William Sherman Jennings , was also a prominent Democrat. William was the fourth child of Silas and Mariah, but all three of his older siblings died during infancy. He also had five younger siblings, four of whom lived to adulthood. William was home-schooled by his mother until the age of ten. Demonstrating a precocious talent for oratory, he gave public speeches as early as

18084-402: Was part of a broader struggle for democracy, political independence and the welfare of the "common man". Bryan's speech was met with rapturous applause and a celebration on the floor of the convention that lasted for over half an hour. The next day, the Democratic Party held its presidential ballot. With the continuing support of Governor John Altgeld of Illinois, Bland led the first ballot of

18221-643: Was ratified in a close vote, bringing an official end to the Spanish–American War. In early 1899, the Philippine–American War broke out as the established Philippine government, under the leadership of Emilio Aguinaldo , sought to stop the American invasion of the archipelago. The 1900 Democratic National Convention met in Kansas City, Missouri , where some Democratic leaders opposed to Bryan had hoped to nominate Admiral George Dewey for president. Nevertheless, Bryan faced no significant opposition by

18358-413: Was the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination. Conservatives feared that Bryan would join with the publisher William Randolph Hearst to block Parker's nomination. Seeking to appease Bryan and other progressives, Hill agreed to a party platform that omitted mention of the gold standard and criticized trusts. In the event, Bryan did not support Parker or Hearst, but rather Francis Cockrell ,

18495-419: Was traveling. The Commoner became one of the most widely-read newspapers of its era and boasted 145,000 subscribers approximately five years after its founding. Though the paper's subscriber base heavily overlapped with Bryan's political base in the Midwest, content from the papers was frequently reprinted by major newspapers in the Northeast. In 1902, Bryan, his wife and his three children moved into Fairview ,

18632-409: Was widely perceived to be the frontrunner for the party's presidential nomination. Bryan hoped to offer himself as a presidential candidate, but his youth and relative inexperience gave him a lower profile than veteran Democrats like Bland, Governor Horace Boies of Iowa, and Vice President Adlai Stevenson . The free silver forces quickly established dominance over the convention, and Bryan helped draft

18769-498: Was written to encourage reconciliation between Great Britain and the United States in the name of cooperative civilizing imperialism. Bradford Perkins (historian) Bradford Perkins (March 6, 1925 – June 29, 2008) was an American historian who spent the bulk of his career at the University of Michigan . He was the son of the historian Dexter Perkins . Perkins was born in Rochester, New York , in 1925, where his father

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