Free Silver Man: I tell you that plenty of money and high prices make good times.

Farmer (an ex-Confederate): Is that so, partner? I can recollect when coffee as $40 a pound during the war and boots $200 a pair, and times were about as bad as you could imagine. The more money we got the worse we were off, for when prices of food and products had increased forty to sixty fold, people were denounced for asking five or six prices for their labor. Oh, no, partner, you’ll have to get a better argument than that to make me for free silver.

Popucrats, Gold Bugs and the Wizard of Oz

Bimetallism and the Election of

1896

Money Problems

History Specie: 16 to 1 Greenbacks “Crime of 1873”

Money Problems

History Bland-Allison Act, 1878

Sherman Silver Purchase Act, 1890

Panic of 1893

Money Problems

Gold v. Silver Money Supply Prices International Trade Farmers

“…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 a cross of gold!”

1896

William Jennings Bryan “Cross of Gold” speech Democratic nominee Support of Populist Party

“Popucrats”

1896 Campaign Issues

Bimetallists 16 to 1 Anti-Semitism Tried to unite workers and farmers

1896 Campaign Issues

“Sound Money” Gold Bugs McKinley Bryan as radical Scare tactics

Result

McKinley wins Republicans dominate Democrats re-evaluate