Gilded Age Politics 1877-1900, A People & A Nation pp. 529) At the opening of the 1896 Republican presidential convention, held in St. Louis, McKinley's commitment to protectionism as a solution to unemployment and the campaigning run by Hanna, McKinley won the nomination on the first ballot. The Republican Party Platform adopted at the convention endorsed protective tariffs and the gold standard. At the Democratic convention in Chicago, former congressmen William Jennings Bryan roused Democrats with his speech on the gold standard and his defense of bimetallism and free silver. This speech made his career. "You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold." (Norton, Mary Beth. Gilded Age Politics 1877-1900, A People & A Nation pp.529) On the fifth ballot, Bryan won the nomination. But McKinley beat Bryan by 600,00 votes and won the electoral college by 271 to 176. Soon after the election, the Populist crusade ended with Bryan's loss. During his presidency, McKinley signed the Gold Standard Act, which required that all paper money shall be backed by gold. He followed through with his economic policy and carefully moved the country toward the gold standard and established a protective trade
Gilded Age Politics 1877-1900, A People & A Nation pp. 529) At the opening of the 1896 Republican presidential convention, held in St. Louis, McKinley's commitment to protectionism as a solution to unemployment and the campaigning run by Hanna, McKinley won the nomination on the first ballot. The Republican Party Platform adopted at the convention endorsed protective tariffs and the gold standard. At the Democratic convention in Chicago, former congressmen William Jennings Bryan roused Democrats with his speech on the gold standard and his defense of bimetallism and free silver. This speech made his career. "You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold." (Norton, Mary Beth. Gilded Age Politics 1877-1900, A People & A Nation pp.529) On the fifth ballot, Bryan won the nomination. But McKinley beat Bryan by 600,00 votes and won the electoral college by 271 to 176. Soon after the election, the Populist crusade ended with Bryan's loss. During his presidency, McKinley signed the Gold Standard Act, which required that all paper money shall be backed by gold. He followed through with his economic policy and carefully moved the country toward the gold standard and established a protective trade