LAD/Blog #26: William Jennings Bryan "Cross of Gold" Speech

The speech was given in the closing debate on the party platform at the Democratic National Convention. He gave the speech on July 9th 1896. He uses this speech to attack the fact that gold was the only sound backing of currency. On the issue of free coinage, the ratio of silver to gold was 16 to 1. He was only 36 but still aspired to be president. The way that he got everyone in a room to listen and engage resulted from his dramatic speaking. He states that those who run in an election are human and have principle. He also speaks out against the dominating businesses and encourages people to fight in defense of family.

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There is much debate in the U.S. about what the minimum wage should be which was similar to the time when they debated over "free silver".

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