On one side were Democrats from the West and South who, with Bryan at the head of their populist insurgency, prescribed the free coinage of silver as the cure for America's economic woes.
22.
The Chicago-based organization was dedicated to advancing the ideas of direct legislation and free coinage of silver through the supplying of inserts and stereographic plates on the topic to newspapers around the country.
23.
The restrictions on free coinage laid out in the Coinage Act initially met little resistance from mining interests until the price of silver declined rapidly due to increased mining in the Western United States.
24.
There's not a history book around that doesn't still recount your words on the free coinage of silver : " You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns.
25.
The issue cut across party lines, with western Republicans and southern Democrats joining together in the call for the free coinage of silver, and both parties'representatives in the northeast holding firm for the gold standard.
26.
The party's convention in July 1896 in Chicago was where William Jennings Bryan gave his famous " Cross of Gold " speech, insisting on putting more money into circulation by the free coinage of silver.
27.
They pressed for abolition of national banks and monopolies, free coinage of silver, issuance of paper money ( Greenback or Fiat money ), loans on land, establishment of sub-treasuries, income tax acts, and revision of tariffs.
28.
The matter became a major political controversy that lasted the remainder of the century, pitting those who valued the deflationary gold standard against those who believed free coinage of silver to be necessary for economic prosperity.
29.
William Jennings Bryan, silver's champion a century ago, is remembered for his losing battle for the free coinage of silver . ( " You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold, " he railed .)
30.
According to Stanley Jones, " the only conclusion to be reached was that the Bryan campaign, with its emphasis on the free coinage of silver at 16 to 1, had not appealed to the urban working classes ."
