Ottawa, IL Speech, 1896-08-08

Speech by William Jennings Bryan.

Speech by William Jennings Bryan
Saturday, August 8, 1896
Depot, Ottawa, IL

Source: TRIP ACROSS ILLINOIS., Crowds at Every Station to Greet the Nominee., Omaha World-Herald (Sunday Edition), Sunday, August 9, 1896

"We are entering upon a campaign in which it seems all the people are going to take part. Where old leaders have gone back upon their records and have deserted the cause in which they believe, new leaders have come to the front."

BUT ONE PARAMOUNT ISSUE.

"In this campaign there is going to be one paramount issue and this is the money question. The Republican platform declares in favor of the maintenance of the gold standard until foreign nations take pity upon our condition and come to our assistance. (Great cheering.) The Democratic platform offers its unalterable opposition to the gold standard and declares in favor of the immediate restoration of the free and unlimited coinage of both gold and silver at the present legal ratio of 16 to 1, without waiting for the aid or consent of any other nation. (Loud cheers.) It is not difficult for you to determine on which side you stand. Remember Republicans do not say that the gold standard is a good thing. They dared not say it. The misery that has cursed every country where it has been tried proclaims that it is not good and no party in this country has ever defended it. The Republican party, without daring to say that it is good, dares to say that the American people must suffer from it until some other governments will help us to get rid of it. (Great cheering.) We appeal to a people to say whether they will determine their own financial policy for the their own benefit or submit to a policy which other nations think we ought to endure. (Cheers.) I am willing to rest the question there." (Long continued cheering.)