July 9th -- This Day In History

[The Lone Liberal]

The Cross of Gold speech

The speech that won William Jennings Bryan his nomination as the Democratic candidate for the presidential elections of 1896

Richard Hofstadter, a,historian, says "This speech is probably the most effective speech in the history of American party politics."

Speech given by William Jenmings Bryan during the 1896 Democratic National Convention. at Chicago, the 9th of July 1896

http://www.tntech.edu/history/crosgold.html

William Jennings Bryan stood for the common man against the privileged economic forces. We need someone today to be that voice.

[greatauntoftriplets]

1. A brilliant orator and a great man.

I just re-read the speech. My favorite part (all progressive's favorite part, of course):

"Having behind us the producing masses of this nation and the world, supported by the commercial interests, the laboring interests, and the toilers everywhere, we will answer their demand 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."

I am proud to live in the city where this speech was made. No wonder Chicago is still such a strong union city.

[The Lone Liberal]

2. Chicago has a lot of history.

It is a wonderful town to study.

[greatauntoftriplets]

3. And a progressive pedigree that goes waaay back....

...despite the DINOs who currently run the city.

On May 3, 1886, violence erupted at the McCormick Reaper Works during an assembly of strikers. That evening a small group of anarchists met to plan a rally the next day in response to the McCormick incident.

The rally began about 8:30 p.m. May 4 at the Haymarket, a site on Randolph between Halsted and Des Plaines Street, but due to low attendance it was moved a half block away to Des Plaines Street north of Randolph Street. After 10 p.m., as the rally drew to a close, 176 policemen led by Inspector John Bonfield moved in demanding immediate dispersal of the remaining 200 workers. Suddenly a bomb exploded. In the chaos that followed shots were fired by police and perhaps by workers. One police officer was killed by the bomb, six officers died later and sixty others were injured. No official count was made of civilian deaths or injuries probably because friends and/or relatives carried them off immediately. Medical evidence later showed that most of the injuries suffered by the police were caused by their own bullets.

All well known anarchists and socialists were rounded up and arrested in the days following the riot. Thirty one of them were named in criminal indictments and eight held for trial.

Although the bomb thrower has never been identified the eight indicted men were convicted by a court which held that the "inflammatory speeches and publications" of these eight incited the actions of the mob. The Illinois and U.S. Supreme Courts upheld the verdict.

http://www.uaw2166.org/riots.html

[Darranar]

4. A great man?

A religious fanatic. He was against the teaching of evolution.

[The Lone Liberal]

5. That is the trouble with "political purity"

Political purists tend to condemn all for some transgression. When we should be looking for those times that someone stands with us as allies in defense of the common man.

[Darranar]

6. He was better...

than the Republican, yes. However, he was a religious fanatic who believed in the literal interpretation of the Bible. He spoke contantly of God and did not support the seperation of church and state.

[The Lone Liberal]

7. He also stood in defense of the common man

at a time when no one else was doing so. He stood for that small farmer, the coal miner, the working on sweatshop floor, the mill hand, those who were be trampled by the rich and powerful of that day. Yes, he was a religious fanatic,but he stood with the people in a time of need.

[Bethtany]

8. One more thing

My first cat Crystal's birthday (1985-2000)

[The Lone Liberal]

9. Happy Birthday to You

Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday Dear Crystal
Happy Birtday to you.