The excerpt below is from William Jennings Bryan's speech at the
Democratic National Convention in 1896.
"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." Why
did Bryan's rural supporters believe that the gold standard was
oppressive? SS.912.A.3.1
О
They knew that railroad owners and grain elevator operators usually insisted on
being paid with gold coin.
They believed that a policy of bimetallism would lead crop prices to rise, making
farm debts less burdensome.
*1 poin
They feared that speculators like Jay Gould and James Fisk would manipulate prices
by cornering the gold market.
They felt that reliance on the gold standard in international trade had made it difficult
for farmers to export crops overseas.