"We shall 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." — William Jennings Bryan, Democratic National Convention, 1896
Bryan's central argument in this peroration is that the gold standard
- A
Encourages reckless speculation by Eastern bankers
- Bcheck_circle
Imposes deflationary hardship on farmers and wage laborers
- C
Undermines American competitiveness in foreign trade
- D
Violates the constitutional power to coin money
Explanation
Free silver advocates argued the gold standard contracted the money supply, raising real debt burdens and depressing crop prices. Bryan frames this as a moral injury to "the brow of labor."