Who supported the cross of gold speech?

The Cross of Gold speech was delivered by William Jennings Bryan, a former United States Representative from Nebraska, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on July 9, 1896. In the address, Bryan supported bimetallism or “free silver”, which he believed would bring the nation prosperity.

What was the issue with the coinage of silver?

Free silver was a major economic policy issue in late 19th-century America. Its advocates were in favor of an expansionary monetary policy featuring the unlimited coinage of silver into money on-demand, as opposed to strict adherence to the more carefully fixed money supply implicit in the gold standard.

What was the Populist Party fighting for?

One of the Populist Party’s central goals was to create a coalition between farmers in the South and West and urban laborers in the Midwest and Northeast.

How did Bimetallism help economy?

Terms in this set (10) Basically supporters of the free silver movement thought that bimetallism would help the economy by causing inflation. This would help farmers and others who had too much debt. Allowing bimetallism would have increased the amount of money that existed in the US.

What is the first country that adopted gold Monometallism?

…but in the 1870s a monometallic gold standard was adopted by Germany, France, and the United States, with many other countries following suit. This shift occurred because recent gold discoveries in western North America had made gold more plentiful.

What was the Populist Party quizlet?

A US political party that sought to represent the interests of farmers and laborers in the 1890s, advocating increased currency issue, free coinage of gold and silver, public ownership of railroads, and a graduated federal income tax. Also called People’s Party.

Does Bimetallism cause inflation?

The Free Silver Movement was a political movement that proposed returning to “bimetallism”: Those in the movement wanted money backed by silver to be added to the money supply, which was backed by gold. Adding to the money supply would have ended the deflation and created the possibility of inflation.

What were the goals of the Populist Party?

The party adopted a platform calling for free coinage of silver, abolition of national banks, a subtreasury scheme or some similar system, a graduated income tax, plenty of paper money, government ownership of all forms of transportation and communication, election of Senators by direct vote of the people, nonownership …

Why did the Silverites favor Bimetallism?

Why did silverites favor bimetallism? It will make more dollars available and therefore prices and wages would rise. William Jennings Bryan delivered that emotional speech known as the cross of gold speech in support of bimetallism.

What did the Silverites want?

The Silverites advocated free coinage of silver. They wanted to lower the gold standard of the United States to silver therefore allowing inflation of the money supply. Many Silverites were in the West, where silver was mined.

What is bimetallic standard?

A bimetallic standard, or bimetallism, is a monetary system in which a government recognizes coins composed of both gold or silver as legal tender. The bimetallic standard backs a unit of currency to a fixed ratio of gold and/or silver.

Which group supported the government control of railroads and the coinage of silver?

the People’s Party of the U.S.A.

What is Monometallism?

noun. the use of one metal only, as gold or silver, as a monetary standard. the doctrine or actions supporting such a standard.

Why did farmers want Bimetallism?

Farmers believed that a bi-metallic money supply would help them deal with the economic issues they faced. Farmers were suffering because prices for their crops were very low, and they had to borrow money at interest rates that were quite high. With a bi-metallic money supply, there would be more money in the economy.

What was the silver question in the 1890s?

It was a defense for those with contracts who would be subjected to the businessmen over the contracts. He wanted to represent the farmers and show why it would be unjust to stay on the gold standard. Sherman, John. Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890.

Why did farmers want government to regulate the railroads?

But the railroads charged very much money for transporting the wheat. The owners of the railroads became very rich by hauling wheat to the East at a time when the farmers worked very hard and got very little money for their crop. At first, the farmers wanted the government to control prices on the railroads.

What were the main arguments of Bimetallism?

Supporters of bimetallism offer three arguments for it: (1) the combination of two metals can provide greater monetary reserves; (2) greater price stability will result from the larger monetary base; and (3) greater ease in the determination and stabilization of exchange rates among countries using gold, silver, or …

Which president supported the silver mining industry?

William Jennings Bryan 1896 presidential campaign

William Jennings Bryan for President
Affiliation	Democratic Party; also endorsed by Populist Party and National Silver Party
Status	Defeated: November 3, 1896
Headquarters	Chicago

Why did populists call for public ownership of the railroads quizlet?

They wanted the railroads to be limited in what they could charge farmers for shipping. They wanted higher prices. Only $2.99/month. How did the federal government aid the farmers?

Who did the gold standard benefit?

The advantages of the gold standard are that (1) it limits the power of governments or banks to cause price inflation by excessive issue of paper currency, although there is evidence that even before World War I monetary authorities did not contract the supply of money when the country incurred a gold outflow, and (2) …

What was the goal of Bimetallism?

Bimetallism was intended to increase the supply of money, stabilize prices, and facilitate setting exchange rates. Some scholars argued that bimetallism was inherently unstable owing to Gresham’s law, and that its replacement by a monometallic standard was inevitable.

What are populist ideas?

Populism refers to a range of political stances that emphasise the idea of “the people” and often juxtapose this group against “the elite”. Populist parties and social movements are often led by charismatic or dominant figures who present themselves as the “voice of the people”.

What was the reason for the populist party supporting unlimited coinage of silver?

Bryan did not think it was necessary for the United States to hold in reserve an amount of gold equal in value to all the paper money in circulation. Bryan wanted the United States to use silver to back the dollar at a value that would inflate the prices farmers received for their crops, easing their debt burden.

Why did big business and others not want an increased coinage of silver?

Free Silver supporters were opposed by supporters of the Gold Standard (silverites), which was less inflationary. Silverites wanted bimetallism, which would see gold and solver used as currency. As silver was cheaper, economists warned more people would mint it, and thus cause inflation.