 With his campaign ill @-@ financed , Bryan was his own greatest asset , and traveled to 27 of the 45 states , logging 18 @,@ 000 miles ( 29 @,@ 000 km ) , and in his estimated 600 speeches reached some 5 @,@ 000 @,@ 000 listeners . McKinley did not match those numbers , speaking 300 times to 750 @,@ 000 visitors , but in remaining at home , he avoided the fatigue of Bryan 's exhausting tour . The Republican was better able to provide fresh material for the next day 's newspapers without making gaffes ; Bryan made several . According to R. Hal Williams in his book on the 1896 campaign , " The Front Porch Campaign was a remarkable success . " 
