 Irish immigrants generally remained loyal to the Democratic Party , but McKinley 's promises of sound money attracted German @-@ Americans who were appalled by Bryan 's inflationary proposals . German @-@ Americans had long been Democratic ; efforts by that party to rebut McKinley , including circulating a statement by Bismarck in support of bimetallism , were ineffective . Many Catholics and recent immigrants favored McKinley because of the dislike the American Protective Association had for him . 
