The bad economic times had continued , and strengthened the hand of forces for free silver . The issue bitterly divided the Democratic Party ; President Cleveland firmly supported the gold standard , but an increasing number of rural Democrats wanted silver , especially in the South and West . The silverites took control of the 1896 Democratic National Convention and chose William Jennings Bryan for president ; he had electrified the delegates with his Cross of Gold speech . Bryan 's financial radicalism shocked bankers — they thought his inflationary program would bankrupt the railroads and ruin the economy . Hanna approached them for support for his strategy to win the election , and they gave $ 3.5 million for speakers and over 200 million pamphlets advocating the Republican position on the money and tariff questions
1896 Democratic National Convention
1896 Democratic National Convention
William McKinley