William Jennings Bryan's Cross of Gold speech remains to this day one of the most famous speeches in American history. He was aiming to promote the beliefs of the Populist Party, as well as specifically promoting the idea of bimetallism. He first targets the government, saying that it is the role of Congress to represent the common man and circulate money evenly, as Andrew Jackson had done; Bryan believed there was far too large of a gap between the rich and the poor. He then says that these ideals could be accomplished through the coinage of silver, as it would spread the wealth and reduce that gap. In this speech, Bryan successfully advocates for his beliefs with passion and combines the Populist and Democratic ideas.
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