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__William Jennings Bryan__- by Matt Thomas

Occupation- Bryan was a politician, serving as a Nebraskan representative and running for presidential office three times. He was known for his smooth speech and attractive phrasing. He was a liberal-minded Democrat in strong favor of free silver. He made a far-reaching tour of the nation preaching free silver and anti-imperialism. Although not earning the presidential office, he was able to retain control of the Democratic party.

Position- Bryan was an anti-imperialist. He opposed the Republicans and challenged them to state their purpose for the conflict abroad. From the beginning, Bryan was against the Spanish-American War and hoped for a peaceful end to the conflict. A quick resolution, he hoped, would lead to the freeing of the Filipinos. He argued that we could not create an empire abroad without weakening our principles at home. He felt that any nation under the Constitution should be represented as such and should be given the constitutional right of democracy. He followed Lincoln’s belief that the power of a nation lies within the spirit of its people, not in its military or economic power. By forcing the people of the Philippines under the rule of the United States, the principles of the nation were forsaken and the power of the nation was sacrificed.

Reasons for Interest- Being pro-silver, Bryan was used to fighting for the little guy. He was also a politician familiar with the Constitution and its foundations. These factors came together to invoke a sense of sympathy with the Filipinos. Bryan could not sit by while the “under-dogs” were taken advantage of. He was also in the running for the presidential position and, being a talkative man, he could not afford to stand idly by. He was forced to take a position and stand for it to show his potency as a politician. He was also a “history buff”, quoting former presidents and supporting their doctrine of domestic advancement. This thought process clashed with that of the imperialists and gave Bryan a reason to voice his opinion.

Bibliography "The Paralyzing Influence of Imperialism." //Annals of American History//. Web. 8 Nov. 2011. . "William Jennings Bryan." //Wikipedia//. Web. 8 Nov. 2011. . "William Jennings Bryan." //Vassar College Projects//. Web. 7 Nov. 2011. .