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The Twenty-fifth President of the United States of America was quite unlike the previous twenty-four. He was the youngest, his home state was the furthest west of any President up to that point, and the platform that got him into the Executive Mansion was unlike any other. There would also be no alcohol in the Executive Mansion during the Bryan administration, which set him apart from most Presidents but not all. Young was a polite way to describe the new President, who entered the office shortly before his 37th birthday. His opponents used the word "inexperienced" to describe him. And indeed, he was not completely prepared for his new job. The Great Commoner had to grow into the Presidency, learning as he went along. Fortunately he was surrounded by men more experienced than he in the art of statecraft. Bryan believed that he could use his oratory skills and force of personality to bend congress to his will. He would soon figure out that this was not to be and that change would have to come gradually.

-Excerpt from America's Silver Age, Edward S. Scott, Patriot Publishers, 2017.

The battles in Congress were just beginning. Democrats made massive gains in the 1896 House elections, coupled with a few Republican defections, the Democrats had 180 Representatives, Conservative Democrats still held considerable sway in the party, though their influence was certainly weakened. And they were able to maneuver their man, Joseph Weldon Bailey of Texas into the position of Speaker of the House. Bailey and Bryan disagreed on almost every issue, with tariffs being an exception. He blocked several progressive bills, infuriating many of the newly elected members of his party. Bailey would hold his position for only a few months before the overwhelming pressure forced him to resign, stating that he was unable to lead his party at this time. While there was disagreement over who should replace Bailey as Speaker of the House, eventually Tom L. Johnson of Ohio was selected. Johnson was a committed progressive and opponent of monopolies, he would get along well with the President. With Johnson as speaker, laws protecting the right to join a union were passed along with anti-trust legislation. However, the Senate defeated the income tax.


Of course, while those issues were important, what everyone anticipated was the battle over the repeal of the Coinage Act of 1873, called the "Crime of '73" by silver supporters. This law effectively put the US on the Gold Standard. Bryan had campaigned for Free Silver and his Presidency would be a failure if it didn't pass. The debate was lengthy in the House, but the repeal was passed in that chamber 183-174 on July 15, 1897. Then the Senate debated the bill. President Bryan personally spoke to the Senate, as did Secretary of the Treasury Alexander del Mar. While the Senate had a Republican majority, several of these Republicans were pro-Silver. Short attempts at filibuster were made by supporters of the Gold Standard. After over a week of consideration, The Senate was deadlocked 45-45 on the repeal. Vice President Arthur Sewall broke the tie and on July 25, 1897, the so called "Crime of '73" was gone. When news spread to the Western States, there was great celebration. Some say that the revelries rivaled that of the Union victory in 1865. Gold Standard supporters were disheartened, but were convinced that they would regain power once Free silver ushered in an age of financial ruin. The Republicans were planning a comeback.

Postmaster General Milford Howard was interested in a lot more than letters and mail. In fact, very few people today would even associate him with such. Howard believed in the power of the motion picture to influence public opinion, even when the technology was in its infancy. He invited people to the Executive Mansion to film the President (and himself). Shortly after the Repeal of the Coinage Act of 1873, William Jennings Bryan invited James Naismith to meet the President and his cabinet at a gymnasium in Washington DC. Bryan was curious about the new game of Basketball that Naismith had invented. Naismith explained the game to the President and did a demonstration with the players he brought with him. Mr. Howard had cameramen ready to record parts of the meeting. Then, the ball was handed to the President. William Jennings Bryan decided to walk halfway down the court, and proceeded to shoot the ball into the hoop on his first try. At least that was the official story, it may have been on his hundredth attempt that he finally pulled it off. Some experts even claim the film was edited. Nonetheless, copies of the short grainy film were distributed across the country, and it endeared Bryan to much of the public. It is uncertain whether Basketball would ever have attained the popularity it has today if it were not for Bryan.

-Excerpt from The Guide to the Executive Mansion, an in Depth Look at America's Presidents by Benjamin Buckley, Harvard Press, 1999.


Bryan's success on the Basketball court, even if exaggerated, came along with his recent domestic policy successes. While domestic events dominated the Spring, Summer, and Fall, the Winter of 1897 and 1898 would be dominated by foreign events. His response to these events would have a great impact on the nation's future.