WI: Bourbon Democrats retain control of the party?

[Daaharu]

What if the Bourbon Democrats could retain control of the Democratic Party, rather than having the populists and bimetallists take over? What would the short-term and long-term effects be of this?

As far as the short-term goes, would William Jennings Bryan run as the Populist candidate in the election? How would he do? Who would ultimately win the presidency? Who would the Democrats nominate the next time around in 1900, with Bryan out of the picture?

Long-term: would the Populists go on to become a viable third party? How would American politics over the next several years and decades be affected?

Also, as a matter of interest, I’ve been trying to identify American politicians during the twentieth century who would be part of a Bourbon Democratic Party…does anyone have any ideas in that regard?

 

[Nofix]

What if the Bourbon Democrats could retain control of the Democratic Party, rather than having the populists and bimetallists take over? What would the short-term and long-term effects be of this?

As far as the short-term goes, would William Jennings Bryan run as the Populist candidate in the election? How would he do? Who would ultimately win the presidency? Who would the Democrats nominate the next time around in 1900, with Bryan out of the picture?

Long-term: would the Populists go on to become a viable third party? How would American politics over the next several years and decades be affected?

Also, as a matter of interest, I’ve been trying to identify American politicians during the twentieth century who would be part of a Bourbon Democratic Party…does anyone have any ideas in that regard?

It was a choice of Evolution or Extinction, either they adopted the Populist manifestos, or risk going the way of the Whigs. The Whigs were split North and South over the Slavery debate, and many Northerners, Know-Nothings, and Free-Soilers founded the Republican Party. The Democrats were basically confined as the Southern Party, the Populists didn't have that stain, winning the (Mid-)West before and after the absorption.