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[[Image:BLOODY2.jpg|thumb|350px|left|Democratic magazine ridicules GOP use of "bloody shirt" memories of war]]

[[Image:BLOODY2.jpg|thumb|350px|left|Democratic magazine ridicules GOP use of "bloody shirt" memories of war]]

Cleveland's second term was ruined by a major depression, the [[Panic of 1893]], which also undercut the appeal of the loosely-organized [[Populist]] coalitions in the south and west. A stunning Republican triumph in 1894 nearly wiped out the Democratic Party north of the Mason–Dixon line.  In [[United States presidential election, 1896|1896]], [[William Jennings Bryan]] and the radical [[Free Silver|silverites]] seized control of the Democratic Party, denounced their own president, and called for a return to Jeffersonian agrarianism.  Bryan, in his [[Cross of Gold]] speech, talked about workers and farmers crucified by big business, evil bankers and the gold standard. With Bryan giving from 5 to 35 speeches a day throughout the Midwest, straw polls showed his crusade forging a lead in the critical Midwest. Then [[William McKinley]] and [[Mark Hanna]] seized control of the situation; their countercrusade was a campaign of education making lavish use of new advertising techniques.  McKinley warned that Bryan’s [[Bimetallism]] would wreck the economy and achieve equality by making everyone poor.  McKinley promised prosperity through strong economic growth based on sound money and business confidence, and an abundance of high-paying industrial jobs. Farmers would benefit by selling to a rich home market. Every racial, ethnic and religious group would prosper, and the government would never be used by one group to attack another.  In particular McKinley reassured the [[German American]]s, alarmed on the one hand by Bryan's inflation and on the other by [[prohibition]].   

Cleveland's second term was ruined by a major depression, the [[Panic of 1893]], which also undercut the appeal of the loosely-organized [[Populist]] coalitions in the south and west. A stunning Republican triumph in 1894 nearly wiped out the Democratic Party north of the Mason–Dixon line.  In [[United States presidential election, 1896|1896]], [[William Jennings Bryan]] and the radical [[Free Silver|silverites]] seized control of the Democratic Party, denounced their own president, and called for a return to Jeffersonian agrarianism.  Bryan, in his [[Cross of Gold]] speech, talked about workers and farmers crucified by big business, evil bankers and the gold standard. With Bryan giving from 5 to 35 speeches a day throughout the Midwest, straw polls showed his crusade forging a lead in the critical Midwest. Then [[William McKinley]] and [[Mark Hanna]] seized control of the situation; their countercrusade was a campaign of education making lavish use of new advertising techniques.  McKinley warned that Bryan's [[Bimetallism]] would wreck the economy and achieve equality by making everyone poor.  McKinley promised prosperity through strong economic growth based on sound money and business confidence, and an abundance of high-paying industrial jobs. Farmers would benefit by selling to a rich home market. Every racial, ethnic and religious group would prosper, and the government would never be used by one group to attack another.  In particular McKinley reassured the [[German American]]s, alarmed on the one hand by Bryan's inflation and on the other by [[prohibition]].   

McKinley’s landslide victory combined city and farm, Northeast and Midwest, businessmen and factory workers. He carried nearly every city of 50,000 population, while Bryan swept the rural South and Mountain states. McKinley’s victory, ratified by a landslide reelection in [[United States presidential election, 1900|1900]], thus galvanized one of the central ideologies of twentieth century American politics, [[pluralism]].<ref>Jensen (1971)</ref>

McKinley's landslide victory combined city and farm, Northeast and Midwest, businessmen and factory workers. He carried nearly every city of 50,000 population, while Bryan swept the rural South and Mountain states. McKinley's victory, ratified by a landslide reelection in [[United States presidential election, 1900|1900]], thus galvanized one of the central ideologies of twentieth century American politics, [[pluralism]].<ref>Jensen (1971)</ref>

====Populist debate====

====Populist debate====

Since the 1890s historians have vigorously debated the nature of Populism, especially the [[Populist Party]] that in 180-92-94 carried Plains states (notably Kansas and Nebraska), silver states (Colorado), and made a strong showing in the Deep South (Alabama and North Carolina).   

Since the 1890s historians have vigorously debated the nature of Populism, especially the [[Populist Party]] that in 180-92-94 carried Plains states (notably Kansas and Nebraska), silver states (Colorado), and made a strong showing in the Deep South (Alabama and North Carolina).