McKinley, Bryan and the People

The election of 1896-the subject of Paul Glad’s expert study-marked the emergence of new forces and new voices in American life which were to win power and impact in the 20th century. The campaign was a conflict between two national myths: the agrarian, with its yeoman farmer hero; and the success myth, which glorified the self-made man. Neither William McKinley nor William Jennings Bryan could resist ordering the facts to fit these mythologies; there were a few realists in the campaign, but they and their followers were vigorously branded as impractical visionaries. Mr. Glad discusses in detail the candidates’ personalities, the economic issues and regional forces, the rise of the Populist party, campaign strategy, and voting patterns. His book is an essential introduction to 20th-century America.