Among the most memorable lines in American political oratory are the last two sentences of William Jennings Bryan's speech during the platform debate at the 1896 Democratic National Convention: "You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind on a cross of gold." By the time he reached these lines Bryan, who had a well-deserved reputation as a spellbinding orator, had gamed the rapt attention of all the delegates, with many other quotable lines. Beginning with the theme that the monetary issue had divided the East from the West, rich from poor," and big businessman from storekeeper, farmer, and laborer. Bryan responded to claims that unlimited coinage of gold and silver was bad for the country because it was bad for business, appealing to the sentiments of people for whom the bloody divisions...