Stratton’s Wager on the Presidency of the United States

“Col. Wm. J. Bryan on Pikes Peak” by J.G. Hiestand, July 10, 1899. Courtesy of Special Collections, Pikes Peak Library District. Image Number: 001-2264.
The presidential election of 1896 was contested between William Jennings Bryan and William McKinley, one of the central issues of the campaign was the utilization of silver as a peg for the valuing of the US Dollar. This was a major issue for silver mining states, Colorado chief among them. Cripple Creek Gold Baron Winfield Scott Stratton caused a bit of a stir when he decided to go against his self interests by supporting the guy who supported the free coinage of silver. Richard Marold tells the story:
Stratton’s Wager on the Presidency of the United States
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Here, you can listen to a longer excerpt of Bryan’s famed “Cross of Gold” speech which was recorded in 1921, a quarter of a century after he first delivered the speech on the floor of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1896:
William Jennings Bryan: Cross of Gold Speech
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Richard Marold is a local historian who works as a Chautauquan and portrays Winfield Scott Stratton, Franklin Roosevelt and Nikola Tesla. He is also editor of Cheyenne Mountain Kiva, a journal of the history of central Colorado. His website is fdrtoday.org.
Amazing–thanks for bringing this to light.