William Jennings Bryan was truly a man who answered the call. Bryan, who was born in 1860 at the dawn of the Civil War, was an advocate for various causes throughout his life. As a young attorney he pleaded the cases of those who had little voice. Because he was so well appreciated, he was encouraged to run for Congress in the state of Nebraska and won a seat in House of Representatives in 1892. This was only the start of a long political career wherein he never compromised his beliefs.

The economic crisis of 1893, which generated the greatest depression to that date in the United States, created a backlash against government. Bryan was asked by his fellow Democrats to answer their call as a candidate in the 1896 presidential election. The Democratic platform advocated help for the common…