William Jennings Bryan was one of the well-known American politicians, who was popular for his exemplary oratory skills. He started off his political career as a member of the House of Representatives after completing his law studies. He used his prolific oratory skills to contribute significantly to the development of the nation. This encouraged him to further become the youngest candidate to contest the Presidential election. He lost the election and went on to become a political activist before making a couple of other unsuccessful attempts at the Presidential elections. He was further appointed as the secretary of state under President Woodrow Wilson where his decision-making qualities were acknowledged. He believed in popular democracy and demanded ‘Free Silver’ to bring more money in the hands of the common people. This great faith and support for common people got him the pseudonym of ‘The Great Commoner’. He was also against the concept of war and violence which became the sole reason behind his resignation from politics during the First World War. Following are some sayings and quotes by the distinguished politician which have been curated from his speeches, writings, work, thoughts and life. Presenting a compilation of notable thoughts and quotes by William Jennings Bryan on hypothesis, misunderstandings, Bible, queer, idiocy, religion, evolution, atheists and imperialism.
Evolution seems to close the heart to some of the plainest spiritual truths while it opens the mind to the wildest guesses advanced in the name of science.
Burn down your cities and leave our farms, and your cities will spring up again as if by magic; but destroy our farms and the grass will grow in the streets of every city in the country.
The Imperial German Government will not expect the Government of the United States to omit any word or any act necessary to the performance of its sacred duty of maintaining the rights of the United States and its citizens and of safeguarding their free exercise and enjoyment.
Two people in a conversation amount to four people talking. The four are what one person says, what he really wanted to say, what his listener heard, and what he thought he heard.
William Jennings Bryan
Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.
William Jennings Bryan
Behold a republic standing erect while empires all around are bowed beneath the weight of their own armaments - a republic whose flag is loved while other flags are only feared.
William Jennings Bryan
Anglo-Saxon civilization has taught the individual to protect his own rights; American civilization will teach him to respect the rights of others.
All the ills from which America suffers can be traced to the teaching of evolution.
William Jennings Bryan
This is not a contest between persons. The humblest citizen in all the land, when clad in the armor of a righteous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of error. I come to you in defense of a cause as holy as the cause of liberty - the cause of humanity.
If we have to give up either religion or education, we should give up education.
William Jennings Bryan
There is no more reason to believe that man descended from some inferior animal than there is to believe that a stately mansion has descended from a small cottage.
If that vital spark that we find in a grain of wheat can pass unchanged through countless deaths and resurrections, will the spirit of man be unable to pass from this body to another?
We will answer their demand for a gold standard by saying to them: "You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold
The parents have a right to say that no teacher paid by their money shall rob their children of faith in God and send them back to their homes skeptical, or infidels, or agnostics, or atheists.
