The really curious thing is why didn't Bryan do so well out there in 1900? I'd think he would since it was a rematch & all, but maybe silver was no longer an issue by 1900.
Yeah, the currency issue was no longer very relevant in 1900. Discoveries of gold, particularly in Alaska, inflated the currency and eased credit, and McKinley was able to fulfill his campaign promise of "prosperity at home". Bryan's call for free silver no longer energized the voters. The main theme of this campaign was imperialism, but Bryan failed to effectively make the case against it.
