Silver Republican Party | |
|---|---|
| Other name | Lincoln Republican Party (1900) |
| Leader | Fred Dubois Henry M. Teller |
| Founded | 1896; 129 years ago (1896) |
| Dissolved | 1901; 124 years ago (1901) |
| Split from | Republican Party |
| Merged into | Republican Party Democratic Party (minority) |
| Ideology | Agrarianism Bimetallism Populism Silver mining interests |
| Political position | Center-left |
TheSilver Republican Party, later known as theLincoln Republican Party, was a United Statespolitical party from 1896 to 1901. It was so named because it split from theRepublican Party by supportingfree silver (effectively, expansionarymonetary policy) andbimetallism. The main Republican Party opposed free silver and supported thegold standard. Silver Republican strength was concentrated in the Western states wheresilver mining was an important industry. A leading spokesman in the House of Representatives wasWillis Sweet of Idaho. Silver Republicans were elected to theCongress from several Western states. In both the1896 and1900 presidential elections, Silver Republicans supportedDemocratic presidential nomineeWilliam Jennings Bryan over Republican nomineeWilliam McKinley.
In 1901, the Silver Republican Party disbanded and most of its members rejoined the Republican Party, particularly afterTheodore Roosevelt became president in September 1901. However, some Silver Republicans, such as SenatorFred Dubois of Idaho and former Secretary of the InteriorHenry M. Teller of Colorado, joined the Democratic Party instead in order to aid the Bryan wing of the party against the conservativeBourbon Democrats.
