27 quotes
You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.
Cross of Gold Speech (1896)
Destiny is not a 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.
You cannot judge a man's life by the success of a moment, by the victory of an hour, or even by the results of a year. You must view his life as a whole.
The Law and the Gospel (1896)
If they believe it, they go back to scoff at the religion of their parents.
Scopes Trial (1925)
While human government exists the tendency to abuse power will remain.
If they believe it (evolution), they go back to scoff at the religion of their parents.
The humblest citizen in all the land, when clad in the armor of a righteous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of error.
Character is the entity, the individuality of the person, shining from every window of the soul, either as a beam of purity, or as a clouded ray that betrays the impurity within.
Address at Illinois College (1881)
No government can long endure unless its citizens are willing to make some sacrifice for its existence.
Success is brought by continued labor and continued watchfulness. We must struggle on, not for one moment hesitate, nor take one backward step.
Illinois College Valedictory (1881)
Plutocracy is abhorrent to a republic; it is more despotic than monarchy, more heartless than aristocracy, more selfish than bureaucracy. It preys upon the nation in time of peace and conspires against it in the hour of its calamity.
Dear me, think of it, niggers speaking French!
Bryan's response to learning about Haiti while serving as Secretary of State (1912)
There is no more menacing feature in these modern times than the disinclination of what are called the better classes to assume the burdens of citizenship.
Our definition of patriotism is often too narrow.
Shall the lover of his country measure his loyalty only by his service as a soldier?
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?
I can make affirmation; I can say "So help me God, I will tell the truth."
Scopes Trial (1925)
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 speak to you in defence of a cause as holy as the cause of liberty—the cause of humanity.
Cross of Gold Speech (1896)
A man who murders another shortens by a few brief years the life of a human being; but he who votes to increase the burden of debts upon the people of the United States assumes a graver responsibility.
Appearance too often takes the place of reality — the stamp of the coin is there, and the glitter of the gold, but, after all, it is but a worthless wash.
Address at Illinois College (1881)
The Government of the United States would be constrained to hold the Imperial German government to a strict accountability for such acts of their naval authorities.