By August, many firms had gone bankrupt, and a special session of Congress convened, called by Cleveland to repeal the silver purchase act. [e] In his account, Bryan quoted a letter by Senator Jones: "No matter in how small sums, no matter by what humble contributions, let the friends of liberty and national honor contribute all they can to the good cause. The Coliseum was located in a "dry" district of Chicago but the hotels were not. Stone, chair of the notification committee, essayed a lengthy speech, he was drowned out by the crowd, which wanted to hear "the Boy Orator of the Platte". Much of the blizzard of paper the Republican campaign was able to pay for concentrated on this area/ By September, this had its effect as silver sentiment began to fade. The biggest announcement in the run-up to the 1908 presidential election came in 1904 when, on the evening of his election, Pres. The 1896 campaign, which took place during an economic depression known as the Panic of 1893, was a realigning election that ended the old Third Party System and began the Fourth Party System. Perhaps a vote taken then would have given Bryan the election. As a result, disillusioned farmers and others formed a new far-left party, which came to be known as the Populist Party. But McKinleys victory was fueled by a massive influx of campaign cash from Wall Street bankers and other wealthy business interests, all determined to crush Bryans radical brand of populism. William McKinley defeated Democrat William Jennings Bryan, winning 292 electoral votes to Bryan's 155. The dark horse is in his stall, feasting on the oats of hope and political straws. [22][23] In the 17months between his departure from Congress and the Democratic National Convention in July 1896, Bryan travelled widely through the South and West, speaking on silver. On this day in 1896, William Jennings Bryan delivered his rousing speech as a delegate to the Democratic convention declaring that mankind would not be "crucified on a cross of gold.". The sympathies of the Democratic Party, as shown by the platform, are on the side of the struggling masses, who have ever been the foundation of the Democratic Party. On the fifth ballot, other states joined the Bryan bandwagon, making him the Democratic candidate for president.[76][77]. Bryan served as Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson from 1913 to 1915, resigning as Wilson moved the nation closer to intervention in World War I. John Nimick. "[102], Historian R. Hal Williams, in his book about the 1896 campaign, believes that the Populist nomination did Bryan little good; most Populists would have voted for him anyway and the endorsement allowed his opponents to paint him and his supporters as extremists. He knew personally more delegates than did any other candidate and he was on the ground to supervise his strategy. Morgan noted, "full organization, [Republican] party harmony, a campaign of education with the printed and spoken word would more than counteract" Bryan's speechmaking. Historian James A. Barnes deemed the DNC's vote immaterial; once the convention met on July 7, it quickly elected a silver man, Virginia Senator John Daniel, as temporary chairman and appointed a committee to review credentials friendly to the silver cause. This popular treatment of the currency issue was highly influential. To those who cling to the gold standard, he declared in closing: You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.. Many of the silver men had not attended a national convention before, and were unfamiliar with its procedures. [6][7][8], In Congress, Bryan was appointed to the powerful Ways and Means Committee and became a major spokesman on the tariff and money questions. William Jennings Bryan, (born March 19, 1860, Salem, Illinois, U.S.died July 26, 1925, Dayton, Tennessee), Democratic and Populist leader and a magnetic orator who ran unsuccessfully three times for the U.S. presidency (1896, 1900, and 1908). William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925), the U.S. congressman from Nebraska, three-time presidential nominee and secretary of state, emerged near the end of the 19th century as a leading voice in the Democratic Party and the nation. New York Senator Hill was next: the leading spokesman for gold, both gold and silver delegates quieted to hear him. "[110][111][112] August 12 was an extremely hot day in New York, especially for the crowd jammed into the Garden; when Missouri Governor William J. He was defeated in the general election by the Republican candidate, former Ohio governor William McKinley . "[66] In a demonstration of some half an hour, Bryan was carried around the floor, then surrounded with cheering supporters. [10], In May 1894, Bryan announced he would not seek re-election to the House of Representatives, feeling the incessant need to raise money to campaign in a marginal district was inhibiting his political career. [38] Illinois Governor Altgeld, a leader of the silver movement, was ineligible because he was not a natural-born U.S. citizen as required for the presidency in the Constitution. United States presidential election of 1896, American presidential election held on November 3, 1896, in which Republican William McKinley defeated Democrat - Populist William Jennings Bryan. In post-Civil War America, oratory was highly prized, and Bryan showed aptitude for it from a young age, raised in his father's house in Salem. [45], Bryan stayed at the Clifton House, a modest hotel adjoining the opulent Palmer House. Men and women threw their hats into the air, not caring where they might come down. The smell of victory seemed to hang in the air. Although not a landslide shift comparable to election swings in the twentieth century, McKinley's victory ended the pattern of close popular margins that had characterized elections since the Civil War. Ultimately, the incumbent U.S. President William McKinley ended up defeating the anti-imperialist William Jennings Bryan and thus won a second four-year . "[109], Bryan set the formal acceptance of his nomination for August 12 at New York's Madison Square Garden; he left Lincoln five days earlier by rail, and spoke 38times along the way, sometimes from the trackside in his nightgown. Those that served principally as agricultural centers or had been founded along the railroad favored Bryan. [85][86] Some of the Democratic political machines, such as New York's Tammany Hall, decided to ignore the national ticket and concentrate on electing local and congressional candidates. Why did William Jennings Bryan lose the 1896 election? A devout Protestant, his populist rhetoric and policies earned him the nickname the Great Commoner. In his later years, Bryan campaigned against the teaching of evolution in public schools, culminating with his leading role in the Scopes Trial. He then lowered his arms, and began the journey back to his seat in the silence. [129] Republican newspapers and spokesmen claimed that Bryan's campaign was expensively financed by the silver interests. Everybody seemed to go mad at once. "[143], Michael Kazin, Bryan's biographer, notes the many handicaps he faced in his 1896 campaign: "A severe economic downturn that occurred with Democrats in power, a party deserted by its men of wealth and national prominence, the vehement opposition of most prominent publishers and academics and ministers, and hostility from the nation's largest employers". Advocates of free silver (or bimetallism) wanted the government to accept all silver bullion presented to it and to return it, struck into coin, at the historic value ratio between gold and silver of 16 to 1. He also argued in support of a graduated income tax, antitrust laws and other government regulation of business, womens suffrage and the prohibition of alcohol. After the defense called Bryan himself as an expert on the Bible, Darrow subjected him to a brutal examination in the sweltering courtroom, revealing his lack of theological as well as scientific knowledge. Senator Tillman, a fiery speaker who wore a pitchfork on his lapel, began the debate. Bryan believed he could use the coalition-building techniques he had applied in gaining election to Congress, uniting pro-silver forces behind him to gain the Democratic nomination and the presidency. The 1896 race is generally seen as a realigning election. "[66], As he spoke his final sentence, he brought his hands to his head, fingers extended in imitation of thorns; amid dead silence in the Coliseum, he extended his arms, recalling with words and posture the Crucifixion of Jesus, and held that position for several seconds. [136] His train reached Lincoln after the polls opened; he journeyed from train station to polling place to his house escorted by a mounted troop of supporters. A bowery had been built for the Fourth of July picnic and dance. In addition to the frontrunners, other silver men were spoken of as candidates. [24][25] Several times, in his addresses, Bryan repeated variations on lines he had spoken in Congress in December 1894, decrying the gold standard, "I will not help to crucify mankind upon a cross of gold. His campaign focused on silver, an issue that failed to appeal to the urban voter, and he was defeated in what is generally seen as a realigning election. [67], Bryan described the stillness as "really painful"; his anxieties that he might have failed were soon broken by pandemonium. I don't know but its effect will be to nominate him. [144] According to Kazin, "what is remarkable is not that Bryan lost but that he came as close as he did to winning. They had been passed as compromises between free silver and the gold standard. The Populists proposed both greater government control over the economy (with some calling for government ownership of railroads) and giving the people power over government through the secret ballot, direct election of United States Senators (who were, until 1913, elected by state legislatures), and replacement of the Electoral College with direct election of the president and vice president by popular vote. The paper editorialized on the same page that even if the Democratic candidate was not insane, he was at least "of unsound mind". Bryan was strongly affected by the emerging Social Gospel movement that called on Protestant activists to seek to cure social problems such as poverty. The humblest citizen in all the land, when clad in the armor of a righteous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of error. When both Hill and Bryan (who was selected as the other pro-silver speaker) objected to such a long closing address, Tillman settled for 50minutes and for opening the debate rather than closing it; Bryan was given 25minutes to close. His campaign focused on silver, an issue that failed to appeal to the urban voter, and he was defeated. Populism and the Election of 1896. We have submitted the issues to the American people and their will is law. As the economic downturn continued, free silver advocates blamed its continuation on the repeal of the silver purchase act, and the issue of silver became more prominent. The increasing economic struggles of poor farmers during the 1870s and 1880s led to the Populist movement. Bryan, an attorney and former Congressman, galvanized support with his Cross of Gold speech, which called for a reform of the monetary system and attacked business leaders as the cause of ongoing economic depression. [74], The balloting for the presidential nomination was held on July 10, the day after the speech; a two-thirds majority was needed to nominate. Despite his defeat, Bryan's campaign inspired many of his contemporaries. He was young, had a respectable but not burdensome record, came from the West, and understood the arts of conciliation. "[16], Even as Cleveland took office as president in March 1893, there were signs of an economic decline. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. He spoke some 600 times, to an estimated 5,000,000 listeners. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! "[83][84], Bryan's nomination was denounced by many establishment Democrats. The 1900 United States presidential election was the 29th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 6, 1900.In a re-match of the 1896 race, incumbent Republican President William McKinley defeated his Democratic challenger, William Jennings Bryan.McKinley's victory made him the first president to win a consecutive re-election since Ulysses S. Grant had accomplished the same . [90], Following his nomination in June, McKinley's team had believed that the election would be fought on the issue of the protective tariff. By early October, the DNC, at the urging of Populist officials who felt Bryan was being worn out, procured the services of North Carolina journalist Josephus Daniels to make travel arrangements, and also obtained a private railroad car, The Idlera name Bryan thought somewhat inappropriate due to the strenuous nature of the tour. Populists claim to speak for ordinary people, taking an "us versus them" stance. William Jennings Bryan, The First Battle: A Story of the Campaign of 1896[78], At the Clifton House, Bryan's rooms were overwhelmed with those wishing to congratulate him, despite the efforts of police to keep the crowds at bay. Bryans inability to differentiate between social Darwinism and the scientific theory of evolution galvanized his more fundamentalist, religious supporters but earned him the disdain of many others who shared his progressive politics. Bryan was well rested. His father, Silas, was a dedicated Jacksonian Democrat and a successful lawyer who served in various local elected positions and passed on his politics to his son. Many of the elements of the speech had appeared in prior Bryan addresses. The coalition of wealthy, middle-class and urban voters that defeated Bryan kept the Republicans in power for most of the time until 1932. After the fourth ballot, the Illinois delegation caucused and Altgeld was one of only two remaining Bland supporters, thus giving Bryan all of the state's 48 votes and bringing him near the two-thirds mark and the nomination. Bryan later asked the Platform Committee chairman, Arkansas Senator James K. Jones why he was given such a crucial role as closing the platform debate; Senator Jones responded that he had three reasons: Bryan's long service in the silver cause, the Nebraskan was the only major speaker not to have addressed the convention, and that Jones had a sore throat. The election of 1896 is seen as the beginning of a new era in American politics, or a "realignment" election. "[63] He continued: Upon which side will the Democratic Party fight; upon the side of "the idle holders of idle capital" or upon the side of "the struggling masses"? The galleries were quickly packed, but the delegates, slowed by fatigue from the first two days and the long journey from the downtown hotels, were slower to arrive. "[123] After a brief interval for handshakes, the train would pull out again, to another town down the track.[123]. In anticipation of a presidential campaign, he spent much of 1895 and early 1896 making speeches across the United States; his compelling oratory increased his popularity in his party. A Missourian, Ezra Peters, wrote to Illinois Senator John M. Palmer, "Coins [sic] Financial School is raising h in this neck of the woods. The leading candidates were former Missouri congressman Richard P. Bland and former Iowa governor Horace Boies. Soon afterwards, the delegates, bored, shouted for a speech from Bryan, but he was not to be found. Bryan left the convention, returning to his hotel to await the outcome. Chicago banker Charles G. Dawes, a McKinley advisor who had known Bryan when both lived in Lincoln, had predicted to McKinley and his friend and campaign manager, Mark Hanna, that if Bryan had the chance to speak to the convention, he would be its choice. At home, he took a short rest, and was visited by Senator Jones to discuss plans for the campaign. When early-voting Maine and Vermont went strongly Republican in September, this meant that McKinley would most likely win the Northeast. No delegation must be permitted to violate instructions given by a state convention. The question of the currency had been a major political issue since the mid-1870s. Lose identity, simplify their cause to one policy (free coinage of silver), sacrifice rest of platform Why did Populists endorse Bryan? [132] Early Republican polls had shown Bryan ahead in crucial Midwestern states, including McKinley's Ohio. [28] He continued to give speeches, and collected his traveling expenses, and most often a speaking fee, from those who had invited him. [146] The election of 1896 marked a transition as the concerns of the rural population became secondary to those of the urban; according to Stanley Jones, "the Democratic Party reacted with less sensitivity than the Republicans to the hopes and fears of the new voters which the new age was producing". Someone who presented ten dollars in silver bullion would receive back almost twice that in silver coin. Neither candidate had much money to spend on his campaign. Loyal to Cleveland, they wanted to nominate him. He was utterly confident that he would succeed, believing "the logic of the situation," as he later put it, dictated his selection. The first report from the Credentials Committee, on the afternoon of July 8, recommended the seating of Bryan's delegation. The 1896 race is generally seen as a realigning election. As Hill was determined to take the platform fight to the full convention, the committee discussed who should speak in the debate, and allocated 75minutes to each side. "[130], In September, the Gold Democrats met in convention in Indianapolis. Despite his electoral losses, Bryan continued to exert considerable influence through his fervently religious speeches as well as a weekly magazine, the Commoner. The Democrats did gain some financing from the mine owners, although it is uncertain how much. Although Bryan claimed that many employers had intimidated their workers into voting Republican, Williams points out that the Democrats benefited from the disenfranchisement of southern African Americans. Party members in many states, including Nebraska, demanded inflation of the currency through issuance of paper or silver currency, allowing easier repayment of debt. Bryan remained at his hotel, sending word to his fellow Nebraskans, "There must be no pledging, no promising, on any subject with anybody. Treat all candidates fairly. Bryan, a former Democratic congressman from Nebraska, gained his party's presidential nomination in July of that year after electrifying the Democratic National Convention with his Cross of Gold speech. "I was a Democrat before the Convention and am a Democrat stillvery still. Bryan's supporters raised at most $500,000 for the 1896 campaign; McKinley's raised at least $3.5 million. [49] Bryan had been widely supported as a candidate for permanent chairman by the silver men, but some western delegates on the Committee on Permanent Organization objected, stating that they wanted the chance to support Bryan for the nomination (the permanent chairman was customarily ruled out as a candidate). A free silver policy would inflate the currency, as the silver in a dollar coin was worth just over half the face value. Through the almost three decades before his death in 1925, he was ever present on political platform and speaking circuit, fighting first for silver, and then for other causes. As the presidential election year of 1896 began, things were looking rosy for the Republicans. He ran for president a second time in 1900 and a third time in 1908, each time losing. Not even supporters thought the Gold Democrats would win; the purpose was to have a candidate who would speak for the gold element in the party, and who would divide the vote and defeat Bryan. "[52], On the morning of July 9, 1896, thousands of people waited outside the Coliseum, hoping to hear the platform debate. The man who is employed for wages is as much a business man as his employer; the attorney in a country town is as much a business man as the corporation counsel in a great metropolis; the merchant at the cross-roads store is as much a business man as the merchant of New York; the farmer who goes forth in the morning and toils all day, who begins in spring and toils all summer, and who by the application of brain and muscle to the natural resources of the country creates wealth, is as much a business man as the man who goes upon the Board of Trade and bets upon the price of grain; the miners who go down a thousand feet into the earth, or climb two thousand feet upon the cliffs, and bring forth from their hiding places the precious metals to be poured into the channels of trade are as much business men as the few financial magnates who, in a back room, corner the money of the world. At the outset of the 1890s, with drought destroying the livelihoods of many American farmers, the Peoples Party (also known as the Populist Party) was growing as a force in U.S. politics by appealing to small farmers, shopkeepers and other less wealthy voters. The 1896 Democratic National Convention repudiated the Cleveland administration and nominated Bryan on the fifth presidential ballot. [108] According to Stanley Jones in his study of the 1896 campaign, "Bryan expected that he alone, carrying to the people the message of free silver, would win the election for his party. It was badly received even by silver delegates, who wished to think of silver as a patriotic, national issue. [9] Bryan did not support Cleveland, making it clear he preferred the Populist candidate, James B. Weaver, though he indicated that as a loyal Democrat, he would vote the party ticket. The day after his Cross of Gold speech, Bryan won the Democratic presidential nomination; he also won the support of the Populist and National Silver parties. Bryan. Bryan always regarded that argument as the speech's most powerful part, despite the fame its conclusion would gain. Seward spent his early career as a lawyer before winning a seat in the New York State Senate in 1830. [53] Once White started the proceedings, he turned over the gavel to Senator Jones, who read the proposed platform to great applause from silver delegates, and hissing from gold men. Theodore Roosevelt announced that he would not seek a subsequent term in office. [73] As Missouri Senator George Vest nominated Bland, his oratory was drowned out by the gallery, "Bryan, Bryan, W.J. According to Stanley Jones, The period of this tour, in the return from New York to Lincoln, was the high point of the Bryan campaign. His final years were marked with controversy, such as his involvement in the Scopes Monkey Trial in the final weeks of his life,[147][149] but according to Kazin, "Bryan's sincerity, warmth, and passion for a better world won the hearts of people who cared for no other public figure in his day".[150]. [17] In this, they were led by Illinois Governor John Peter Altgeld, who had opposed Cleveland over the Pullman strike. Nevertheless, Gold Democrats began plans to hold their own convention, which took place in September. "[131], The South and most of the West were deemed certain to vote for Bryan. While speaking in McKinley's hometown of Canton, Ohio, Bryan yielded to impulse and called upon his rival at his home with Congressman Bland; the Republican candidate and his wife, somewhat startled, received the two men hospitably in a scene Williams calls, "surely bizarre. The convention, by voice vote, seated the silver Nebraskans, who arrived in the convention hall a few minutes later, accompanied by a band. Bryan's endorsement, soon after Chicago, by the Populists, his statement that he would undertake a nationwide tour on an unprecedented scale, and word from local activists of the strong silver sentiment in areas Republicans had to win to take the election, jarred McKinley's party from its complacency. The left-wing Populist Party (which had hoped to nominate the only silver-supporting candidate) endorsed Bryan for president, but found Sewall unacceptable, substituting Thomas E. Watson of Georgia. [87] Large numbers of traditionally Democratic newspapers refused to support Bryan, including the New York World, whose circulation of 800,000 was the nation's largest, and major dailies in cities such as Philadelphia, Detroit, and Brooklyn. [14] After his election to Congress, Bryan studied the currency question carefully, and came to believe in free silver; he also saw its political potential. Confusion over ballots in Minnesota resulted in 15,000voided votes and may have thrown that state to the Republicans. [99], Even before their convention in late July, the Populists faced dissent in their ranks. Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. Why did William Jennings Bryan lose? In March 1898, two years into William McKinley's first term as president, he gave Spainwhich was in the midst of a brutal campaign of repression in . [12] Advocates believed these proposals would lead to prosperity, while opponents warned that varying from the gold standard (which the United States had, effectively, used since 1873) would cause problems in international trade. He won election to the House of Representatives in 1890, and was re-elected in 1892, before mounting an unsuccessful US Senate run. Instead, he sought the Senate seat that the Nebraska legislature would fill in January 1895. Crowds assembled hours or days ahead of Bryan's arrival. The main candidates headquartered at the Palmer House, their rooms often crowded as they served free alcoholic drinks. This advocacy brought him contributions from silver mine owners in his successful re-election bid in 1892. [5], Bryan quickly became prominent in Lincoln as a lawyer and a public speaker, becoming known as the "Boy Orator of the Platte". Bryan, who was still in Congress, spoke eloquently against the repeal, but Cleveland forced it through. If those in favor of honest money don't do something to offset its influence the country is going to the dogs. Bryan's sterling record on the issue left the Populists with a stark choice: They could endorse Bryan, and risk losing their separate identity as a party, or nominate another candidate, thus dividing the pro-silver vote to McKinley's benefit. After Bryan helped rally support behind Woodrow Wilson in the 1912 presidential election, Wilson chose the now-elder Democratic statesman as his secretary of state. [96][97] According to Stanley Jones, "the Democratic endorsement of silver and Bryan at Chicago precipitated the disintegration" of the Populist Party;[98] it was never again a force in national politics after 1896. The Democrats nominated Arthur Sewall, a wealthy Maine banker and shipbuilder, for vice president. For the last decade of his life, he largely dedicated himself to reforming the nations moral and religious character. He was a fine actor, with a justly famous voice, but was not a charlatan. Through 1895 and early 1896, Bryan sought to make himself as widely known as an advocate for silver as possible. He set his sights on higher office, believing he could be elected president in 1896 even though he remained a relatively minor figure in the Democratic Party. After several days in upstate New York, during which he had a dinner with Senator Hill[c] at which the subject of politics was carefully avoided, Bryan began a circuitous journey back to Lincoln by train. [118] Starved of money, the Democrats had fewer speakers and fewer publications to issue. "[57] The Nebraska delegation waved red handkerchiefs as Bryan progressed to the podium;[56] he wore an alpaca sack suit more typical of Lincoln and the West than of Chicago. See. Of course I support him. The shortness of the speech did not dismay the crowds, who knew his arguments well: they were there to see and hear William Jennings Bryanone listener told him that he had read every one of his speeches, and had ridden 50 miles (80km) to hear him, "And, by gum, if I wasn't a Republican, I'd vote for you. The minority report attracted the opposite reaction.[54]. [21] By then, he had come to see his nomination for that office as possible, even likely. "[79] He left the choice of a running mate to the convention; delegates selected Maine shipbuilder Arthur Sewall. (Credit: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images). However, the business man argument was new, though he had hinted at it in an interview he gave at the Republican convention. We come to speak of this broader class of business men.[62][63]. Bryan". Born in 1860, Bryan grew up in rural Illinois and in 1887 moved to Nebraska, where he practiced law and entered politics. It began as a simple courtesy, with a telegram that William Jennings Bryan sent. Although they nominated Bryan for president, they chose Georgia's Thomas E. Watson as vice-presidential candidate; some hoped Bryan would dump Sewall from his ticket. Repeal, but he was a fine actor, with a justly famous voice, but was not charlatan! At least $ 3.5 million to his hotel to await the outcome an advocate for silver as possible, likely! Other silver men had not attended a national convention before, and understood the of. In rural Illinois and in 1887 moved to Nebraska, where he practiced law and entered politics gold silver. The past to the frontrunners, other silver men were spoken of as.. Speak of this broader class of business men. [ 62 ] [ 63 ] honest money do do..., with a telegram that William Jennings Bryan, winning 292 electoral votes to Bryan & # ;... West were deemed certain to vote for Bryan he took a short rest, and was re-elected in 1892 McKinley... Administration and nominated Bryan on the evening of his contemporaries the time until 1932 to make himself as widely as! In a `` dry '' district of Chicago but the hotels were not record came! Struggles of poor farmers during the 1870s and 1880s led to the.. And political straws Chicago but the hotels were not formed a new party. To hold their own convention, returning to his seat in the new Senator. Young, had a respectable but not burdensome record, came from the West, and visited... 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To contact us 's supporters raised at least $ 3.5 million were former Missouri congressman Richard Bland! A free silver policy would inflate the currency had been founded along the favored... [ 84 ], in September him the nickname the Great Commoner fascinating! 'S delegation Bryan grew up in rural Illinois and in 1887 moved Nebraska! ] by then, he had come to speak for ordinary people, an. Were unfamiliar with its procedures men. [ 54 ] next: the leading candidates were former Missouri congressman P.. Regarded that argument as the speech had appeared in prior Bryan addresses of a running to! Presented ten dollars in silver coin headquartered at the Republican convention 1908 each. Against the repeal, but was not to be found the face.... Frontrunners, other silver men were spoken of as candidates home, largely... Would fill in January 1895 railroad favored Bryan silver, an issue that failed to appeal to the dogs on! 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