Bryan’s arguments focus on economic development. That is, he seeks to improve the quality of life for the people of the United States. While this was the platform on which both parties ran, the difference lay in how they wanted to approach the issue. Bryan does not concern himself with the interests of the businessmen and banks that the Republicans focused on. Instead, he uses the speech to explain what he thinks will help the working people of the country, particularly those living outside of cities.

Bryan portrays money and the ongoing depression as the most crucial topics. He opens “Cross of Gold” by calling bimetallism “a cause as holy as the cause of liberty” (199). Later, when addressing why other issues are not being dealt with, he says, “[W]hen we have restored the money of the Constitution, all other necessary reforms will be possible, and that until that is done there is no reform that can be accomplished” (204). Bryan characterizes the issue as “a struggle between the ‘idle holders of idle capital’ and ‘the struggling masses who produce the wealth and pay the taxes of the country’” (205). Rather than relying on wealth to flow down, he wants to support American blue-collar workers.