Beveridge American Dream

The required reading material has made an attempt to convince the reader as to why they should essentially believe in the “American Dream.” Throughout the reading there are countless mentions and references to moments in which America had its back against the wall. However, the common denominator seen in each essay is how democracy prevailed. Each speech is so infused with patriotism that the reader, upon reading both to completion, is led to believe if someone were to lacerate each speech with the most minor of cuts, the documents would bleed red, white, and blue. In other words, each essay is attempting to convince the reader why it is so great to be an American.
When it comes to the motivation behind each speech, it is fairly easy for the reader to find the source. As mentioned earlier,
each speech is motivated by the love the writer of each speech has for their country. Each speaker is so convinced that America is the greatest country in the world that it will not accept any other country’s attempt to say otherwise. An example of this can be seen in America’s Mission in Speeches of William Jennings Bryan, Volume 2 when William Jennings Bryan states, “Great has been the Greek, the Latin, the Slav, the Celt, the Teuton and the Anglo-Saxon, but greater than any of these is the American, in whom are blended the virtues of them all” (Bryan 15). Here William Jennings Bryan elaborates on what he deems as proof as to why the United States of America is destined for future greatness. Bryan feels that one of the greatest strengths that the United States of America has is its ability learn from wins and defeats of all the past conquering civilizations.
In Albert Beveridge’s speech “The March of the Flag,” he also places his own take as to why the United States of America is the greatest of all nations. When Beveridge speaks on the matter, one of the things he greatly admires is America’s tenacity throughout history:
Distance and oceans are no arguments. The fact that all the territory our fathers bought and seized is contiguous, is no argument. In 1819 Florida was farther from New York than Porto Rico is from Chicago today; Texas, farther from Washington in 1845 than Hawaii is from Boston in 1898; California, more inaccessible in 1847 than the Philippines are now. Gibraltar is farther from London than Havana is from Washington; Melbourne is farther from Liverpool than Manila is from San Francisco. (Beveridge)
Here, Beveridge exemplifies how tenacious the United States has been in its quest to conquer land for the sake of liberty. No matter the distance, America has proved, time and time again, that it is a force to be reckoned with and that no one will stop the conquest for Liberty!
When reading the both Beveridge’s speech and Bryan’s they both give very strong speeches. However, when it comes to which speech is more persuasive, the reader is more inclined to believe that William Jennings Bryan’s speech is more persuasive. It is not that Beveridge’s lacked content or that it was not persuasive, it just was not as compelling as Bryan’s speech. An example of this can be seen when:
Will you say by your vote that America's ability to govern has decayed, that a century’s experience in self rule has failed of a result? Will you affirm by your vote that you are an infidel to American power and practical sense? Or will you say that ours is the blood of government; ours the heart of dominion; ours the brain and genius of administration? Will you remember that we do but what our fathers did-we but pitch the tents of liberty farther westward, farther southward-we only continue the march of the flag? (Beveridge)
This insert is one of the more compelling parts of Beveridge’s speech.
Do not misinterpret this insert for a lackluster attempt at persuasion. It does indeed rile up the reader for the speakers cause but the reader can be dissuaded at the Beveridge’s initial remarks that question the readers patriotism. William Jenning Bryan includes a similar passage in his speech when he states, “The hour of temptation has come but temptations do not destroy, they merely test the strength of individuals and nations; they are stumbling blocks or stepping stones; the lead to infamy or fame” (Bryan 13). He reinforces his topic by including how “Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen served together in Continental army and both were offered British gold. Arnold yielded to the temptation and made his name a synonym for treason; Allen resisted and lives in the affections of his countrymen” (13). Essentially Beveridge and Bryan are stating very similar things, yet Bryan appears more persuasive. While Beveridge questions the reader and asks whether or not the reader is on the American side or not, Bryan increases his intensity within the similar statements by given the reader an ultimatum, “Us or the
enemy”.
In each speech, the speaker enlists a great deal of material to support their message. The main difference between the two speeches can be seen in the channel in which they are be spoken. To elaborate on the matter, William Jennings Bryan evokes more emotion in his speech while Albert Beveridge suggest more independent thought with his speech. In Bryan’s speech he tends to rile the reader with thoughts that arouse anger, delight, and insight about his opinion of America’s future and past. William Jennings Bryan builds his speech more on the grounds that he provide the questions you should be thinking and that he supply the answers. This method is not necessarily an ill format for a speech but it does lead the reader to think a certain way when digesting this information.
To address the last issue of this topic, in closing, the reader must come to terms with the information that has been presented before him. When properly analyzed it can be seen that William Jennings Bryan feels that when it come to American Imperialism, resistance is futile. Bryan believes that once outside civilizations fully embraces the American liberty its opposers will come to their side realizing that the American side was the right side all along. While Albert Beveridge presents a similar argument only in a more thorough grounds. Beveridge provides examples of countries before American influence and how well they are afterwards. He presents the offer of being an “American”, a better standard of living all around. He, along with Bryan, acknowledges that resistance is futile. The only difference between the way the two view it is that Bryan believes that in the future everyone will want to be an American, while Beveridge believes that the future is America.