The cowardly lion represented William Jennings Bryan himself, whose
bark was bigger than his bite, at first. While presidential candidates stayed
home and received delegations, Bran broke the tradition in 1896. He traveled through
the country and roared. This was Baum's populist message: the powers-that-be can
only remain at the throne through deception, people's ignorance and credulity
allow the powerful to maipulate and control them.