McKinley & Hobart

Presidential and Vice Presidential Campaign Button

麥金利&霍巴特正副總統競選鈕扣

Item number: M218

Year: AD 1896

Size: 20.2 x 20.2 x 8.9 mm

Weight: 2.7 g

Provenance: Butternut Grove Antiques 2024

This is a campaign button from AD 1896, supporting William McKinley and Garret A. Hobart, who jointly represented the Republican Party in the 28th U.S. presidential election. The button was provided for supporters to wear.

The obverse side of the button features the American flag, the “Stars and Stripes,” as the background. On the left side is the presidential candidate William McKinley, and on the right side is the vice-presidential candidate Garret A. Hobart. Below their images, their surnames “McKINLEY AND HOBART” are written in English. The reverse side of the button’s pin plate is engraved with “THE PETTIBONE MFG CO,” which signifies the trademark of the button’s manufacturer. Pettibone Manufacturing Company originated in Cincinnati and specialised in the production of various types of implements and tools.

William McKinley, originally a lawyer, had served as the Governor of Ohio. Garret A. Hobart, also a lawyer, enjoyed the support of major industrialists. Beginning in AD 1873, the United States was embroiled in debates surrounding the Coinage Act, particularly the fixed ratio of gold to silver and the minting of silver coins. Meanwhile, European countries, led by the United Kingdom, were successively establishing the gold standard. The controversy over whether the United States should adopt the gold standard or the silver standard became the pivotal issue in the AD 1896 presidential election.

McKinley and Hobart campaigned with the slogan “The dollar should be as sacred as gold,” advocating for the adoption of the gold standard. Their opponent, Democratic candidate William Jennings Bryan, took a stand for the farmers, urging support for the circulation of silver with the rallying cry, “You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.” Ultimately, McKinley won the election with 270 electoral votes to Bryan’s 163, becoming the 25th President of the United States.

Besides establishing the gold standard, McKinley’s administration also oversaw the Spanish-American War, which led to the expansion of American overseas territories. In AD 1900, McKinley was successfully re-elected. However, earlier in AD 1898, Vice President Garret A. Hobart passed away due to heart disease. Consequently, McKinley chose Theodore Roosevelt as his running mate for his second term.

On September 6, AD 1901, while visiting the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, McKinley was shot at close range by an anarchist with a revolver. He succumbed to his injuries a week later at his home, passing away at the age of 58. McKinley became the second U.S. president to be assassinated, after Lincoln. This incident led to the U.S. Secret Service, originally tasked with combating counterfeiting, being assigned the responsibility of protecting the President and Vice President.

物件編號: M218

年代: 公元 1896 年

尺寸: 20.2 x 20.2 x 8.9 mm

重量: 2.7 g

來源: 胡桃林古董 2024

這是公元1896年,連袂代表共和黨參與第28屆美國總統大選的麥金利跟霍巴特,提供給支持者配戴的競選鈕扣。

鈕扣正面以美國國旗「星條旗」為背景,左側是總統候選人麥金利,右側為副總統候選人霍巴特,下方以英文寫上兩位的姓氏「McKINLEY AND HOBART」。鈕扣背面的別針板鐫刻「THE PETTIBONE MFG CO」(佩蒂伯恩製造公司),即鈕扣製造商的商標。佩蒂伯恩是發跡於辛辛那提的製造商,製造各種不同的器具。

麥金利出身為律師,曾經擔任俄亥俄州州長。霍巴特同為律師出身,並且得到大企業家的支持。公元1873年起,美國發生圍繞《鑄幣法案》關於金銀固定比價和能否鑄造銀幣的爭議。同時在國外,以英國為首的歐洲國家陸續確立金本位制度。關於美國該師從金本位或銀本位的爭議,就成為公元1896年此次總統大選的關鍵議題。

麥金利和霍巴特提出「美元應當和黃金一樣神聖」採納金本位的口號。競爭者民主黨參選人威廉·布萊恩則站在農民立場,呼籲「不該將人類釘死在黃金十字架上」支持白銀流通。最終的選舉結果,麥金利以270票勝過布萊恩163票,成為美國第25任總統。

麥金利確立金本位制度外,任內發生美西戰爭擴張美國的海外殖民地。公元1900年,麥金利成功連任。不過稍早在公元1898年,霍巴特因心臟病逝於副總統任上,故麥金利此次選擇狄奧多·羅斯福擔任副手。

公元1901年9月6日,麥金利在水牛城參訪泛美博覽會時,遭到無政府主義者近距離以左輪手槍刺殺,一星期後重傷的麥金利在自宅過世,享年58歲。麥金利成為繼林肯後,第二位遭刺殺的美國總統,此事也促成財政部轄下,原為追緝假鈔的美國特勤局肩負保護正副總統的任務。

類似/相同物件 請看:

美國 麥金利總統圖書館暨博物館 McKinley Presidential Library and Museum

https://mckinleymuseum.org/

美國 國家歷史博物館 National Museum of American History

https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/nmah_1829977

更多相關訊息請參考:

https://www.luikerwaal.com/newframe_uk.htm?/merk_pettibone_uk.htm

https://www.britannica.com/event/Cross-of-Gold-speech

陳雨露、楊棟,《世界金融大歷史3000年:從古希臘城邦經濟到華爾街金錢遊戲》(台北市:野人文化出版社,2019)

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