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.
