Political Campaign Memorabilia. October 10, 2019

Copyright © 2019                               John F. Oyler 

October 10, 2019

Political Campaign Memorabilia

The Bridgeville Area Historical Society kicked off its 2019/2020 program season with an interesting presentation on memorabilia from past Presidential political campaigns by Mr. Stephen E. Mihaly, based on his collection of over 20,000 items. When he was a child, his family was addicted to garage sales and flea markets. One weekend they bought him a collection of campaign buttons, introducing him to a hobby that soon became an obsession.

He began his presentation with the 1896 election which pitted Republicans William McKinley and Garret Hobart against Democrats William Jennings Bryan and Arthur Sewall. The Populist Party also nominated Bryan as their candidate, with Thomas Watson as his running mate.

Mr. Mihaly reported that this election was the first one in which the candidates were marketed by the use of campaign buttons and ribbons. This contention is supported by a perusal of such artifacts on Ebay; there are lots of McKinley and Bryan buttons offered there and nothing earlier.

I was skeptical of this; one of my prize possessions is a button stating “I am a True Whig”. I realize it is a modern reproduction and that the “Last Hurrah” for the Whigs was in 1856. A possible explanation is the fact that there was a “True Whig” party in Liberia as recently as 1980. At any rate my button is appropriate for me; I am sympathetic with their positions. Certainly if Henry Clay or Daniel Webster were still alive, either one would get my vote.

The McKinley and Bryan artifacts were interesting and varied. In addition to buttons featuring photographs of the candidates ringed with bunting and patriotic flags, there were earrings, handkerchiefs, soap figures, and a gold bug pin with a picture of McKinley in one ear and Hobart in the other. The gold bug was especially relevant as the major issue in the campaign was backing currency with gold (McKinley’s preference) versus silver (Bryan’s approach).

By 1904 the use of campaign gimmicks had increased significantly. Republican Theodore Roosevelt was running against Democrat Alton Parker. Roosevelt had become President in 1901 following McKinley’s assassination; his personality was a perfect inspiration for all manner of items in addition to buttons and ribbons – spectacles, a “Big Stick” stick pin, a bandanna, a watch fob, and even a cast iron door stop. Teddy bears, of course, were an industry all their own and automatic publicity for their namesake.

In the 1912 election Woodrow Wilson’s buttons featured issues – advocacy for the eight hour work day and women’s suffrage. President Taft responded by a button declaring “I am for playgrounds”.

Another Roosevelt, Franklin, used campaign souvenirs quite effectively. The speaker showed a large mechanical button with a donkey that kicked “Depression” when you pulled a string attached to its nose. He also exploited his opposition to Prohibition with a collection of buttons promoting beer.

The first election I recall was 1936 when the Republicans ran Kansan Alf Landon against FDR. I distinctly remember Landon’s buttons which were enclosed in yellow fabric petals in honor of “the Sunflower State”. The 1940 campaign was dominated by “No Third Term” buttons, rather than ones promoting Republican candidate Wendell Willkie.

The 1952 election was dominated by the slogan “I Like Ike”, a natural which correctly illustrated the general opinion regarding Dwight Eisenhower. His opponent, Adlai Stevenson, was accidentally photographed with a hole showing in the sole of one of his shoes. In an effort to capitalize on their candidate’s humility, the Democrats put out a series of buttons showing the hole.

By accident I happened to be staying in the hotel that was the Democrats’ headquarters for their 1956 Convention. My two best friends when we were servicemen in Japan were Farris Farha (from Wichita, Kansas) and Don Wise (from Stroud, Oklahoma). Once we were safely home we decided to have a reunion in Chicago.

It was only after our plans had been made that we realized we had picked a bad week to be in Chicago, the week the Democratic Convention was in session there. Every hotel room in the city was already booked. Fortunately someone in Farris’ family had connections with Senator Robert Kerr and got us a room in the hotel that was headquarters for the Convention.

Although Stevenson had everyone’s support, the competition for the Vice Presidential nomination was intense. Instead of the Presidential candidate picking his running mate, Stevenson threw it open to the Convention. I remember rallies for “Love that Lyndon” Johnson, Hubert Humphrey, Estes Kefauver, and, most of all, for a very young John F. Kennedy.

As the electorate became more sophisticated the importance of gimmicks declined. A few exceptions were buttons showing Barry Goldwater’s characteristic horn-rimmed glasses in 1964, Jimmy Carter’s peanuts in 1976, and Ronald Reagan’s jelly beans in 1980. Too bad, I think buttons still are an effective way to make a point.

The Historical Society’s next program is scheduled for Tuesday, October 29, 2019 at 7:30 pm in the Chartiers Room, Bridgeville Volunteer Fire Department.  Robert Cranmer will discuss “The Demon of Brownsville Road”.