|
THEODORE ROOSEVELT – REPUBLICAN/PROGRESSIVE
Theodore Roosevelt held numerous offices prior to the Spanish-American War, but it was his heroism as the leader of the “Rough Riders” that brought him great national popularity. New York Republican bosses selected him for the governorship which he won by a slim eighteen thousand votes. Roosevelt threw off the mantle of the bosses after assuming office in 1899 and made them anxious to be rid of him. The solution was to exploit his popularity by running him as the Vice-Presidential candidate in 1900. McKinley, Mark Hanna and even Roosevelt himself disliked the idea, but Senator Thomas Platt, boss of New York State, organized a successful draft movement to nominate Roosevelt. Roosevelt added a comfortable margin to McKinley’s second victory over Bryan, but Roosevelt felt his new job would be the end of his political career.
Given Roosevelt’s personality and the growing strength of the Progressive movement, it was inevitable that Roosevelt would chart his own course. Within six months Roosevelt moved against the trusts and went on to declare that it was his job “to see to it that every man has a square deal, no more and no less.” There followed a series of domestic reforms and conservation measures that endeared him to the public. He obtained the 1904 nomination in spite of substantial party and big business opposition and went on to an easy victory over Alton B. Parker.
Having renounced a third term, Roosevelt helped nominate William Taft as his successor in 1908 and then departed for an African hunting trip. On his return he was unable to keep out of politics and became dissatisfied with his friend Taft. He decided on another run for the presidency in 1912, and when the Republicans gave Taft the nomination he bolted the party and became the candidate of the Progressive Party. During the campaign, Roosevelt was shot in Milwaukee and was saved only because the bullet hit his spectacle case and the speech folded in his breast pocket. In great pain, Roosevelt went on to finish his fifty minute address. Roosevelt got more votes than Taft, but the split in the Republican party gave the election to Woodrow Wilson. There was discussion that Roosevelt might run again in 1916 and 1920, but neither possibility occurred and he died in January, 1919.
Roosevelt’s strong personality still fascinates people and many collectors specialize in collecting his campaign items. There are a large number of single picture buttons in the twenty-five to seventy-five dollar range. Buttons showing Roosevelt in his “Rough Rider” outfit with “Teddy” bears or a bull moose are especially popular. Jugates from 1912 of Roosevelt and Hiram Johnson are valued in excess of one thousand dollars.
Taken (and revised) from The Encyclopedia of Political Buttons 1896-1972 by Ted Hake.
Hake's Americana & Collectibles
Theodore Roosevelt Memorabilia Available For Purchase |
