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Who was Garret Hobart? Part 2

Editor’s note: This is part of a weekly series marking the 120th anniversary of Niles native William McKinley’s U.S. presidency.

When William McKinley secured the presidential nomination, his first major decision was his selection for vice president.

U.S. Sen. Marc Hanna, R-Ohio, wanted McKinley to select a vice president from the east coast, as he knew that an eastern vice president was crucial in attracting those voters for McKinley. Hanna also wanted a vice president who appealed to the business interests in the United States.

McKinley and Hanna selected three candidates that met the criteria. McKinley’s first choice was House Speaker Thomas Reed from Maine. Reed rejected McKinley’s overtures because he wanted to be the presidential candidate. McKinley’s second choice was Governor Levi Morton of New York; Morton rejected McKinley’s invitation because he knew that Hanna was opposed to him.

Hanna recommended that McKinley nominate Garret Hobart from New Jersey. Hobart met all of the criteria: Hobart was for the gold standard and the protective tariff, and he was also a successful businessman.

McKinley and Hobart were strangers when they were paired on the Republican ticket. The two were still strangers throughout the campaign. McKinley went back to Canton and campaigned from his front porch. Hobart, likewise, campaigned from the portico of his home in Patterson, New Jersey. Hobart’s campaigning helped secure New Jersey for the Republican ticket, which helped secure the Republican party’s victory in November.

Hobart came to Washington knowing that McKinley would not be able to undertake all of the social obligations that were associated with the presidency because of Mrs. McKinley’s physical limitations.

Vice President and Mrs. Jenny Hobart entertained lavishly with many dinner parties and afternoon smokers. McKinley could be found there often, as it let him meet informally with leaders from both parties.

The friendship that developed between Jenny Hobart and Ida McKinley was crucial in strengthening the bond between McKinley and Hobart. Jenny visited Ida on a daily basis. McKinley appreciated Jenny’s attentiveness to Ida. McKinley could depend on Jenny to come stay with Ida when he had to leave the White House for an evening function.

Hobart became one of McKinley’s and the cabinet’s most trusted advisers. Oddly, Hobart was not invited to the cabinet meetings, though McKinley and the cabinet would later discuss with Hobart the ramifications of important decisions. Hobart’s advice to McKinley and the cabinet was sound and well thought out.

Hobart became McKinley’s liaison to the business community. McKinley was so impressed with Hobart’s business savvy that he turned over a portion of his monthly presidential salary for Hobart to invest.

Hobart’s health began to fail in the early part of 1899. He began to have fainting spells, which were triggered by heart problems. McKinley, knowing that Hobart’s health was failing, requested that his vice president perform one final task for him.

Russel Alger, the Secretary of War, was embroiled in scandal. The War Department had purchased bad beef during the Spanish American War from unscrupulous vendors. The scandal had come to light after the war. McKinley was unable to fire his old friend, and Secretary of State John Hay declined to fire him.

McKinley requested that Hobart fire Alger. Hobart and Alger had become friends, and Alger started spending weekends at the Jersey Shore in 1899. When Alger came to visit Hobart at the Jersey Shore in the early part of August 1899, Hobart told Alger that McKinley wanted him to resign or be fired. Alger did not believe Hobart. He went to see McKinley when he returned to Washington. Alger immediately resigned.

Patrick Finan of Cortland is the retired former library director of the McKinley Memorial Library in Niles.

columns@tribtoday.com

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