This Artifact-of-the-Month selection was originally posted on August 13th, 2024.

“I’d rather be elected to that office [the Presidency] than have anything tangible of which I know.”  – Theodore Roosevelt

For Theodore Roosevelt, the 1904 presidential election was his chance to finally shed the title of “accidental president.” Although he had served almost 3.5 years in office, he was cognizant of the fact that he had become president solely because of William McKinley’s assassination. TR viewed the election of 1904 as his opportunity to be elected on his own merits. 

TR’s entire career path had prepared him for this moment. He was a seasoned campaigner, having run successfully for elected office himself as well as having campaigned on behalf of other Republican presidential candidates. In 1900, as McKinley’s vice-presidential candidate, he delivered nearly 700 speeches in 24 states. The energetic president was ready to hit the campaign trail! 

However, that wasn’t possible. At the turn of the twentieth century, tradition dictated that it was improper for the current president to actively campaign for votes. For TR, noted as a man of action, this limitation must have been very difficult to accept. Instead of participating in rallies and giving speeches, he was forced to rely on statements and political ambassadors, including his vice-presidential running mate Charles Fairbanks, to do the campaigning for him. He wasn’t even able to attend the Republican National Convention, which took place in Chicago on June 21-23, 1904, where he was nominated unanimously on the first ballot. 

TR was officially notified of his nomination at Sagamore Hill, his home in Oyster Bay, Long Island (NY) on July 27, 1904. A delegation of fifty-four Republicans attended as TR gave his acceptance speech out in front of the house. The Artifact of the Month is a postcard to commemorate this event, featuring a photograph of TR and some of the delegates. In the midst of the 2024 presidential election, this object is a reminder of how very different elections were in TR’s time versus today. 

Why do you think campaigning has changed so drastically? Which method of campaigning do you think you would like better?

– Amy Sanderson, Collections Manager