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An Al Smith Birthday Card and Token
BillJones
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This is part of my political items collection, but its venue is unusual. Here is a birthday card with an Al Smith token mounted in it. The sender was hoping that Smith would be elected president in 1928. Smith lost that race to Herbert Hoover by a wide margin.
Here are detailed pictures of the token:
Al Smith had been a very popular New York politician. He had held numerous state offices, most recently Governor of New York. He thought that his popularity would carry over to the national stage, but he was wrong. Smith was the first Roman Catholic to be nominated for president. That became a major undercurrent in the campaign.
Although Herbert Hoover and the leadership of the Republican Party did not support it, there was an extensive anti Catholic, anti Smith movement during the election. Wild claims were made that if Smith were elected, he would be a tool of the pope. Pamphlets and cards were issued to pushed this charge. The KKK, which was very strong in the 1920s, sponsored much of this campaign.
Smith's candidacy was also hurt by his push to end Prohibition. Although he would later be proved correct on this issue, his efforts in that direction were premature given the mood of the country.
Smith lost the election is a landslide, with Hoover winning 58% of the popular vote to Smith's 41%. In the Electoral College the vote was Hoover 444, Smith 87. Smith even lost his home state, New York, after he had twice been elected governor there.
Here are a couple of anti-Smith pieces. This first one is a card with a nasty little limerick.
The second is a button. I guess the people who issued this piece missed the memo that Catholics are Christians.
Here are detailed pictures of the token:
Al Smith had been a very popular New York politician. He had held numerous state offices, most recently Governor of New York. He thought that his popularity would carry over to the national stage, but he was wrong. Smith was the first Roman Catholic to be nominated for president. That became a major undercurrent in the campaign.
Although Herbert Hoover and the leadership of the Republican Party did not support it, there was an extensive anti Catholic, anti Smith movement during the election. Wild claims were made that if Smith were elected, he would be a tool of the pope. Pamphlets and cards were issued to pushed this charge. The KKK, which was very strong in the 1920s, sponsored much of this campaign.
Smith's candidacy was also hurt by his push to end Prohibition. Although he would later be proved correct on this issue, his efforts in that direction were premature given the mood of the country.
Smith lost the election is a landslide, with Hoover winning 58% of the popular vote to Smith's 41%. In the Electoral College the vote was Hoover 444, Smith 87. Smith even lost his home state, New York, after he had twice been elected governor there.
Here are a couple of anti-Smith pieces. This first one is a card with a nasty little limerick.
The second is a button. I guess the people who issued this piece missed the memo that Catholics are Christians.
Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
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Cheers, RickO
He sounded tougher than Edward G Robinson
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Great item- Have you ever seen old film clips of Smith or Smith's voice from a radio broadcast?
He sounded tougher than Edward G Robinson
No, I never have heard his voice come to think of it.
Here is a bit more about Al Smith with a couple more of his campaign pieces.
Al Smith preceded Franklin D. Roosevelt as Governor of New York, and Smith considered FDR to be his protégé. After FDR was elected president in 1932, Smith became more conservative and broke with him on a number of issues.
Some think that there was some jealously involved. Smith had lost the presidential race partly because of the Catholic issue, and he had been one election too late to take advantage of The Great Depression as a campaign issue.
The symbol of Smith's 1928 presidential campaign was the brown derby he wore. It appeared on a number of his campaign items.
Campaign button with a derby hanger.
Enamel pin with a donkey wearing a derby.
Smith was also the "Wet" candidate in 1928
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
I've always thought of that election as being especially nasty.
I have heard recordings of his voice and I've read that his thick NY accent didn't sit well with rural America.
"If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"
My Washington Quarter Registry set...in progress