Hobart, 1896 |
b. June 3, 1844, Long Branch, N.J., U.S.
d. Nov. 21, 1899, Paterson, N.J. |
Prominent politician who was vice president of the United States (1897-99) in the conservative Republican administration of Pres. William McKinley.
Admitted to the New Jersey bar in 1869, Hobart began practice in Paterson and soon won a wide reputation in business and legal circles. His political career began with a term in the state assembly (1873-75). Later he was a state senator (1877-82) and president of that body the last two years. He was chairman of the state Republican committee (1880-91) and became a member of the Republican National Committee in 1884.
When McKinley was nominated for president in 1896 on a platform stressing hard money and a high tariff, Hobart was a natural choice for second place on the ticket; he came from a densely populated state and was an avid supporter of the gold standard. His one important act as vice president was to cast the tie-breaking vote in 1899 against an amendment to the treaty with Spain that would have promised future independence for the Philippine Islands.
