The resultant caricature of Hanna was given props such as moneybags and laborer 's skulls to rest his feet upon , as well as cufflinks engraved with the dollar sign to wear with his plaid businessman 's suits . He was often accompanied by William McKinley , usually drawn as a shrunken though dignified figure dominated by the giant Hanna . Even so , Davenport felt the figure seemed to lack something until the cartoonist took the dollar signs from the cufflink and placed them inside every check of the cartoon Hanna 's suit . Davenport likely acted at the suggestion of his cartoonist colleague at the '' Journal '' , M. de Lipman , who had depicted McKinley as Buddha in a loincloth with Hanna as his attendant , robes ablaze with an array of dollar signs . According to Hearst biographer Kenneth Whyte , " whatever its origins , Davenport 's ' plutocratic plaid ' , as it became known , was an instant hit . " In July 1896 , the Democrats nominated former Nebraska congressman William Jennings Bryan for president . Bryan had electrified the Democratic National Convention with his Cross of Gold speech . Bryan was an eloquent supporter of " free silver " , a policy which would inflate the currency by allowing silver bullion to be submitted by the public and converted into coins even though the intrinsic value of a silver dollar was about half its stated value . Bryan 's candidacy divided the Democratic Party and its supporters , and caused many normally Democratic papers to abandon him . Hearst called a meeting of his senior staff to decide the '' Journal '' policy . Though few favored the Democrat , Hearst decided , " Unlimber the guns ; we are going to fight for Bryan . " Davenport 's cartoons had an effect on Hanna . West Virginia Senator Nathan B. Scott remembered being with Hanna as he viewed his caricature wearing a suit covered with dollar signs , trampling women and children underfoot , and hearing the Ohioan state , " that hurts " . Hanna could not make public appearances without having to field questions about the cartoons . Nevertheless , publisher J. B. Morrow , a friend of both McKinley and his campaign manager , stated that Hanna " took his course regardless of local criticism " . McKinley made no attempt to deflect criticism from Hanna and in fact kept a file of Davenport cartoons that particularly amused him . Despite Hanna 's discomfiture , both men were content to have Hanna attacked if it meant that McKinley would not be
Democratic National Convention
1896 Democratic National Convention
Homer Davenport