Cunningham, Joseph Harry, 1865-1946

President Roosevelt uses his patented “Roosevelt invigorator” with “necessary measures,” “anti-injunction,” “anti-trust,” and “currency legislation” to blow into the mouth of a “Do Nothing 60th Congress” elephant costume that appears to be on Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon who says, “A storm must be brewing.” Roosevelt’s big stick lies on the ground with the United States Capitol building in the background.

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Joseph Harry Cunningham in the Washington Herald almost anticipated a Rube Goldberg invention, in those eponymous cartoon panels with complicated mechanisms that required patient study and ultimately accomplished little. In this political cartoon President Roosevelt works the bellows to inflate an elephant costume with Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon inside.

Uncle Sam looks up at the sky and sees several eclipses: a “partial eclipse in New York” with Charles Evans Hughes, a “partial eclipse in Penns.” with Philander C. Knox, a “partial eclipse in Wisconsin” with Robert M. La Follette, a “partial eclipse in Indiana” with Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks, a “partial eclipse in Illinois” with Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon, a “total eclipse in Chicago,” and a “partial eclipse in Ohio” with William H. Taft. “My world” with President Roosevelt is about to overshadow Taft.

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Things were looking up in 1908. . .or at least people were looking up to the heavens. An unusually high number of solar and lunar eclipses were due that year, and the spectacular once-in-a-lifetime Halley’s Comet was due to brighten the skies in 1910. All were matters of public discussion and newspaper feature stories.

President Roosevelt fires a “rapid-firing message gun” from the White House at Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon as a “third term” animal looks over Roosevelt’s shoulder. Cannon bends over as he is hit with “forest reserves,” “postal bank law,” “anti-injunction,” “executive control,” “power over securities,” and “control of wealth.” The United States Capitol building is in the distance and a “big maul” gavel and “former messages” are on the ground.

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Joseph Harry Cunningham’s drawing in the Washington Herald is an unfortunate example of how an important and even salient point might be buried at the hands of an inferior cartoonist. The context is simple — and historically significant — about the management of President Roosevelt reform program; a major policy address, recently delivered to Congress as a Special Message; and the growing intransigence of the Republican Old Guard regarding Roosevelt’s initiatives.

Secretary of War William H. Taft sits at his desk filled with “official business” papers as the shades of Uncle Sam and President Roosevelt stand behind him. Roosevelt points out the window at cannons firing for Wisconsin Senator Robert M. La Follette, Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks, Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon, Philander C. Knox, New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes, and the most for Taft.

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More than two months before the Republican National Convention convened to nominate a presidential cabinet, cartoonist Joseph Harry Cunningham of the Washington Herald presumed that William H. Taft would be the party’s choice; as did most of the country.

President Roosevelt and William Jennings Bryan look at each other. In between them are two hearts–“our policies”–with the arrow of “public welfare” through them.

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Joseph Harry Cunningham’s cartoon in the Washington Herald did not appear on Valentine’s Day, nor even April Fool’s Day, so it evidently fell in the category then of common discussion. President Roosevelt recently had delivered a long, substantial, and fairly radical special message to Congress. In the paper he outlined an extensive list of policy prescriptions for the last year of his presidency and beyond.

President Roosevelt sits at his desk with a long list for his “next message!!!” On the desk is his big stick–“coaxer”–and on the wall is a calendar with half the days of March checked off. Roosevelt tells Rhode Island Senator Nelson W. Aldrich and Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon, “Now go–and get busy.”

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March 1908 marked the beginning of the last year of President Roosevelt’s administration, and a period of increased activity. Other presidents might have, and did, see a possibility to rest in the waters of a lame-duck status, but it was not Roosevelt’s style.

In the first cartoon, President Roosevelt holds his “big stick” and a paper that reads, “Election Day 1904: Under no circumstances will I be a candidate for or accept another nomination.” In the second cartoon, Roosevelt holds his “big stick” and a paper that reads, “December 12, 1907: I have not changed, and shall not change the decision thus announced.” In the third cartoon, the people holds the “big stick,” and Roosevelt defers to it in Chicago on June 16, 1908. In the fourth cartoon, a larger group of people hold the “big stick” and Roosevelt defers on November 3, 1908.

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Joseph Harry Cunningham of the Washington Herald apparently wanted to be a prophet as well as a cartoonist in this four-panel treatment of the 1908 political season. Aided by veloxes or photostats to enable him to depict identical figures, even in evolving sizes, Cunningham depicted the phases of President Roosevelt’s declination of another term in the White House.

President Roosevelt points with his left hand as a huge shadow of William H. Taft assumes the same position.

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Cunningham’s drawing in the Washington Herald likely accompanied an article or editorial favorably discussing the potential Republican presidential candidate. President Roosevelt had not made a public endorsement at this time; nor had William H. Taft publicly announced his ambitions around this date. On March 16, 1908, Taft delivered a speech on industrial education as the means for advancement of black citizens in America. (It was delivered at Plymouth Church in Brooklyn, Henry Ward Beecher’s pulpit for years.)

President Roosevelt begins sweating as he attempts to keep a “third term” demon in a box. Uncle Sam watches on and says, “Your match at last.”

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This cartoon appeared in the Washington Herald, and despite its local publication, was clipped and pasted alongside cartoons from across the United States (and the world) in scrapbooks compiled by the White House staff. It was a clever and commendable method for President Roosevelt to maintain contact with opinions across America, and perhaps to assist him in forming his opinions.

President Roosevelt holds his big stick “for reactionaries,” a knife “for corporate wealth,” and a blunderbuss “for malefactors.” Representative Nicholas Longworth holds a play sword and says, “That’s my dad.”

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Joseph Harry Cunningham of the Washington Herald drew a rare caricature of Representative Nicholas Longworth, and rarer still, a cartoon featuring the Congressman and his father-in-law President Roosevelt. The cartoon features a routine (for opposing cartoonists) dismissive caricature of Roosevelt, in his Rough Rider outfit and with the iconic paraphernalia associated with his policies.

President Roosevelt and William Jennings Bryan sit in an “our policies” wagon with boxes labeled “speeches W. J. B.” and “messages T. R.” The wagon is drawn by an elephant and a donkey. In a much smaller wagon, Arkansas Senator Jeff Davis is riding in “the inspirer” wagon drawn by a dog. He says, “Hooray!”

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Cartoonist Joseph Harry Cunningham looked ahead to the 1908 presidential nominating conventions and elections with the observation that President Roosevelt (who had declaimed interest in succeeding himself) and twice-defeated Democratic candidate William Jennings Bryan shared increasingly similar views on some issues. The observation was not rare among cartoonists, but the amity depicted between the two men was certainly exaggerated.

President Roosevelt tells a “third term” cat to scat. Attached to its tail is the “special message.”

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Cartoonist Joseph Harry Cunningham left readers wondering whether President Roosevelt was a victim of circumstances, or a manipulative politician in this drawing, published after the delivery of a lengthy, electric, policy-laden message to Congress. The annual message summarized the administration’s substantial record of accomplishments, and charted an ambitious agenda of change and reform.

President Roosevelt eats dinner with several men dressed in country attire with knives and pistols. The main course is a bear, placed at the center of the table. In the background, another bear peers into the room, “Gee! No faking there.” William Loeb hides underneath the table. A picture frame with the words “Dr. Long” is hung on the wall.

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Under President Roosevelt, more than any other president including Thomas Jefferson, there was a catholicity of interests, experiences, and professions at White House social events and dinners. The president was not catering to diverse interest groups, but rather his meetings, receptions, and dinners reflected the polymath that he was.

President Roosevelt holds “relief sauce” in his right hand and wears a belt with a buckle that says, “In God we trust.” Behind him is “confidence pudding” with steam that says, “for everybody.” In the background is a turkey labeled “bank deposits” that says, “saved.”

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Cartoonist Joseph Harry Cunningham utilized the Thanksgiving holiday to find a theme for a political cartoon, and a vehicle for an entire menu of attacks on President Roosevelt. Besides the Thanksgiving holiday, in 1907 this was a season of economic distress and uncertainty — even panic, as the Wall Street bank failures and stock-market losses collectively were called.

President Roosevelt and Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon shy away from scary toys, as William Loeb watches from behind an iron fence. Frightened also are Senator Philander C. Knox, and Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks. William Jennings Bryan holds a “tariff revision” snake and a children’s toy labeled, “death to trusts.”

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For a cartoon in the reliably Republican Washington Herald, Joseph Cunningham’s cartoon critically but realistically depicts Republican leaders as frightened little boys as the neighborhood bully scares them with a toy snake and a phony spider.

President Roosevelt is depicted as Ben-Hur and drives a chariot of four horses: “public honesty,” “square deal,” “publicity,” and “centralization.” He leads the chariot race. Behind him are “swollen fortune” and a “reactionary.” On the ground are an “undesirable citizen” and a “molly-coddle.” In the stands are Miss Columbia, William Loeb, Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker, Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon, Pennsylvania Senator Philander C. Knox, Secretary of War William H. Taft, Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks, New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes, and Secretary of the Treasury George B. Cortelyou.

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In a regrettably typical cartooning overreach, the Washington Herald‘s Joseph Harry Cunningham transforms a popular image in the public’s consciousness into a putative grand statement on the current political situation. Beyond the idea that President Roosevelt was engaged in racing ahead with several policy agendas, pursued by opponents of those programs, there was little that was prescient, or that would bring a new insight to readers.

New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes is depicted as a jack-in-the-box and holds two paddles: “I know no boss” and “my own ideas.” Hughes says to President Roosevelt, who seems surprised, “Haven’t said a word.” Meanwhile, William H. Taft runs away with “Cleveland’s election” cut into the seat of his pants and says, “Back to the Philippines for Willie.”

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President Roosevelt, resolutely refusing to seek renomination in 1908, resisted the speculation and the desires of many who wished that he would break his pledge. He let it be known –not officially but clear to anyone reading between the lines of his letters and comments — that his preference lay with Secretary of War William H. Taft.

President Roosevelt shakes the “popularity” tree with spikey sweet gum tree balls labeled “North-west endorsement,” “Western approval,” and “Eastern sentiment.” “Southern approval” hits Roosevelt in the head. On the ground are two books: “Studies of the Fall Season” and “Nature Stories by T. Roosevelt.” William Loeb looks over a fence and says, “I’m to blame.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-12

President Roosevelt holds a “cable to W.H. Taft (special)” and speaks to Ohio Representative Theodore E. Burton who holds a crutch–“Roosevelt’s support”–and has his right arm in his sleeve–“Cleveland Electric Railway Help.” His head is bandaged and labeled, “Taft’s endorsement” as he says, “I-I-did the best I could under the circumstances.” In the background, William Loeb says, “I’m to blame.” There are a number of telegrams to the right of Roosevelt’s chair: “Johnson’s plurality: 8000–,” “Johnson wins,” and “Good-bye, Con Con.”

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This rather complicated cartoon by Joseph Harry Cunningham well represents a situation in Ohio state politics with national implications, in 1907. The implications of the political situation addressed by the drawing were more important than average House races, which is at the center of the cartoon.

President Roosevelt sits on a pier and fishes with “real live bait” and says, “I object to wasteful destruction.” Grover Cleveland says, “I am opposed to fishing hoggery” with a book beside him entitled “True Sport.” In the background there is an “Anglers’ Club” with “Rev Dr Van Dyke” as president.

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The Reverend Henry Van Dyke was a Presbyterian Minister, professor of English literature at Princeton, and author of popular novels and short stories. He also wrote the words to Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee,” that became a standard in many hymnals.