Gillam, F. Victor, 1858?-1920

In the first vignette, Benjamin B. Odell pulls New York Senator Thomas Collier Platt’s leg as he holds onto a tree. Caption: Rubber. In the second vignette, President Roosevelt—”the good fairy”—holds a “power” wand and taps an “inter-state commerce bill” on the stomach of the “oppressive trusts.” Caption: Roosevelt, “Tag, you’re it.” In the third vignette, John D. Rockefeller pours “Standard oil” into “Congressional waters.” Caption: In his great act.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-14

Creator(s)

Gillam, F. Victor, 1858?-1920

Theodore Roosevelt, dressed as a cowboy, stands on the Western United States and has lassoed a spire arising from the “White House” with a rope labeled “Popularity.” His belt is labeled “Stability.” His gun holster is labeled “For political game.” Flying out of his saddle bag are speeches: “Stand Pat with Prosperity Speech, Prosperity Speeches, Clean Political Speeches, Common-Sense Speeches, Sound-Money Speech, Stick to Republican Prosperity, and Business Should not be Disturbed by Political Fanatics.” Caption: If our strenuous President perseveres in the line he has chosen for himself it will eventually land him at the WHITE HOUSE for another FOUR years.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-04-25

Creator(s)

Gillam, F. Victor, 1858?-1920

A black cat labeled Trusts sits on a fence between the “White House Back Yard” and the back yards of working men, business men, small dealers, and others. The Republican and Democratic Voter, the Businessman, the Working Man, and others throw bricks and other missiles at the cat from their side, while President Roosevelt shoots at it from his. Caption: “Scat!”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902

Creator(s)

Gillam, F. Victor, 1858?-1920

The “Democratic party” holds a “ruin to U.S. industries” knife with a hilt that features Alton B. Parker’s head. The Democratic party brings the knife near a group of individuals, including a “citizen,” “capitalist,” “manufacturer,” and “house owner.” The arm of the party reads, “Democratic platform: tariff for revenue only means smaller wages.” The hand has several words: “spoils,” “Hillism,” “Bryanism,” “Gormanism,” “Belmontism,” and “fallacies.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09

Creator(s)

Gillam, F. Victor, 1858?-1920

President Roosevelt introduces a Republican elephant who wears bells labeled “U.S. rights,” “merger decision,” and “Panama Canal.” Caption: Gentlemen, allow me to introduce to you a stanch, true friend of mine—one who has been weighed and found not wanting.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07

Creator(s)

Gillam, F. Victor, 1858?-1920

David B. Hill holds a bag of “silver” beside a “Democratic convention” wall. In the background, William Jennings Bryan is about to use a “free silver” axe as “democracy” kneels down and is tied to a “doubtful money” stake. Caption: Judas Iscariot (Hill) sold his party for a few pieces of silver.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-30

Creator(s)

Gillam, F. Victor, 1858?-1920

Uncle Sam holds a “Democratic platform” sandbags: “reduction of Navy,” “smaller Army,” “elimination of gold plank,” “anti-expansion,” “trust deals,” “disfranchisement,” and “free trade.” “Sound money” sand comes out of the “elimination of gold plank” sandbag.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-06

Creator(s)

Gillam, F. Victor, 1858?-1920

A man with a paper labeled “oppressive trusts” stubs his foot on a face in the shape of President Roosevelt’s face and with the label of “Sherman Anti-trust Law.” Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw and Attorney General Philander C. Knox, who holds a “merger decision” paper, look on. “Congress” is in the background.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-04-16

Creator(s)

Gillam, F. Victor, 1858?-1920

President Roosevelt sows “honest administration seeds warranted to grow a second term” in “good political soil.” Caption: Reports have it that Roosevelt will reap an unprecedented crop of votes in the fall.—Daily papers.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-05-24

Creator(s)

Gillam, F. Victor, 1858?-1920

On the left side, there is a “full treasury” bank safe replete with money bags “at the end of Roosevelt’s term.” Above the safe is a sign: “Cost of Roosevelt’s administration $2,640,000,000—population of U.S. 80,000,000.” Caption: Safe—. On the right side, there is an empty treasury “left empty through Democratic incompetency” safe at the end of Grover Cleveland’s term. Above the safe is a sign: “Cost of Cleveland’s administration $1,757,000,000—population of U.S. 65,000,000.” Caption: —Unsafe. Moral—’Tis far better to have an expensive administration that is not disastrous to the country than to have a CHEAP one that is.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-05

Creator(s)

Gillam, F. Victor, 1858?-1920

President Roosevelt wears a “Panama Canal” crown that has the label of “the greatest achievement for trade in modern times.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-04

Creator(s)

Gillam, F. Victor, 1858?-1920

President Roosevelt wears Roman military attire and leans on a “sound honest govt” sword while Arthur P. Gorman, Perry Belmont, and David B. Hill push Alton B. Parker—also dressed in Roman military attire—toward Roosevelt. The White House is in the background. Caption: (Carnegie please take notice.) The backers—”Go ahead, Parker! You’ll be a great hero IF you lay him low.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06

Creator(s)

Gillam, F. Victor, 1858?-1920

President Roosevelt sleeps as he is surrounded by a number of dreams about reelection, the Panama Canal, Tammany Hall, business and labor, and trusts.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-12

Creator(s)

Gillam, F. Victor, 1858?-1920

This cartoon summarizes a number of important political events in 1903, including presidential and vice presidential aspirations, the Panama Canal, Tammany Hall, equal rights, and the Post Office scandal. President Roosevelt is in the center with his gun in his hands and his foot on a dead “graft” bear.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-11

Creator(s)

Gillam, F. Victor, 1858?-1920

President Roosevelt leans on his big stick with “On Hunting in Africa” strapped around his shoulders. He looks across the “Potomac” at the United States Capitol Building and “T. R.’s presidential” and “twilight zone” as the darkness of “March 4th” descends.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01

Political cartoon featuring President Roosevelt and Joseph L. Bristow wielding weapons, with Roosevelt’s knife labeled “Investigation,” against the wolves of post office graft, corrupt corporations, Panama Canal obstructionists, and evil trusts.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-12-03

Creator(s)

Gillam, F. Victor, 1858?-1920