Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956

A well-dressed businessman, wearing top hat and coat and a button that states “Don’t Knock, Boost,” sits atop a pile of account ledgers labeled “How to Evade the Law, Juggled Books, Secret Rebate Account, [and] Bribery Stubs,” money bags labeled “Yellow Dog Fund, Private Graft, Other People’s Money, [and] Public Service Graft,” boxes labeled “Stock Gambling Acc., Syndicate Profits, [and] Fees,” and other items labeled “Fees” and “Worthless Collateral.” A notice attached to the pile states “Destroy if Investigated.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-11-20

A stone wall labeled “Rotten Finance” is constructed with stones showing the faces of many businessmen and financiers, including John D. Rockefeller, J. Pierpont Morgan, and Edward Henry Harriman. On the ground, in front of the wall, is a broken egg labeled “Confidence.” Caption: Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall; / Humpty-Dumpty had a great fall. / All the Street’s horses and all the Street’s men / Can’t put Humpty back again.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-11-27

Theodore Roosevelt, perspiring profusely, tries to keep a spinning William H. Taft labeled “Taft Boom” aloft with a “Diabolo,” by catching him on a string strung between two sticks and tossing him up again.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-12-11

President Roosevelt, as little Lord Fauntleroy, helps elderly Uncle Sam, bloated by “Overcapitalization” and a bandaged right foot labeled “Wall Street,” walk with a cane. Caption: “Lean on me, Grandpa.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-12-18

Miss Democracy wakes up startled, in bed, on Christmas day. Her bedroom is filled with presents, everything bearing the countenance of William Jennings Bryan: the ornaments on the Christmas tree, the face on the grandfather clock, the handle on an umbrella, the inside of the horn on a gramophone, as well as Bryan portraits, busts, pillows, and dolls, and a copy of “Bryanecdotes.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-12-25

In the Garden of Eden, God or an angel labeled “The Trusts” points toward an apple tree labeled “The Tariff.” Theodore Roosevelt, as Adam, is crouched behind a fig bush to hide his nakedness, and Eve is standing among palms, her body hidden mostly by long hair labeled “Republican Party.” The figures and faces of various trust magnates and trust-friendly legislators are in bushes and trees throughout the cartoon. Caption: “Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it.” Genesis 2:3

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-08-14

Theodore Roosevelt, wearing a blindfold labeled “The Tariff,” plays blind man’s bluff with a child-like figure labeled “Competition.” Caption: The Administration admits that its efforts to bring about competition among the trusts have been futile.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-08-21

Theodore Roosevelt sets a back-fire with the face of William H. Taft, to break the progress of a fire labeled “3rd Term” with the face of Roosevelt in the background.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-08-28

Theodore Roosevelt, as an old washer-woman, scrubs a young boy labeled “Flim-Flam Finance” with soapy water from a pot labeled “Honesty Soap.” Three faces are visible in the puddles forming on the ground: Edward Henry Harriman, John D. Rockefeller, and possibly Henry Huttleston Rogers, a key Standard Oil figure. Caption: (Regards to Pears’ Soap).

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-09-04

Creator(s)

Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956

Theodore Roosevelt appears as a giant sitting on a rock with a large stick across his lap. He is being challenged by a diminutive figure labeled “The Constitution” with a large sword and two even smaller figures labeled “You” and “Me.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-03-20

An old man labeled “T.C.P.” (Thomas Collier Platt) wears ragged clothing and holds a crutch labeled “Republican Machine.” A small jug labeled “Express Co.” is next to him where he sits, on the steps to a municipal building showing the base of columns in the background. Everyone nearby is fleeing from him as though he is a leper.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-03-27

Theodore Roosevelt, as a hayseed from “Oyster Bay,” is being greeted by Edward H. Harriman, as J. Pierpont Morgan and James J. Hill look on from around a doorway in the background. Caption: “Well, if this ain’t Uncle Ted Roosevelt! How’s all the folks at dear old Oyster Bay?”

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-04-03

Andrew Carnegie, as a Scottish dove with a bagpipe and wearing a kilt, is standing on a cracked platform labeled “Tested at Sandy Hook.” In the background is a dovecote labeled “Carnegie Hall.” Caption: The Skibo dove of peace.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-04-10

Theodore Roosevelt as Martin Luther drafts his “Message to Congress Series H No. 4723.” He is standing at a desk and is about to throw an ink pot at the devil who is hovering to the right, holding up a crown labeled “3rd Term” while shying away from possible injury.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-04-17

A shy Theodore Roosevelt, as John Alden, talks to Priscilla Mullins, labeled “Republican Party” and sitting before a fireplace, with spinning wheel nearby. William H. Taft, as Miles Standish, stands outside the door. Caption: Priscilla — Why don’t you speak for yourself, Theodore?

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-04-24

Theodore Roosevelt stands on a hill in the background, as two large bears labeled “Interstate Commerce Commission” and “Federal Courts” break up a crowd of Wall Street capitalists and stock market manipulators, causing them to scatter in all directions. The men include Charles S. Mellen, William K. Vanderbilt, Henry Huttleston Rogers, J. Pierpont Morgan, James J. Hill, George Jay Gould, John D. Rockefeller, James McCrea, William H. Newman, Edward Henry Harriman, and Joseph Benson Foraker.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-05-08

Three members of a fife and drum corp marching into battle all have the face and figure of Theodore Roosevelt.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-05-17

A crowd of capitalists on Wall Street flees a volcano labeled “Common Honesty” erupting in the background. They are carrying packages labeled “Secret Rate Schedules, Rebate Agreements, Watered Stocks, [and] Frenzied Accounts.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-05-22

At a wedding ceremony, William Jennings Bryan is marrying “Miss Democracy.” The “Best Man,” both “Usher[s],” the “Bride’s Pa,” the “Maid of Honor,” both bridesmaids, and the priest all have the face of Bryan. Caption: “What therefore destiny hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-05-29

Charles W. Fairbanks appears as a teddy bear. Caption: Devised by the publicity department of the Fairbanks boom, to counteract the alarming popularity of the teddybear.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-06-05