McCutcheon, John T. (John Tinney), 1870-1949

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-16

Creator(s)

McCutcheon, John T. (John Tinney), 1870-1949

Language

English

Theodore Roosevelt sits at his desk, writing an editorial for The Outlook before being disturbed by the sounds of naval gunfire. Hearing the ships, he rushes out of the house and rows into Oyster Bay in the midst of the warships to observe the maneuvers from close range, where he is greeted by sailors.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-07-22

A “Republican convention” newsboy delivers a telegram that says “you are nominated!” to President Roosevelt, who reaches for the telegram.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-24

President Roosevelt rides on a horse race track past the “judges’ stand” as the “grand stand” and crowds cheer him on.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-21

A number of men sit or stand in a “political waiting room—the presidential possibilities and impossibilities”: President Roosevelt, Grover Cleveland, William Jennings Bryan, Arthur P. Gorman, Alton B. Parker, William Randolph Hearst, Chicago Mayor Carter H. Harrison, Missouri Senator Francis Marion Cockrell, and George Gray. The date—March 4, 1904—is on one wall while another wall has a sign that reads, “Smoking allowed.” Roosevelt reads “How to Ketch a Catamount” while Cleveland’s book—”Fish I Have Caught”—is upside down. There are some hand-drawn additions by “REL.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-03-04

This cartoon depicts various components of President Roosevelt’s annual message, including international relations with Colombia, Canada, the Philippines, Turkey, and China; support for Civil War veterans and General Leonard Wood; and “more lighthouses for Hawaii.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-12

In this cartoon strip, President Roosevelt thinks about the annual message. In the first section, Roosevelt begins to write as a boy says, “They sent me for the message.” Caption: “Now, to write my annual message.” In the second, Roosevelt starts to put his pen down as the boy says, “I’m waiting for the message.” Caption: “I hope Hanna will take the national chairmanship.” In the third, Roosevelt dips his pen again as the boy says, “They’re waiting for me.” Caption: “Here, I’m forgetting all about this message.” In the fourth, Roosevelt puts his pen to his mouth as the boy asks, “How long will I have to wait?” Caption: “It seems to me that Hanna ought to take charge of the campaign.” In the fifth cartoon, Roosevelt’s pen starts to drip as the boy grabs a chair and says, “It’s extry when I have to wait.” Caption: “What ails this pen, anyway? I don’t seem to get started.” In the sixth, Roosevelt puts his hand on his chin as the boy says, “Gee, my time’s valuable.” Caption: “Now, if Hanna would only take the chairmanship, I’d rest easy.” In the seventh, Roosevelt sits up and looks at the boy, who says, “I’m still waiting for the message.” Caption: “Hello, what does this boy want? O, yes; he’s the boy that came for the message.” In the eighth, the boy falls asleep, and Roosevelt begins writing. Caption: “And then the President settled down to work.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-12-10

President Roosevelt puts up his left hand and holds his big stick in his right hand. “The World” and “The Sun” cross paths and turn the sky dark. There are several papers: “Is C. P. Taft a grafter?” “Is Douglas Robinson a grafter?” and “Who got the money?”

comments and context

Comments and Context

Readers of the day generally were sophisticated enough to understand when cartoonists relied on Biblical allusions, scenes from operas or mythology, or from Shakespeare or other literary sources. In this cartoon, John T. McCutcheon of the Chicago Tribune harkened to the account in the tenth chapter of Joshua.

A large crown sits perched atop a building with women holding various shields, including “Panama Canal,” “rate bill,” “prosecution of criminal trusts,” “regeneration of the Philippines.” At the top of the crown is a woman holding “conservation of natural resources” and “development of water ways.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

In the first cartoon, a newsboy carries a daily paper that reads, “1905: amount embezzled for speculation this year: $6,520,000,” and President Roosevelt says “Wake up” to a policeman. In the second cartoon, a newsboy carries a daily paper that reads, “1906: amount embezzled for speculation this year: $7,481,000,” and Roosevelt says, “Wake up” to a policeman. In the third cartoon, a newsboy carries a daily paper that reads, “1907: amount embezzled for speculation this year: $41,458,000,” and Roosevelt says, “Get busy.” In the fourth cartoon, Roosevelt watches as the policeman marches toward several men who say, “Now see what you’ve done,” “You talked too loud,” and “You’re disturbing capital.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

This cartoon by John T. McCutcheon in the Chicago Tribune illustrates a situation that was believed in some quarters and charged from others, that President Roosevelt’s criticisms of abuses in corporate America and the banking system contributed to the recent Wall Street panic. Roosevelt accepted with equanimity that such would be the case, and wrote to many friends that he accepted the accusations philosophically.

President Roosevelt celebrates his forty-ninth birthday with a variety of friends. In the upper left hand corner at the piano are New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes and Thomas Fortune Ryan singing, “Oh let us be joyful.” Booker T. Washington tells Henry Watterson, “Henry, I hope you’ll come down and visit me at Tuskegee.” Senator Joseph Benson Foraker says to Secretary of War William H. Taft, “I heard a good story today, Will.” Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon and Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks look at a picture of George Washington, and Fairbanks says, “That picture makes me sad. It reminds me of cherries.” William Randolph Hearst, James Roscoe Day, and Secretary of State Elihu Root look at a book of “Snapshots in New York.” William Jennings Bryan and Grover Cleveland play a game of checkers, and Bryan says, “After you, Grover.” J. Pierpont Morgan watches over the game with his hand on Bryan’s back. Henry Huttleston Rogers, F. Augustus Heinze, and Thomas William Lawson sit together. Lawson says, “Rogers, my boy, you must come over to Boston and visit me.” John D. Rockefeller points at Kenesaw Mountain Landis’s chest while President Roosevelt presents a bouquet to James J. Hill as William J. Long looks on. Finally, James T. Harahan, Edward Henry Harriman, and Stuyvesant Fish read “Snap Shots Along the Illinois Central.” Harriman remarks, “Very nice album, Stuyvesant, is it not?”

comments and context

Comments and Context

There are contexts behind this cartoon by John T. McCutcheon of The Chicago Tribune that might not be apparent to modern researchers. The first is somewhat evident by reading the dialog balloons between figures in the pairings or clusters. Almost appropriate for an April Fool’s cartoon instead of something closer to Halloween is the ironic juxtaposition in every case — political opponents or business rivals exchanging niceties. In fact, insights might be gained by reading the nature of their “about-face” encounters.

Several men drag bears to be tied to stakes as reporters wait in the canebrakes for President Roosevelt to arrive at his tent.

comments and context

Comments and Context

This cartoon was published before or during President Roosevelt’s descent into the dark, dangerous and almost mysterious canebrakes of Louisiana in October of 1907. In the two middle weeks of an extensive speaking tour through the Midwest and South, Roosevelt hunted black bears, not so much for a vacation (his summer vacation in Oyster Bay that year had been longer than most of his presidency) as a quest to fulfill his frustrated goal in the same general area of bayous, swamps, dense growth, snakes, panthers, wild boars, and several varieties of black bears. That 1902 trip resulted, at least, in a legend that inspired the teddy bear. But in 1907 Roosevelt would not be put off.

Eight men sleep in a bed with sweat on their forehead as they all dream about “third term sentiment.” The men include Ohio Senator Theodore E. Burton, Benjamin B. Odell, South Carolina Benjamin R. Tillman with a pitchfork, William Randolph Hearst, Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker, Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks, Edward Henry Harriman, and John D. Rockefeller of Standard Oil.

comments and context

Comments and Context

The “Third Term” question was for President Roosevelt like a bad penny or a stray dog that he could not shake. He declared on election night, 1904, that he would not stand for re-election in 1908. He made this clear to politicians and friends and, by implication — for instance, by promoting William H. Taft as a favored successor — but seldom reasserted his intentions to the public. He felt that to say it too often — and the demands to do so were incessant — would have weakened the force of the declination or seemed like “protesting too much.” He said it, and that should have been enough.

There is a flurry of activity in Washington, D.C., with people running around and an “express wagon” and “florist.” A number of signs are posted: “Bulletin—It is proposed to run Mr. Longworth for governor of Ohio,” “Later!! He has just been mentioned for U.S. Senator,” “Bulletin—A real lace hat from Paris has just arrived via messenger boy,” and “Important bulletin—Mr. Longworth has just lighted another cigar. Great excitement prevails.” A newsboy holds a newspaper that reads, “Extra—Nick has just had a sandwich.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-02

President Roosevelt dictates to his secretaries about six different topics: “plan to rejuvenate Republican party in N.Y.,” “plan to force re-organization of insurance companies,” “opinions on sea level canal,” “annual message,” “protest against foul football,” and “Irish translations.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-11-22

President Roosevelt rolls up his sleeves to write the “President’s Annual Message” while a “political grafter,” an “insurance grafter,” and a “public official grafter” watch from the window. A bear head is mounted on the wall. There are some handwritten additions on the message as well as a speech balloon coming from the bear’s mouth.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09-20

In the first vignette, a man calls to President Roosevelt, who is about to play tennis. Caption: “O, Mr. President, you’re wanted on the long distance ‘phone. Emperor William wants to discuss that Morocco matter with you.” In the second vignette, a woman calls to Roosevelt, who is about to get on a horse. Caption: “O, Mr. President, they want you on the ‘phone. President Castro wants to talk over that Venezuela matter with you.” In the third, Roosevelt is about to get on a boat. Caption: “O, Mr. President, you’re wanted on the ‘phone. The czar wants to ask you something about the peace conference.” In the fourth, Roosevelt stands in a canoe. Caption: “O, Mr. President, can you come in immediately? The mikado wants to talk with you.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-18

Three panels depict President Roosevelt’s deeds. The first shows him charging up a hill with the caption of “first in war.” The second shows him holding an olive branch under a banner that reads, “Peace! in the name of humanity,” with the caption of “first in peace.” The third shows Japanese Emperor Meiji and Russian Tsar Nicholas II shaking hands with the caption of “first in the arts of diplomacy.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-11

President Roosevelt rides a Democratic donkey pulled by a member of the “Iroquois Democratic Club” as crowds cheer. There are illustrations of Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Grover Cleveland, and William Jennings Bryan in the background.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-05-12

President Roosevelt, who is wearing snowshoes and holding a gun, looks up at a tree full of bears. Three other men rush up to meet him. Caption: “Hurry up, boys! I’ve got ’em treed.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-04-17