Richards, F. T. (Frederick Thompson), 1864-1921

Theodore Roosevelt, dressed in a Rough Rider outfit, marches while holding a pile of speeches in one hand and a rope attached to the trunk of a parading “circus” elephant in the other hand. The elephant is pulling a large wagon labeled “prosperity” and is filled with a strapped-down bundle labeled “Western Votes.” The elephant itself is wearing an “Uncle Sam” hat and has a large blanket over its back labeled “G.O.P.” as well as four discs hanging off the bottom of it. The four discs are labeled “Larger Navy, Panama Canal, Anti-Trust Laws, and Monroe Doctrine.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-05-04

Theodore Roosevelt and three potential presidential rivals are depicted as different species of flowers. A female figure labeled Columbia (likely representing the U.S.) is watering the Roosevelt flower, Beautii Americanus Teddyum, with a can labeled 1904. The flower names given to the rivals portray them in a negative way. They are Groverum Third Terminus (Grover Cleveland), Sixteen to Oneicus Rubberum (William Jennings Bryan), and Peanutti Politicus Dave Hillum (David B. Hill).

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-04-15

Attorney General Knox drives the Republican elephant, carrying President Roosevelt, on the road of prosperity, knocking a car labeled Grinding Monopoly off the road. Caption: Roosevelt to Knox–Keep the elephant along the line of common sense regulation, Knox, but clean out the illegal combinations.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-04-03

Uncle Sam chops wood with various Roosevelt quotes regarding the Monroe Doctrine with a saw labeled after the same doctrine. Two men representing world powers get too close to the blade. Caption: Uncle Sam:–“Look out, boys; the doctrine’s not on a dead center, by any means”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-04-03

William Jennings Bryan is shown holding his foot in pain after he tried to kick a hat labeled Republican policy that was hiding two bricks labeled public confidence and prosperity under it. President Roosevelt smiles from his hiding place behind the wall. Item is regarding the popularity of Republican policies. Caption: Bryan:–“That was a little too solid and substantial for me I’m sorry I kicked.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-04-01

President Roosevelt is shown leading a group of animals labeled after different Western states. Caption: When Teddy comes marching home again he’ll have a new story to tell.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-03-31

Uncle Sam stands next to the 1904 trophy as President Roosevelt holds a ship labeled Prosperity and Progress. William Jennings Bryan glares as Grover Cleveland sits on the anchor of his toy ship. Caption: Bryan-“If the old party would only get off the anchor I might, at least, set sail.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-03-19

Uncle Sam hands President Roosevelt a shovel as he starts to dig the Panama Canal himself. Caption: Uncle Sam:-“Now for a little strenuousness, Mr. President. We’re Waiting for You.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-03-18

President Roosevelt rides over the “Cuban Reciprocity Bill,” the “Panama Canal Bill,” and the ratification of treaties towards a goal.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-03-16

President Roosevelt is shown in colonial dress with an axe labeled Anti-Trust Laws. Behind him a giant tree labeled Opposition to Anti-Trust Legislation is shown chopped down with branches labeled after various trusts. President Washington looks on angrily. Caption: George Washington Roosevelt: –Father, I cannot tell a lie, I did it with my little hatchet.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-02-22

Cartoon shows President Roosevelt hunting two large bears labeled Trusts and Cuban Tariff. A dead bear labeled Coal Strike is off to the side, the Cuban Tariff bear is running away and the Trusts bear is standing in front of Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-11-15

President Roosevelt, atop the Republican elephant wearing a banner stating “Curb the Trusts,” blocks the path of a small vehicle labeled “Republican Machine.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-09-09

President Roosevelt is shown breaking through a ring labeled Prosperity on a horse, dressed as a Rough Rider, as men representing the trusts scramble out of his way.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-08-27

Uncle Sam carries a giant scroll representing President Roosevelt’s message to Congress regarding commercial relief for Cuba. Men representing the “beet sugar” industry and “anti-reciprocity senators” are knocked out of the way as Uncle Sam marches on.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-06-14

A blindfolded and policy-laden Republican elephant is being led by two blindfolded men towards the edge of a cliff labeled “Beef Trust,” as Theodore Roosevelt dressed as a Rough Rider runs after them.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-04-28

Cartoon depicts Attorney General Philander C. Knox butting heads with a large bull labeled “Beef Trust.” A damsel in distress labeled “The Public” is tied to the back of the bull.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-04-26

President Roosevelt holds a large “popularity” roll as he sits atop a G. O. P. elephant. Underneath the elephant is the likely 1904 Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan on a small donkey. Caption: Man on the elephant:–“I wonder where that bray comes from, anyhow.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

F. T. Richards, in the Philadelphia Press — soon to be political cartoonist of the Philadelphia North American, and already a regular contributor of political drawings and spot illustrations of Life magazine — looked ahead to the 1904 presidential election.

President Roosevelt runs across the water as men from the four military departments follow.

comments and context

Comments and Context

This cartoon by Frederick T. Richards, cartoonist of the Philadelphia North American, appeared in Life magazine, where for many years he composed genre drawings of each previous month’s major news stories. The North American was Republican, and Life was a Democratic-leaning cartoon and commentary journal, but their editors and Richards evidently were happy with the arrangement. Also, Richards’s “Month in Cartoons” pages generally were illustrated headlines, not persuasive political cartoons.

An illustration of President Roosevelt has images and captions in it, including “settlement of the coal strike,” “protection against foreign labor,” “gold standard,” and “U.S. Supreme Court.” Meanwhile, Alton B. Parker is surrounded by Democratic leaders and is tied down by “sugar trust,” “Standard Oil,” and “rail-road franchise” ropes. Caption: Why Parker “Because he is perfectly safe.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-06