Wilder, Ralph, 1875-1924

President Roosevelt sits at his desk writing an extensive message as a young body turns a large wheel of paper. On the wall are mounts of a “black bear” and a “bob cat” and beside Roosevelt’s desk is his suitcase and his rifle.

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President Roosevelt returned to Washington from a speaking tour of the Midwest and South, punctuated by a two-week bear hunt, on October 19, 1907. At the tail end of his railroad swing north, “short selling” by men who had hoped to corner the copper market resulted rather in their bankruptcy, and that of brokerage houses, other commodity firms, and banks.

The first vignette depicts President Roosevelt and his dogs marching into the canebrakes to find a bear. The second vignette shows a lot of downed trees and the sun high in the sky. The third vignette shows Roosevelt in his tent and a tired dog outside the tent with the moon in the background.

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Cartoonist Ralph Wilder quotes a newspaper headline, or plausible rumor, about President Roosevelt’s hunting dogs being exhausted during the two-week tracking of black bears in the Louisiana canebrakes. In fact the bayous and canebrakes — tall and dense, rather like bamboo — and the boggy bayous were inhospitable to hunters and their hounds alike.

A “sheriff” holds a rope over his shoulder with several men attached to it walking along a path “to the jail.” In the foreground is a bear near a sign, “Line of march of bear hunt,” with several reporters and photographers taking pictures. Other reporters and photographers sit in trees saying, “Photo of primeval forest” and “bear before being shot.”

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The day after President Roosevelt commenced his two-week black-bear hunt in the Louisiana canebrakes, cartoonist Ralph Wilder of the Chicago Record-Herald — certainly not alone among his fellow artists — began to draw comments on the trip. It was a period in the middle of a wide-ranging speaking tour when reporters and cartoonists would not be allowed to cover or even pursue the president at a distance. The same unofficial but stern prohibition would be imposed on Roosevelt’s African safari eighteen months later.

President Roosevelt escapes into the canebrakes with his rifle and leaves a razorback hog, “3rd term talk,” howling and chained to a stake.

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Ralph Wilder, successor of John T. McCutcheon the Chicago Record-Herald, seized upon President Roosevelt’s two-week hunt for black bears in the Louisiana canebrakes around Stamboul, to combine themes of the day: the hunt itself, Roosevelt’s previous and unsuccessful hunt, despite a bear being chained to a stake for his easy shot (refused), the contemporary “Nature Fakir” controversy, and the persistent talk of a third term for the president.

A variety of men catch and paint “3rd term talk” on bears.

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This cartoon by Ralph Wilder was another somewhat rare exception to the glut of cartoonists’ mundane treatment of President Roosevelt and the third term rumors that beset him after he foreswore the aspiration on election night, 1904. As Roosevelt was set to arrive in the Louisiana canebrakes for a two-week hunt after black bears, the cartoonist added that activity — the president harbored a near-obsession, as the prey had eluded him several years earlier — to the annoying third term talk.

Six teddy bears walk toward “The Clarion” where there is a sign: “President Roosevelt leaves Washington today.”

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Theodore Roosevelt’s 1902 hunt in the canebrakes of Mississippi and Louisiana resulted in no bagged bears… and one national legend, the inspiration for an enduring plush companion for generations of children, and a cartoonists’ mascot. Frustrated by the paucity of game on that expedition, and famously refusing to shoot the bear that Holt Collier — a legendary former slave who claimed to have shot three thousand black bears himself — tied to a tree for the president.

Three secret service men and a bull dog quietly walk away from a house on Oyster Bay saying, “Hush!” “Don’t make a noise, he’s asleep!” “Sh-h-h-h!! He’s sleeping” and “He is asleep!” Inside the house the following noises are made: “Z-z-z-z!! Bzzz! Z-z-zoch!! Z-z-z! B-z! B-z-zip! Bz-z!” Caption: “‘A live bear has taken up his home in the woods on Sagamore Hill, and in the early hours this morning he paid a visit to the home of President Roosevelt. Secret service men hastily organized a hunting party. The hunt lasted until 6 o’clock. The bear got away. It is the belief that it has been living here for several days.’ — Extracts From a News Item From Oyster Bay.”

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Cartoonist Ralph Wilder, the stylistic disciple of John T. McCutcheon in Chicago, humorously illustrated a news item on a slow-news day in the mid-August of President Roosevelt’s long vacation in Oyster Bay. If a bear was in the vicinity, and did in fact escape the notice of the nation’s most famous bear hunter, Wilder confused the issue by drawing bear tracks that look like human footprints.

In the first vignette, President Roosevelt stares at bill no. 279671 and wonders what New York Senator Thomas Collier Platt thinks of it. Caption: Mr. Roosevelt–“I don’t know whether to sign this bill or not. I wish you would find out what Tom Platt thinks about it. Just tell him I have signed it.” In the second vignette, Platt gives his response, which includes a lot of expletives. Caption: Mr. Platt–“– –!!!–??” In the third vignette, President Roosevelt sees Platt’s response and smiles as he signs his name to the bill. Caption: Mr. Roosevelt– “It’s safe.”

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Students of the era’s political cartoons might think, at first glance, that this is a cartoon by John T. McCutcheon. In fact it is by Ralph Wilder, who succeeded McCutcheon when the latter left the Record-Herald, Wilder’s paper, for the Chicago Tribune. McCutcheon graduated from being the most influential Chicago and regional-Midwest cartoonist, to a cartoonist of national fame and acceptance. Whether Wilder was advised to draw like McCutcheon, or could not help himself in the shadow of the master, is not recorded or heralded.

President Roosevelt, dressed as a firefighter, drives away as a house labeled “Central America” catches on fire labeled “war.”

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Students of times subsequent to this cartoon might not be aware of the conflicts that were called the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Central American Wars. It was not a mere stereotype but fact that countries of that region were frequent adversaries, frequently invading each other, frequently employing members of local groups with shifting loyalties, frequently making, and breaking, the peace. From Mexico and also into South America, the numbers of governments and leaders through the decades were numerous. The numerous revolts and declarations of independence of the region of Panama against Colombia is, today, a forgotten but plausible justification dealing with rebel leaders prior to arranging for construction of the Panama Canal.

Andrew Carnegie comforts President Roosevelt who is looking toward the U. S. Capitol building and a man labeled, “Reformed Spelling.” Caption: Mr. Carnegie–“He seems to have been among some bad company, Theodore.”

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At the time of this drawing’s publication, the United States Congress formally resisted President Roosevelt’s executive orders that government bodies, including the Government Printing Office, adopt Simplified Spelling in all documents and publications.

A baseball player holds a “presentation speech” and hands President Roosevelt an “annual pass to all ball games” while two boys look on over a fence.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-16

President Roosevelt sits on the “Hurricane Deck” of a ship being tossed in the waves. He is reading “The Winning of the West,” with other books nearby titled “And the East,” “And the North,” “And the South.” Below, the captain cries, “Cut away the mast!” to a sailor wearing a life preserver.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-10-04

A man reads handwriting on a wall: “Back of the City stands the State and back of the State stands the nation—President Roosevelt—.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-05-12

Two senators bow to President Roosevelt who drives a cart with goods: “arbitration treaties,” “railroad legislation,” and “tariff revision.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01

In the first cartoon, a lion runs toward President Roosevelt writing on a notepad labeled “The African Chickadee ($3.00).” In the second cartoon, the lion gets close to pouncing on Roosevelt who holds a paper. In the third cartoon, Roosevelt opens the paper and shows the lion what it says: “Secret Service Report on Lions (To be given to the press in case I am attacked) (Copy).” In the fourth cartoon, Roosevelt runs toward the lion.

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Chicago cartoonist Ralph Wilder, the stylistic disciple of John T. McCutcheon, combined two thematic preoccupations of the day’s news, attempting a new treatment of both. The imbroglio between the White House and Capitol Hill over the president’s request to expand the role of the Secret Service was already months old when this cartoon was drawn.

In the first section of the cartoon, President Roosevelt holds a “cablegram” from the “Atlantic Cable Co.” that reads, “Mr. Roosevelt killed an elephant. Roosevelt ($6.00),” as he gestures to the African standing behind him for his gun. There are large footprints in the ground. Caption: Special Correspondent Roosevelt–“Ha! I have a tip that Mr. Roosevelt is about to slay an elephant. It’ll make a hot story.” In the second section, Roosevelt holds “cable blanks” in one hand and his gun in his other hand as he follows the tracks. The African says, “I feel the sleeping sickness getting me!” Caption: “Now for a scoop!” In the third section, Roosevelt stumbles upon reporters from “The Sun” and “The World”. They say, “Fire when you are ready, Mr. Roosevelt.” The elephant is sweating profusely and leans on a tree. Caption: “Dee–lighted!”

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With only a month and two days remaining in the term of Theodore Roosevelt, the cartoonists of America were not about to lose the last opportunities to depict their peripatetic president, nor milk the last drops of comic speculations about his African safari — especially when Roosevelt announced that he would allow no press coverage.

President Roosevelt types on a typewriter as a “scout” stands nearby. On the ground is a paper that reads, “The game has all left the country. Mumbo, the scout, reports cigarette boxes thicker than ever on the trail ahead. Looks hopeless. ($22.00)” Beside Roosevelt’s desk is a box of “asbestos message paper.” Caption: It is reported that three New York men are going to hunt in Africa ahead of Mr. Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-10

In the first section, several men speak to President Roosevelt. Caption: The Committee of International Conferences–“Mr. Roosevelt, we have arranged another Hague conference. You will kindly attend and do what you can for universal peace.” In the second section, Roosevelt rushes toward the group of men. Caption: A few days later–“It’s all fixed, gentlemen! What next?” In the third section, Roosevelt holds the “report on the international conference for the suppression of the boll weevil” as the three men look confused. Caption: A little later: Committee–“Now you might start for the Pan-American Conference, and then there’s the International Conservation Conference and the,” etc., etc. In the fourth section, one man signs a “resignation” paper while the second man holds the third man and says, “Brace up, Henry! We’ve got to get up some more conferences.” Roosevelt sits in a chair and thinks. Caption: Mr. Roosevelt–“Well, I guess I’ll have to hunt up something to do myself.”

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A political cartoonist took a breath and a break in early 1909 from the plethora of cartoons on the Secret Service controversy and President Roosevelt’s planned African safari, the thematic preoccupations of most cartoonists during these months. Ralph Wilder chose to have editorial fun with the twin inspirations of United States’ involvement in international conferences and commissions; and — not a new topic — the president’s strenuous hyperactivity.

President Roosevelt, Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon, and Rhode Island Senator Nelson W. Aldrich walk out of the “National Treasury” with “aid for Italy” money bags.

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Foreign aid as we know it today was never a major part of the national government’s attention or priorities, and even in President Roosevelt’s era the source of American monies sent overseas was largely the work of charities and church organizations.

A man with a “hero medal” drives a cart with the “president’s message.” He is surrounded by men holding “danger” signs, including one that says, “Danger! Explosives.” Several of the men wear hero medals as well. In the top left, two men run away.

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This cartoon from the Chicago Inter-Ocean probably appeared the day before, or the day of, President Roosevelt’s Annual Message (as the Constitutionally mandated “from time to time” report was called when it was delivered as a printed document; now called the State Of the Union Address).