The real German-American
Subject(s): German Americans, McKinley, William, 1843-1901, Presidents--Election, Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919, Schurz, Carl, 1829-1906, Voting, William II, German Emperor, 1859-1941
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A German American man stands in front of a banner showing bust portraits of President William McKinley and Governor Theodore Roosevelt. As he casts his vote, he uses his left hand, holding papers labeled “Naturalization,” to brush aside the German Emperor, William II, and Carl Schurz. Caption: He does his own thinking, and will do his own voting.
Comments and Context
This cartoon, published on the eve of the 1900 presidential election, has several subtexts. Puck paid special attention to German voters and German-American affairs. It published a weekly German-language edition and had a large German following; its founder, the cartoonist’s father Joseph Keppler, Sr. was born in Vienna. Carl Schurz was also a German immigrant, a politically active reformer who served as one of Abraham Lincoln’s Civil War generals, had served as United States Senator and in the presidential cabinets of Hayes and Garfield as Secretary of the Interior, and was an opponent of Imperialism. The inclusion of the German Kaiser is significant. The German Empire coveted overseas possessions, too, and subtlety tried to foment American opposition to the retention of new colonies won from Spain.
Collection
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
Creation Date
1900-10-31
Creator(s)
Period
Governor of New York (October 1898-1900)
Repository
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
Page Count
1
Record Type
Image
Resource Type
Rights
These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
The real German-American. [October 31, 1900]. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o275677. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956. The real German-American. [31 Oct. 1900]. Image.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. August 3, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o275677.
APA:
Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956., [1900, October 31]. The real German-American.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o275677.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-prints-and-photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. August 3, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-prints-and-photographs.
APA:
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-prints-and-photographs.
