Canal business is business

A bloated old man, his hat labeled “Trusts,” sits on the “U.S. Customs” building. The tiny figure of Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw is in his vest pocket, and he is anchored to an “American Consumer” bound by the “Dingley Tariff.” He is distressed as Uncle Sam takes a giant stride across the ocean to “Europe” where he can purchase “American Goods Cheap.” Caption: Uncle Samuel — I’ll buy Yankee goods, yew bet! / The American Consumer — Aw, why don’t you buy at home and be a patriot like me.

comments and context

Comments and Context

A largely neglected factor among many of the contemporary, and lingering, disputes about America’s role in securing leased territory and building the Panama Canal is the various levels of opposition from Big Business.

Uncle Sam had to contend with Latin American and Colombian diplomacy, international law, a massive construction challenge, malaria and smallpox. President Roosevelt rolled up his sleeves (symbolically and almost literally) and managed all these forces. His decisions were made on the basis of progress and occasional needs to make personnel and design changes. For instance, chief engineer John Findley Wallace was replaced by John F. Stevens, a self-taught engineer who instituted bold methods and worked directly with the White House. Stevens in turn was succeeded by the West Point-trained George W. Goethals whose organization and drive saw the Canal’s completion (in 1914) two years early and under-budget. The appointment of Colonel William C. Gorgas saw sanitary improvements and medical breakthrough leading to the virtual eradication of yellow fever and malaria in the Canal Zone.

These were all positive developments, yet forces in the United States opposed the Canal and what were benefits to other segments of society and business.

The Canal ended the status of the United States as a virtual island, controlled in part by trusts and inuring benefit to customs brokers and the lucrative customs house political structure. It was, because of international passage at relatively low toll rates, a step toward freer trade. American railroads — a major industry and powerful lobby — suffered by losing monopoly over trans-continental commerce. Products and produce from the American West, especially California, moved more easily to the East, to the Caribbean and eastern South America, and to Europe, a lucrative market. Tariffs, like the reigning Dingley Act (passed in 1897) became relatively less restrictive with the flow of trade through the Canal.

Keppler’s cartoon is a reminder that opposition to the Canal — somewhat ironic, coming from largely Republican circles — was one of many challenges to Roosevelt, and by no means the least.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905-06-07

Creator(s)

Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956

Period

U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)

Repository

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Page Count

1

Record Type

Image

Resource Type

Cartoon

Rights

These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.

Citation