A cabinet that could afford it
Subject(s): Capitalists and financiers, Carnegie, Andrew, 1835-1919, Croesus, King of Lydia, active 560 B.C.-546 B.C., Green, Hetty Howland Robinson, 1835-1916, Hill, James J. (James Jerome), 1838-1916, Hyde, James H. (James Hazen), 1876-1959, Lawson, Thomas William, 1857-1925, Midas (Legendary character), Morgan, J. Pierpont (John Pierpont), 1837-1913, Quotation, Rockefeller, John D. (John Davison), 1839-1937, Sage, Russell, 1816-1906
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Eight men and one woman are seated or standing around a table. Each is identified with a Cabinet position: J.P. Morgan as “Sec’y Navy,” Thomas W. Lawson as “Sec’y War,” Thomas F. Ryan as “Att’y Gen’l,” James J. Hill as “Sec’y Int,” James H. Hyde as “Sec’y Com. and Lab.”, Russell Sage as “Sec’y Agric,” Henrietta “Hetty” Green as “Post Mistress Gen’l,” Andrew Carnegie as “Sec’y State,” and John D. Rockefeller as “Sec’y Treas.” Setting on the table is a statue labeled “Golden Calf,” and hanging on the wall are portraits of “Midas” and “Croesus.” On the far left is a ticker tape machine. Caption: “There is not in my Cabinet one man to whom it is not a financial disadvantage to stay in the Cabinet.”–President Roosevelt at Asbury Park.
Comments and Context
This cartoon by Joseph Keppler, Junior, is more of an ad hominem attack on personalities than Puck was used to make. There is no political or policy subtext, either about the Roosevelt cabinet as the president is quoted describing. Nor were any of the moguls at the table imminent appointees. This is merely having fun (except for the obvious venom in the depictions) with Roosevelt’s statement about the financial status of his department secretaries.
He did, of course, have rich men in his cabinet. But his precise meaning was that his secretaries sacrificed — corporation lawyer Elihu Root surely was one who served for less money than he would have earned outside government; and James Garfield absolutely depended on his government income.
The moguls around Keppler’s imaginary table are a curious lot, betraying the cartoonist’s intention to sting more than persuade. James Hazen Hyde, for instance, was barely 30 and recently had been involved in a public scandal, hosting an orgiastic party. Hetty Green, more a figure of legend (as the “Witch of Wall Street”) nevertheless was seen by the public as a bizarre miser who cooked her oatmeal lunches on radiators. J. P. Morgan is depicted in an admiral’s cap because of his recent interest in yachting and international shipbuilding. The doorman is New York Senator Chauncey M. Depew, longtime Republican functionary and former president of the New York Central Railroad.
Collection
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
Creation Date
1905-07-26
Creator(s)
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
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:
A cabinet that could afford it. [July 26, 1905]. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o278123. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956. A cabinet that could afford it. [26 Jul. 1905]. Image.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. March 12, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o278123.
APA:
Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956., [1905, July 26]. A cabinet that could afford it.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o278123.
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. March 12, 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.
