Veterans of the late war
Subject(s): Bailey, Joseph W. (Joseph Weldon), 1863-1929, Chandler, William E. (William Eaton), 1835-1917, Legislation, Marching bands, Tillman, Benjamin R. (Benjamin Ryan), 1847-1918, Veterans
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Benjamin R. Tillman, Joseph W. Bailey, and William E. Chandler appear as war veterans playing musical instruments and marching. Tillman carries a banner labeled “The Original Rate Bill” and Bailey’s drum is labeled “The White House Post No. 23.”
Comments and Context
The lengthy and thorny negotiations over the 1906 Railroad Rate bill, ultimately passed and known the Hepburn Law, reveals how hands-on President Roosevelt was in legislative matters dear to his heart, as most everything in his field of vision was. The issue was of utmost importance, by virtually common consent — unfair competition, rigging of schedules, kickbacks, and such — but how to assemble a congressional consensus was the challenge.
Senate Republican leader (Finance Committee chair) Nelson W. Aldrich of Rhode Island schemed to stymie the bill by the unprecedented move of naming a Democrat as floor leader to navigate its passage. He chose Benjamin R. Tillman of South Carolina, a reformer with Populist credentials, but a virulent racist who hated Roosevelt for inviting Booker T. Washington, to the White House. Tillman’s nickname was “Pitchfork Ben” after he swore to drive a pitchfork through that “bag of lard,” President Grover Cleveland of his own party.
The best-laid plans of Aldrich went awry when Tillman proved an adept parliamentarian, even to the point of negotiating with Roosevelt. The bill seemed doomed, basically because Roosevelt wanted its powers in the regulatory hands of the executive branch, while Tillman and others desired continuing legislative authority built in. Aldrich was content to let the courts decide the inevitable issues that arose.
The bill therefore experienced significant changes. Senator Joseph W. Bailey of Texas was drafted as a manager of the bill, but he was damaged goods within the Upper Chamber, under suspicion of corruption, and having made an unsubstantiated attack on one of the Senate’s rising stars, Albert J. Beveridge of Indiana. Former Republican Senator William E. Chandler was invited to be an intermediary. Eventually neither Roosevelt nor Tillman claimed to have requested Chandler’s participation, which ultimately was worse than worthless.
When the President had negotiated and compromised, and saw an opportunity to strike — to have the Senate vote on a bill that pleased many — it passed comfortably. And did not please Tillman.
Keppler’s cartoon — an ironic mirror-image twist on the iconic “Minute Men” painting — memorializes the losers in one of the Roosevelt Era’s most contentious, and consequential, battles.
Collection
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
Creation Date
1906-05-30
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:
Veterans of the late war. [May 30, 1906]. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o278541. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956. Veterans of the late war. [30 May. 1906]. Image.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. August 3, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o278541.
APA:
Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956., [1906, May 30]. Veterans of the late war.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o278541.
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.
