The Democratic Moses and his selfmade commandments
Subject(s): Bryan, William Jennings, 1860-1925, Democratic Party (U.S.), Johnson, Tom Loftin, 1854-1911, Jones, James K. (James Kimbrough), 1839-1908, Moses (Biblical leader), Moses (Biblical leader) in rabbinical literature, Political parties--Platforms, Populism
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William Jennings Bryan, as Moses, beams rays of “Radicalism” and “Conservatism,” and holds his own version of the Ten Commandments. Among the small group of followers in the background are James K. Jones and Tom Loftin Johnson.
Comments and Context
On August 30, 1906, the twice-rebuffed Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan ended the months of speculation about his intentions for 1908. He and surrogates, since he returned from a lengthy world tour, and teased — albeit with little subtlety — about his habitual ambition to be president.
A major speech to a large group of followers at New York City’s Madison Square Garden confirmed his desire to seek the presidency yet again. It served to dash the hopes of marginal aspirants in the party like Congressman William Randolph Hearst, but mostly served to focus and re-publicize Bryan’s policies.
Cartoonist Udo J. Keppler, never a fan of the Commoner, ridiculed Bryan’s hubris, the blind fealty of Democrats (like Cleveland Mayor Tom Loftin Johnson), and the idiosyncratic “Ten Commandments” of Bryan.
Strangely, some of the “Commandments” were actually serious policy proposals; some of them foreshadow planks in the Progressive Party platform of 1912. But others were the cartoonist’s prerogative — silly and satirical ripostes at Bryan.
Collection
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
Creation Date
1906-09-19
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:
The Democratic Moses and his selfmade commandments. [September 19, 1906]. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o278575. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956. The Democratic Moses and his selfmade commandments. [19 Sep. 1906]. Image.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 26, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o278575.
APA:
Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956., [1906, September 19]. The Democratic Moses and his selfmade commandments.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o278575.
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. February 26, 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.
