Theodore Roosevelt, looking somewhat devilish, appears as a minister standing in a pool labeled “Teddyism,” attempting to pull the Republican elephant in for an immersion baptism. A small “Third-Party Choir” stands behind him composed of “Perkins, Munsey, Pinchot, [and] Garfield.” President Taft and others labeled “Sherman, Barnes, Lodge, Penrose, Crane, Root, [and] McKinley” are holding the elephant back. Crowds of people watch from a boardwalk, wharf, and a nearby pavilion. Caption: Third-Party Choir — “And sinners bathed beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-08-07

Creator(s)

Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956

Period

Progressive Party Candidate (1911-1912)

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

Cite this Record

Chicago:

Salvation is free, but it doesn’t appeal to him. [August 7, 1912]. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o285616. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.

MLA:

Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956. Salvation is free, but it doesn’t appeal to him. [7 Aug. 1912]. Image.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 29, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o285616.

APA:

Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956., [1912, August 7]. Salvation is free, but it doesn’t appeal to him.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o285616.

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. January 29, 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.