James Gillespie Blaine is pictured as Tantalus chained to a large rock labeled “Mulligan Letters” and standing on rocks labeled “Guano” and “Northern Pacific R. R.,” yearning to reach a table laden with food and drink labeled “Presidential Cake, Patronage, [and] Spoils.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1884-10-08

Creator(s)

Keppler, Joseph Ferdinand, 1838-1894

Period

Dakota Rancher (June 1884-1886)

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:

Tantalus. [October 8, 1884]. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o287720. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.

MLA:

Keppler, Joseph Ferdinand, 1838-1894. Tantalus. [8 Oct. 1884]. Image.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. March 5, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o287720.

APA:

Keppler, Joseph Ferdinand, 1838-1894., [1884, October 8]. Tantalus.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o287720.

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 5, 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.