Change cars!

Secretary of War William H. Taft departs a ship with a variety of luggage labeled “Taft U.S.A.” and walks toward a “G.O.P.” elephant equipped with a seat for him. President Roosevelt holds the elephant.

comments and context

Comments and Context

This cartoon was published only a week after President Roosevelt’s decisive letter declaiming any interest in the 1908 nomination of the Republican Party. In 1904 he firmly announced that under no circumstance would accept another consecutive term, and yet speculation, doubts, and rumors persisted. Would he relent, and bow to public pressure, as a still popular figure? Could he be drafted?

Such questions plagued him. Confidants had already regretted, on his behalf, that the announcement, judged premature at least, made him a lame duck with needless challenges in the political fray, especially with Congress.

One may wonder whether Roosevelt regretted not being more forceful with his “definitive” statement, or earlier with it. Taylor’s cartoon seems to cast the presumptive nominee, Roosevelt’s choice, William H. Taft, in a new light, with a new dignity seldom previously accorded by cartoonists.

Roosevelt, subservient here as Taft returns from yet another foreign trip as Secretary of War, is still president. And Taft is not yet the party’s nominee. But that letter of Roosevelt’s a week earlier had its effect.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-21

Creator(s)

Taylor, Albert Jean, 1868-1927

Language

English

Period

U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)

Page Count

1

Production Method

Printed

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