Hey, mister! Old Brindle is loose again!

A “3rd term” cow runs to William H. Taft to reach for food labeled “presidency” that Taft holds as President Roosevelt rushes out of the White House toward both of them. Several others, including Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon and Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks climb a fence and tree to escape the cow.

Comments and Context

Unlike most other cartoonists, Jay N. “Ding” Darling always accepted President Roosevelt’s sincerity in declining to seek, campaign for, or accept another presidential nomination in 1908. Rather than limiting the cartoonist’s options on the topic, it left him free to depict Roosevelt’s frustrations, and allegorize the president’s dilemma in the face of public and party pressures that he break his word and run again. This cartoon is a unique and clever presentation of the situation.

William H. Taft (Roosevelt’s clear choice as a successor) is depicted as a scared little boy. Indeed Taft was a reluctant and inept candidate, properly pictured except perhaps for the “little” aspect. His cookie or pie is threatened by an angry-looking cow that his broken loose — and the third Roosevelt term that she represents is so formidable as to scatter the other aspirants for the presidential nomination. Of the two who can be identified are Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks, up a tree; and Speaker Joseph Gurney Cannon, climbing over the fence.

The concept, typically clever for Ding, has an added meaning in the caption: “brindle” cows and (especially) dogs are legendarily obstreperous. In Irish legend, brindle cows chafed even at the March weather and were fated to endure even more unpleasant conditions during the month.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-08

Creator(s)

Darling, Jay N. (Jay Norwood), 1876-1962

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