Running the U.S.A.

President Roosevelt tries to place as many of his fingers on the switchboard: “arbitration,” “spelling,” “nature fakirs,” “national resources,” “railroads,” “GOP,” “foreign relations,” “Navy,” “Army,” “Taft,” and “business.” His left foot is has just hit the “our colonies” bell and his right foot is on the “legislation” lever. Roosevelt says, “I said no!” A handwritten addition reads, “Keep up the good work! You are doing all right.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

Many cartoonists drew many cartoons during Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency and lifetime about his “strenuous life” — but, they drew more about his catholicity of interests, his fervid activities, his range and mastery of different subjects, his remarkable memory, grasp of issues, and foresight in determining how to act. All manner of observers marveled at Roosevelt’s mature hyperactivity, whether in intellectual pursuits, politics, or leisure; and cartoonists always had a ready-made topic awaiting them on slow days in the newsroom.

This cartoon by George Washington Rehse cannot immediately be judged favorable to Roosevelt, or sarcastic, or merely documentary. The fierce-looking caricature would suggest disapprobation, but on the other hand it would be difficult to criticize a president whilst portraying him in control of so many activities.

And this is how the nation perceived Roosevelt, even in the waning days of his Administration.

The cartoonist’s point of view would also be difficult to discern by the Milwaukee Journal’s stance at the time. It existed self-consciously as a bulwark against sensationalist “yellow journalism” and endeavored to be independent in politics. Eventually William Randolph Hearst entered the Milwaukee market. The city had a strong socialist core, and it supported more German- and Polish-language papers than English-language journals at this time. The Journal was used to staking independent positions and defending them.

Rehse is an interesting cartoonist whose political work was fitful and –like some cartoonists — varied according to the paper he worked for at given times. Born in Minnesota, he drew for both the St Paul Pioneer-Press and the Minneapolis Star-Tribune; after Milwaukee he drew for the Newspaper Enterprise Association, for a time on the cartoon panel Mr. Skygack from Mars and humor panels; in 1910 his cartoons were collected in an anthology, American Boyhood, and Remember These? Rehse also drew for the St. Louis Republic before moving to New York City where he drew for the Evening Mail and several years with the New York World. At that Pulitzer newspaper he inherited the daily human-interest panel cartoon Everyday Movies from Rollin Kirby (freeing the latter to concentrate on political cartoons, in which field he became a legend) before in turn relinquishing the feature to Gene Carr. He remained with the humor-panel genre and drew Children of Adam for the Philadelphia Ledger in 1922.

In 1939, ill and after his wife’s death, Rehse died by suicide.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-05-14

Creator(s)

Rehse, George Washington, 1868-1939

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