Old Doc. Bryan and his quack remedies

President Roosevelt and William H. Taft attend a man labeled “General Prosperity.” There are “Roosevelt policies” and “bumper crops” on the side table. William Jennings Bryan sticks his head in the window and holds a box: “Doc Bryan’s hard times nostrums.” Caption: Old Doc. Bryan–You need my services. Gen. Prosperity–No, thanks; I have a good doctor and a fine nurse and I will fully recover after November 3d.

comments and context

Comments and Context

The Baltimore American, founded in 1799, was seldom the largest journal in its field, even when Baltimore the second-largest city in America. It was a Union paper when Maryland harbored Secessionist sympathies; and the “Sunpapers” dominated for decades. It continued as Republican outlet — as this cartoon would suggest — especially after Theodore Roosevelt’s disciple Frank Andrew Munsey bought it in 1921; but in 1924 it became part of William Randolph Hearst’s chain of newspapers.

The American seldom attracted the best of political cartoonists — at this time, the Sunpapers’ Barclay brothers, Tom and McKee, would have outshone virtually any crosstown rivals — but Willis H. Thorndike dutifully carried water for the Republican presidential ticket.

Portrait-like representations of President Roosevelt and candidate William H. Taft and an awkward generic general reject the ministrations of Democratic candidate William Jennings Bryan, a putative snake-oil salesman in the window.

Thorndike’s cartoon serves history well, however. Amidst personality conflicts, the scandalous Archbold Letters that exposed corporate influence in the campaign, and other issues, the reference to rostrums to counteract “hard times” is an important reminder that the Wall Street Panic, during which stocks lost one-half of their value, was only a year in the past, and surely an important issue to many voters.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-10-28

Creator(s)

Thorndike, Willis H. (Willis Hale), 1872-1940

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