Don’t let him get away this time, Theodore!

President Roosevelt holds a “reform” gun and aims at a rabbit labeled “Congress” that is running toward a “Mar. 4” rock.

comments and context

Comments and Context

One of America’s great political cartoonists, J. H. Donahey of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, by 1908 and roughly a decade of work behind him, had come into his own. His concepts invariably were simple but incisive; and his drawings direct and handsome — here, making an arresting composition from a hunter, rocks, and a rabbit, no background except his trademark shading — a “look” that was copied by many of his peers in cartooning.

March 4 was the date when presidents left office and their successors inaugurated; since 1934 and a Constitutional change, it is January 20. Donahey’s point in this cartoon is that Roosevelt’s reform agenda, the relentless continuation of his Square Deal reforms, was pressed by Roosevelt after the election of William H. Taft — no pause — and Congress should not be allowed to escape the president’s determined efforts.

History has little appreciated what triumphs of power, diplomacy, threats, and public appeals were employed by Theodore Roosevelt to achieve the success he did, especially in his second term, with legislative and regulatory reforms. Both houses of Congress were in Republican hands, but allied Insurgents multiplied in the House of Representatives while Senate reformers close to Roosevelt were in a distinct minority. Old Guard reactionaries were in firm control of the Senate; and the skills associated with Roosevelt’s successes with canals and public lands and pure food regulations and fairer railroad rate standards, and so forth, required means of persuasion no less with every reform that needed Senate approvals. Some of those categories did; but with some items he grappled with Senators alone, not easier adversaries like foreign sovereigns and entrenched robber barons.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-07

Creator(s)

Donahey, J. H. (James Harrison), 1875-1949

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