“Take away that bauble!”—Oliver Cromwell

President Roosevelt holds his big stick in one hand and gestures at the “Constitution of the United States,” which sits on a ledge labeled “Congress.” Caption: “Take away that bauble!”–Oliver Cromwell.

Comments and Context

Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World was widely acknowledged as the leading Democratic organ in the country, and while other papers hewed the party line, with influence, Pulitzer’s paper was the semi-official voice of the party. As such, any cartoon during the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt would be expected to be hyper-partisan and hyper-critical.

Indeed, C. R. Macauley, the paper’s recent chief political cartoonist, earned his spurs with cartoons such as this. In four years, in fact, he would be employed by the Democratic National Committee to be its official cartoonist (a practice then not uncommon).

But this cartoon has special origins and resonance related to the time it appeared. During the 1908 presidential campaign, Pulitzer’s rival, William Randolph Hearst, exposed financial improprieties between Standard Oil and several politicians; and the scandal of the Archbold Letters (involving John D. Rockefeller’s successor at the trust) were a national bombshell.

Perhaps not wanting to be outdone, Pulitzer at the end of the year exposed, or alleged, financial improprieties connected to the revolution and independence and recognition of Panama four years previous; negotiations for rights to build a canal; payments to old French contractors; and Pulitzer’s paper, the World implicated the brother-in-law of President Roosevelt, and the brother of William H. Taft.

The were quickly proven to not to be culpable of any wrongdoing, and a reportedly angry and embarrassed Pulitzer caused the accusations to be withdrawn. But the World pivoted and called the president a liar for omitting the role of a “syndicate” led by J. P. Morgan’s banks to handle reimbursement of French interests. This scarcely was a scandal, yet it fed continual headlines. Roosevelt’s Attorney General sued the World for libel — a case that would last four years in the courts — and the entire episode inspired the Macauley cartoon and its apocalyptic tone.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-14

Creator(s)

Macauley, C. R. (Charles Raymond), 1871-1934

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