Who will bell the cat?
Subject(s): Cats, Mice, Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
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A cat with President Roosevelt’s face looks at a group of “Senator” and “Representative” mice.
Comments and Context
There is nothing surprising about the fact that political cartoonists (and any partisan commentators) have wildly differing views on the same public issues. What never fails to surprise, however — and, however, is a boon to researchers and historians — is the extreme variance frequently expressed. The White House scrapbook of drawings, assiduously compiled by aides to the president and never chary of collecting critical political cartoons, confirms the broad range of views even during a popular administration, and Roosevelt’s interest in appreciating public opinion as mush as he could.
The Philadelphia cartoonist Herbert Johnson was a lifelong admirer of Theodore Roosevelt (even evoking references to him for the Saturday Evening Post years after Roosevelt’s death) and therefore had his point of view about the squabble between Roosevelt and Congress growing from his request that the Secret Service be expanded.
In the House and Senate there were indeed angry speeches, denunciations, threats against the president, and finally a resolution of censure. Some cartoonists depicted the president chagrined, beaten, cowered. Johnson’s cartoon — closer to the truth, as the outcome of the controversy eventually suggested — portrayed Roosevelt as a wise cat, letting the petty rodents have their fun as they plan to “bell” the cat Roosevelt.
Ultimately, Congress expended sound and fury; Roosevelt established a Bureau of Investigations under the Attorney General (it evolved into the FBI); and the president’s standing seemed to suffer nothing, notwithstanding the fact that he was seven weeks from leaving office anyway.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1909-01-13
Creator(s)
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)
Page Count
1
Production Method
Record Type
Image
Resource Type
Rights
These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
Who will bell the cat?. [January 13, 1909]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o302060. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Johnson, Herbert, 1878-1946. Who will bell the cat?. [13 Jan. 1909]. Image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. March 12, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o302060.
APA:
Johnson, Herbert, 1878-1946., [1909, January 13]. Who will bell the cat?.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o302060.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. March 12, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
APA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
