Cartoon shows Theodore Roosevelt and Republican House Majority Leader Sereno Elisha Payne tightening a knot in a cord “Tariff Law 1897 [paragraph] 209 16 Dutch” around the waist of a man “Cuba” holding a “cane knife.” On the right, the cord is cut into money by the head of the American Sugar Refining Company, Henry O. Havemeyer. The money falls into bags labeled “Sugar Trust Profits.” On the left, the head of American Crystal Sugar Company, Henry Thomas Oxnard pulls on Roosevelt’s coat tails. A sugar beet protrudes from the back of Oxnard. A legend at the bottom provides quotes concerning the Roosevelt administration, sugar growing and refining interests, Congress and Cuban industrialists related to reciprocity, Cuban annexation and trade.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1902

Creator(s)

Bass, W. L. (William Louis), 1865-

Publication Date

2023-02-16

Language

English

Period

U.S. President – 1st Term (September 1901-February 1905)

Page Count

1

Record Type

Image

Resource Type

Cartoon

Rights

These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. See the Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library Terms of Use for further copyright information.

Citation

Cite this Record

Chicago:

The Cuban Gordian-Knot. [October 29, 2025?]. Theodore Roosevelt Papers. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o306313. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.

MLA:

Bass, W. L. (William Louis), 1865-. The Cuban Gordian-Knot. [29 Oct. 2025?]. Image. Theodore Roosevelt Papers. Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. October 29, 2025. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o306313.

APA:

Bass, W. L. (William Louis), 1865-.: , [2025, October 29?]. The Cuban Gordian-Knot. Theodore Roosevelt Papers. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o306313.

Cite this Collection

Chicago:

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Papers. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-prints-and-photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.

MLA:

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Papers. Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. October 29, 2025. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-prints-and-photographs.

APA:

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Papers. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-prints-and-photographs.