Aldrich, Nelson W. (Nelson Wilmarth), 1841-1915

Nelson W. Aldrich appears as a large spider on a cobweb labeled “Senate Committee Room” spread between the U.S. Capitol and a “Standard Oil” tower, on which several flies labeled “Anti-Trust Bill, Free Alcohol Bill, House Bill, Philippine Tariff Bill, [and] Legislation Needed” have landed.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Nelson W. Aldrich was not the most senior member of the United States Senate, but by wily tactics, ability, and connections he clearly was the most powerful in the Republican-dominated Upper House during the administration of President Roosevelt. From his chairmanship of the Senate Finance Committee he managed to affect virtually every piece of legislation that passed (or did not) through the Senate.

Theodore Roosevelt, as the infant Hercules, fights large snakes with the heads of Nelson W. Aldrich and John D. Rockefeller.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Once again Puck harkened back to classical mythology for a cartoon inspiration. In fact from its first days in the mid-1870s the magazine required of its readers a basic familiarity with mythology, opera, and Shakespeare, for its frequent allusions.

A large man labeled “Big Shipper” appears as a blacksmith holding a diminutive man labeled “Small shipper” on an anvil labeled “The Rail Road” and striking it with a hammer labeled “Rebates.” On the floor at his feet is a pile of coins labeled “Illegitimate Profits,” and eager schoolchildren (Nelson W. Aldrich, Chauncey M. Depew, Thomas Collier Platt, and others) gather at the entryway hoping to “catch the burning sparks that fly like chaff from the threshing floor.” Includes verse.

comments and context

Comments and Context

This cartoon by Udo J. Keppler appeared only two weeks before the passage of the Hepburn Act, the long-awaited, intensely contentious, law that granted the Interstate Commerce Commission power to review and cap railroad rates; extending regulatory jurisdiction over lines and competition; and eliminated rebates and free passes. The Hepburn Act technically was a group of amendments to the toothless Interstate Commerce Act of 1887.

Nelson Aldrich sits on a throne as king of the “U.S. Senate,” with a diminutive Theodore Roosevelt kneeling before him bearing the “President’s Message.” Around them senators are reading ticker tape or enjoying the success of their investments. The surrounding vignettes show Chauncey M. Depew as a doorman welcoming a man labeled “The Trusts” into the “U.S. Senate”; John D. Rockefeller sitting at a desk pouring over “Reports” and “Expenditures”; Charles W. Fairbanks as an office boy stopping Uncle Sam at the top of the stairs demanding who he needs to see and why; and two men stuffing papers labeled “Esch-Townsend Rate Bill, Tariff Legislation, House Bill” and others into a trash can. Caption: Formerly known as the Upper House of Congress.

comments and context

Comments and Context

With only the political cartoonist’s traditional “license” to exaggerate, cartoonist J. S. Pughe fairly depicted the state of affairs regarding the United States Senate in 1905.

Theodore Roosevelt, as Hercules, wears a lion skin and holds a sword. He faces a nine-headed hydra, with each head identified as that of a senator. The hydra’s tail is labeled “U.S. Senate.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

In an earlier time, such as when this cartoon in Puck appeared, average people were conversant with elements of Western intellectual heritage like Greek mythology. The contextual background of this political cartoon by J. S Pughe might have been evident to many readers in 1905. In one of ancient Athens’ most durable myths, the Second Task of Hercules was to conquer the multi-headed monster Hydra.

John D. Rockefeller, as Belshazzar, sits on a throne above a group of capitalists and politicians enjoying a feast of such dishes as “Draw Back Bon-Bons, Fruits of Monopoly, [and] Rebate Plums.” The festivities are interrupted by a hand appearing from above holding “The Big Stick” and writing the words “Rate Legislation.” Caption: “And the King saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the King’s countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him.” [Daniel 5:5-6]

comments and context

Comments and Context

Belshazzar’s Feast is the account in Daniel about a mysterious hand appearing as if from heaven, writing a moral warning on the wall during a feast of the Babylonian king and a thousand of his followers. The words on the wall were, in Hebrew, “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin,” roughly interpreted as “God has numbered the days of your kingdom… You have been judged and found wanting;” and “Your kingdom will be divided.”

A troop of senators, as Confederate soldiers being led by an officer on horseback labeled “Trusts,” march down a street past the house with “Barbara Fritchie” labeled “Dingley Tariff” leaning out the window, waving a flag labeled “High Protection.” Caption: “Who touches a hair on yon swelled head / Dies like a dog! March on!” he said.

comments and context

Comments and Context

The reference-point of cartoonist Pughe’s cartoon is the famous poem by John Greenleaf Whittier, “Barbara Fritchie.” The legend about the old lady is almost certainly apocryphal — the Union patriot who waved her stars and stripes as occupying Confederate forces rode by her house in Frederick, Maryland.

Nelson W. Aldrich and John D. Rockefeller sit at a keyboard from which the strings are connected to seats in Congress, in session at the U.S. Capitol. Rockefeller is holding a “Prompt Book” as Aldrich plays the instrument. The men are illuminated by the flame of an oil lamp labeled “Standard Oil.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

The subtext of cartoonist Keppler’s cartoon, or meanings beneath the obvious depiction of two of the powerful men in the United States, and American politics, are many.

A frenzy of activity is underway as many politicians and capitalists join the labor forces to construct the Panama Canal. Theodore P. Shonts, chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission, is standing on the right, holding a whip, and directing the laborers. In the background, large groups of men labeled “Order of Walking Delegates, The Idle Rich, Amalgamated Aldermen, [and] Insurance Presidents Union No. 6” are waiting, with tools, to be called into action. Caption: Let our superfluous citizens do the work.

comments and context

Comments and Context

S. D. Ehrhart’s expansive cartoon in Puck seized upon the news of labor challenges in the Culebra Cut portion of the Panama Canal construction, and built an elaborate cartoon-fantasy about people in politics, the social world, and finance being put to work at manual labor.

Senator Aldrich is shown delivering a valentine to President Roosevelt from the Standard Oil Company.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-02-14

Schedule of President Roosevelt’s engagements on the morning of Monday, November 25, 1901.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-11-25

George B. Cortelyou informs Senator Hanna that, after consulting with Senator Nelson W. Aldrich, President Roosevelt feels that it is vitally important to meet with Hanna before leaving on his western trip. He would like him to spend the night at Oyster Bay to discuss matters of party policy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-08-25

President Roosevelt thanks President-Elect Taft for his warm letter, and effuses praise of Taft’s inauguration speech. Roosevelt suggests appointing William Loeb during the Senate recess to prevent Representative Charles N. Fowler of New Jersey from exercising power before he leaves office.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-26

President Roosevelt told Newton M. Shaffer that he must have his charges against George S. Terry in definite form for him to pay attention to them. Roosevelt agrees with Senator Nelson W. Aldrich of Rhode Island that unless substantial facts appear against Terry within the week, he should be confirmed as assistant treasurer of the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-10

President Roosevelt has forwarded Senator Borah’s letter to Secretary of War Luke E. Wright. However, Roosevelt reminds Borah that his previous messages about the “Brownsville matter” have always advocated for giving the president the power to reenlist these soldiers. Roosevelt encloses a copy of his most recent letter to Senator Nelson W. Aldrich.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-03

President Roosevelt tells Senator Beveridge that the reason he believes that Beveridge is going to kill a labor bill is because of the conversation he and Secretary of War William H. Taft had with him yesterday. Other members of the Senate have also said that they have the impression that Beveridge aims to kill the bill in favor of his substitute bill.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-05-26

President Roosevelt asks if Andrew Carnegie has already sent a memorandum to Senator Nelson W. Aldrich. Roosevelt knew Carnegie would be pleased with the efforts the government has been making on treaties of arbitration.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-17

President Roosevelt thanks Andrew Carnegie for the letter, and says that he has submitted the suggestions to Senator Nelson W. Aldrich, along with other suggestions from Henry Lee Higginson, and will discuss them with him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-19

President Roosevelt writes to Henry Lee Higginson about some of the actions that railroads and corporations have taken to try to influence public opinion regarding legislation in congress related to trusts and interstate commerce laws. Roosevelt agrees with Higginson about wanting a good system of banking and currency, and says that while Higginson may not like the bill put forward by Senator Nelson Wilmarth Aldrich, it is the only one that has been proposed.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-19

President Roosevelt praises the characters in William Allen White’s book Stratagems and Spoils, and compares them to some contemporary politicians. Roosevelt has been disgusted by some recent speeches by William Jennings Bryan, who he characterizes as a demagogue. He reflects that on any issue, it is impossible to not have some allies whose reasoning on the issue is completely different, using Upton Sinclair as an example. While Roosevelt holds Sinclair in contempt, he recognizes that he also can provide good service in helping Roosevelt effect change in the meat-packing industry. Roosevelt similarly comments on several senators in relation to the railroad rate bill.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-22