Barnes, William, 1866-1930

Democratic postcard featuring Theodore Roosevelt driving a runaway moose-drawn carriage toward a sign reading “To Democracy,” shouting “Whoa, bull, nice bull, they’re all Progressives and friends of mine.” Behind the carriage are figures of men labelled “Wall Street,” “Penrose,” “Barnes,” and “Hughes.” While Roosevelt endorsed Hughes as Progressive Party nominee in 1916, other well-known Progressives did not. They supported Wilson because Hughes was not a vocal supporter of what they considered basic Progressive ideas, such as the income tax and the eight-hour day. That is why Hughes is shown here along with other truly non-Progressives such as Wall Street and Republican political boss from Pennsylvania Boies Penrose.

Collection

Fritz R. Gordner Collection

Creation Date

1916

Scrapbook containing an array of newspaper clippings of articles and photographs relating to the 1912 presidential campaign of Theodore Roosevelt.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1912

Theodore Roosevelt finds that the old parties of Massachusetts are “wedded to their idols” and do not offer any hope to the “man of vision.” He feels that there was “no surer touchstone of Bourbonism” than the support of the Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act. He urges the people of Massachusetts to remember that the present Wilson tariff, or the Revenue Act of 1913, was rendered possible only by the passing of the Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act and that the men who supported it represented the “extreme of reactionary Bourbonism within the Republican Party” against the interests of the American people. Roosevelt warns the people of Massachusetts that the man who supports the Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act “has his face toward the past” and will lead the state “backward against the current of proper political development.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914

Theodore Roosevelt views the war as a battle between militarism and democracy. Currently, Russia and Japan are allied with democracy, but with their “alien” institutions and ideals they may “menace civilization.” To do her duty, the United States must be the “just man armed” and avoid pacifism. Roosevelt, and his views, are unpopular and he no longer desires to be a political candidate. He fears his candidacy would be interpreted as greedy ambition. Roosevelt is also opposed by many Catholics due to his previous policies and recent statements. His victory in the Barnes libel suit was also a victory for his supporters as it showed they were right about “boss rule and crooked business.” Roosevelt feels he has done his share in the progressive movement and can no longer take a leading role. The public has had enough of reform and Roosevelt’s presence will now hinder, rather then benefit, the cause.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-06-03

Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary tells Hiram Johnson that Roosevelt is in Syracuse, New York, for the William Barnes libel suit. The secretary details Roosevelt’s plans for his upcoming trip to San Francisco, and asks Johnson to help ensure that Roosevelt’s visit to the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in that city not overlap with that of President Woodrow Wilson or William H. Taft.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-05-06

Theodore Roosevelt addresses the issue of machine party politics in New York. He touches on the gubernatorial race and various Senators in the state legislature, including Charles Francis Murphy and William Barnes. Roosevelt is campaigning for a non-machine politics candidate, “stalwart of good government, the unflinching fighter for real reform, Frederick M. Davenport.” Roosevelt continues to cover tariffs while mentioning the Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act and the Revenue Act of 1913.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914

President Roosevelt, as a hurdy-gurdy player, grinds an organ labeled “Party Harmony” among a group of bears labeled “Elkins, Parsons, Dick, Platt, Penrose, Woodruff, Foraker, Barnes, [and] Odell,” each holding a large club across their shoulders.

comments and context

Comments and Context

“The Boss Bear Trainer” is a rare cartoon from the career of President Roosevelt wherein bears are cartooned characters, but related to teddy bears, either as hunting trophies or as children’s plush toys.

Theodore Roosevelt is pictured as an evangelist preaching from “My Policies” in a tent with “Sherman, Cannon, Aldrich, Ballinger, Aldridge, Barnes, [and] Woodruff” sitting on the left, and “Depew, Lodge, [and] Odell” sitting on the right. “Crane”, who had been sitting on the right, has gotten up and is walking out. “Beveridge” is standing in the back at the entrance to the tent, and Dr. Abbott is next to Roosevelt, playing a piano. Across the tent hangs a banner that states, “Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour, but look out for the 8th of November.” Caption: And the sinners who won’t be saved.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1910-09-07

A “Medicinal Spring” with water labeled “A Clean-Cut Progressive Platform” flows from a stone figure shaped like Theodore Roosevelt. “Sherman, Woodruff, Wadsworth, [and] Barnes” are standing by the spring, holding glasses, with dubious looks on their faces. Caption: You can lead them to the waters, but can you make them drink?

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1910-09-21

Theodore Roosevelt updates Frances Theodora Parsons on his libel trial in Syracuse, New York. He criticizes the character of William Barnes and the judge’s legalistic approach to the case.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1915-05-06

A large hand labeled “The Public” depresses a lever on a large bottle labeled “Sulzer” in which the face of William Sulzer appears. A stream of seltzer water labeled “Direct Primaries” splashes two diminutive figures labeled “Barnes” and “Murphy.” Caption: It requires only a little pressure to start something.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1913-06-11

Theodore Roosevelt hopes that Quentin Roosevelt’s trip is going better. He thinks it is nonsense to start a trip by traveling ninety-four miles in two days. Even though the trip has been difficult, he hopes that Quentin has been able to do some rifle practice and believes that overall it will be a good experience. Belle Roosevelt contracted typhoid fever but is doing well. Kermit Roosevelt was “nearly wild” with concern for his wife. Roosevelt is being sued by William Barnes for libel.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1914-08-02

Theodore Roosevelt will continue to support Canadian reciprocity. He is not surprised that New York supported Charles Francis Murphy and William Barnes. Roosevelt informed Barnes that he “had no intention of making war upon him,” and that he hoped Barnes would act decently.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1911-02-03

Theodore Douglas Robinson has been cheated out of an electoral victory by Mr. Petrie and the administration. Robinson has the support of the Republicans of Herkimer County, New York, and Theodore Roosevelt believes that the administration’s opposition to Robinson is foolish.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1911-10-03

Theodore Roosevelt is astonished at the newspapers defending William Barnes in the Whitman matter. Roosevelt is considering making a public statement on how the newspapers speak out against “bossism” between elections but “leap to the service of the bosses” when they are in danger. Roosevelt asks William Loeb not to forget about Frank Harper who will need a new position when Roosevelt no longer needs a private secretary.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1914-07-22

President Taft climbs a mountain labeled “White House Glacier” with members of his campaign committee hanging from ropes attached to his waist. On the left are “Crane, Penrose,” and the Republican elephant, and on the right are “Sherman, Barnes, [and] Root,” who is driving a piece of heavy machinery. Caption: What can Taft do? They are his guides and he is tied to them.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-10-02

A disagreement has broken out among Republicans who were working to construct a tower labeled “Republican Harmony.” They have broken off into small factions clustered around building blocks labeled “Progressivism” with the Republican elephant sitting against it sniffing “Smelling Salts,” “Radicalism” over which “Munsey” and “Woodruff” are engaged in a discussion, “Conservatism” on which President Taft sits gesturing toward “La Follette” who is standing on his head and “Pinchot” trying to make a point to “Barnes” who is facing a diminutive “Job Hedges,” “Standpatism” around which “Cummins, Cannon, Sherman, Penrose, [and] Root” are involved in a heated discussion, and “Meism” upon which Theodore Roosevelt is jumping up and down and gesturing wildly. Others present are “Dixon [and] W.B. McKinley” who appear about to come to blows, as are “Perkins [and] Garfield.” “Lorimer,” wearing a bandage labeled “Vindication,” addresses “Lodge [and] “Gov. Stubbs” and, in the background, on the right, the man standing on a block addressing a crowd may be Charles W. Fairbanks. The few tools visible sit idle. Caption: Sad finish of the Republican tower of Babel.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-06-12

President Taft, as the biblical figure Jacob, wears robes labeled “Progressivism” and goat skins labeled “Delegates.” He is kneeling before the Republican elephant labeled “G.O.P.” as the aged biblical figure Isaac, who is feeling the skins worn by Taft. To the left is a steaming dish of “Savory Politics” that Jacob presented to Isaac. Standing in the background are three men, of which two are identified as “Barnes” and “Sherman.” Standing just right of center is Elihu Root as the biblical figure “Rebekah,” who looks anxious at the approach of “Teddy” as the biblical figure Esau, with a deer over his shoulders labeled “Popularity.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-07-17

Theodore Roosevelt, looking somewhat devilish, appears as a minister standing in a pool labeled “Teddyism,” attempting to pull the Republican elephant in for an immersion baptism. A small “Third-Party Choir” stands behind him composed of “Perkins, Munsey, Pinchot, [and] Garfield.” President Taft and others labeled “Sherman, Barnes, Lodge, Penrose, Crane, Root, [and] McKinley” are holding the elephant back. Crowds of people watch from a boardwalk, wharf, and a nearby pavilion. Caption: Third-Party Choir — “And sinners bathed beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-08-07

President Taft lies in a bed with a “Reactionary Ice Bag” on his head. The Republican elephant is keeping a bedside vigil and attempting to keep him cool with a fan labeled “Hope.” On a nearby table is a bottle of “Progressive Tonic” and note from “Old Dr. Root” that states “Caution to Nurse–Be careful not to give an overdose.” On the floor are notes from “Old Dr. Crane, Old Dr. Penrose, [and] Old Dr. Barnes.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-08-14