Your TR Source
President Roosevelt wears a “big stick” and attempts to close the “President’s cabinet” door on Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw and Secretary of War William H. Taft.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-10-20
“The Press” looks a number of cabinet officers who have gags in their mouths: Secretary of State Elihu Root, Secretary of War William H. Taft, Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte, Attorney General William H. Moody, Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, Postmaster General George B. Cortelyou, Secretary of Commerce and Labor Victor H. Metcalf, and Secretary of the Interior Ethan A. Hitchcock. The “White House” is in the background. Caption: “Think twice before you speak, then talk to yourself.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-10-19
President Roosevelt holds the “big stick” and “peace” papers as he looks towards the United States Capitol building. A number of papers fall out of his briefcase: “cotton scandal airing,” “magazine article written,” “investigation of Castro,” “beef trust jostle,” “a submarine trip,” “cabinet changes,” “speeches made,” and “sermon preached.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-10-01
A number of men offer papers to President Roosevelt that read, “latest roster of Roosevelt’s cabinet,” “the message to Congress,” “the President’s Southern tour,” “reorganized cabinet,” “what the President will do to Congress,” “outline of Roosevelt’s foreign policies,” and “Roosevelt and 1908.” There are also three barrels beside him: “good advice from Neb.,” “good advice from Nebraska,” and “more good advice from Nebr.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-10-02
President Roosevelt holds a “pigs in the clover puzzle” with a ball labeled “Taft” in the “Sec. of War” section and a ball labeled “Root” in the “Sec. of State” section. In the center is a “nom. for president” section.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-08-20
President Roosevelt—with his “big stick” beside him—spins a revolving cabinet that includes Secretary of War William H. Taft, Postmaster General George B. Cortelyou, Attorney General William H. Moody, Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte, and Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw. Several cabinet office titles are at the bottom of the cabinet: “Secy War,” “Post-Master Genl.,” “Atty. Genl,” and “Secy Navy.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-04
President Roosevelt holds up two fingers and talks to his cabinet: Secretary of State John Hay, Secretary of War William H. Taft, Postmaster General George B. Cortelyou, Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, Attorney General William H. Moody, Secretary of the Interior Ethan A. Hitchcock, Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, and Secretary of Commerce and Labor Victor H. Metcalf. There is a bear skin with two holes on the wall.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-05-14
President Roosevelt sits at a table with members of his cabinet. He gestures at Secretary of the Navy Paul Morton. Beside Morton is a newspaper with the headline: “A.T. & S.F. R.R.’s Secret Rebates—Paul Morton Traffic Mangr.” There is also a “suit of armor formerly worn by Sec’y Morton” with a locomotive engine for a helmet.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-03
W. T. Stead relays the history of Russian Emperor Nicholas II’s reign up to this point, and asserts that his unpopularity with his people and inability to act rests on the bureaucracy built up by his ministers. Stead believes that Nicholas will be “emancipated” from the limits of autocracy and bureaucracy by the upcoming election of the Duma. When the Tsar and Duma meet, Stead predicts that they will be able to work well together.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-10-12
President Roosevelt writes to Joseph Bucklin Bishop to discuss Bishop’s judgment of Elihu Root and Secretary of the Navy Paul Morton. Roosevelt believes Bishop has been too hard on them and explains why he believes they are good men and valuable to the administration. Roosevelt gives Bishop permission to show his letter to Frederick W. Whitridge and Nicholas Murray Butler, who have expressed similar views.
1905-06-15
In this vignette cartoon, President Roosevelt and members of his cabinet appear at the center in a meeting. Each has a signboard advertising a patent medicine or other product on their back. Roosevelt’s says, “Strenoline The Famous Vigor Producer A De-Lightful Stimulant, Nervy Mfg. Co, Royster Bay.” Surrounding the central image are scenes showing men, animals, and statues, all with signboards, including an elephant labeled “G.O.P. The Great Tariff Comedian – Continuous Performances.”
One of cartoonist Samuel Ehrhart’s now-standard vignette cartoons in Puck, a topic of the day with variations on a theme, in this double-spread was quite standard. The single concept of advertisements encroaching on daily life is played, and stretched, most of the humor derived from puns or association with names of celebrities and professions. Since the 1880s, Puck had lampooned advertising signs on elevated trains and commercial billboards, so this cartoon focusing on sandwich boards was a variation. Present-day eyes might require details about long-forgotten issues and personalities, however.
At center, President Roosevelt shows Uncle Sam and Columbia a large plant with flowers showing the members of his cabinet. The surrounding vignettes show a springtime dance of putti, Alton B. Parker shoveling snow at his home in Esopus, an art gallery, Irishmen marching in the rain on Saint Patrick’s Day, a woman cleaning house by sweeping a dust cloud of policemen out the door, and Roosevelt grafting a branch labeled “Indian School Mission,” with blossom of an unidentified bishop of the Catholic Bureau of Indian Missions, onto the “Interior Dept. Tree.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1905-03-15
President Roosevelt and his cabinet share a “Vapor Bath Cabinet” being heated by a lamp labeled “Strenuous Policy,” as Marcus Alonzo Hanna looks on from outside. Secretary of State John Hay and Secretary of the Interior Ethan Allen Hitchcock are shown sweating, while President Roosevelt is shown to be staying cool without a problem. Cartoon is regarding Hanna’s 1904 presidential aspirations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-04-03
Theodore Roosevelt is depicted with representatives from the Cabinet, Army, Navy, and the Press. The caption indicates Roosevelt would like to find a way to muzzle the Press as he has the other three representatives.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-02-21
Each Cabinet officer should bring all recess appointments.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-11-27
In response to a number of inquiries on the subject, the Department of State issued the following statement: “The President expects all members of his Cabinet and All American Ambassadors and Ministers to tender their resignations on or before March 4, 1905.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-09
President Roosevelt forwards an important report by Commissioner of Labor Carroll D. Wright to Attorney General Knox. They will discuss whether the report should be made public at the Cabinet meeting.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-06-28
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary responds to J. W. Crabtree’s request for Roosevelt to add an additional Cabinet post. He assures Crabtree that Roosevelt is sympathetic to teaching faculty.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-09-12
Theodore Roosevelt writes C. R. Greer that the interview in the New York Call was a joke and not to be taken seriously.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-05-13
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Charles J. Bonaparte for his support and provides his thoughts on a past Cabinet meeting.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-04-30