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Edward Henry Harriman stands on a “soap” box as a circular sawblade that resembles the face of President Roosevelt swirls around. It looks as if Harriman is trying to touch the sawblade with his finger.
During his career and presidency, Theodore Roosevelt engaged in many controversies — including downright ugly feuds — some private and some public. His virtual war with railroad baron Edward Henry Harriman had aspects both private and public.
President Cleveland stands next to a large “Reform Buzz-Saw” labeled “Pat. 1884 by G. Cleveland” at a sawmill, where three members of his cabinet “Manning, Whitney, [and] Bayard” are milling lumber labeled “For the Improvement of the Custom House” and “Props for the Navy.” A carpenter’s square labeled “Honesty” rests against some boards at Cleveland’s feet. A group of newspaper editors, congressmen, and a dog labeled “Blaine’s Pup” have entered on the left. Among them are “Dana, McLean, Vance, Eustis, Reid, Beck, Evarts, Sherman, Medill, [and] Edmunds.” They are standing just outside the “Secretarys Office” where Daniel S. Lamont is sitting. Through the open door is visible a wagon loaded with large logs labeled “Mormon Question, Silver Question, Tariff Ques, [and] Coast Defences.” Caption: Foreman Cleveland (kindly but firmly) “Boys, don’t monkey with the buzz-saw!”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1886-02-03