Clark, William Andrews, 1839-1925

The nomination of Oscar Hundley to the United States District Court of the Northern District of Alabama is now in the hands of a sub-committee. There is some opposition to the confirmation of Hundley because of his advocacy for an amendment to the Constitution “providing that moneys collected by white taxpayers should be used in the education of white children only, and that moneys collected from the colored people should be used for the colored schools.” This would have resulted in “colored children” being thrown out of school, as “the amount of taxes collected from colored people is very small.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-24

Several men, identified as “Hill, Jones, Olney, Clark, Bailey, Shepard, Watterson, [and] Lamont,” carry planks of lumber which are identified as Democratic policies from previous election platforms and proposed new planks. As they construct the new “Democratic Platform,” Puck points to a plank they have forgotten, “Tariff Reform,” which sits on a platform in the background on the right. In the background on the left stands William Jennings “Bryan” holding a “Free Silver” plank of rotten wood. Caption: Puck — You are neglecting the only plank you ever did win with, – and the only one you ever can win with!

comments and context

Comments and Context

Ever since President Grover Cleveland devoted his Annual Message to downward tariff revision (and the result of high tariffs, government surpluses, which Cleveland regarded as immoral) the Democratic Party was generally the party of low tariffs and free trade. Former Speaker of the House Samuel J Randall was one Democrat who generally favored high tariffs. But the implied point of Keppler’s cartoon is not that the Democratic Party cooled on the issue of tariff rates, but that “new” issues like anti-imperialism and standard positions on civil service reform provided the middle ground between the hoary populism of William Jennings Bryan and the tired arguments for tariff reductions could attract voters. Generally, they did not: the Democrats would lose the 1904 presidential election, to Theodore Roosevelt, by record margins.

“Senator Clark,” of Montana, with a bag of money hanging at his side, and “Senator Quay,” of Pennsylvania, on the right, with an iron bar labeled “Political ‘Jimmy'” hanging at his side like a sword, point at each other and laugh. The U.S. Capitol is in the background.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Senators William A. Clark of Montana and Matthew S. Quay of Pennsylvania, Democrat and Republican, respectively, were two of the most odious politicians in a time of widespread political corruption. Quay was a long-time Republican “boss” in Pennsylvania and bragged about rigging elections. As Benjamin Harrison’s manager in 1888, he invented a system whereby Indiana voters in blocks of five cast multiple votes in different polling places. In New York State he outmaneuvered the Democrats’s schemes. Harrison lost the popular vote to Grover Cleveland but won the electoral-college vote, thanks to the tally in a few states like Indiana and New York. William A. Clark of Montana became one of the richest men in America thanks to lucky strikes in gold and copper mines, and resultant business activities. At the time of this cartoon, United States senators were still elected by state legislatures, not popular votes. Despite widespread bribery and “financial contributions” attendant on senatorial elections, at the time of Dalrymple’s cartoon Clark and Quay were hampered by investigations into their “purchases” of senatorial seats. Both overcame their challenges, hence the cynical celebration depicted here.

President Roosevelt thanks William G. Tiffany for sending a letter by Senator William Andrews Clark. Roosevelt refutes Clark’s claims regarding the handling of the treaty with Santo Domingo, and shares his thoughts as to what the treaty actually entails in terms of debt collection. Roosevelt says it would be “an infamy” to vote against the treaty.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-03-14

President Roosevelt thanks Donald McDonald Dickinson for the letter. Roosevelt expresses his disappointment with Judge Alton B. Parker during the recent political campaign, and says that while his personal relations with Parker have been friendly, the attacks on National Republican Committee Chairman George B. Cortelyou have made Roosevelt indignant. He feels that Parker is hypocritical for making a public show that “he was ‘advised’ that no corporations had contributed to his campaign” while personally retaining close political connections to prominent businessmen.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-07

John R. Middlemiss commends President Roosevelt’s administration and offers him an annuity from a copper-gold mining company. Middlemiss believes this will provide no less than $250,000 dollars a year, and should allow Roosevelt to “sustain the dignity of his position.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-25

Frank B. Kellogg, a member of the Republican National Committee, writes to Republican National Committee Treasurer George Rumsey Sheldon protesting the acceptance of money from the trusts and those who run them. In particular he lists the Standard Oil Company, the Union and Southern Pacific railroads, and the Powder Trust, and names the men he knows who are associated with them. He states that it would be wrong for the Republican Party to take money from any trust when these same trusts are violating the law.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-21

William G. Tiffany writes to express his firm belief that the United States should help Santo Domingo, despite the fact that the Senate is not inclined to do so. Tiffany criticizes the “diplomatic capacity” of Senator Clark and praises Major Robertson. He also claims that if the Senate does not respond to Santo Domingo appropriately it will open an opportunity to Europe that the United States has been seeking to prevent since its beginning.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-03-13

Front page of The Denver Republican, with several articles highlighted: “Roosevelt’s Name on Charter Ticket Denounced by President,” “Senator Clark on the Acquisition of Wealth,” and “‘Big Mitt’ is Given Free Reign: Corrupt Judges Reappointed Despite Hover and Uzzell.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-12-04

Gifford Pinchot highlighted two articles in the September 19, 1903, edition of the Salt Lake Herald. The first, “Modify the Land Laws Is Congress’ Decision,” describes the debates and resolutions of the National Irrigation Congress held in Ogden, Utah. The fiercest debate was over a proposed resolution that favored the repeal of the timber and stone act, the desert land act, and the commutation clause of the homestead law. Instead, the Congress resolved to press for “modifications in raid laws as will save the remaining public lands for actual settlers who will found homes and live upon said lands.” The second article, “Resolutions That Were Acted On By Congress,” summarizes the various issues that were discussed in the National Irrigation Congress.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-09-19