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William McKinley holds an axe behind his back labeled “McKinley Act” and points to a cherry tree labeled “American Industries” that has been chopped down. He tells Uncle Sam that Grover Cleveland did it. Caption: Truthful Bill–I can not tell a lie, Uncle – Grover did it.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1894-02-21
Grover Cleveland drives a stagecoach labeled “Administration Coach” carrying “Columbia” and being pulled by two horses labeled “Honest Principles” and “Sound Policy.” The coach is stuck in a hole labeled “Deficit” and “This Hole Dug by Republican Party.” Arthur P. Gorman, standing at the rear, uses a large stick labeled “Wilson Bill” and a board labeled “Bond Issue” to try to get the wheels out of the hole. On the right, in a “Bog of Public Contempt,” are Whitelaw Reid, John Sherman, Thomas B. Reed, George F. Hoar, and Benjamin Harrison. They are laughing at Cleveland.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1894-02-21
President Cleveland holds a cat by the tail. The cat has ribbons labeled “Bland Seignorage [and] Silver Bill.” Cleveland has used the ribbons to tie a rock labeled “Veto” to the cat, which he drops over a cliff.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1894-03-21
Lame duck president Grover Cleveland and Secretary of State Richard Olney look down at a knocked-out document labeled “Arbitration Treaty” lying on a desk between them. John Sherman is looking in through a window in the background.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1897-02-24
President Cleveland pulls on a rope labeled, “Cleveland’s letter to Citizens of Chicago,” and rings a bell labeled “Sound Money Alarm” to warn them that dark smoke labeled “Free Silver Coinage” from a raging fire is bearing down upon them.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1895-05-08
A portly laborer carrying a full dinner pail and a “Bank Book” in his coat pocket stands on the roadway with factories spewing smoke in the background. On the left a sign states, “Voluntarily Increased Wages Thanks to Cleveland,” and on the ground a sign states, “Reduced Wages Thanks to McKinley.” On the right a sign states, “High Wages and Steady Employment Under Cleveland,” and on the ground a sign states, “Strikes and Lockouts Under McKinley.” Caption: “The McKinleyites poked lots of fun at me a while ago, ‘cos I voted for Cleveland; but I’m doing the laughing now!”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1895-05-22
President William McKinley sits at his desk, as former president Grover Cleveland departs with Uncle Sam. Puck is standing on a step-ladder, carving “McKinley’s Good Record” and “Appointment of Gage, Sec. of Treasury” into stone next to “Cleveland’s Good Record” which includes “Extension of Civil Service Reform,” “Repeal of Silver Purchase Bill,” “Suppression of Chicago Riots,” “Settlement of Venezuelan Controversy,” and “Arbitration Agreement with England.” Caption: Puck–Keep on this way, Mr. President, and you may leave as good a record as your predecessor!
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1897-03-03
President Cleveland stands on the steps of the “White House” watching a funeral procession with the hearse labeled “Calamity Cry killed by Business Revival” and a long line of Republican mourners. Among them are Reed, Harrison, McKinley, Sherman, Chandler, Hoar, W. Reid, and Boutelle. The U.S. Capitol is on a hill in the background.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1895-06-05
President Cleveland stands on the steps to the “U.S. Treasury,” holding a large sword labeled “Sound Money Policy,” with left hand raised to stop the progress of an eight-headed, silver-scaled hydra labeled “Free Silver Craze.” The heads are identified as “Jones, Crisp, Peffer, Harvey, Stewart, Wolcott, Bland, [and] Blackburn.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1895-06-19
William C. “Whitney” is the ringmaster at a circus where “D. B. Hill” is performing a horse riding trick by trying to ride two horses at once, a small horse labeled “Gold Standard” and a larger horse labeled “Free Silver.” Also in the ring is a clown labeled “Harvey.” Among those in the audience are William McKinley, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas B. Reed, John Sherman, George F. Hoar, William B. Allison, William E. Chandler, William F. Peffer, Whitelaw Reid, Grover Cleveland, and Joseph J. C. Blackburn or Charles A. Boutelle. Caption: The New Ringmaster–Gentlemen of the audience, the great equestrian, “The Senator,” will perform his thrilling feat of riding two horses simultaneously! – Brace up, Dave, everybody’s looking at you!
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1895-06-26
Grover Cleveland and Thomas B. Reed ride down the “Sound-Money Road” on a bicycle built for two, with tires labeled “Gold Standard,” and honking horns labeled “Ki-Yi Gun” at a small dog labeled “Silverite.” Caption: “In my opinion, Speaker Reed is the strongest and brainiest man in your (the Republican) party.” President Cleveland to Congressman Milliken, as per N.Y. World.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1896-07-01
The combined forces of the gold standard supporters, including some newspaper editors, and a reluctant William McKinley, march under the standard “The Nation’s Credit Must Be Upheld,” toward a fort labeled “Fort 16 to 1” flying the banner “Repudiation,” and manned by soldiers armed with pitchforks and scythes. The newspaper editors are staffing the big guns labeled “Sound Money Press.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1896-07-22
A “Sensation Press” reporter stands on the shore near “Gray Gables,” Grover Cleveland’s summer home at Cape Cod, pointing to a sea serpent labeled “3d Term Twaddle.” Caption: The latest and most improbable feat of the sensation-newspaper man’s imagination.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1895-07-31
Uncle Sam is shown before and after taking a “Tariff Reform Tonic.” “Before taking” he is listless and fatigued. “After taking” he is vigorous and healthy, sitting in a chair next to the table with the “Tariff Reform Tonic Prescribed by Dr. Cleveland.” Under the bottle of tonic is a notice that states, “The necessaries of life should be Greatly Cheapened. Cleveland Message 1887.” Caption: Uncle Sam has only had one sip, but it has already done him good.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1894-10-24
On the left, Grover Cleveland tips his hat as he leaves office in 1889, after passing the key to a large safe labeled “U.S. Treasury” with a “Surplus $100,000,000 Dollars” to incoming president Benjamin Harrison. On the right, President Cleveland, returning to the presidency in 1893, gestures toward the safe as Benjamin Harrison departs. The door to the safe is broken off its hinges and labeled “Looted,” and the safe is now empty. Harrison tips his hat on his way out.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1893-08-23
Grover Cleveland lifts a heavy weight labeled “Silver Question.” He has several medals pinned to his chest. With him are “W.E. Russell,” David B. Hill, Robert E. Pattison, Adlai E. Stevenson, James E. Campbell, and William R. Morrison. On the right, refusing to touch any of the weights labeled “Silver Question, Tariff Question, [and] Cuban Question,” are William McKinley, Shelby M. Cullom, Levi P. Morton, Robert Todd Lincoln, Thomas B. Reed, Benjamin Harrison, [and] William B. Allison. Uncle Sam is part of a large audience seated in the background. Caption: One strong man has shown his ability to lift the heavy weight; – now let’s see what the others can do.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1896-05-13
A large group of members of the Fifty-fourth Congress are pictured. Many are dressed as natives, with some wearing grass skirts. Most are armed with spears or clubs, while some have shields. Four are reading the “Reminiscences of John Sherman,” one turns the crank on a spit where John Bull is being roasted, and Thomas B. Reed is standing on a platform on the left. A statue labeled “Jingoism” appears at center. Grover Cleveland appears in effigy with several spears or arrows stuck in him. Joseph G. Cannon sits on the floor on the right.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1896-05-27
In a military policy speech given before a group of soldiers and veterans of the American Civil War and Spanish-American War, President Roosevelt stresses the need for preparedness. He says the borders of the United States, once separated from Europe and Asia by the vast oceans, have been brought closer to potential threats by modern naval technology. He insists that the United States, now a world power, must become very engaged in international affairs, ready to back up words with action, and he affirms his belief in the Monroe Doctrine. For the army, he believes in small but strong regular National Guard units which can train up and lead a larger volunteer force in the event of war. He believes this would be impossible for the navy, however, as it takes years to build warships and train sailors on the “highly specialized work” of operating them; Roosevelt feels that the warcraft and crews prepared in time of peace would be the factor on which success would rest. He concludes with anecdotes and a message on the need for citizens and soldiers to do their duty every day and not just in moments of glory.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-09-23
President Cleveland stands on the right, holding an axe labeled “Political Wisdom,” in a forest where he has been cutting trees labeled “Gold Standard.” Approaching from the left is a procession led by Mark A. Hanna, as drum major, followed by William McKinley, Garret A. Hobart, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas B. Reed, George F. Hoar, John Sherman, Henry Cabot Lodge, and others. One is carrying a banner that states, “The Repubican Party is unreservedly for Sound Money – the existing Gold Standard must be preserved. Rep. Platform.” Caption: He blazed the path that they have got to follow.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1896-08-26
William Jennings Bryan casts a vote for the nomination of James B. Weaver, the Populist Party candidate in 1892, instead of the Democratic Party candidate, Grover Cleveland. Bryan supported the “Populist Platform ’92 – Free coinage of silver at half its commercial value, unlimited paper money for everybody, the confiscation of all railroad, telegraph and telephone lines – in short, trailing National Honor in the Mud of Repudiation” over the “Democratic Platform ’92 – Bimetallism through international agreement or by such safe guards of legislation as would ensure the parity of both Gold and Silver and preserve the National Honor.” Caption: “When the Democratic party is engaged in a struggle, as it is now, any man who deserts it in the face of the enemy will never get back unless he comes in sackcloth and ashes.” From Bryan’s speech at Petersburg, Va., 1896.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1896-10-14