Commerce

Address of President Roosevelt at the Charleston Exposition

President Roosevelt remarks on the unification of the northern and southern states after the Civil War. He discusses several ex-Confederate officers who have been named to important positions in the federal government. He also discusses the importance of international relations with Puerto Rico and Cuba, and commends the Charleston Exposition for reaching out to the West Indies. Finally, Roosevelt discusses the various problems faced by American industry, and the role of the government in addressing those problems.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-04-09

Remarks of President Roosevelt at Paso Robles, California, May 9, 1903

President Roosevelt briefly speaks in Paso Robles, congratulating the citizens on their agriculture, commerce, and industry. He is also glad to see the vessels of the United States Navy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-05-09

Misery loves company

Three men holding spoons labeled “Russia, England, [and] Japan” attempt to force a large pill labeled “Ultimatum” from an “International Pill Box” into a despairing Chinese man sitting on a throne with a large pillow behind him. The three men have the attributes of Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia, Robert Cecil, Marquess of Salisbury, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and Meiji, Emperor of Japan. The sultan of Turkey is sitting on the left, smoking a hookah. Caption: The Sultan–Allah be praised! – Now that they’ve got another “Sick Man,” maybe they’ll let up on me a little!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-11-06

The same old power behind the throne

Speaker of the House Thomas B. Reed holds a gavel and “Tariff Legislation.” While he is seated at the Speaker’s desk, he is mindful of a large man wearing a business suit, labeled “Protectionist,” sitting behind him.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-01-22

Another theory knocked out by a condition

A seesaw labeled “Commerce” has characters labeled “Wheat” on the low end and “Silver” on the high end. A hand labeled “Supply and Demand” is pushing down on the side of the wheat. William Jennings Bryan is standing on the right holding a paper that states, “‘Wheat and Silver are Indissolubly Linked’ – Bryan.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-09-08

A self-evident fact

Uncle Sam sits in a wooden tub labeled “Dingley Bill,” rowing with oars labeled “Monopoly” in a small pool labeled “Home Market” near a sign reading, “Republican Goose Pond.” Beyond the pond are several large steam ships, labeled with the major European economic powers. Caption: Uncle Sam–Say! I want you fellows to distinctly understand that I’m not racing with you!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-09-15

The mystery explained

Speaker of the House, Thomas B. Reed, is a watchdog asleep at his desk on papers labeled “Dingley Tariff Section 22” while a scoundrel labeled “Railroad Lobby” inserts an amendment. Caption: Speaker Reed says he doesn’t know how the discriminating duty “slipped in.” This is how.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-09-22

The bounty jumper of 1894

Benjamin Harrison stands on the deck of a ship labeled “Republican Party,” under sails labeled “Prohibitory Protection.” He is holding a rope that leads to a rowboat labeled “McKinleyism” with William McKinley standing in it, holding up a diminutive man labeled “Ex-Subdizied Sugar Planter.” To the right of the rowboat, President Cleveland is standing on the deck of a ship labeled “Democracy,” under sails labeled “Tariff Reform.” Caption: Capt. Cleveland–Subsidies were the price of his party allegiance! Take him, – you’re welcome to him!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-10-31

Now let the lion beware!

Henry C. Lodge plays a horn labeled “Discrimination Against England,” Benjamin Harrison plays cymbals labeled “Bimetallic Standard,” Thomas B. Reed beats a tub labeled “Bimetallism” with a club labeled “Speech,” and Whitelaw Reid plays a trumpet and holds a paper labeled “Tribune.” They are on a wharf labeled “U.S.” and raising a bimetallic clamor with silver and gold instruments, against the British Lion who is smugly reclining on a bit of land labeled “England” and holding papers labeled “Free Trade,” with ships along the shore labeled “To Japan, To India, To S. America, To Australia, [and] To China.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-11-14

John Bull’s dilemma

John Bull sits on a rock facing a dilemma. Across a narrow body of water is a man holding a sword labeled “Kurd Atrocities” and a handgun, about to strike a kneeling woman labeled “Armenia.” John Bull has a bag hanging from his shoulder labeled “Turkish Revenues” containing “Turkish Bonds” and “Turkish Loans,” and in his pocket is a paper labeled “Suez Canal Stock.” At his feet is a cashbox labeled “£.s.d. He is worried that if he interferes with Turkish affairs, it might jeopardize their financial relations. Caption: “It’s ‘ard to ‘ave to disturb ‘im – ‘e’s such a good customer!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-01-16

The grand old game of tit for tat

Uncle Sam, looking obstinate and pointing his finger at some point between the “Germany Home Market” and the “France Home Market,” responds to their complaints. He is standing on the left, at the “U.S. Home Market” which is stocked with such commodities as beef, pork, ham, rice, cotton, canned goods, manufactures, wheat, corn, and cabbage. On the right, across a narrow channel, is a German man standing next to a barrel of “Beet Sugar.” In the background, across another channel, is a French man and a woman labeled “Belgium” standing next to boxes labeled “Wines.” Caption: Germany–You vill not take mein raw sugar, – I vill not take your bork or beef or hay or noddings. Donnerwetter! / France–Sacré nom de dieu! You discriminate against my wine! Is it not so? I will not take your goods. / Uncle Sam–What do I care for commercial intercourse and prosperity? I’ve got my “Home Market” all to myself, see?

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-01-23

The industrial “cold snap” is over

William McKinley is pictured as a snowman holding papers labeled “Prohbitory [sic] Tariff.” He is melting beneath a blazing sun labeled “Business Revival.” In the foreground, Matthew S. Quay and James D. Cameron try to scoop up the slush while Whitelaw Reid holds up a newspaper to block the sun. Standing on ladders are Charles W. Foster holding a thermometer that registers “Hot” and a fan, and Joseph B. Foraker holding up an umbrella labeled “Ohio Popularity” to keep the sun off McKinley. Benjamin Harrison is sitting on a fence in the background, whittling. Caption: And the protectionists can’t keep their snow man from rapidly melting away.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-03-14

Chained!!

The Roman god “Mars” is shown bound to rocks, imprisoned with shackles and clamps labeled “Russo-German Commercial Treaty,” fastened with spikes driven by Alexander III of Russia and William II of Germany using large sledgehammers labeled “Ratification.” In the background, a female figure labeled “Peace” reclines in a hammock that hangs between the standards of each nation. Caption: Peace in Europe is safe for ten years more, anyhow!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-04-04

Another hide to be taken

A wolf wearing a red cape labeled “Hard Times 1893” stands on a rock outside a gate labeled “U.S.” with Uncle Sam standing inside the gate and pointing a rifle labeled “Business Revival” at the wolf. Hanging on the wall of a building in the background are hides labeled “Hard Times 1819, Hard Times 1837, Hard Times 1857, [and] Hard Times 1873.” Columbia, carrying a rifle labeled “Prosperity,” is rushing to aid Uncle Sam. Caption: Uncle Sam (to the Wolf at the Door)–One of you pesky critters comes around here about every twenty years; but this is the gun that gits you!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-04-11

An unforeseen emergency

The Emperor of China, sitting on a throne, seeks advice from a wise minister, as foreign ships, from England, Germany, Japan, France, and other countries, approach in the background. Caption: The Emperor of China–Tell me, most wise counselor, what advice does Confucius give concerning such a situation as this? / Li Hung Chang–I fear, Your Majesty, that Confucius is a back number. He never dreamed of such an exhibition of gall as this.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1898-01-26

Warming up a sure winner

Puck appears as a jockey on a galloping horse labeled “Free Trade” on a racetrack labeled “International Commercial Race-Track.” John Bull stands on the track next to the British Prime Minister Lord Rosebery as a jockey, sitting on a horse labeled “British Commercial Supremacy.” Caption: John Bull–Good ‘evins! Hif that there filly is goin’ to start, hit’ll go ‘ard with my ‘orse!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-08-01

Commerce vs. conquest

John Bull, labeled “England,” holds a model ship labeled “Trade.” Uncle Sam, also holding a model ship labeled “Trade,” is behind him. They stand before the Chinese Emperor who is frightened three men standing nearby: William II holding a sword labeled “Germany”, “France” holding a rifle, and Nicholas II holding two pistols labeled “Russia.” Caption: Uncle Sam (to John Bull)–Don’t scare him, John, the way those other fellows are doing. Tell him all we want is to have him open his harbors and markets to everybody!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1898-02-02

Our sleeping beauty

A woman wearing a crown labeled “Commerce” lies sleeping on a bed. A “Business Man” stands on the left with cobwebs and a top hat at his feet. A sleeping “Laborer” sits on a wall with cobwebs around him. Caption: May the new Secretary of the Treasury be the prince who will awaken her to a long and happy life.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-02-17

The “British despot” beaten again

John Bull stands on land labeled “England” as an army of animated steel railroad rails march ashore in military formation from ships docked just offshore. In the background, Uncle Sam is standing on land labeled “United States” with steel factories spewing smoke behind him. Caption: The invasion of England by the great American steel rail army.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-03-24

Just what might have been expected

William McKinley sits on the porch of a house labeled “Presidential Hopes,” flying a banner that states “The Foreigner Pays the Tax,” built on stilts on a sandy beach. Below, a rising tide labeled “Business Revival” has washed away the house and McKinley runs for safety. Caption: He built his house on a sand-heap, and the rising tide is making short work of it.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-06-26