Cornucopias

James Rudolph Garfield, Commissioner of Corporations, is an artist finishing a large mural of a bull, “Saint Bovine,” sitting on a cornucopia overflowing with cuts of meat. Caption: Suggested decoration for the Senate Chamber at Washington.

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Comments and Context

James Rudolph Garfield was Commissioner of Corporations in the new cabinet agency, the Department of Commerce and Labor, and as such was the administration’s real driving force to reform the activities of trusts and corporations in the United States. His tools were persuasion, diplomacy, political pressure, consultation, and proposals for legislation and regulations.

A cherub representing the New Year 1905 rides on a winged cornucopia filled with farm produce labeled “Prosperity.”

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Comments and Context

Puck closed out the relatively tumultuous year of 1904 with a front-page cartoon blandly that was generic, but handsomely drawn by Grant Hamilton. It is an observation rather than an argument or advocacy, with the only “issue” named being economic prosperity. No foreign policy nor aspect of domestic policies is addressed.

A female figure labeled “Prosperity” holds a cornucopia labeled “Legitimate Business” overflowing with coins and papers labeled “Increased exports, Good crop reports, Higher wages, Larger R.R. earnings, [and] Trade ascendancy.” She is rising from the flames of “Watered stocks, Wildcat schemes, Mad speculation, Undigested securities, False values, [and] Overcapitalization.”

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Comments and Context

Puck was never in the business of promoting or electing Republicans, but it did always claim to be independent. In the early years of the Theodore Roosevelt presidency, the traditionally Democratic-leaning magazine proved its fair-minded approach by praising the policy initiatives and successes of the new president. It should be recognized that in the eyes of many eastern Democrats, the national party control by William Jennings Bryan was odious, and by general consensus Roosevelt’s policies indeed attracted unprecedented support throughout society.

A large female figure holds a cornucopia labeled “Prosperity 1895,” floating toward rays of light that illuminate industrial facilities. She hovers above a group of men gathered around a platform with a banner that states, “Protection Issue and Victory in 1896.” Several of the men are shaking their fists at her. Among those identified by name and unidentified are “Hoar, Elkins, Tom Reed, Lodge, [and] Hale,” and William B. Allison, possibly Thomas C. Carter, John Sherman, Joseph B. Foraker, William McKinley, Benjamin Harrison, William E. Chandler, Whitelaw Reid labeled “Tribune of N.Y.,” Charles A. Boutelle, and Matthew S. Quay.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-10-09

President Cleveland and five men use “Sound Policy Cement” to repair a statue labeled “Nat. Prosperity.” Shown with Cleveland are John G. Carlisle, William L. Wilson, Daniel W. Voorhees, Charles Tracey, and Michael D. Harter. Caption: The Republican vandals damaged it badly; but it will soon be as sound as ever, again.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1893-09-20

President McKinley stands at center holding a large cornucopia and emitting rays labeled “Prosperity,” while around him are vignettes showing people from all walks of life – doctors, cabbies, club men, real estate agents, actors, nobility seeking rich American wives, tramps, children, and old maids, even “The Hungry Heathen” – all with valentine wishes for McKinley and the hope of prosperity for themselves.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-02-17

Print shows William Jennings Bryan standing on his toes on a platform, with his coat spread to the sides, trying to hide a huge female figure labeled “Prosperity,” who is pouring money from a cornucopia onto the platform; standing in the foreground are a businessman, a laborer, and a farmer. Caption: “It’s no use, Billy Bryan; – it’s grown too big!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1899-05-17

Print shows an interior view of the office at a charitable organization. A bloated manager sits at a desk with his feet on top. In the background, several men hold open a large money bag to catch money flowing from a large cornucopia labeled “Charity.” The money goes down a chute “For Salaries, Office Rent, and Miscellaneous Expenses.” A couple pennies spill from a smaller chute into a basket “For Actual Relief of the Poor.”

Caption: Too often its benefits go to the organizers.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

A large cornucopia labeled “Cold Storage Warehouse” stores a significant amount of farm produce, creating an artificial shortage, in an effort to drive up the price of food in the marketplace. A group of people stand outside the locked door labeled “Closed for Higher Prices,” while, in the background, farm produce is being delivered from both sides for cold storage.

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Comments and Context

The downside of prosperity, such as was enjoyed during Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency, was a byproduct of human nature: sometimes retail prices rose not because of higher demand or better production standards, but because retailers — often the “middlemen” — could manipulate prices.