Corruption

The owner of a wine and beer store puts up a sign that states, “As long as it is the law it shall be enforced, Theo. Roosevelt.” A man representing Tammany Hall implies that if Tammany men were running the government, there might be ways to get around the laws without having to repeal them. Caption: Tammany–Goin’ to wait till dem reformers repeal dat law, are yer? Put me back and you won’t need to repeal! See?

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-07-24

A large police officer turns the crank on a large press labeled “Blackmail,” squeezing money out of a variety of merchants labeled “Boot Black, Gin Mill Keeper, Dive Keeper, Merchant, Green Goods, Contractor, Gambler, [and] Pawnbroker.” Caption: “Let no guilty man (or woman) escape – widout dey put up de stuff!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-10-03

Two dogs stand on a table. One labeled “Platt” has its front paws on a platter labeled “Patronage” on which is a piece of meat labeled “Raines Bill.” The other dog wearing a collar labeled “Croker” is looking wide-eyed at Platt.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-04-22

A large arm labeled “Justice” reaches down from above to grab Matthew S. Quay as he tries to make his way from the “Penitentiary” on the left to the “United States Senate” on the right.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1899-01-25

Half-length portrait of Richard Croker, facing front, with right hand resting on papers labeled “Certificate of Stock, Consolidate[d] Ice Co., Auto Truck Company, Fireproofin[g], [and] Telephone Co.” The ghost of a disconsolate Boss Tweed, wearing prison stripes, appears in the upper left corner above Croker’s right shoulder.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1899-05-10

Émile Zola, as a bullfighter holding a cape labeled “La Vérité” and a quill pen labeled “Zola,” faces a charging bull that is wearing a phrygian cap labeled “France” and has been stabbed in the back of the neck with a banderilla labeled “La Débâcle.” After a military investigation and trial acquitted Ferdinand Esterhazy of treason, placing the guilt on Alfred Dreyfus, Zola published an open letter to the president of France demanding that the truth be made known and that the miscarriage of justice, “La Débâcle,” that has come to be known as the Dreyfus Affair, be corrected.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1898-02-16

New York City Mayor Robert Anderson Van Wyck is a judge and Richard Croker is a policeman, holding a club labeled “Tammany,” bringing a man labeled “Reform” before the judge in a courtroom.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1898-02-23

A knight labeled “The New Congressman” stands on rocks high in the mountains at the base of a cliff that is protected by a sleeping dragon labeled “Special Privilege.” At the top of the cliff is the U.S. Capitol building.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Welcome to Washington: Udo J. Keppler depicts the challenges that face newly elected senators and representatives; not merely the long climb of steps to the Capitol.

Thomas Collier Platt offers his sword labeled “N.Y. Republican Boss” and a paper labeled “Nomination for Governor” to Theodore Roosevelt who is dressed as a Rough Rider. A pistol at Platt’s feet is labeled “Corrupt Legislation” and the holster he is wearing is labeled “Bribery.” Behind Platt, on the left, is a tent with flag labeled “Camp Platt” and behind Roosevelt, on the right, is a tent with flag labeled “Montauk.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1898-09-14

Matthew Quay, senator from Pennsylvania and political boss of dubious character, stands at a podium labeled “Keystone Auction Rooms, Matt. Quay, Auctioneer.” Quay is auctioning off Pennsylvania’s 32 electoral votes, labeled “32 Delegates for Quay,” to the highest bidder. The four men at the foot of the podium are William McKinley, Thomas B. Reed, Henry M. Teller, and a man labeled “Morton.” Caption: Auctioneer Quay–Now then, gentlemen, what am I offered for this lot? – the highest bidder gets ’em!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-03-18

An octopus with the head of a French military officer (which may represent General Boisdeffre or General Gonse), wearing a plumed hat labeled “Militarism,” has settled over Paris, France, with its tentacles extending in all directions. The tentacles are labeled “Deception, Dishonor, Forgery, Assassination, Corruption, Falsehood, [and] Blackmail.” Caught in their grasp are military officers Georges “Picquart” and Alfred “Dreyfus,” two female figures labeled “Honor” and “Justice,” and the author Émile “Zola” holding a quill pen labeled “J’Accuse.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1898-10-26

New York political bosses Thomas Collier Platt and Richard Croker appear as Roman centurions, wearing armor and carrying swords labeled “Bossism.” They are daintily shaking hands with the New York state capitol building labeled “Albany” in the background.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1898-11-16

An elderly man labeled “1898” carries a sack labeled “Nuisances” filled with diminutive figures labeled “Spain, R. H. Davis, Crank, Quay, Esterhazy, Paty de Clam, Mercier, Yellow Journal, Prize Fighter, Croker, Platt, Tanner, Aguinaldo, [and] Free Silverite.” Also shown is Joseph Pulitzer. Above are two angels carrying a putti labeled “1899” between them. One angel is labeled “Prosperity” and holds a cornucopia; the other is labeled “Peace” and blows a trumpet.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1899-01-04

Two men labeled “Political Boss” and “Public Service Corporation,” with shotguns, hide in tall reeds near decoys labeled “Respectable Candidates” trying to lure a flock of ducks or geese labeled “Votes.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1909-10-20

An over-sized man labeled “The Individual” casts a shadow labeled “Incorporation” which is caused by a light, on the left, held by a “Corporation Lawyer” and a “Corporation Legislator.” On the right, a female figure labeled “Dept. of Justice,” carrying a shield and a fasces, assails the shadow. Caption: “Whatever of wrong there is, is not the fault of the Corporation, but of the officials in charge of it. And for the individual committing the offense there should be punishment.”–Alton B. Parker.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1910-11-02

Print shows Justice sitting, blindfolded and holding her scales at her side, with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Standing at her feet is Puck holding a list of names that includes “Esterhazy, Paty de Clam, Mercier, Billot, Zurlinden, Boisdeffre, Gonse, Pellieux, Delagorgue, Perivier, Tezenas” and others. Caption: Puck (to French Justice) So far, so good, Madame! You have vindicated Dreyfus; but you must punish these criminals who persecuted him, before your work is done.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1899-06-28

Supporters of a “Square Tariff Deal,” carried in an ark by “Folk, Clark, Gore, Harmon, [and] Beveridge,” march on Jericho, blowing ram-horns labeled “The Voice of the People” causing the walls of Jericho labeled “Graft Tariff” and “Standpat Republicanism” to crumble. Among those marching are “Bacon, Borah, Bristow, Clapp, Dolliver, La Follette, [and] Wilson” and on horseback “Cummins.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1910-10-05

An old hag sits on a large ticker tape machine, on Wall Street, spewing “Inside Information,” “False Financial News,” and rumors that ensnare large groups of investors. Caption: The witch of Wall Street.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1909-09-08

Gifford Pinchot, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, fights alone against a raging forest fire which is billowing finger-shaped clouds labeled “Timber Grab,” “Land Graft,” and “Greed.” Caption: The Chief Forester and the consuming element.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1909-09-15

A sheep labeled “The Law” stands over a lamb labeled “Consumer” that has collapsed in the snow and is either dead or dying. A large cluster of ravens labeled “Tariff Graft, Food Trusts, [and] Special Privilege” have gathered, waiting to scavenge on the carrion.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1910-02-16