Crying

Thomas W. Lawson, with his America’s Cup entry “Independence,” and Nathanael G. Herreshoff with his America’s Cup entry “Constitution,” console each other after their yachts initially were denied entry in the America’s Cup challenge in 1901.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Thomas W. Lawson was a wealthy American financier born into poverty and, ironically, lived in poverty when he died. One of his passions was yacht racing. He balked at the requirement to join the New York Yacht Club in order to race his yacht “Independence” in the 1901 America’s Cup. Several years after this cartoon, the rebellious Lawson wrote a series of magazine articles, “Frenzied Finance,” discussing corruption among the business class “from the inside,” and became one of the early Muckrakers. This cartoon is a snapshot in time: Nathaniel Greene Herreshoff built the yacht “Constitution” for J. P. Morgan. It encountered initial problems in registering for the race, but eventually the “Constitution” was ratified, raced, and won the America’s Cup in 1901, the second cup for a boat designed and built by Herreshoff.

William H. Moody addresses Joseph Cannon, William H. Taft, William Jennings Bryan, and other lawmakers. Standing at the end of a trail of footsteps leading from Oyster Bay, he tells them, “It would pain Mr. Roosevelt to run for president again.” Rejected title is crossed out at the top: “A few others would be pained, too.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1908

The Tammany Tiger sits at a table, holding a knife and fork, and crying over the tiny turkey labeled “Patronage” on a platter labeled “20,000 Majority for Tammany.” Next to the platter is a mug labeled “No Sunday Beer.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-11-27

President McKinley appears as a father showing favoritism by holding an infant labeled “High Protective Tariff,” while ignoring another infant labeled “Financial Question” crying in a high chair.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-04-07

Uncle Sam, wearing a nightshirt, paces the floor, carrying a large, crying infant labeled “Infant Industries.” A bottle of “41% Protection Soothing Syrup, Ineffectual” is on a nightstand next to a bed. Caption: Uncle Sam–I guess he won’t stop howling till I give him enough Protection Soothing Syrup to burst him!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-12-30

Theodore Roosevelt meets with William II, the emperor of Germany, Armand Fallières of France, Victor Emmanuel III, the King of Italy, and King Edward VII, of Great Britain. He is being interrupted by a sobbing Republican elephant, imploring him to return home now, especially if he cares at all for the Republican Party. Caption continues: “The bell in the graveyard tolls One; / You said you were coming right home from the wilds as soon as your shooting was done. / Come now! Come n-o-o-w! Oh, Teddy! Dear Teddy! Ifyoucareevenalittlebitforusteddy, Come NOW!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1910-04-13

Secretary of the Navy William C. Whitney hands a boat labeled “Dolphin” to James G. Blaine who shies away, refusing to accept it. In the background, John Roach, a contractor, who built the ship “Dolphin,” is crying because the Cleveland administration has voided his contract. Caption: Secretary Whitney – “Here, Mr. Blaine, this was evidently built in the expectation of your election. We have no use for it.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-05-20

A young boy shows his younger siblings a Santa Claus suit in a wardrobe to convince them that Santa Claus does not exist.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1913-12-24

At the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, the Puck figure for the “Independent” party stands on a raised platform, hoisting a flag that states “For President G. Cleveland” showing a portrait of Grover Cleveland, while a female figure labeled “Democratic Party” gestures toward the flag. In the foreground, Benjamin F. Butler, dressed as a clown, and John Kelly, dressed as a Native American, are crying. Extending from Butler’s pocket is a string of sausages labeled “Tammany’s Nomination, Women’s Suffrage Nomination, Tewkesbury Pauper Nomination, Convict Party Nomination, Greenback Nomination, [and] Butler’s Nomination.” Kelly is labeled “Tammany” and carries a peace pipe labeled “Grady.” In the background, the disappointed Tammany delegation has gathered up their signs and is departing. Caption: When party lifts a flag like this on high, small wonder clowns and demagogues should cry.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1884-07-16

A minister and a “Theater Manager” are crying because of poor attendance at sermons and theater closures due to “Poor Business.” A young boy on roller skates is nearby with a sandwich board that states “Sunday evening sermon by the Rev. Dr. Gums, on the Sin of Roller Skating.” A crowd of people are standing at the entrance to a “Roller-Skating Rink” in the background.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-03-18

Viscount Wolseley attempts to glue the tail labeled “Prestige” onto a weeping British Lion with the aid of British Prime Minister William E. Gladstone who is holding a glue pot labeled “Berber Expedition.” A large, bloody animal trap labeled “Khartoum Trap” and “El Mahdi Patent” is in the foreground.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-02-18

Illustration shows a beautiful young woman, bust portrait, facing front.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1915-01-09

At the front doorstep of a house, a young man is headed for college. He is wearing a sweater with a large “Y” on it and is carrying a suitcase labeled “Harold Halfback Yale” and a football. His sobbing mother hands him a football helmet and shoulder-pads, and a little girl hands him a “First Aid Kit” and shin-guards. A dog standing with the mother and sister is also crying. In the background, a man sitting in a small horse-drawn carriage waits for the young man to finish his goodbyes. Caption: The Spartan Mother — Go, my boy!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1913-09-24

A well dressed old man wearing a top hat and spats lies on his back, bouncing the earth on his feet. In the foreground is a doctor’s bag with various instruments (he may have given himself an injection), and on the left is a weeping cherub. His bowstring is broken and his arrows have fallen on the ground.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1913-06-18

The “G.O.P.” elephant, wearing an engagement ring, and William H. Taft, wearing a tuxedo, embrace. Taft is smiling, while the elephant is weeping as it holds up a portrait of Theodore Roosevelt.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Two weeks prior to the Republican nominating convention in Chicago, L. M. Glackens drew “The Great Renunciation” — a cartoon that presented the stark reality of American politics that summer, with no nuance or implications. Symbolism there is, of course: the Republican elephant with shiny engagement ring, hugging her intended, William H. Taft.

Theodore Roosevelt and William H. Taft stand in the center of a gathering of Roosevelt’s “officers.” Most are dressed as colonial army officers, with Charles J. Bonaparte dressed as Napoleon and John Burroughs as a frontiersman. All but Roosevelt are crying. Caption: Repetition, one year hence, of a famous scene in Fraunce’s Tavern.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Cartoonist Louis M. Glackens drew this prophetic cartoon in March of 1908, interesting for what it does not outright say, and significant for who it does and does not show, in the group gathered around President Roosevelt.

Two little children labeled “Taft” and “Sherman” are crying because they have lost their way. Vice President Sherman, as a little girl, is holding the string to a pull-toy which is an elephant on a base with wheels. Caption: Pitiable plight of little Willie and Jamey.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-10-09