Your TR Source
Hiram A. Smith tells Theodore Roosevelt he believes Roosevelt will be the Republican presidential nominee and suggests Governor Herbert S. Hadley or Senator Albert Baird Cummins for vice president.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-12-20
Part four of Hearings before the committee on interstate commerce starts part way through a hearing in which Mr. Martin answers questions from the senators regarding the dissolution of trusts and the consequences to stockholders. A statement of Andrew Jaritz begins on page 174 in which Jaritz presents his ideas and conclusions on the permanent and progressive habits of economic legislation and the need for economic principles. Jaritz suggests the government frame trusts within the context of the economy and work for the people to set reasonable prices and prevent waste by the producers and the consumers. The government could then profit from the savings and continue regulating and enforcing economic legislation by forming a new department of economic policy.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-11-17
List of votes for Republican, Democrat, and Socialist presidential candidates for the election of 1912 published in the Toledo Weekly Blade. The list shows more Ohioans voted for Theodore Roosevelt over President William H. Taft, the Democrats, and the Socialists combined.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-12-07
A staff correspondent for the Chicago Tribune reports on President William Howard Taft’s recent visit to Kansas. Governor Walter R. Stubbs honored the president and accompanied him everywhere. Taft made friends with his smile and good humor, but there does not appear to be much change in political opinion after Taft’s visit. Many Progressives do not agree with his recent actions and policies as President such as the Payne-Aldrich tariff law, vetoing the wool, cotton, and farmer free list bill, and his Canadian reciprocity treaty. There is much opposition to Taft in Kansas, but it is not clear who else might have the vote in Kansas, perhaps Robert M. La Follette, Woodrow Wilson, or Albert Baird Cummins.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-29
A staff correspondent writes of the political situations in Kansas and Iowa developing around the potential presidential nominees and senators from each state. Many possibilities and political stances are suggested including the idea that Senator Albert Baird Cummins would be a compromise for Republicans who are split between William H. Taft and Robert M. La Follette, though Cummins is a solid supporter of La Follette and will not run against him. Many believe a third party might arise amongst the division.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-10-02
A staff correspondent reports on President William Howard Taft’s recent visit to Iowa. Taft was respectfully received and listened to, but it is not clear that public opinion was affected by his visit. Many farmers and small business owners were interviewed for their opinion and there was not a consensus for or against Taft among Republicans.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-30
Following a number of legislative items, including voting on an amendment to a bill and a motion to investigate participation in international expositions, Senator Robert M. La Follette delivers a speech beginning with proposed tariff reciprocity with Canada, but quickly turning to his view that President William H. Taft has abandoned his campaign promises to continue the progressive policies of his predecessor Theodore Roosevelt. La Follette excoriates Taft on his stances on taxes and conservation, among other issues.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-07-15
The results of the presidential poll conducted by the Valley Farmer in February 1911.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-04
The results of the presidential poll conducted by the Topeka Capital.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-04-25
A program listing the January, February, and March dates and speakers for the Saturday Discussions lecture series sponsored by the Republican Club of the City of New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-04-11
Iowa Governor Albert Baird Cummins wears a “protection” muzzle as he says, “Tariff revision.” He holds two flags—”They can’t lose ‘A. B.'” and “For governor, A. B. Cummins”—as he is tied to the back of an elephant with a sign on its back that reads, “Standpatters from Standpattersville” The elephant also holds a flag, “We’re all in line.” Senator William B. Allison leads the elephant along.
The “Iowa Idea” was a controversial tariff-tinkering whose origin was with the new governor, Albert B. Cummins. He had national ambitions — indeed he would soon be appointed to the United States Senate — and his insurgent views blossomed into his leadership of the Progressive movement, even to supporting Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 against the incumbent president, William H. Taft.
In 1903 his promotion of the “Iowa Idea” — to consider tariff revisions with pledges not to preserve or create monopolies — was a sincere reform proposal, but also a gambit to commit the national Republican Party to address the tariff issue… and imply downward rate revisions.
A “U.S. Senate” horse stands and eats cobwebs as “Senator Root,” “Senator Cummins,” “Senator Roosevelt,” “Senator Bryan,” and Wisconsin Senator Robert M. La Follete push a steam engine that produces steam labeled “umsteen horse power legislative capacity” toward the horse to hitch it up. Meanwhile, the “people” push the “old regime” — “the old family phaeton,” an old-fashioned carriage — including “Sen. Platt” and New York Senator Chauncey M. Depew, as Uncle Sam watches and chuckles in the background.
Readers do not have to check their pulses or their texts when they see the vintage political cartoon by Jay N. “Ding” Darling referring to Senators Theodore Roosevelt and William Jennings Bryan. Two men labelled senators were indeed appointed to their offices just at this time — Elihu Root of New York, the recent Secretary of State, and Governor Albert Baird Cummins of Iowa. Robert M. LaFollette of Wisconsin had been in the Senate for two years at the time of this cartoon.
A variety of individuals jump for joy: Uncle Sam, President-elect William H. Taft, Vice President-elect J. S. Sherman, Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon, Iowa Governor Albert Baird Cummins, President Roosevelt, New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes, and the Republican elephant.
Sometimes the very simplest concept and presentation is the most effective. Jay N. “Ding” Darling proved that many times over his career — most notably in his eulogistic cartoon on the death of Theodore Roosevelt. Astride a horse and headed up a ghostly trail to Heaven, Roosevelt turned and waved to readers.
President Roosevelt stands behind a fence and tosses an extremely large pair of “Roosevelt’s shoes.” A number of men standing waiting to catch them: Secretary of War William H. Taft, Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker, William Jennings Bryan, Secretary of the Treasury George B. Cortelyou, Iowa Governor Albert Baird Cummins, Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks, New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes; and former cabinet secretaries Leslie M. Shaw and Philander C. Knox.
The immediate context of Jay N. “Ding” Darling’s cartoon was a public statement issued by President Roosevelt the previous day, on December 12, 1907. Hence the “Now” in the cartoon’s title.
President Roosevelt sits on the springboard dipping his feet in the water as Secretary of War William H. Taft, Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks, Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon, New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes, Secretary of State Elihu Root, Iowa Governor Albert Baird Cummins, and Wisconsin Senator Robert M. La Follette stand behind him on the board waiting. Former Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw stands on land in the background.
This 1908 cartoon from early in the career of Jay H. “Ding” Darling displays his mastery of caricature and composition, as well as conception, for Ding squeezed a slightly new aspect from a familiar subject in the day’s news: whether President Roosevelt would run again, violating his own public declination in 1904, and whom he would support as his successor, was getting to be a tired topic.
Iowa Governor Albert Baird Cummins will not oppose Senator William B. Allison’s reelection.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-13
Secretary of War Taft informs President Roosevelt that he has changed his mind about writing a speech on the Brownsville affair. He will write a draft and send it to his campaign manager, Arthur I. Vorys, and Roosevelt to get their opinion. Taft describes his opinion of James Buchanan Aleshire’s fitness for Quartermaster General. Taft encloses letters on William Edgar Borah and Albert Baird Cummins. He relays discussions on the appointment of the Postmaster in New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-07
In anticipation of Assistant Postmaster General Frank H. Hitchcock making a visit to President Roosevelt at Oyster Bay, William H. Taft reports a recent conversation a third party had with Hitchcock. The latter expressed his intent to oppose Taft’s nomination for the presidency and to press for President Roosevelt to run for a third term. Hitchcock believes that Taft has made an unfavorable impression on a number of important figures in the Midwest. Taft implies that Hitchcock’s views might be influenced by those of Winthrop Murray Crane.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-06-29
President Roosevelt goes over his position on tariffs and is concerned about the New York situation.
Massachusetts Historical Society
1903-04-27
A group of men, scoffers, labeled “Tillman, Elkins, Penrose, Crane, Lodge, Depew, Gallinger, Aldrich, [and] Sherman” watch four men labeled “Cummins, Dolliver, Gore, [and] La Follette” construct an ark labeled “Principle.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1909-07-28