Currency question

He’s perfectly safe

An illustration of President Roosevelt has images and captions in it, including “settlement of the coal strike,” “protection against foreign labor,” “gold standard,” and “U.S. Supreme Court.” Meanwhile, Alton B. Parker is surrounded by Democratic leaders and is tied down by “sugar trust,” “Standard Oil,” and “rail-road franchise” ropes. Caption: Why Parker “Because he is perfectly safe.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-06

Fading, still fading

In the first illustration, Alton B. Parker stands tall and looks refined. Caption: After gold telegram. In the second, Parker is shorter and looks more ruffled. Caption: After acceptance letter. In the third, Parker is even shorter and is faded. Caption: At present time. Overall caption: How the Esopus candidate appears as the campaign progresses.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-24

A hampered beast

President Roosevelt pokes a Republican elephant that is already bleeding from a number of other spears adorned with flags bearing messages pertaining to currency. It is also shackled by a “fraud” and “graft” ball and chain. Roosevelt says, “Hang it!! Some some activity, I don’t care for your pain!”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10

Cartoon in Judge

Uncle Sam looks skeptically at a “Democratic coin” with Alton B. Parker’s face on it. “Anti-protectionism,” “anti-patriotism,” “anti-expansion,” and “anti-prosperity” are on the four parts of the coin and “doubtful money” is on the bottom.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-15

Democratic party tendencies

Several Democratic leaders pull at ropes tied together. Senator Arthur P. Gorman and Representative William Bourke Cockran pull against each other on the “tariff question,” William Jennings Bryan and Grover Cleveland pull against each other on the “money question,” and August Belmont and William Randolph Hearst pull against each other on the “trust question.” Caption: Think of Gorman agreeing with Cochran on the tariff question. Think of Bryan agreeing with Cleveland on the money question. Think of reconciling the words of their platform and their candidate on the Philippine question. Think of Belmont harmonizing with Hearst on the trust question.—Senator Beveridge’s Tomlinson Hall Speech.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-10

Republican policies

Uncle Sam points to three “Republican policy” blocks: “sound finance,” “commerce at home and abroad,” and “industries.” Over top of the blocks are three headings: “$700,000,” “For the world’s peace,” and “Prosperity.” Caption: Uncle Sam—With facts like these, the result of Republican rule, who wants a change? Not I!

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-12

Letter from James Speyer to William Loeb

James Speyer asks William Loeb to tell President Roosevelt that he hopes no steps are taken regarding currency reform until he and the president have had a chance to talk about it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-01-08

Hughes’ reply to Bryan

A compiled publication that features Governor of New York Charles Evans Hughes’s full speech highlights, select sentences of importance, and supporting quotations from other politicians. In his speech, Hughes outlines the Republican Party’s successes in promoting the nation’s welfare. William H. Taft is a highly qualified candidate who will prevent injustices and ensure continued progress. Democrat candidate William Jennings Bryan’s unsuccessful 1896 campaign illustrates not only his failures but those of his party.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-05

Letter from William E. Chandler to Theodore Roosevelt

William E. Chandler expresses his complete confidence that the Republicans will be victorious and President Roosevelt will win reelection. Thanks to Alton B. Parker’s blunder in sending a telegram about the gold standard, the only thing that could cause Roosevelt to lose is the perception that he is taking too much money from magnates like J. Pierpont Morgan, Edward Henry Harriman, and Henry Clay Frick.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-10

To the surviving soldiers and sailors who served in the Union Army…

Daniel Edgar Sickles urges his fellow veterans to vote for President Roosevelt, rather than Judge Alton B. Parker, in the upcoming election.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-07

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

Theodore Roosevelt writes to Henry Cabot Lodge about his concerns regarding the butchers’ strike and the Colorado matter. Roosevelt acknowledges that Alton Parker made a skillful political maneuver by coming out in favor of the gold standard during the last moments of the Democratic Convention, and Roosevelt reviews his political strategy for the rest of the campaign.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-14

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Jacob H. Schiff

Theodore Roosevelt is working hard on his acceptance speech. Roosevelt believes that the Democrats are not to be trusted if the Party is at odds with its own presidential candidate, Alton B. Parker, on the currency question. Roosevelt criticizes Parker for having been in favor of the free silver program and switching to an endorsement of the gold standard when public opinion made it advantageous to do so. Roosevelt wishes that Elihu Root would run for office.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-14

The old story

Puck, holding a lithographic pen, talks to President McKinley. The latter is depicted as a “shiftless tenant” sitting in a rocking chair while the roof labeled “Bad Currency System” on his house deteriorates, creating a large hole. Caption: Puck–You couldn’t mend that roof when it was raining – why not mend it now? / Shiftless Tenant–What’s the use of mending it now? The sun is shining!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-08-18

The new coat

William E. Chandler appears as a store clerk at the “Republican Misfit Clothing Company” helping David B. Hill purchase some new clothes. Hill is trying on a new coat that has a large golden medal labeled “McKinleyism” hanging from the lapel. The coat is too big for him, though Chandler tells him it fits perfectly. Hill’s old coat, with a ribbon that states “D.B.H. I am a Democrat,” is lying on a chair between them. Caption: Mister Chandler–Mein cracious, Meester Hill; it fits you like de paper on de vall!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-05-16

A hard beast to handle

A silver elephant wearing a ribbon labeled “Currency Problem” stands in a stall with a shackle labeled “Cleveland’s Veto” on one foot. A notice on the wall states, “Look Out for the Elephant – He is Dangerous.” A battered old man labeled “Dem. Majority” lies on the floor, while another man labeled “Rep. Majority” approaches reading a booklet labeled “Republican Method of Handling Financial Elephants.” Uncle Sam taps him on the shoulder in warning. Caption: Uncle Sam–Don’t be over-confident, my friend; – he was too much for that Democratic keeper, and he may be too much for you!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-02-06

The financial fakir fooling the farmers

A man wearing a sash labeled “Harvey,” with a horn attached, stands on a platform with stacks of books, pointing to a board that states, “Coin’s Financial School – Declare fifty cents Silver to be Worth One Dollar in Gold and You will Make Two Dollars of One Dollar, therefore Silver has Twice the Purchasing Power of Gold. Figures Never Lie. If You Don’t Believe This, Buy My Book and Be Convinced! (Only 50 cents a copy).” Standing in front of the platform are several hayseed farmers.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-06-12

It never loses its popularity

A young man and a young woman are sitting on a love seat. He holds her hand and appears ready to propose to her, while behind them question marks labeled “Tariff Question, Chinese Question, Armenian Question, Silver Question, Cuban Question, Venezuelan Question, Boundary Line, Mafia Question, [and] Bering Sea Question” hover in the air. Caption: “Questions” may come, and “questions” may go; but, thank goodness, this “question” goes on for ever!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-03-04

Sound vs. soft money

Text of a speech on monetary and financial policy by Andrew Jay Frame, President of the Waukesha National Bank.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-08-26

To put our finances on a sound basis

Ebenezer J. Hill provides recommendations on financial and monetary policy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-08-03

Summary of letter from Harris C. Fahnestock

Harris C. Fahnestock provides his views on elastic currency and discourages any radical changes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-27