Day, James Roscoe, 1845-1923

The undersigned individuals petition for the adoption and enforcement of a uniform code of ethics by lawyers and courts of the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-08-18

James Roscoe Day holds an umbrella as he looks toward the White House. In his back pocket is a “copy of interview attacking Roosevelt.” A storm cloud and lightning appear from the White House with the following note: “Washington, D.C.–It is reported that Chancellor Day’s name was mentioned at yesterday’s cabinet meeting.” In the background are three men running away.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Despite President Roosevelt’s popularity with the general public, and by all accounts with Republican voters, he faced significant opposition from a portion of professional politicians within his party. In many ways the story of his second-term successes is also a story of continual, determined, and often skillful warfare against fellow Republicans. Some policy victories were won in spite of his own party’s congressional leaders. They proudly called themselves the Old Guard and adopted “Stand Pat” as a battle cry against Roosevelt’s reforms. Some — like Roosevelt’s predecessor as Republic governor of New York, Frank Swett Black — identified themselves as opponents of the Square Deal, and claimed the label of “reactionary.”

In this detailed cartoon, a variety of individuals try to figure out if Oklahoma Governor Charles Nathaniel Haskell—who has run off—touched second base, which has a container of “oil” on it. Uncle Sam stands in the center of the diamond and says, “It’s a draw.” A large group of people congregate just off the first-base line, including William H. Taft, Samuel Gompers, William Jennings Bryan, Norman Edward Mack, William Loeb, President Roosevelt, William F. Sheehan, Alton B. Parker, and George von Lengerke Meyer. A variety of people are around the field: Charles Francis Murphy, Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker, New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes, New York Lieutenant Governor Lewis S. Chanler, William James Conners, and Patrick Henry McCarren. John D. Rockefeller, John D. Archbold, Henry Huttleston Rogers, and James Roscoe Day all watch from the side. In another section of the audience, the Democratic donkey and Republican elephant fight. A handwritten note is included: “Mr. President: This is so good I have to send it to you.”

Comments and Context

Frequently political cartoons have a subtext related news events, gossip about figures being caricatured, and the shadowy realm of the interests and agendas of publishers. All these factors were play in the genre scene composed by cartoonist Thomas E. Powers, nominally about Oklahoma Governor Charles Nathaniel Haskell.

Haskell was also Treasurer of the Democratic National Committee, with financial responsibilities in the presidential campaign of William Jennings Bryan. “Touching second base” or not, as the oil can with Standard Oil’s dollar sign, sits on the base that Haskell clearly avoids, is the nub of the cartoon.

A large President Roosevelt has several small men jumping on his top hat: “Chancellor Day,” “Justice Brewer,” and “Ex-Senator Spooner.” “Wall Street’ collapsed on the brim of his hat and says, “I’m ‘most dead!”

comments and context

Comments and Context

This clever cartoon from the political-cartoon phase of A. D. Condo’s long career displays a seldom-recognized aspect of Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency, specifically concerning the possibility that he might have yielded to public pressure and accepted another nomination in 1908.

President Roosevelt celebrates his forty-ninth birthday with a variety of friends. In the upper left hand corner at the piano are New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes and Thomas Fortune Ryan singing, “Oh let us be joyful.” Booker T. Washington tells Henry Watterson, “Henry, I hope you’ll come down and visit me at Tuskegee.” Senator Joseph Benson Foraker says to Secretary of War William H. Taft, “I heard a good story today, Will.” Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon and Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks look at a picture of George Washington, and Fairbanks says, “That picture makes me sad. It reminds me of cherries.” William Randolph Hearst, James Roscoe Day, and Secretary of State Elihu Root look at a book of “Snapshots in New York.” William Jennings Bryan and Grover Cleveland play a game of checkers, and Bryan says, “After you, Grover.” J. Pierpont Morgan watches over the game with his hand on Bryan’s back. Henry Huttleston Rogers, F. Augustus Heinze, and Thomas William Lawson sit together. Lawson says, “Rogers, my boy, you must come over to Boston and visit me.” John D. Rockefeller points at Kenesaw Mountain Landis’s chest while President Roosevelt presents a bouquet to James J. Hill as William J. Long looks on. Finally, James T. Harahan, Edward Henry Harriman, and Stuyvesant Fish read “Snap Shots Along the Illinois Central.” Harriman remarks, “Very nice album, Stuyvesant, is it not?”

comments and context

Comments and Context

There are contexts behind this cartoon by John T. McCutcheon of The Chicago Tribune that might not be apparent to modern researchers. The first is somewhat evident by reading the dialog balloons between figures in the pairings or clusters. Almost appropriate for an April Fool’s cartoon instead of something closer to Halloween is the ironic juxtaposition in every case — political opponents or business rivals exchanging niceties. In fact, insights might be gained by reading the nature of their “about-face” encounters.

A chef labeled “Special Privilege” holds a large platter on which rests a huge turkey with the face of Theodore Roosevelt. He is about to place the platter on a table around which sit several men labeled “Cannon, Rockefeller, Archbold, Haskell, Payne, Dalzell, Elkins, Sherman, Foraker, Harrimen, Day, Rogers” and Nelson W. Aldrich.

Comments and Context

The “Teddy-Turk” cartoon by Udo J. Keppler in Puck was the magazine’s strongest — in fact one of its only — comments on the election just concluded.

It is a tribute to President Roosevelt’s power and influence that Puck‘s post-mortem commentary would neither mention nor portray the candidates in the late campaign, president-elect William Howard Taft and William Jennings Bryan. Neither is there a mention of any issues of the campaign… beyond Puck‘s targeted enemy of both parties and all citizens, “Special Privilege.”

Black ink cartoon of President Roosevelt dressed as a matador and waving a cape of “My Policies” at a bull representing James Roscoe Day, chancellor of Syracuse University.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1908-03-18

President Roosevelt is pictured in a variety of atypical situations. Clockwise from upper left: taking pictures of a bear family, playing chess, breaking up a scuffle between two boys, turning his back on a mother with a large family, and sitting with Syracuse University Chancellor James Roscoe Day in a hammock.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1907-08-21

James Roscoe Day, chancellor of Syracuse University, stands with his arm around President Roosevelt. The caption states that Roosevelt has decided to accept a nomination for a third term from the Republican National Convention.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1908-06-10

Theodore Roosevelt sits on a bench, resting a mallet labeled “My Policies” on his right knee. A large jar labeled “Republican Convention,” which he has just corked, lies on the bench next to him. On shelves behind him are bottles that he has corked: on the bottom shelf Alton B. “Parker Esopus Pickle,” Cipriano “Castro” which has popped its cork, and “Portsmouth Peace”; on the middle shelf George B. “Cortelyou,” James Roscoe “Day,” Charles Evans “Hughes,” Joseph Gurney “Cannon,” Robert M. “La Follette,” “Chan”[…], Philander C. “Knox,” and [unlabeled] Charles W. Fairbanks; and on the top shelf “Bowen,” Chester I. “Long,” “Bellam[y] Storer,” Edward Henry “Harriman,” “J. London,” [and] “Seton Thompson” (i.e. Ernest Thompson Seton).

Comments and Context

“A perfectly corking time!” — very close to another joyful expostulation of the time, “BULLY!” This cartoon appeared just as the Republican presidential nominating convention gave its prize to William H. Taft, just as President Roosevelt had wished and hoped and manipulated for almost two years. His work to anoint a successor was often behind the scenes but also, as befit Roosevelt, could be quite open and public too.

Roosevelt, after seven and a half years, had mixed feelings about leaving the office at age 50, younger than many presidents were when they assumed the office. “No man,” he admitted and frankly asserted, “more thoroughly enjoyed being president as much as I did.” Yet the always-restless Roosevelt had immediate plans to explore “Darkest Africa” as few white men ever had done; and there beckoned uncountable activities including those he mastered before the presidency — historian, author, speaker, and so forth. Yet he would miss, and knew he would miss, being at the center of power, and influencing events as White House denizen.

Moses, holding the Ten Commandments, is confronted by an angry mob of capitalists, businessmen, and politicians, some shaking their fists at him. Caption: Chorus of “Conservatives” – Dangerous, socialistic, un-American doctrines!

Comments and Context

This powerful indictment of endemic corruption at the upper levels of American society was drawn by Udo J, Keppler, whose father Joseph (founder and chief cartoonist of Puck) had addressed the same issues with classic drawing like They Can’t Stand the Light, showing United States Senators shrinking from spotlights in the dark. But his son’s cartoon — of this evergreen subject — encompassed more than political corruption.

In fact only four of the major, identified figures are national politicians; the majority are business leaders, a magazine editor, and even a university president. Keppler unwittingly reinforced the view that lawlessness and compromised morality had spread throughout American life.

Theodore Roosevelt stands at an open window, greeting a group of men singing Christmas carols. The carolers are John D. Rockefeller, Joseph Benson Foraker, Henry H. Rogers, Edward Henry Harriman, David J. Brewer, and James Roscoe Day.

Comments and Context

Cartoonist L. M. Glacken’s Christmas Day cover drawing in Puck featured a frequent theme of the day — a frequent practice, now largely moribund, of carolers singing hymns and Christmas songs house to house. The “Outs,” they sometimes were called, especially when not invited indoors for warmth and refreshments.

The carolers in the Glackens cartoon certainly were on the “outs,” at least at the window of President Roosevelt. History has remembered Senator Joseph Benson Foraker, veteran of several brutal disputes with fellow Republican Roosevelt, most recently over the Brownsville Affair and black soldiers; Edward Henry Harriman, railroad trust magnate whom Roosevelt recently branded an “undesirable citizen”; and Standard Oil’s twin leaders John D. Rockefeller and Henry H. Rogers, recently avoiding the penitentiary over corporate misdeeds.

A group of men make a surprise nighttime visit to Theodore Roosevelt, wearing pajamas, at Oyster Bay. Edward Henry Harriman carries a basket of lemons, James Roscoe Day carries a basket of “More Lemons,” Bellamy Storer carries a cake labeled “From Dear Maria” (his wife Maria Longworth Storer), Benjamin R. Tillman carries a watermelon, Chester I. Long carries a platter of “Welsh Rabbit” (possibly a reference to Herbert Welsh), and Joseph W. Bailey carries a bunch of bananas. Joseph Benson Foraker stands in the background, tipping his hat to Roosevelt.

Comments and Context

This cartoon by Udo J. Keppler is an excellent summary for historians — and prescient commentary at the time — that despite President Roosevelt’s popularity throughout the United States, in 1907 he had a handful of nagging problems, a host of political opponents, and many looming challenges.

That group of unwelcome night visitors are represented fully, and, significantly none of them really represent Congressional opponents of the opposite party, at least concerning pending legislation.

Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary thanks Caspar W. Hodgson for the copy of the letter Hodgson wrote to Chancellor Day.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-09-12

President Roosevelt agrees with Bishop Earl Cranston and says he will not listen to chancellor James Roscoe Day. No matter how many people ask him, Roosevelt has no intention of going on the stump.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-10-03

President Roosevelt responds to a letter from Nicholas Murray Butler that had criticized Roosevelt’s recent message to Congress. Roosevelt was not surprised by the letter, as Butler had been moving away from Roosevelt’s policies for the past year or two. While Roosevelt’s message did upset some people, he says that his real supporters have strongly supported it, and that he has received many letters to that effect. Roosevelt believes that he has done the right thing in speaking out against corruption in politics and business.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-06

President Roosevelt thanks Claudius Buchanan Spencer for the nice editorial and letter, and responds to the statement by Syracuse University Chancellor James Roscoe Day. Roosevelt believes that, “in a broad sense, if the chancellor is correct in his position, then from Lincoln down every President who has striven to act decently should be condemned,” and rejects Day’s position that the courts must not be criticized. He also protests against Day’s stance that Roosevelt should not personally advocate for legislation, and defends his record of helping pass beneficial legislation over the past several years. Roosevelt goes on to similarly condemn several other points Day tries to make.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-23

President Roosevelt informs Secretary of War Taft that James Roscoe Day “intends to make a fuss” about a controversy surrounding the appointment of George S. Richards in the army. Roosevelt believes that Richards was appointed under false pretenses, and that they should prepare to “stand up to the punishment and give punishment” if Congress makes a fuss. He advises Taft to emphasize that although Day stated that he could not trust Richards with more than a dollar at a time, he insisted that Richards be retained.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-11-06

The writer challenges the pessimistic view of the degradation of American society, including quotes from President James Roscoe Day of Syracuse University and Chancellor Henry S. Drinker of Lehigh University.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-29

Edwin F. Sellers invites Theodore Roosevelt to address the Traffic Club of Philadelphia at their fourth annual dinner. The club has over 300 members consisting of railroad officials and industrial traffic managers. Sellers mentions his father, Major Edwin E. Sellers, and his brother, Lieutenant Commander David Foote Sellers, who was one of Roosevelt’s naval aides during his first administration as President.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-10-05