Democratic donkey (Symbolic character)

William Jennings Bryan leads a donkey labeled “Dem” carrying a heavy load, including the “Democratic Platform” strewn with bunting, boxes labeled “Anti-expansion,” “Anti-trust,” and “Free riot,” two bars of silver labeled “16 to 1” and “Free silver,” a millstone labeled “Populism,” and a bomb labeled “Dynamite.” They are about to enter a large ear horn or trumpet labeled “To the White House,” which is visible in the background.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1900-07-18

Illustration showing Admiral George Dewey as a circus clown, with William Jennings Bryan on a donkey labeled “Dem Party” and William McKinley on an elephant labeled “GOP” under the big top of a circus. Puck, as the ringmaster, stands in the background.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Admiral George Dewey was the Hero of Manila Bay. After following the orders of Acting Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt and moving America’s Pacific Fleet to the Philippines in contingency of war with Spain, when war came, the fleet completely destroyed Spain’s fleet with virtually no damage to the American Naval force. Dewey returned to America a popular man whose political prowess was less astute. He accepted the gift of a public-subscribed house and then signed it away to his new wife, a divorced Catholic woman, offending many groups of that day. He allowed himself to be drawn into politics — at least to dabble — by a brother-in-law who wound up abandoning Dewey’s ambitions. In the space of a year the hero widely was seen as an inept clown indeed. It took a lot for Puck to depict William Jennings Bryan, the ultimate Democrat nominee, as reasonably dignified, but the contrast was marked.

President Roosevelt trying to get the Democratic donkey and Republican elephant to the water trough representing the extra session of Congress and the bills that need their attention. Caption: The President Has Summoned the Senate to Extra Session to Act Upon Important Treaties Waiting Approval or Rejection.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-03–08

Newspaper clipping of cartoon showing Uncle Sam riding atop a hybrid between a donkey and an elephant, labeled “Railroad Rate Bill.” The creature is being driven by Benjamin R. Tillman, holding a pitchfork, and prodded from behind by Theodore Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1906

Cartoon shows Republican House Majority Leader Sereno Elisha Payne and a Republican elephant sweating in the top of a tree labeled “Sugar Trust.” The roots of the tree are labeled “Dutch Standard,” “Cartel,” and “Bounty.” Below the tree stands Democratic Representative John R. Thayer holding a Democratic donkey wearing blinders and wearing a blanket labeled “Resolution March 12th.” Cartoon refers to a congressional resolution introduced by Thayer to leverage divisions in the Republican party. The resolution called for an investigate into whether the sugar trust would be the primary beneficiary of Cuban reciprocity.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1902

Cartoon shows Republican House Majority Leader Sereno Elisha Payne, the head of the American Sugar Refining Company, Henry Osborne Havemeyer, and a Republican elephant in the top of a tree labeled “Sugar Trust.” The roots of the tree are labeled “Dutch Standard,” “Cartel,” and “Bounty.” Below the tree stands Democratic Representative John R. Thayer holding a Democratic donkey wearing blinders and wearing a blanket labeled “Resolution March 11th, April 26th.” A long rein extends from the donkey to the other side of the tree where Republican Senator Henry Moore Teller holds the end of the rein. Cartoon refers to a congressional resolution introduced by Thayer to leverage divisions in the Republican party. The resolution called for an investigation into whether the sugar trust would be the primary beneficiary of Cuban reciprocity.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1902

Cartoon shows a ticker tape machine labeled “Tariff Law 1897 Dutch Standard.” On the right, the head of the American Sugar Refining Company, Henry Osborne Havemeyer, surrounded by three overstuffed bags labeled “Sugar Trust Profits,” cuts the ticker tape into dollar bills that fall into a feed trough in front of the GOP elephant and the Democratic donkey. Republican Speaker of the House Sereno Elisha Payne holds the tail of the elephant while James D. Richardson, a Democratic Congressman holds the tail of the donkey.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1902

Cartoon shows Republican House Majority Leader Sereno Elisha Payne and a Republican elephant sweating in the top of a tree labeled “Sugar Trust.” The roots of the tree are labeled “Dutch Standard,” “Cartel,” and “Bounty.” Below the tree stands Democrat Representative John R. Thayer holding a Democratic donkey wearing blinders and wearing a blanket labeled “Resolution March 12th.” Cartoon refers to a congressional resolution introduced by Thayer to leverage divisions in the Republican party. The resolution called for an investigate into whether the sugar trust would be the primary beneficiary of Cuban reciprocity.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1902

Cartoon shows a ticker tape machine labeled “Tariff Law 1897 Dutch Standard.” On the right the head of the American Sugar Refining Company, Henry Osborne Havemeyer surrounded by three overstuffed bags labeled “Sugar Trust Profits” cuts the ticker tape into dollar bills that fall into a feed trough in front of the GOP elephant and the Democratic donkey. Republican Speaker of the House Sereno Elisha Payne holds the tail of the elephant while James D. Richardson, a Democratic Congressman holds the tail of the donkey.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1902

Cartoon shows a wealthy man “Sugar Trust” seated in a chair ‘[paragraph] 209 16 Dutch” smoking a pipe “Sec. 4 Tariff Law 1897” from which issues smoke labeled “Reciprocity.” A man “Beet Sugar” pulls on the back of the chair as President Roosevelt, holding a “Special Message,” and Democratic Congressman James D. Richardson spur on an elephant and a donkey hitched to a harness connected to a footstool “Duty on dark colored sugar” under the feet of the man.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1902

Alton B. Parker holds a lead rope attached to a Democratic donkey. A bag of “stupidity” and two planks—”silver planks” and “wild theories advocacy”—are attached to its tail. Parker says, “Let’s pretend it ain’t there, Jack!”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09

A Democratic donkey carries “the trusts,” August Belmont, David B. Hill, and Alton B. Parker. “The trusts” pull the Tammany tiger along. Caption: In his time he has carried heavy loads, but this is the worst he ever got under.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-25

A Tammany tiger and a Democratic donkey stand shoulder-to-shoulder, but look away from one another. On the ground are broken weapons and a skull.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-01

On the left hand side of the cartoon, Uncle Sam holds up a “Depart. of Commerce and Labor” blackboard that reads, “cost of living increased 15.5%” A Democratic donkey holds a “calamity” horn and starts to cheer. On the right hand side, Uncle Sam flips the blackboard and hits the donkey on the head. The other side reads, “wages increased 16.6%.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-03

David B. Hill hands a “heroic manly flub dub gold brick” with a “telegram” from Alton B. Parker to a Democratic donkey. Parker watches while Uncle Sam walks away. Hill’s feather reads, “Don’t write telegraph!” Caption: The Bunco Men—Now, since you’ve bought this gold brick, if you can sell it to the old man we’ll divide up with you.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08

A Democratic donkey holds a “gold brick” and a “telegraph” and talks to Alton B. Parker on a farm. William Jennings Bryan smiles as he looks toward them, holding a letter that reads, “I told you so! Letter to Democracy to be delivered Nov. 5th.” Caption: The Donk—Judge, I don’t mind us being defeated, but I have to have him say “I told you so” for the next four years.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08

Alton B. Parker tries to drive a cart with a Democratic donkey, a Tammany tiger, and a populist goat. A “Sagamore” steamer and a “Rosemount” farm house are in the background.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-21

A Republican elephant with a “sound money” trunk in a boat and a Democratic donkey in a bucket attempt to row to the “White House.” The donkey says, “Lend me your trunk and I’ll beat you!” Uncle Sam holds a revolver and watches.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-13

The “N. Y. Sun” holds onto the tail of a Republican elephant as a Democratic donkey looks on.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-13

A Democratic donkey holds an axe and a shovel as it runs toward “Davis $40,000,000 Bar’l.” In the background is a tag for “Hearst $1,400,000.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08