Elections--Political aspects

On the left a man labeled “Tariff Coddled Manufacturer” votes with one hand and receives a bribe in the other, in the form of a “High-Protection Schedule,” from a large hand labeled “Rep. Congress” extending above the U.S. Capitol. On the right a diminutive man votes with one hand and receives money with the other from a man leaning out of a saloon. Caption: It’s only a question of size.

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Comments and Context

Puck‘s drawing by its chief political cartoonist Udo J. Keppler, is generic — that is, a political cartoon with no politics — addressing no specific candidate or office-holder, nor discussing any pending legislation. In fact, through its existence, Puck routinely and often attacked political corruption and, as here, unholy alliances whether in high chambers of corporations or saloons in lowly slums.

William Jennings Bryan, as a farmer, drives a wagon packed high with farm produce labeled “Popularity” past a signpost labeled “to 1908 Market.” The wagon is drawn by a diminutive donkey struggling to pull the weight. Caption: Can he keep his vegetables fresh till he gets there?

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Comments and Context

William Jennings Bryan let the country know he had returned from a world tour in late 1906, just in time to rescue America and run for president again two years hence. The sarcasm redolent in that sentence was prominent in Puck‘s treatment of the Commoner’s broad hints, and it was a skeptical reaction shared by many journals, even supposed Democratic organs like Puck and even many Democrats, but the party had few other potential leaders of national stature.

Several small boats race on a calm sea for the “Nomination Stake Boat.” In the boats are William H. Taft in the “Gnat” under the banner “Buckeye Y.C.,” Joseph Gurney Cannon in the “Scat” under the banner “Danville Y.C.,” Charles W. Fairbanks in the boat “Ice King” under the banner “Big Darby Y.C.,” Leslie M. Shaw in the boat “Pshaw,” and Elihu Root in the boat “Root.” The face of Theodore Roosevelt fills the sun, smiling down on the becalmed racers.

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Comments and Context

Cartoonist Udo J. Keppler allowed himself a “dog days of summer” theme in 1906 — no Congressional bills, no scandals, no party squabbles — but characteristically infused it with news and political aspects, and it comes down through the years as informative; and humorous, with a number of subtle references.

A large man carrying golf clubs and a small piece of luggage, and holding goggles and a coat, with the railroad station in the background, asks who won the election. A diminutive boy is selling newspapers at his feet. Caption: The returned “Good Citizen” — Well, who was elected?

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Comments and Context

The cover drawing by Joseph Keppler, Junior, seems to be a political, but not partisan, cartoon. Appearing just after midterm elections, the smiling, comfortable vacationer emits a careless disregard for whatever elections have just been held. It was, and is, often said that citizens who play little part in the politics of their day later complain about the results of elections they disregarded.

New York City mayor Seth Low, as a lion tamer holding a whip, stands next to the Tammany Tiger which is bound in ribbons labeled “Civic Honesty, Fusion, Decent Government, Municipal Reforms, [and] Local Improvements.” Standing in the background is Charles F. Murphy, Tammany Hall boss, holding a large pair of scissors labeled “Election 1903.” Later in the year, Low would lose the election for mayor to George B. McClellan Jr.

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Comments and Context

Seth Low was identified with reform and efficient administration his whole career, as mayor of Brooklyn, mayor New York City (Brooklyn and the City merged in 1897 as “Greater New York”), and as president of Columbia University. His political activities were allied with the Republican Party and various reform groups like the Fusion Party and the Citizens Union.

A man labeled “Candidate for Senate,” holding wads of cash, stands in front of a sign that states “Sale of seats to the United States Senate has been prohibited.” Nearby the “Senatorial Box Office” has been boarded up and locked with a sign indicating “Closed.” Uncle Sam, as a police officer with a night stick labeled “Public Opinion,” is directing the man to the new entrance to the Senate, which is marked by the presence of a “Ballot Box” and a man labeled “Voter” standing next to the box. Caption: Uncle Sam — This way, Sir.

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Comments and Context

A slow but steady advocacy of Civil-Service reformers since the 1870s had been the abolition of the Constitutional method of electing senators to the United States Senate; that is, by votes of each state’s legislature, and not popular votes of each state’s citizens. The movement gained adherents, less from the logic of the situation, and more because elevation to Senate often had become a corrupt scheme of influence, bribes, and payoffs. In 1909, Illinois Republican Representative William Lorimer was appointed to one of the state’s senate seats by the legislature, and immediate charges of vote-buying were raised. In 1912 the United States Senate accepted a report of findings and denied Lorimer his seat 10 years after this cartoon’s advocacy. As perhaps the “final straw,” within a year three-fifths of the country’s states ratified the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution providing for the direct election of senators. Today, there is a movement among libertarians to restore the Constitutional Framers’ view that congresspeople and senators need to have distinctive methods of representation.

Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary writes to W. H. Emery about the differences between the three political parties participating in the 1912 elections. The secretary emphasizes that both William H. Taft and Woodrow Wilson would bring with them political bosses while Theodore Roosevelt will not. The secretary promises to pass Emery’s letter on to the Progressive Party headquarters.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-08-29

President Roosevelt evaluates the conflict between Representative Parsons and Representative Jacob Van Vechten Olcott, who have both declared their candidacy for chairman of the County Committee in New York. Although Roosevelt knows that both men are independent, the public perceives them as being representatives of opposing factions within the state Republican party. If Parsons issues a statement declaring his independence from both Benjamin B. Odell and Senator Thomas Collier Platt, Roosevelt will advise Olcott to withdraw from the race.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-11-27

President Roosevelt believes that, as long as all of the Republican nominees at every level are “of the highest type,” they will be victorious. Roosevelt anticipates renewed Democratic activity and pretensions, but Alton B. Parker will not be enough for a Democratic revival.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-08

President Roosevelt thanks General Agnus for his telegram and is pleased about Maryland and believes that there is a chance to carry the state.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-08

Chairman Adams writes to President Roosevelt describing the North Carolina Republican State Convention. Adams was elected chairman of the state Republican Party at the convention and believes the convention was a success. Adams assures Roosevelt that as chairman, he will not allow patronage hiring. He asserts that Roosevelt is very popular with the people of North Carolina and if harmony persists in the Republican Party, it will have great success in North Carolina.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-12

Nicholas Murray Butler responds to President Roosevelt’s letter on the political situation in Illinois and gives his opinion on Leigh S. J. Hunt, Wisconsin politics, and diplomatic representatives in Cuba and Mexico.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-05-19

New York Representative James Wolcott Wadsworth is said to be planning his candidacy for Congress again next year. The details of his plan to regain his seat through “pulling wires” in the Republican Party and “handicapping” Representative Peter A. Porter are given.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-05

Governor William Sulzer sits in a horse-drawn wagon labeled “Direct Primaries,” between William Randolph Hearst and President Roosevelt.

comments and context

Comments and Context

The context is a matter of “strange bedfellows” — the Progressive Roosevelt, New York Governor William Sulzer, and reformer publisher Hearst. The three were uneasy allies, especially as the radical United States Representative Sulzer was elected governor in 1912. One of his first initiatives was to strengthen New York’s weak direct Primary system by a ballot initiative in 1913 — the subject of Lambdin’s cartoon. The move was defeated, and due to Sulzer’s break with the corrupt Tammany Democrat organization, he was impeached on vague accusations and removed from office. In 1914 he sought the Progressive nomination for governor.

Richard Croker as the Tammany Tiger holds a measuring tape up to Charles A. Dana, Oswald Ottendorfer, and A. Oakey Hall. Caption: Tammany ought to seek among its oldest and staunchest supporters for a mayoralty candidate who will come up to Seth Low’s measurements.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-09-29

Thomas B. Reed, in the role of “Lohengrin,” arrives to rescue “Elsa” as the “Republican Party of New York,” with Thomas Collier Platt in the role of “Telramund” and Lemuel E. Quigg in the role of “Ortrud,” his wife. They are all at the gate of a castle and a swan labeled “Aspiration” is in a moat at far left. Caption: “The Republican Elsa would gladly be rescued from her oppressors.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-12-15

Richard Croker sits at a table, sharpening a large knife. On the table is a large turkey labeled “Patronage of Greater N.Y.” on a platter. A small dog labeled “Platt,” sitting on a hassock next to the table, is begging for scraps. A portrait of Mayor Van Wyck hangs on the wall behind Croker.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-11-24

A fashionably dressed young woman with long ribbons labeled “Greater New York” stands on a floating shell on “Political Waters” with Thomas Collier Platt and Richard Croker as mermen.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-11-10

Benjamin F. Tracy is a cat who burned his paws on a hot stove labeled “Mayoralty Campaign 1897,” on which food labeled “Budget of Greater New York 70,000,000 Dollars” is cooking. Thomas Collier Platt is a hurdy-gurdy monkey sitting on a stool in the background. Caption: The Cat–(in a tone of great pain) M-i-e-a-o-u! Mee-yow!!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-11-10

The Tammany tiger, well-dressed and sitting on top of a scale model of a building labeled “Tammany Hall,” has made a puppet by tying a stick labeled “Platt’s Dummy,” with the head of Benjamin F. Tracy, to the end of its tail.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-11-03