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Uncle Sam sits in a chair smoking a pipe as a man labeled “California” and “States Rights” pleads with him. On a map of the United States in the background, an explosion appears over California; and newspapers in the foreground display headlines like “President’s Message Stirs Up Storm in San Francisco” and “California Dissatisfied.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-10
Richard Croker, as the Tammany Tiger dressed as a cardinal in England, receives long distance news about an explosive “Tammany Investigation” in New York. Caption: Croker Wolsey. — I have touched the highest point of all my greatness, / And, from that full meridian of my glory, / I haste now to my setting. I shall fall / Like a bright exhalation in the evening, / And no man see me more. [Shakespeare, Henry VIII, act 3, scene 2].
The “boss” of Tammany Hall, the corrupt Democratic machine in New York City at this time was Richard Croker. Irish-born, he returned to Great Britain and Ireland at the time of this cartoon when things went against his plans and control in New York. He fought with the national party about support of William Jennings Bryan, his involvement, including stock kickbacks, with the Ice Trust as a blistering summer heat-wave struck, and loss of his iron grip of precincts, all paved his retreat. Nominally he looked after stables of prized race horses, and he ran his affairs by cable, but soon retired from politics when investigations were launched. The cardinal’s cassock and other vestments are to maintain the relevance of the Shakespearean analogy; Croker was a Protestant until shortly before his death.
Captain Cowles thanks President Roosevelt for his letter following the explosion that occurred on the USS Missouri. Cowles will share the President’s words with the crew. The dead have been sent home. Lieutenant Hammer and others worked so hard during the fire, and they were able to save the ship. Design changes need to be made after this experience, and Cowles will write Roosevelt again about this.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-04-17
Print shows a large frog labeled “La Ligue Patriotique” and “Paul Déroulède” sitting on a lily pad labeled “Anti-Semitism”; standing on the shore is a man, wearing a phrygian cap and holding a paper that states “Vive La Republique,” watching the frog explode.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1899-03-22
At center, a capitalist sits on money bags labeled “Insurance Money” and leans against several papers labeled “New Policy.” He is gambling with the Grim Reaper, while all around them disasters are happening. A panic-stricken crowd flees a burning theater, a hotel and a tenement building are on fire, a side-wheeler steam ship has exploded, an ocean liner sinks, and a railroad train has crashed. At each of these disasters is a notice that states “Heavily Insured.” Caption: Too Enterprising American Capitalist – Keep up the game! I can lose nothing – I’m heavily insured.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1883-01-24
Print shows a man labeled “Organized Labor” climbing the steps to a building labeled “Law, Prosperity, [and] Order,” when a bomb labeled “Dynamite Argument” explodes in his face.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1899-08-30
An explosion has occurred at the “Claim Agency, Formerly Republican Head Quarters” with William M. Evarts peeking through the opening in the tent to survey the damage. Several small kiosks labeled “Machine Republicans Meet Here, County Democracy Blaine Exchange, Tribune Blaine Organ, [and] Friends of Tammany Meet Here” have been blown over and damaged. Also knocked to the ground by the blast were “Keifer, [Blaine holding a paper that states “I Claim Everything”], Logan, W. Reid, Butler, Dana, Burchard [labeled “R.R.R.”], Robeson, Elkins, Dorsey,” and an unidentified man lying on the ground next to bags of “Soap.” On horseback, in the upper left corner, is Grover Cleveland holding a scroll labeled “Reform,” and a Puck character carrying a standard labeled “Independents.” Among the ranks are Carl Schurz, George W. Curtis, and Henry Ward Beecher. Strewn on the ground are papers that state “I.O.U. If we win. J. G., I.O.U. Conditional on Success, C.W.F., [and] I.O.U. If you get there, J. Roach”; and several of the downed “Mulligan Guard” hold papers that state “We Still Claim,” whereas Dana’s paper states “I Give Up.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1884-11-19
A large cannon labeled “Violence” explodes out the back end, catching John J. McNamara, James B. McNamara, Samuel Gompers, and possibly Clarence Darrow in the blast. Two large cannon shells labeled “Murder” and “Dynamiting” lie on the ground on the left.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1911-12-27
At center, Samuel Gompers stands on a platform, pointing to a sign with a whip labeled “Expulsion.” The sign states “To Organized Labor / Defend your persecuted brethren. Put up, or lose your union card.” He is holding a hat into which union members, entering from the left, are depositing money. To the right, behind Gompers, the money, in the form of “Dynamite,” drops through a hole in the top of the hat to the platform where union thugs grab it. Beyond them are explosions labeled “Organized Murder.” Caption: What went into it and what came out of it.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1912-02-07
A young boy jumps with joy as a battleship is blown up. His father is reminding him that the explosive display is his gift for being a good boy. “Fourth of July number” is written in the lower-left corner. Caption: Multi-Millionaire — There, Reginald! Didn’t papa say if you were a good boy he’d blow up an old battleship for you? That battleship cost papa twenty thousand dollars!
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1911-06-28