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This collection of cartoons addresses presidential candidates for the 1904 election season, Cuban reciprocity, industrial trusts, and the Post Office scandal.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-12-06
President Roosevelt and Ohio Senator Marcus Alonzo Hanna hold hands and say, “We are such good friends,” as Roosevelt stands on “Hanna’s friend Perry Health” and Hanna stands on “Roosevelt’s friend Gen Wood.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-12-05
President Roosevelt and Ohio Senator Marcus Alonzo Hanna have their arms on each other’s shoulders as they look toward the White House. Meanwhile, Perry S. Heath and Assistant Postmaster General Joseph L. Bristow and Major General Leonard Wood and Estes G. Rathbone fight in the background.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-12-02
President Roosevelt and Assistant Postmaster General Joseph L. Bristow go to throw a bag of “post office rascals” into the water. Perry S. Heath holds a lifesaver that reads “statute of limitations” and a “P.O. scandals” bag as he sits on a post in the water.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-12-02
In the first vignette, Postmaster General Henry C. Payne points at a “Post Office scandal” stick of dynamite and says, “Aw! — It’s only a squib” as Perry S. Heath and August W. Machen look on. In the second vignette, the stick of dynamite explodes, sending Payne, Machen, and Heath flying.
Henry Clay Payne served as President Theodore Roosevelt’s Postmaster General. Regarded by history as an undistinguished appointment, Payne was a railroad and streetcar entrepreneur from Milwaukee whose activities both benefited the city’s expansion and leisure opportunities for the working poor, and, somewhat typically of the day, was less than generous with workers’ pay and conditions. In the Roosevelt cabinet he was a loyal Republican organizer — Postmasters General still dispensed patronage in large measure — and largely was a functionary.
In early 1904 he assumed the additional duties of Chairman of the Republican National Committee upon the death of Marcus Alonzo Hanna. He resigned that portfolio after four months in favor of George B. Cortelyou.
Perry S. Heath sits on a “higher up” stake as August W. Machen, James N. Tyner, the Bureau of Promotions, and “Rural Free Delivery” are swept along in the current of the river. The United States Capitol building can be seen from afar.
President Theodore Roosevelt’s determination to confront the recently revealed but long-festering incidents of corruption in the Post Office department involved firings, reforms, investigations, and outside help. In the latter regard, the president invested James Garfield and Charles Bonaparte with investigatory powers, and encouraged the crusading zeal of Fourth Assistant Postmaster General Joseph Bristow.
Some of the major obstructions, however, were with naïve associates like Postmaster General Henry Clay Payne (whom Roosevelt regarded as honest but not always competent) and mid-level officials. One such was Perry S. Heath, onetime associate of Roosevelt and publisher of the Salt Lake City Tribune; he was also Secretary of the Republican National Committee and First Assistant Postmaster. A clerk names Seymour Tulloch had claimed as far back as 1900 that Heath was acting corruptly, both in financial matters, and handling improper activities of Senator Marcus Alonzo Hanna.
Charles J. Bonaparte reports that he will return to Washington, D.C., as soon as his current case comes to trial. Bonaparte also warns President Roosevelt not to entertain the idea of a pardon for Joseph H. Cling, who was convicted of census fraud, as this would be perceived by the public as intended to prevent Sydney Emanuel Mudd’s further exposure of the fraud. Mudd was implicated in the case, although no positive evidence could be produced against him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-02-28
Perry S. Heath has resigned as secretary of the Republican National Committee and his resignation will be accepted.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-02-20
A sweating President Roosevelt reads a note from Perry S. Heath that says, “Senator Hanna was McKinley’s choice for president in 1904.” Behind Roosevelt is a large barrel labeled “Roosevelt appointments that McKinley promised.” On the floor next to Roosevelt’s chair a teddy bear covers his eyes.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1904-1905
Henry Waldo Coe offers suggestions regarding the officers of the Republican National Committee, including removing Perry S. Heath from his secretarial duties. Coe suggests that J. Hampton Moore would be better suited to the purpose.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-02-11
Postmaster General Payne responds to President Roosevelt’s inquiry concerning the investigation of Assistant Postmaster General Perry S. Heath’s connection with the post office irregularities. Payne encloses recent correspondence between himself and Joseph L. Bristow, Fourth Assistant Postmaster General.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-01-29
Assistant Postmaster General Bristow discusses the status of the investigation of Perry S. Heath’s connection with the postal scandal. He says that little information has been obtained about Heath’s connection because others being investigated will not talk about it.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-01-20
Paul Morton sees news of railroad executives supporting Mark Hanna and growing support for Hearst as advantageous to President Roosevelt. He asks to be a delegate at the Republican National Convention.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-01-18
Postmaster General Payne notifies Assistant Postmaster General Joseph L. Bristow that President Roosevelt is requesting a progress report concerning the investigation of the office of First Assistant Postmaster General Perry S. Heath.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-01-13
A. D. James encloses clippings that have been sent to him and others in Kentucky. James assures President Roosevelt that Kentucky Republicans endorse him, and that he will send a delegation for his renomination.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-01-11
James R. Sheffield discusses the impact of the “dirty tactics” employed by Senator Hanna’s supporters, a conversation he had with Senator Platt, and the possibility of New York politician Nevada N. Stranahan running for governor.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-01-09
Joseph L. Bristow writes to William Loeb concerning needed revisions to President Roosevelt’s memorandum on Bristow’s report on the United States Postal Service fraud.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-11-28
Charles J. Bonaparte and Holmes Conrad, Special assistants to the Attorney General, submit a supplementary report regarding accusations by Postmaster John A. Merritt against Seymour Wilcox Tulloch, who, for many years, was cashier of the Washington Post Office and Secretary of the United States Electric Light Company, which gave the appearance of a conflict of interest. In their opinion, Merritt’s charges against Tulloch were unsubstantiated. They pointed out, however, that several questionable postal practices should be discontinued.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-11-11
Charles J. Bonaparte, the attorney investigating the Post Office scandal of 1898-1900, discusses the report and potential charges implicating Comptroller Robert J. Tracewell. The Post Office investigation exposed the personal use of public funds by Perry S. Heath, whom Bonaparte believes to be essentially dishonest. Tracewell’s offenses did not rise to that level. Bonaparte suggests amending the report based on letters received from Postmasters John A. Merritt and Charles Emory Smith.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-10-26
Postmaster General Henry C. Payne informs President Roosevelt that the Post Office Department inspectors investigating the Post Office scandal have been assigned to duty as requested. Payne mentions Perry S. Heath’s involvement with the scandal.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-10-17