Imperialism

Four titles, two books for children and two for adults, come under scrutiny in this edition of the “Book Reviews” section. Linda E. Milano praises Cheryl Harness’s biography Young Teddy Roosevelt, especially its illustrations, and she finds that A Christmas Tree in the White House, though fiction, still teaches important lessons about conservation. Randall Holdridge highlights the five journeys undertaken by Louis Abernathy and Temple Abernathy, the sons of John R. Abernathy, a friend of Theodore Roosevelt and United States Marshal for Oklahoma. Holdridge asserts that Bud & Me: The True Adventures of the Abernathy Boys demonstrates the inspirational value of Roosevelt’s character. 

Grace Frisone says that The Birth of American Imperialism does not break much new ground, but that it does acknowledge the importance of Roosevelt to turn of the twentieth-century American foreign policy. Frisone also says that this work, written in Italian, brings a European perspective to the study of American history. A photograph from the 1998 annual meeting of the Theodore Roosevelt Association appears in the section.

Leonard Schlup examines the vice presidential candidates in the 1900 presidential campaign: Theodore Roosevelt for the Republicans and Adlai E. Stevenson for the Democrats. Schlup explains that Roosevelt was a younger, more dynamic figure than his running mate President William McKinley while Stevenson was an older, more reserved personality than his running mate William Jennings Bryan. Schlup looks at the background of each candidate, and he notes their approaches to the office for which they were vying. He highlights their very different positions on the topic of imperialism, with Stevenson adopting an anti-imperial position.

A Republican campaign poster, a photograph of Stevenson, and two political cartoons from the 1900 campaign illustrate the article. A listing of the leadership of the Theodore Roosevelt Association appears on the second page of the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Barbara W. Tuchman examines Theodore Roosevelt’s thoughts on, and conduct of, foreign policy during the Spanish-American War and during his presidency. She shows both the belligerent and diplomatic sides of his nature by looking at his handling of the Perdicaris-Raisuli affair in 1904 and his relationship with Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. Tuchman also compares Roosevelt’s views with those of the long-time president of Harvard, Charles W. Eliot.

The invitation to the symposium at Harvard featuring Tuchman is reproduced on the second page of her article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

President Roosevelt stands in the middle of a variety of books about war and implements of war, including “the big stick,” “Essays on War. Roosevelt,” “The Art of War,” and “With Roosevelt at San Juan.” He is dressed in colonial attire and has a paper that reads, “call for a peace congress at the Hague.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08

President Roosevelt—It—wears a number of signs: “imperialism,” “protection for monopoly,” “personal orders substituted for acts of Congress,” “militarism,” “extravagance,” “my Cortelyou—the fat fryer,” “standpatism,” and “promotion of personal favorites.” His “party” and “despotism” legs crush “international law” and “the Constitution of the United States.” He holds “the big stick” in one hand and a revolver in the other.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-03

In the cartoon on the left, Uncle Sam holds “Panama” in his hands and walks into a room where “England,” “Germany,” “Russia,” and “France” are all dressed as pirates seated around a table with a globe and are holding up their glasses to toast. Caption: Toasting the Recruit. But Uncle Sam is doubtful about the company he is getting into. —Taylor in the Denver News. In the cartoon on the right, Uncle Sam watches the “Philippines,” “Puerto Rico,” and “Hawaii” leave the “Uncle Sam Complete Outfitter” store dressed up in Stars and Stripes clothing. “Panama” is dressed in rags and looks on. Caption: A Possible Customer. Panama—”Those are mighty fine lookin’ clothes he sells.” —Satterfield in the Omaha News.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-11

President Roosevelt wears his “imperialism” crown and holds his “big stick” as he bounces down the bumps labelled “liars,” “Secret Service,” and “Tillman” of the “Sixtieth Congress.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

One of James Calvert Smith’s virtual farewell drawings (the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt had about six weeks remaining) was almost a textbook example of an ad hominem attack cartoon.

President Roosevelt stands behind partition screen full of elephants and holds out his “imperialism” crown to President-elect William H. Taft who is wearing clothing labeled “Roosevelt’s policies.” Roosevelt asks, “Here, Bill. Do you want this too?”

comments and context

Comments and Context

As the dust settled after the recent presidential election, some partisan political cartoonists like James Calvert Smith resumed their attacks on Theodore Roosevelt and William H. Taft.

President Roosevelt holds a “big stick business” and an “imperialism” crown and sits near the “increasing tide of Democratic strength.” William H. Taft, J. S. Sherman, and Roosevelt all say, “Go back!” William Jennings Bryan watches from afar: “Watch them get wet!”

comments and context

Comments and Context

King Canute, of Danish lineage and around 1027 A.D., is famous in legend for assembling his courtiers at a sea shore and commanding waves to cease breaking. Cartoonist James Calvert Smith was one of uncountable storytellers through the centuries who have subscribed to event’s ahistoricity; it seems that King Canute staged such a scene, but only to humbly illustrate that even a king had no control over forces of God and nature.

Alton B. Parker sleeps in a bed and awakes from a nightmare of a hydra-headed monster: “militarism,” “violation of the Constitution,” “the race issue,” “the spirit of war,” and “imperialism.” A “voter” brings Parker an “election verdict” pill.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-25

President Roosevelt removes a mask depicting himself as a Quaker and bows in front of an elephant. The elephant wears an “imperialism” crown, a “postal fraud” mailbag and a “pension order” money bag on the elephant’s front two legs, and has “deficit,” “Addicks,” “extravagance,” and “subsidies” bandages. The elephant also wears a “tariff wall” and “the new diplomacy” seat, and grasps “the big stick” with its trunk, which also wears a “Littauer” glove.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-14

Uncle Sam, with a “monopoly” eye patch and “graft,” “steal,” and “imperialism” bandages on his face shies away from an angry woman labeled “Republican High Tariff.” The woman holds a child-sized Roosevelt who jeers at Uncle Sam, saying, “Ba-a-a, you old goat.” Caption: Uncle Sam: By Gosh! I’ll get a divorce in November.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-12

President Roosevelt holds a shining “big stick” as he rides away from the “Mantle of McKinley – 3 years wear” held by the inauguration committee. As he travels on the bronco wearing an “imperialism” crown and an “extravagance” saddle blanket, Uncle Sam, “So. Am. Republic,” and “Central Am. Republic” all look at him in shock. There is a sign that reads, “Inauguration March 4, 1905 IF.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-10

President Roosevelt, dressed in his Rough Rider uniform and brandishing a cavalry saber, attempts to defend the “Republican hennery” from a number of chickens labeled “race equality,” “strikes,” and “trusts.” A “postal frauds” chicken attempts to skirt around Roosevelt, while an “imperialism” chicken has already snuck past Roosevelt and is entering the coop.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09

George W. Truscott, Lord Mayor of London, presided over a meeting of a number of notable politicians discussing the question of cable reform and of state ownership of telegraph lines. Cheap telegraph prices would improve communication between various parts of the British Empire, and therefore help maintain the current “Imperial feeling.” Public opinion is broadly in favor of state ownership and cheaper telegraph cable prices. The meeting produced a resolution to propose the convening of a committee to investigate how to proceed while also respecting private property rights.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-08

This article, identified as a “specimen of the utterances of the ultra element,” was sent to President Roosevelt with a letter on educational and cultural trends in China. The main article presents a translation of a pamphlet that had circulated in China lamenting the current international situation China finds itself in. The author highlights China’s former glory and present weakness, and lays out the steps it will be necessary to take for the preservation of the country and the resumption of strength. The reverse side of the page contains an interview with Japanese Prime Minister Saionji Kinmochi, a discussion of Australian trade with China, a report of a robbery in Hongkou, China, and a portion of an article on two new steamships.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-12

Japanese businessman Kōjirō Matsukata addresses honorary commercial commissioners from the United States Pacific Coast. He expresses the admiration and appreciation that Japan has for the United States, and hopes that the friendship between the two nations can continue. In particular, Matsukata hopes that trade relations between the two countries will improve.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-01

This review of President Roosevelt’s work, Life of Benton, alleges that Roosevelt ends up contradicting his own actions by his words as he criticizes the hostile expansion of the earlier United States, while at the same time driving imperialism in the Philippines in the current day. Roosevelt also delves further into hypocrisy through his mention of Benton’s nomination to commanding general during the Mexican American War, which the author of this piece compares to Roosevelt’s own promotion of Leonard Wood to Major General. Such inconsistencies between Roosevelt the author and Roosevelt the president persist through the book.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-29

This episode of the television program You Are There dramatizes the events of October 14, 1912, when John Flammang Schrank attempted to assassinate Theodore Roosevelt in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The program examines some elements of public opinion regarding Roosevelt’s decision to run for a third presidential term, in addition to mentioning several of Roosevelt’s main accomplishments and philosophies. The program was sponsored by the Prudential Life Insurance Company of America, and includes several advertisements for their services.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association

Creation Date

1957

In a speech, San Franciscan Frank Vrooman appeals to the people of Maine to re-elect President Roosevelt, citing policy failures and inconsistency in the Democratic Party, and the lack of their candidate Alton B. Parker. Vrooman believes that Roosevelt will not back down in the Philippines and remain devoted to American supremacy in the Pacific.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-12