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Acting Secretary of State Loomis was received by French President Emile Loubet with great kindness and interest. Loubet expressed with deep sincerity his admiration of President Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-07-05
This document contains translated excerpts from eleven French and one Italian newspapers commenting on President Roosevelt’s letter to the French poet, Frédéric Mistral, and Roosevelt’s published speech, “The Strenuous Life.” The excerpts compare the different situations of the “young” United States establishing their own traditions, while “old” France is breaking down their traditions. Roosevelt is also compared to President Emile Loubet of France. The translated articles range in date from January 31, 1905, to February 9, 1905, and were compiled on February 13, 1905.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-02-13
General Brugère shares the date of his daughter’s upcoming marriage, reports that General Adna Romanza Chaffee discharged the commission entrusted to him, and passes along President Emile Loubet’s regards.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-08
In a rowdy classroom at the “Pan-American School,” Uncle Sam is the teacher admonishing Cipriano Castro, President of Venezuela, who holds a slingshot, planning a prank. Four other adults are present, “Holland, France, England, [and] Germany.” Three native children are sitting at desks. One is shooting a spitball that hits “Holland” in the face. Caption: In the Pan-American school.
This cartoon by J. S. Pughe in a Puck centerspread might cause present-day readers to wonder whether Uncle Sam has always had difficulties with Latin American leaders named Castro, or with the country of Venezuela. Leaders were different in 1905, but challenges were similar.
In a classroom, the rulers of several countries are the students. Most are identified by country and showing the attributes of their leaders, including, in the back row, “Russia” (Nicholas II), “Germany” (William II), and England (John Bull), and in the front row, “Austria” (Franz Joseph I), “France” (Emile Loubet), Uncle Sam, Japan (Meiji, Emperor of Japan), and Italy (Victor Emmanuel III). On the far left, sitting on a stool, is “Turkey” wearing a “Dunce” cap. The teacher labeled “Diplomacy,” at the front of the room, points to a blackboard on which is written “If the Boer War cost Great Britain $825,000,000 what would a world’s war cost?” While most of the leaders ponder this question, Russia and Japan glare at each other. There are three wastebaskets filled with weapons.
In a Chinese restaurant, a man labeled “Russia” is eating from a bowl of food labeled “Manchuria.” In the background, a Chinese man tells Emile Loubet labeled “France” and William II labeled “Germany,” who are standing outside the door, that whoever comes first, gets served first.
In the aftermath of the Boxer Rebellion, on paper the Colonial powers withdrew, but quietly held on to several spheres of influence and territories they had carved out. Some of them were geographically small, but geostrategically important, like Hong Kong of the British, and Macau of the Portuguese. Russia, arguably the weakest of the military powers, held on to Manchuria, basically because they could, bordering that vast wasteland, a diplomatic version of Squatter’s Rights. Russia also squabbled with Japan over disputed islands and ports, leading to the Russo-Japanese War two years later.
A large bear wearing a crown labeled “Russia” clutches a diminutive Emile Loubet labeled “France” as an explosion sends clouds of smoke labeled “Balkan Trouble” billowing skyward. Loubet is afraid that once the Russian Bear has him in its grasp, it won’t let go. Caption: Russian Bear — Don’t be afraid! I won’t drop you! / France — That’s what scares me!
When France formed an alliance with Russia, its major aims were to envelop an emergent Germany on the continent, and to “fish in the troubled waters” of the Pacific through Russian proxies. France did not foresee getting embroiled in ancient, internecine, and intractable squabbles of tribes, religions, languages, and hatreds of the Balkan states. But, as Russia chose to fish in those neighboring waters, France feared being drawn in to conflicts of no interest to itself.
John Bull, representing “England,” and a line of European rulers with the attributes of Nicholas II “Russia,” William II “Germany,” Franz Joseph I “Austria,” Emile Loubet “France,” Victor Emmanuel III “Italy,” and Alfonso XIII “Spain,” each with a broom, stand on a beach trying to sweep back the wave of “American Commerce” about to crash on their shores.
This cartoon seems to depict old ladies duplicating the futile resolution of legendary King Canute, who attempted to command ocean waves to recede. In fact the women, representing leaders of world trade, with their brooms and mops, were familiar as “Mrs Partingtons” to readers in 1902. Lost in obscurity today, Mrs. Partington was a comic figure in text humor created by Benjamin Penshallow Shillaber of the Boston Post, and in reprint books. Allegedly his character was inspired by an invented character of the British critic Sydney Smith about a self-absorbed busybody who attempted to mop the Atlantic Ocean from her door during a storm. In Shillaber’s hands, Mrs. Partington became known for silly aphorisms, malaprops, and semi-logical pronouncements. When Shillaber died in 1890, his very famous character died with him, but eulogists declared they would live forever in American culture. The necessity of this explanation suggests the contrary. The main point of Pughe’s cartoon is that by 1902 the United States has become the world’s largest trading nation.
Uncle Sam sits at a table with 10 figures, three of which are unidentified, the others showing the attributes of the rulers of Russia (Nicholas II), England (Edward VII), Germany (William II), Japan (Meiji, Emperor of Japan), Italy (Victor Emmanuel III), Austria (Franz Joseph I), and France (Emile Loubet), representing the eight nation alliance. A large tray of fruit labeled “Chinese Indemnity” is on the table. Hanging above the table by a thin string is an enormous sword labeled “Awakening of China.”
The world powers who suffered financial, diplomatic, personnel, and moral setbacks at the hands of the Boxer movement in China, withdrew from activism in China around the time of this cartoon. In formal terms, the combined troops of colonial powers defeated Boxer elements, but the truth is represented by the fact that these powers virtually abandoned their positions in the Celestial City and throughout the country. A “face saving” aspect against China was the demand for indemnities for the losses sustained by the allied powers. This cartoon presents a new spin on the “Sword of Damocles” hanging over world politics by the awakening of a sleeping giant, China.
The rulers of “Russia,” “Germany,” “Italy,” “Austria,” “France,” and “England” are chickens trying to hatch a large egg labeled “China.” A chicken labeled “Japan” stands in the background with Uncle Sam, also as a chicken, perched on a fence in the rear.
This is one of dozens of cartoons published during the Boxer Rebellion that depicts the conflict as merely intractable or challenging rather than as an insoluble crisis. The cartoonist also perpetuates the situation as being one where the United States (Uncle Sam) is nothing more than an observer. In truth, U. S. Marines played a major role in defending the besieged legations and defeating the Chinese insurgents.
Uncle Sam leads John Bull and a group of other world leaders down the center aisle between an exhibition of suffragettes and feminists on pedestals. Among the figures are “Mrs. Faith Healer,” “Woman Evangelist,” “Mrs. Lease” holding a large rake, and an elderly woman wearing a crown labeled “Queen of Holland Dames,” as well as one woman labeled “D.A.R.” Those identified are: “Dr. Mary Walker,” “Belva Lockwood,” “Susan B. Anthony,” “E. Cady Stanton,” “Mrs. Eddy Christian Scientist,” and “Carrie Nation of Kansas” holding a large ax.
In this drawing, cartoonist Dalrymple takes aim at early feminists, temperance crusaders, and suffragettes, using the upcoming World Exposition at Buffalo as a setting. Five months later at this expo, President William McKinley was assassinated.
Uncle Sam and John Bull stand with six figures showing the attributes of the rulers of Russia (Nicholas II), Germany (William II), Japan (Meiji, Emperor of Japan), Italy (Umberto I), Austria (Franz Joseph I), and France (Emile Loubet), representing the eight nation alliance. They look up at a mountain labeled “Chinese Question” topped with the face of an angry Chinese person.
As the Boxer Rebellion in China morphed from commercial challenges into a matter of deadly massacres of Westerners and Japanese, and desperate sieges in embassies and compounds, the colonial situation seemed intractable to the newcomers. The caption’s reference to a “kopje” is ironic — a sudden and solitary mountainous rise on an otherwise flat horizon is a word of South African origin, and at the time of this cartoon, another thorn in the side of colonialism was the Boer Rebellion in the southern tip of Africa.
The rulers of Germany, France, Austria, Japan, and John Bull, representing England, watch as the ruler of Russia lights the fuse of a large firecracker labeled “China.”
At the time of this cartoon’s publication, the daily news carried stories from China about the worst period of the Boxer Rebellion, when European powers, American, and Japanese citizens, businesses, and missionaries were being killed and besieged by aggrieved nationalists.
President Roosevelt tells Secretary of State Hay that he is confused by Emile Loubet’s telegram of April 30. Roosevelt was under the impression that the American squadron would not dock anywhere on the continent of Europe. He points out that fleet arrangements should not be altered without the President’s sanction.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-05-02
President Roosevelt asks Ambassador Jusserand to thank French President Emile Loubet for his message.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-02-19
President Roosevelt congratulates Henri Joseph Brugère on both his daughter’s marriage and on becoming a grandfather. He also sends his good wishes to French President Emile Loubet and says that General Adna Romanza Chaffee and his commission have had nothing but good things to say about how they were treated in France.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-24
President Roosevelt does not understand Emile Loubet’s telegram and was under the impression that the American fleet would not enter a port on continental Europe. The fleet should not alter arrangements without Roosevelt’s sanction.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-05-02
John Callan O’Laughlin informs President Roosevelt of recent developments in the conflict between Russia and Japan. Count Arthur Cassini agrees with the Japanese Minister that there can be no peace until after the battle and question of command of the sea is determined, and O’Laughlin believes Roosevelt would be the best medium through which to initiate negotiations between the two countries. O’Laughlin also cautions Roosevelt regarding a trip to Japan planned by Secretary of War William H. Taft and Alice Roosevelt, which Cassini believes will provoke hard feelings in Russia.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-04-23
Henri Jacques André Des Portes de la Fosse, an attaché at the French embassy, requests that Alfred Picard, who is Commissioner General of the Republic at the St. Louis Exposition, be granted one of the first audiences when President Roosevelt is back in Washington.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-08
In his will, Karuna Chandra Chowdhuri, who believes himself to be the rightful king of the United Kingdom, bequeaths his “possessions or lauded properties” to the “great personage” who tried to help him, Theodore Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-05-10