McCrea, James, 1848-1913

Newspaper clipping of cartoon showing Theodore Roosevelt depicted as a schoolmaster holding a big stick behind his back, saying “Will the young lad at the head of the class tell me what he knows about railroads. Med depicted as school boys are labeled Harriman, Morgan, Rogers, Newman, Hughitt, Mellen and McCrea. The students represent railroad officials and the cartoon refers to Roosevelts efforts to regulate railroads.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1903

Theodore Roosevelt stands on a hill in the background, as two large bears labeled “Interstate Commerce Commission” and “Federal Courts” break up a crowd of Wall Street capitalists and stock market manipulators, causing them to scatter in all directions. The men include Charles S. Mellen, William K. Vanderbilt, Henry Huttleston Rogers, J. Pierpont Morgan, James J. Hill, George Jay Gould, John D. Rockefeller, James McCrea, William H. Newman, Edward Henry Harriman, and Joseph Benson Foraker.

Comments and Context

Cartoonist Udo J. Keppler, and Puck magazine, editorially, stretched theology, or at least the province of Biblical allusions, in this cartoon “Elisha Roosevelt.” The brief passage from II Kings 2:23-24 recounts the story of Israelite prophet Elisha, having succeeded Elijah and seeing him bodily taken into the clouds, is unsure of his ability to be God’s anointed prophet.

Even more skeptical are a ragtag group of scoffers (sometimes misidentified as “children,” but Keppler called them “bad boys” with gray hair) who mock Elisha. As they really are mocking God, whose sovereign choice was Elisha, the Lord sent two ravenous bears to scatter the skeptics.

Samuel H. Chauvenet takes issue with the raising of freight rates by railroads, and argues to Elbert H. Gary that the iron and steel manufacturers should work together to try to bring about better conditions for all of them.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-03-23

Alfred Nobel has considered President Roosevelt’s wish for him to travel to Panama to inspect the canal there, but does not believe he can in good conscience leave his current project in its current conditions. Nobel does not believe there is any new information that would change his opinion that building the Panama canal with locks is preferable to a sea level canal. He agrees with the views of Major Cassius E. Gillette, and suggests adding John Ripley Freeman or Isham Randolph to the proposed board of engineers. Nobel does not believe that any of the names suggested by Theodore P. Shonts, John F. Stevens, or Jackson Smith would strengthen the board, although they are all capable engineers.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-22

Secretary of War Taft reviews the history of a proposed meeting between President Roosevelt and representatives of railroad interests. Banker Harry Bowly Hollins, being “fearful of a financial panic through the country,” believed that public confidence could be restored by President Roosevelt meeting with representatives of the railroads about their adherence to the Rate Bill. At first, it was thought the meeting should be with railroad presidents, but subsequently, a meeting with J. Pierpont Morgan was deemed to be better. Having discussed the proposal with Roosevelt, Taft relayed the latter’s doubts about the usefulness of such a meeting, but that he was willing to meet with Morgan, as long as everyone understood it was not at his request.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-11