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Alton B. Parker gives Uncle Sam a paper that reads, “application for position as master of the White House—Alton B. Parker—References: Hill, Belmont, McCarren, Taggart, Williams, Davis, Bailey, Murphy,” as Parker points to a group of men, all of whom are listed on the paper. On the wall is a “U.S. bulletin help wanted” board.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09
New York Governor Benjamin B. Odell saws wood to put in the “cut and dried” “Republican woodpile.” Meanwhile, Charles Francis Murphy and Patrick Henry McCarren sit on the “Democratic wood pile” with a saw and watch.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-16
The top left-hand corner includes a cartoon from the New York Herald on July 9, 1904, in which William Jennings Bryan takes the “money” plank away from a platform where William F. Sheehan and David B. Hill are nailing different planks down. In the larger cartoon, Alton B. Parker tells Bryan to return the “money” plank. Sheehan, Hill, Charles Francis Murphy, Thomas F. Grady, William Bourke Cockran, and a Tammany tiger look on.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-12
A number of men in the Democratic Party march forward: Grover Cleveland with his fishing rod, William Randolph Hearst with a small bag of money, William Jennings Bryan with a “Lincoln Neb.” drum, Alton B. Parker with the face of a sphinx, David B. Hill, Charles Francis Murphy, and George B. McClellan, who rides a Tammany tiger.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-06-30
A heron wearing a “Parker” crown picks up a frog with the face of Martin W. Littleton. Other frogs watch, including Joseph W. Bailey, South Carolina Senator Benjamin R. Tillman with his pitchfork, William Jennings Bryan, David B. Hill, and Charles Francis Murphy.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-22
President Roosevelt pushes off the “big stick” and says, “Don’t flinch; don’t foul” as he leans on Timothy L. Woodruff who leans on George Rumsey Sheldon who leans on Secretary of State Elihu Root who leans on J. S. Sherman who leans on Frank H. Hitchcock who ultimately leans on William H. Taft who is fighting against William Jennings Bryan. On the other side William Randolph Hearst pours a “Standard Oil” can and says, “I’ll make ’em slip.” Meanwhile, Norman Edward Mack leans against Herman Ridder who leans against William James Conners who leans against Charles Francis Murphy who leans against John Worth Kern who leans against Bryan. Uncle Sam referees.
It was impressive cartoon that readers of the Brooklyn Eagle beheld in the Election Day edition of the paper. It was, properly, not partisan or biased toward a candidate or party, published as it was on Election Day when political argumentation traditionally ceased.
On the eve of the election, vignettes on New York and presidential politics are presented. At the upper left, candidate for Governor of New York Lewis S. Chanler stands tall as two men, including Charles Francis Murphy, look on and say, “Hero.” Caption: Chanler takes a stand at last: He says he is opposed to the shot-gun license law. Opposite this, a banner reads: “We are willing to be regulated but not by Governor Hughes. Charlie Murphy is good enough for us. The Franchise Grabbers’ Anti-Hughes Club.” At the bottom, John D. Rockefeller with a “$29,000,000 fine” tag says, “I think I’ll vote for you, Mr. Taft.” William H. Taft raises his hands in the air and says, “Don’t.” Looking on, William Jennings Bryan smiles and says, “Oh I’m so happy” while President Roosevelt says, “Don’t let him tell you that, Bill. Soak him one. It’s a plot.”
Arcane issues of 1908 presidential politics, and even the minutia of New York State affairs, permeate this informal but clever group of vignettes by Floyd W. Triggs, published on election eve.
In the top left, John D. Rockefeller, pours “oil” down Oklahoma Governor Charles Nathaniel Haskell’s throat as crowds cheer, “Standard Oil, dah-de! Dah! Bryan, Bryan–Rah! Rah rah!” and “Taft’s a big man–ump-ti-de-de! He’s the guy for the pres-i-den-cee!” John D. Archbold chases down Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker as Secretary of State Elihu Root runs into the fray. William Jennings Bryan fights William H. Taft supported by individuals in their parties: Charles Francis Murphy, Thomas Taggart, Henry Watterson, John W. Kern, Norman Edward Mack on the Democratic side and President Roosevelt, J. S. Sherman, Frank H. Hitchcock, and New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes on the Republican side. Uncle Sam referees.
This cartoon from the beginning of the last month of the 1908 presidential campaign offers a convenient summary of the major players, and a view likewise of the personalities involved the now nearly forgotten subplot that nearly overshadowed the main contest. The cartoonist is unknown, but the signature seems to be “Allen,” tempting one think it might be Clarence Allen, longtime political cartoonist of the Tulsa World but for the fact that he was ten years old when this cartoon was published.
In this detailed cartoon, a variety of individuals try to figure out if Oklahoma Governor Charles Nathaniel Haskell—who has run off—touched second base, which has a container of “oil” on it. Uncle Sam stands in the center of the diamond and says, “It’s a draw.” A large group of people congregate just off the first-base line, including William H. Taft, Samuel Gompers, William Jennings Bryan, Norman Edward Mack, William Loeb, President Roosevelt, William F. Sheehan, Alton B. Parker, and George von Lengerke Meyer. A variety of people are around the field: Charles Francis Murphy, Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker, New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes, New York Lieutenant Governor Lewis S. Chanler, William James Conners, and Patrick Henry McCarren. John D. Rockefeller, John D. Archbold, Henry Huttleston Rogers, and James Roscoe Day all watch from the side. In another section of the audience, the Democratic donkey and Republican elephant fight. A handwritten note is included: “Mr. President: This is so good I have to send it to you.”
Frequently political cartoons have a subtext related news events, gossip about figures being caricatured, and the shadowy realm of the interests and agendas of publishers. All these factors were play in the genre scene composed by cartoonist Thomas E. Powers, nominally about Oklahoma Governor Charles Nathaniel Haskell.
Haskell was also Treasurer of the Democratic National Committee, with financial responsibilities in the presidential campaign of William Jennings Bryan. “Touching second base” or not, as the oil can with Standard Oil’s dollar sign, sits on the base that Haskell clearly avoids, is the nub of the cartoon.
Several men—David B. Hill, William James Conners, Charles Francis Murphy, William Jennings Bryan holding a “reform” paper, Roger C. Sullivan, Oklahoma Governor Charles Nathaniel Haskell, and Alton B. Parker—read the handwriting on the wall: “(Extract from Taft’s letter of July 20-’07) I don’t care for the presidency if it has to come by compromise with Senator Foraker or anyone else in the matter of principle. Taft.” Caption: What a contrast.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-23
President Roosevelt and William Jennings Bryan use “the big stick” to hit both Timothy L. Woodruff and Charles Francis Murphy on their backsides.
In the Democratic Brooklyn Eagle, cartoonist Nelson Harding pictured William Jennings Bryan, the presidential candidate, and President Roosevelt as ideological and political partners. It should be noted that he did not show William H. Taft, the Republican nominee, who was by implication an afterthought. Republican cartoonists and newspapers seldom did this, indicating a desire on the part of Democrats to identify with Roosevelt. On the stump, Bryan himself was eager to identify himself with major points of Roosevelt’s policies.
An illustration of President Roosevelt has images and captions in it, including “settlement of the coal strike,” “protection against foreign labor,” “gold standard,” and “U.S. Supreme Court.” Meanwhile, Alton B. Parker is surrounded by Democratic leaders and is tied down by “sugar trust,” “Standard Oil,” and “rail-road franchise” ropes. Caption: Why Parker “Because he is perfectly safe.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-06
An African-American man holds two hands of playing cards. One hand includes cards that feature the faces of President Roosevelt, Chair of the Republican National Committee George B. Cortelyou, J. Pierpont Morgan, Charles W. Fairbanks, New York Governor Benjamin B. Odell, and New York Lieutenant Governor Frank Wayland Higgins. The other hand includes cards that feature the faces of Patrick Henry McCarren, Charles Francis Murphy, William Jennings Bryan, David B. Hill, Alton B. Parker, and Henry Gassaway Davis.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-10
On the left of the cartoon, a “retired D. Hill” scarecrow leans against the wall, while some newspaper boys whisper about him. On the right, Hill sits on a chair upon a tiger skin-covered podium and directs Charles Francis Murphy and Alton B. Parker.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-09
An article in The American Review of Reviews reflects on the current political situation in Congress, especially lamenting that both houses are controlled by powerful cliques who work in their own interests, often at the expense of legislation that would benefit the people. In particular, tariffs and appropriations for the construction of battleships are discussed. The author also speculates about the outcomes of the Republican and Democratic National Conventions and the upcoming presidential campaign, as well as the necessity of a good man to run the Republican convention.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-05-21
Walter Butler Atterbury denounces Republican political leader Timothy L. Woodruff as “the most tyrannical of all bosses.” He cites evidence for this accusation in a speech to citizens of the Seventeenth Assembly District of Kings County. Atterbury asks citizens to support him and oppose any ticket with Woodruff’s name or those owing allegiance to him in the upcoming primary elections.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-11
Theodore Roosevelt addresses the issue of machine party politics in New York. He touches on the gubernatorial race and various Senators in the state legislature, including Charles Francis Murphy and William Barnes. Roosevelt is campaigning for a non-machine politics candidate, “stalwart of good government, the unflinching fighter for real reform, Frederick M. Davenport.” Roosevelt continues to cover tariffs while mentioning the Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act and the Revenue Act of 1913.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1914
A galley labeled “Government Of, By, and For the People” sails past rocks labeled “Bossism” where other ships have wrecked, drawn by “Party Solidarity” sung by Republican sirens “Connors, Aldrich, Cox, Penrose, Woodruff, [and] Lodge” and “Partisanship” sung by Democratic sirens “Mack, Conners, Murphy, [and] Taggart” sitting on rocks above the crashing seas. Caption: The old stuff doesn’t go any more.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1910-06-01
Charles F. Murphy is proudly sitting on the bow of a ship with an albatross labeled “Tammany Rule,” its wings labeled “Graft” and “Patronage,” that he has shot with an arrow labeled “Murphyism.” Caption: And I had done a hellish thing, / And it would work ’em woe.–Coleridge “The Ancient Mariner.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1913-11-26
Charles F. “Murphy” holds “Father Knickerbocker,” a symbolic figure for New York City, his hands bound behind his back, over a large tub labeled “City Hall,” his head underwater among “Plums” labeled “Good Things, Appointments, Contracts, [and] Jobs.” Edward E. “McCall,” kneeling next to the tub, has pulled out a plum labeled “Control” and is handing it to Murphy. Caption: Boss Murphy — Take your time, Ed, and get ’em all. His Knicklets here won’t bother you.