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An angry mob of bankers, brokers, and financiers threaten Santa Claus who is hanging off the statue of George Washington outside Federal Hall in Manhattan, New York City, New York. Caption: Chorus of Bankers and Brokers — Just say Christmas to us this year, that’s all! We dare you!
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1913-12-10
In a bird’s-eye view of Wall Street, an innocent lamb is standing in the middle of the deserted financial district. The surrounding vignettes show a society matron serving a banquet of hot dogs; a man buying eggs cheap, then trying to sell them to a stockbroker for 50 cents a dozen; an elderly man drinking wine with a beautiful young woman “Before the War,” “And Now” disgruntled and at home with his wife; and three businessmen sitting on steps outside Federal Hall, quaffing lunch from a “full dinner pail.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1914-11-07
Print shows William H. Vanderbilt, Jay Gould, Russell Sage and James R. Keene checking ticker tape connected to a large straight-edge razor labeled “Wade in & Butcher’em” and “This Indicator Rises & Falls with Stocks” with a bear and a bull and several money bags labeled “$” balanced on the back of the blade; below, draped over the handle are many investors reaching for bundles of “Pacific Mail, Western Union, [and] Erie” stocks, the blade is poised to drop. In the background another group of investors labeled “The Lambs Brigade” are headed into the “N.Y. Stock Exchange”.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1881-09-07
A large old tree grows at the edge of a body of water, with Albany, New York, on the right, and the U.S. Capitol on the left, in the background. Hanging from the branches are many coins with “$” and a few blossoms labeled “Bribes for Legislation, Bribes for Lawyers, Bribes for Judges, Bribes for Editors, [and] Bribes for Congress.” Telegraph lines are tangled in the branches, and the face of Jay Gould is formed by limbs and branches at center. The bodies of several people lay among the debris beneath the tree. Roscoe Conkling is slumped against a row of buildings. “Westbro[?]” has expired over the same row of buildings. A skull labeled “Jim Fisk” lies next to “Whitelaw Reid.” Ulysses S. Grant, at center, is labeled “Black Friday.” Beneath a railroad is the body of a woman labeled “Stockholder.” Against the trunk of the tree is a man labeled “Stockholder E.R.R.” who looks a little like Cornelius Vanderbilt, and on the right is Alonzo Cornell labeled “Blind Pool.” All appear to have succumbed to greed through the machinations of Jay Gould. Caption: “This tree … was said to be so exceedingly poisonous that no one could even approach it without certain death.” Zell’s Encyclopedia.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1882-08-30
Joseph Gurney Cannon stands on a small platform labeled “Wall Street” at the end of a long two-handled accordion-like folding extension device manipulated by J. Pierpont Morgan who is standing in New York and using the tool to transport Cannon to the “Chicago Convention.”
Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon of Illinois served longer than almost any other Speaker, and ruled with an iron hand, or fist as his opponents including fellow Republicans might say. He far surpassed the imperious actions of Republican Speaker “Czar” Thomas B. Reed of Maine. In Cannon’s time the Speaker had the power to name committee chairmen and committee members — so he had influence over careers, patronage, and legislation.
A man labeled “Stock Manipulation,” wearing top hat and tuxedo, rests one hand on a deck of “Marked Cards” and the other on a stack of gambling chips next to “Loaded Dice” and a wheel labeled “Brace Roulette.” The playing table is labeled “Wall Str[eet].” Behind him are money bags and papers labeled “Fiduciary Funds, Treasury Deposits, Other Peoples’ Money, Bank Loans, [and] Pools.” Standing in the foreground and looking up at the man is a diminutive man holding his “Savings” behind his back.
As Puck Magazine evolved or matured, it grew more radical. This generally was within the drift of the major parties and the public, as reflected in political platforms and editorial opinion. A component of its commentaries were rejection of the corruption and malign political influence of big business, monopolies, and those whom President Roosevelt called the “malefactors of great wealth” with inordinate influence on politics and the economy.
A donkey carries the “Democratic Dough Bag” and an elephant carries the “Republican Dough Bag” as they walk down “Wall Street,” seeking campaign funding for the upcoming presidential election.
Welsh immigrant J. S. Pughe was Puck Magazine’s go-to animal cartoonist, whether in political cartoons — typically the Democrat donkey and the Republican elephant, but a wide menagerie in his political bestiary — as well as interior, black and white gag cartoons. All the humor magazines (and journals featuring cartoons as respite from text columns and advertisements) enjoyed cartoons with anthropomorphic animals, bugs, and birds in human situations. T. S. Sullivant was the best and most prominent of these cartoonists; in this period he drew for Judge and the Hearst papers. Pughe was Puck’s answer to Sullivant, even to the style of drawing characters with exaggerated, large heads.
A throng of people on Wall Street rush to purchase stocks from trading houses that offer various amounts of green or pink trading stamps.
One month after the initial Panic on Wall Street — and a delay of commentary likely due to the fluid situation, complicated responses, and somewhat obscured machinations of government and trust managers — Puck finally comments on the financial crisis, and it is more humorous than incisive.
A stone wall labeled “Rotten Finance” is constructed with stones showing the faces of many businessmen and financiers, including John D. Rockefeller, J. Pierpont Morgan, and Edward Henry Harriman. On the ground, in front of the wall, is a broken egg labeled “Confidence.” Caption: Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall; / Humpty-Dumpty had a great fall. / All the Street’s horses and all the Street’s men / Can’t put Humpty back again.
Almost two months into the financial crisis known as the Wall Street Panic in 1907, Puck magazine addressed the situation. It was late, but with trenchant commentary that compensated. Indeed, during the crisis that was precipitated by the unsuccessful takeover of a copper company, a web of under-capitalized and over-extended companies, trusts, and banks became evident.
In a boardroom, the appearance of a ghost labeled “Spirit of Honesty” has frightened the men conducting business, labeled “Corporation Lawyer, Fake Promoter, Secret Rebater [hiding under the table], Lobbyist, Public Service Grafter, Public Exploiter, Hypocrite, Employed Perjurer, Speculating Trust Co, [and the] Yellow Dog Keeper.” Also shown are the “Yellow Dog” and several sheets of “Watered Stock.” Hanging on the wall is a sign that states “Dont Knock – Boost.”
Despite the skin-of-their-teeth machinations of J. P. Morgan and ultimately President Roosevelt that kept the 1907 Wall Street Panic from becoming a major national economic depression, the public at large generally was not relieved to know that Wall Street righted itself.
President Roosevelt, as little Lord Fauntleroy, helps elderly Uncle Sam, bloated by “Overcapitalization” and a bandaged right foot labeled “Wall Street,” walk with a cane. Caption: “Lean on me, Grandpa.”
Udo J. Keppler, in Puck, relies on an extremely popular book (and stage play) of the day for a metaphorical context. His front-page cartoon refers to a famous scene in the 1886 children’s novel Little Lord Fauntleroy in which the privileged young scion nobly offers his shoulder to his infirm grandfather.
The Democratic donkey labeled “Democratic Party” sits among papers that state “The Trusts are to Blame,” “Harriman is to Blame,” “Wall Street is to Blame,” “High Finance is to Blame,” “Roosevelt is to Blame / Roosevelt is Not to Blame,” “Overcapitalization is to Blame,” “The Rail-Roads are to Blame,” [and] “Crooked Business is to Blame.” Many are blamed, but no one will accept the responsibility for the panic of 1907.
The dispositive point of J. S. Pughe’s cover cartoon in Puck addressing the aftermath of the Wall Street Panic, is found in the attire and attitude of the Democrat donkey. He looks more like a jackass than a donkey, and the papers strewn about him are deflections about the Panic’s cause, the Panic’s fault, the Panic’s blame.
A sculpture labeled “Pocahontas pleading for the life of John Smith” depicts Theodore Roosevelt labeled “The Great Father” holding a big stick over his head and standing over John Smith labeled “Railroads,” about to strike him, as Pocahontas labeled “Wall Street” tries to stop Roosevelt.
The cover of Puck with L. M. Glackens’s distinctive but unusual cartoon requires familiarity with contemporary events and popular trends in 1907. Readers of the day would not have required more than rudimentary labels that were, actually, largely superfluous for them.
A woman labeled “Wall Street,” appearing as Little Bo Peep, has pulled all the petals, labeled “Tight Money” and “Easy Money,” off a paper flower. The center of the flower, on the ground among the petals, shows a medallion that states “In Cortelyou We Trust.” Her bodice is labeled “Stock Exchange.” George B. Cortelyou, dressed as an Elizabethan suitor, is standing behind her. They are embracing as he holds aloft a diamond ring labeled “Treasury Aid.”
There had been little doubt (except, evidently, in Puck‘s editorial eyes) that President Roosevelt’s nominee for Secretary of the Treasury, George B. Cortelyou, would follow, completely unbroken, the policies of his predecessor Leslie M. Shaw. In politics, anything can change; and at least in Wall Street’s view Roosevelt was wildly unpredictable. However, Shaw’s stewardship of the economy oversaw unprecedented prosperity, so there seemed little reason to rock the boat.
A woman labeled “Wall Street” appears as a nursery rhyme figure, possibly Little Bo Peep, pulling petals off a paper flower that are labeled “Tight Money” and “Easy Money” as she says “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not.” The center of the flower shows a medallion that states “In Shaw We Trust,” but with a line drawn through “Shaw.” The woman’s bodice is labeled “Stock Exchange.” George B. Cortelyou, dressed as an Elizabethan suitor, is looking over her shoulder.
George B. Cortelyou was an unsung hero — or at least, a little-referenced figure — in both administrations of President Roosevelt. He is one of those assistants who served in several offices, undertaking many challenges, and of enormous assistance to presidents — including, prior to Roosevelt, Grover Cleveland and William McKinley — behind the scenes.
On the left, anxious businessmen are gathered around a ticker tape machine, reading the ticker tape. On the right, anxious gamblers are gathered around a roulette wheel, awaiting the outcome. Caption: If it is legal to gamble in Wall Street, why isn’t it legal to gamble in the West Forties?
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1912-08-28
Roosevelt and hunting companions look startled when they come across a very large lion. Caption: “Wall Street expects every one of them to do its duty.” Original signed sketch. Stamp of Outing Magazine on verso.
Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
1909
Henry Clews assures President Roosevelt that the majority of those in Wall Street support him. Clews believes that even if Roosevelt has antagonized a few of the capitalists, that will only serve to make him more popular with the masses because to them it means the “same antagonism as labor vs. capital.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-01-19
Joseph Bucklin Bishop encloses items for President Roosevelt. He notes that it is “delightful” to see William Jennings Bryan turn down Wall Street investors in his bid as the Democratic candidate for president.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-01-19
Gustavus Lane Monroe quotes from Walt Whitman’s poems “For You O Democracy” and “Song of Myself,” and argues that President Roosevelt epitomizes Whitman’s ideal man. “It may be that through him Democracy will attain to its perfection.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-01-05