Plutocracy

Judge Robert Grant writes to President Theodore Roosevelt congratulating him on continuously advocating for progressive tax reform. Grant knows that progressive taxes are very unpopular amongst the upper class, who prefer to maintain control over their wealth and dole it out to their inheritors as they wish. Grant maintains that progressive tax reform is more reliable in assisting society’s needs than relying on the upper class to voluntarily donate their money to useful causes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-16

Creator(s)

Grant, Robert, 1852-1940

William Jennings Bryan dressed as a farmer holds a “list of missing issues”: “Grindstone (Swollen Fortunes), Cider Press (Railroads), Yoke (Trust Regulation), Dinner Bell (Plutocratic Domination).” As he hears a dinner bell with a tag that reads, “I’m a victim of a plutocratic conspiracy,” Bryan says, “That sounds like my old bell.” In the background is the White House.

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-09

A ship labeled “Republic,” flying a banner labeled “U.S.A.,” navigates storm-tossed seas with a whirlpool labeled “Socialism” and cliffs labeled “Plutocracy” nearby.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1906-05-16

Theodore Roosevelt thanks Viscount Grey for his letter and sympathizes with his party’s political situation. Roosevelt has no regrets about losing the 1912 presidential election but worries that not seizing the current opportunity to fight for social and industrial justice will have negative ramifications in the future. Changing topics, Roosevelt writes about the need to fight on heroically after an attempted assassination, recounting his own story about finishing his speech. Finally, Roosevelt is relieved that Sir Cecil Spring-Rice is likely to succeed Ambassador James Bryce.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-11-15

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt tells George W. Perkins that the ‘newly-joined member of the ‘Get-Rich-Quick-Club'” will appreciate that paper. Roosevelt believes that the Progressive Service should be separate from the Progressive Party and desires that Perkins renounce all authority in regards to the Service.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-12-16

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt thanks Viscount Grey for his letter and sympathizes with his party’s political situation. Roosevelt has no regrets about losing the 1912 presidential election but worries not seizing the current opportunity to fight for social and industrial justice will have negative ramifications in the future. Changing topics, Roosevelt writes to Viscount Grey about the need to fight on heroically after an attempted assassination, recounting his own story about finishing his speech. Finally, Roosevelt is relieved that Sir Cecil Spring-Rice is looking like the man likely to succeed Ambassador Bryce.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-11-15

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt was very impressed with William Marion Reedy’s article, and wishes that it could be circulated throughout the United States. Roosevelt was struck by Reedy’s description of newspapers, when he wrote that the people driving the policies of these are plutocrats who wish to oppose anything that could threaten them, but who, by doing this, foster socialism and anarchy in response. Roosevelt feels that his actions in trying to reduce the evils of plutocracy are the only thing that can answer a movement toward socialism and anarchy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-29

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt shares his thoughts on various topics with Cecil Spring Rice. Roosevelt is planning to swap foreign assignments between John B. Jackson and Richmond Pearson, mentioning that Pearson had trouble with missionaries in Persia. While Jackson has done well as Minister to Greece, Roosevelt does not approve of his strong pro-Russia feelings. Roosevelt thinks the Russian people are good, and feels badly that they oscillate between despotism and anarchy. Roosevelt is interested in what Spring Rice says about the movement of Islam in Persia toward more tolerance, and gives his opinion about progress in Islamic countries in relation to Buddhism and Shinto. The violent incidents in San Francisco towards Japanese immigrants concerns Roosevelt. Roosevelt thinks everyone should be in favor of peace and temperance, but he feels professional advocates of both talk a lot without ever getting anything done. At home, Roosevelt is trying to keep a balance between plutocrats and labor unions. Roosevelt hopes to see Spring Rice and his wife soon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt admires how George Otto Trevelyan handled matters with Jamaica Governor James A. Swettenham. Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt gifted Roosevelt a volume of Rennell Rodd’s histography, with the Frankish occupation of Greece being of particular interest to him. While he admires the “American money-maker” that contributes to the betterment of all society, he cannot say the same of a wealthy man who has made that money with little to no moral compass.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt does not wish to be a plutocrat except in the occasional instance he would like to be able to purchase something like a hunting trip in Alaska or Africa. Roosevelt cannot think of paying for the hunting library suggested by William A. Baillie-Grohman because $15,000 is a large amount of money to put toward the education of his six children.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-12-28

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Liberty strides forward, carrying a flaming torch labeled “Revolution” and an American flag, and wearing a phrygian cap with tricolor cockade. She crushes underfoot a scepter and a crown labeled “Plutocracy.” In the background, buildings are burning. Caption: If the tariff farce is continued many years longer.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1909-04-28

“Slavery, High Protection, Partisan Politics, Bossism, [and] Plutocracy” stand as statues on the banks of the Nile River. The statue labeled “Slavery” has fallen in, “High Protection” is falling, and “Partisan Politics” has a slight lean.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1909-04-14

A large gloved hand labeled “Plutocracy” with a design showing the U.S. Capitol emerges from dark clouds to crush a group of citizens with its thumb. On the left, in the clouds of the past, a Union army marches into battle as Abraham Lincoln frees the slaves.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1909-01-13

A well-dressed man labeled “Plutocracy,” wearing a top hat, holds a parrot labeled “State Legislature” on his right hand. He is trying to get the parrot to repeat a phrase after him, and he promises it “some nice crackers” in return for correctly learning to repeat the phrase. Caption: “We don’t want an Income-Tax Amendment! Say it, Polly! We don’t want an Income-Tax Amendment! Say it, Polly! Amendment! Amendment! We don’t want it!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1909-08-18

Creator(s)

Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956

Presidential hopeful John Albert Johnson, as a logger, struggles to break free a jam of logs labeled “Reactionary Democracy, Wall Street Interests, Plutocracy, High Finance, Ryanism, Conservatism, Safe & Sane Fake, [and] Stand Pat Democracy,” which are preventing him from presenting his political agenda at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. Caption: “If it weren’t for these cussed logs, I could get my drive down to Denver.”

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1908-06-24

The Liberty Bell lies on its side in a barren landscape with a large man labeled “Monopoly” sitting on the top. The crack in the bell is labeled “Plutocracy.” Many different groups of people, including a group of women, carry clappers for the bell. The clappers are labeled “Socialism, Tax Reform, The Oregon Idea, Woman Suffrage, Free Trade, [and] Protection.” Caption: Take your choice; but while that crack is in it, the Liberty Bell will never ring clear.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-06-28

Creator(s)

Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956

Transcribed text of a speech by Jacob Schurman before the Manufacturers’ Association of New York. Schurman discussed industrial development concentrating capital and power in a few hands and the potential dangers of this system. Schurman suggested legally requiring companies to publish their accounts, to counteract potential abuses of power.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-01-29

Creator(s)

Unknown