Police--Legal status, laws, etc.

A man labeled “Candidate for Senate,” holding wads of cash, stands in front of a sign that states “Sale of seats to the United States Senate has been prohibited.” Nearby the “Senatorial Box Office” has been boarded up and locked with a sign indicating “Closed.” Uncle Sam, as a police officer with a night stick labeled “Public Opinion,” is directing the man to the new entrance to the Senate, which is marked by the presence of a “Ballot Box” and a man labeled “Voter” standing next to the box. Caption: Uncle Sam — This way, Sir.

comments and context

Comments and Context

A slow but steady advocacy of Civil-Service reformers since the 1870s had been the abolition of the Constitutional method of electing senators to the United States Senate; that is, by votes of each state’s legislature, and not popular votes of each state’s citizens. The movement gained adherents, less from the logic of the situation, and more because elevation to Senate often had become a corrupt scheme of influence, bribes, and payoffs. In 1909, Illinois Republican Representative William Lorimer was appointed to one of the state’s senate seats by the legislature, and immediate charges of vote-buying were raised. In 1912 the United States Senate accepted a report of findings and denied Lorimer his seat 10 years after this cartoon’s advocacy. As perhaps the “final straw,” within a year three-fifths of the country’s states ratified the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution providing for the direct election of senators. Today, there is a movement among libertarians to restore the Constitutional Framers’ view that congresspeople and senators need to have distinctive methods of representation.

A politician agrees with a woman labeled “W.C.T.U.” and a man holding a Bible, who are standing on the right. Behind them are the locked and barricaded doors to a cafe on which is a sign “Closed Sunday.” On the left, behind the politician, is an open door labeled “Family Entrance” from which the cafe owner is placing a bribe in the politician’s right hand. Further to the left is a police officer leaning against the building, pretending not to notice the illegal transaction. Caption: Politician (to Temperance Element) — You’re right! The sanctity of the American Sabbath must be preserved!

comments and context

Comments and Context

The cartoon illustrates an anomaly in long-running debates about “Sunday closings” of saloons. Even today in much of the United States, local ordinances restrict liquor sales on Sundays, so the controversy has only quieted, not ended. At the time of this cartoon, the WCTU (Women’s Christians Temperance Union) and other groups including religious, social, and feminist, advocated a range of reforms from Sunday closings to full-fledged prohibition of spirits (and, often, tobacco). In many places, Sunday-closing laws were circumvented by reclassification of saloons as restaurants or hotels, rebirth as “private clubs,” or by outright bribery of police and judges. Gallaway’s cartoon portrays the depth of hypocrisy — the political establishment that not only enabled circumvention, but its virtue signals to prohibitionists. When Theodore Roosevelt enforced Sunday-closing laws as Police Commissioner of New York City, he endured criticism, for instance, from common laborers and their families, whose only days of rest were Sundays. But he maintained that the remedy was to change the regulations, not condone corruption.

Illustration showing two concerned citizens and Joseph Pulitzer imploring Uncle Sam, dressed as a U.S. policeman, to break up a fight taking place in the background labeled “South Africa” between John Bull and Paul Kruger.

comments and context

Comments and Context

The concerned citizens in Pughe’s cartoon are meant to represent missionaries and clergymen, appealing for humanitarian intervention in the Second Boer War. Joseph Pulitzer, as Publisher of the New York World and de facto leader of the Democrat Party press, urged intervention as he had previously in Cuba. The fight between Great Britain and the Boers (“Farmers”) is depicted by John Bull, the traditional symbol of England, and “Oom” (Uncle) Paul Kruger, leader of the insurgent Transvaal (South African Republic) and the neighboring Orange Free State.

Cartoon depicting President Roosevelt riding an elephant labeled “1904 Trust busting” and “Cop.” Behind the elephant are two men left behind in the dust.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-02-19

George B. Cortelyou recently gathered a number of people involved with the protection of President Roosevelt to discuss and coordinate precautionary efforts to guard Roosevelt. These measures include detailing an officer to follow Roosevelt on horseback rides, screening mail sent to Roosevelt, and seeking to increase the funding and manpower of the various agencies. All parties agreed to act together and support one another in protecting the president.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-10-04

Theodore Roosevelt always votes for firemen and police salary increases and commends them to William A. Prendergast. Roosevelt hopes that he and Mrs. Prendergast are well.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-06-05

Theodore Roosevelt introduces Fred Kohler, Chief of Police of Cleveland, Ohio, to an American Ambassador, and explains his purpose for being in Europe.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-06

Theodore Roosevelt explains to J. Blitz that Theodore Roosevelt stated thirty policemen at the mentioned banquet and the incident happened during his time as police commissioner.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-01-26

Theodore Roosevelt wishes he could write an article on police needs, but must turn to two others (illegible) for instruction.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-02-26

Theodore Roosevelt appreciate his copy of Cornelius Cahalane’s Police Practice and Procedure. Roosevelt especially liked what Cahalane wrote about the failure of parents to properly supervise their children, as well as the trouble of “too much misdirected supervision.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-01-27

President Roosevelt is touched by the enclosed letters, as “anything like the loss of a child” stirs a parent’s empathy. He wonders if the police could take an active role in the matter. He is unsure what to do other than write to Governor Fort.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-04

President Roosevelt writes to Chief Regan of the Buffalo Police Department in New York regarding Anthony J. Gavin, a former Rough Rider. Roosevelt asks if there is any way in which Gavin’s work could be made easier, or if he could be given any favor. Gavin is getting on in years and Roosevelt feels an attachment to his old comrade-in-arms. Roosevelt hopes Regan will not misunderstand his action in writing to him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-09

President Roosevelt tells Elliot C. Cowdin that a certain matter does not come under Roosevelt’s jurisdiction. Roosevelt would have no more right to interfere with it than he would with any other action by the police in New York.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-18

President Roosevelt tells Nevada Governor Sparks that he believes it is unnecessary to delay sixty days, and that the police force should be able to be organized and equipped faster than that. Roosevelt would like to hear if there are any reasons why troops should remain in Nevada later than February 15.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-04

Governor Sparks sent President Roosevelt a telegram containing a resolution from the state legislature requesting that federal troops remain in Nevada. Roosevelt will grant the request, but only for a “reasonable length of time” to allow the legislature to organize a police force.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-17

President Roosevelt tells Sam P. Davis that the trouble Davis mentioned is fundamental, and that Nevada has to make an effort to do its own policing. Roosevelt trusts that the legislature will provide a state constabulary or police force immediately.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-24

President Roosevelt appreciates that Captain Killilea remembered him and that the New York City police force felt sympathy for Archibald B. Roosevelt’s illness.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-12

President Roosevelt shares his anger with Frances Reginald Bangs about Boston Police Commissioner Stephen O’Meara’s “seeming indifference” to an attack by police on Roosevelt’s son, Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt also thanks Bangs for the kindness shown to Roosevelt’s son. He believes that an appearance in the newspapers will do his son harm among his classmates. Roosevelt says that even though his son was “acquitted,” he cannot expect much clear-headedness from college boys.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-17

President Roosevelt informs Police Commissioner O’Meara he believes the Boston police mishandled the arrest of his son Ted. Despite support of O’Meara, Roosevelt believes “under the best conditions it is impossible to prevent a brute or an occasional fool in uniform from acting badly.” Roosevelt believes Ted has been misrepresented in the press, and that he did not assault anyone.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-02

President Roosevelt thanks Sergeant Corcoran for the letter, and tells him he appreciates the campaign support from his “old friends” in the Police Department.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-21