Political parties--Platforms

Puck draws back a curtain to show a “Laborer, Farmer, [and a] Business Man” what is going on behind, with the Bryan campaign’s support of the “Silver Trust.” A man shows a paper to a bloated silver mine owner that states, “To Silver Mine Owners: If Bryan is elected we shall make the people pay you an increase of 64 cts. on every ounce of your silver. This means a profit to you of $36,000,000 a year. We ask you to contribute one month’s profit of $3,000,000 to elect Bryan. Merrill’s Popocratic Circular.” Caption: Puck–Now you can see, gentlemen, that the Bryan campaign is not in the interest of the people, but simply and solely in the interest of the Silver Trust.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-10-28

At center, William Jennings Bryan, labeled “16 to 1,” stands on a platform “Built by Popo. Platform Silver Syndicate” and holds up a paper that states, “‘We Denounce Arbitrary Interference by Federal Authorities, in Local Affairs, as a Violation of the Constitution,’ etc., W.J. Bryan.” On the right, labeled “1861,” Jefferson Davis holds a paper that states, “‘We Denounce Arbitrary Interference by Federal Authorities, in Local Affairs, as a Violation of the Constitution,’ etc., Jeff. Davis.” Davis confronts Abraham Lincoln who is holding a copy of the “Constitution of U.S.” The bombing of “Fort Sumter” is taking place behind them. On the left, labeled “1896,” Benjamin R. Tillman, John Peter Altgeld, Eugene V. Debs, and John P. Jones are standing on a torn American flag labeled “National Honor” and raising a new flag labeled “Dis-Order and Mis-Rule.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-10-28

The Tammany Tiger, in ragged clothes, wears a campaign button that states “16 to 1 Bryan and Sewall” and a watch chain with a “Pawn Ticket” instead of the watch. The tiger bemoans the fact that the Republican Party platform promises “Prosperity for the Laborer and the Business Man” and “Prosperity for the Farmer” and the Democratic Party platform promises “Prosperity for Labor and Business.” The tiger gestures toward campaign banners, hanging in the background, for “McKinley and Hobart” and “Bryan and Sewall.” Caption: They’re all goin’ to git Prosperity, an’ I’m goin’ to git left!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-11-04

An encampment of the Democrat/Populist presidential candidate and his followers dances around a campfire labeled “Repudiation.” Depicted are, from left, “Peffer, Jerry Simpson, Teller, Vest, Watson, Bryan, Sewall, Sen. J. P. Jones, Jones, Altgeld, Bland, [and] Stewart.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-11-04

Mark Hanna is about to carve a large turkey labeled “Presidency” resting on a gold platter labeled “Sound Money Vote.” Newly elected president William McKinley is sitting at the head of the table, looking heavenward, and the White House is visible through a window behind Hanna. Caption: “For what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly thankful.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-11-25

A hand labeled “Republican Party” pours champagne from a bottle labeled “Tariff Revision” into a glass held by another hand labeled “Protected Interests.” Two hands labeled “Consumer” are holding an empty glass.

comments and context

Comments and Context

The theme of Udo J. Keppler’s cartoon — that tariffs imposed and maintained for purposes of revenue or protection of fledgling industries against cheaper foreign imports were chimeras — was as old as the American Industrial Revolution. In the critiques of low-tariff and free-trade proponents, imports saddled with tariff duties should have resulted in lower prices of domestically produced goods.

Champ Clark, as Santa Claus, stands on a roof with a large sack labeled “Fulfillment of Democratic Pledges” over his shoulder, next to a chimney labeled “Democratic Harmony” with several flues labeled “Radicalism, Cannonized Democracy, Wall Street Interests, Safe & Sane, Solid South, Eastern Conservatism, [and] Bryanism.” Caption: Santa Claus Champ — If I’m to deliver the goods, some of those flues will have to come off!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1910-12-21

On the left, a fat businessman labeled “Monopolist” is welcomed into the “U.S. Senate,” while on the right, a “Taxpayer” is booted out by a large shoe labeled “Tariff Legislation.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-07-21

Newspaper article crediting Senator Allison and the failed “Iowa idea” for encouraging discussion of “reasonable tariff revision.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07

General Otis believes that William Randolph Hearst is making a determined effort to secure the Democratic presidential nomination or place himself in a position to “swing” the nomination. The Democrats will divide between Hearst and Grover Cleveland, assuring President Roosevelt’s nomination and election. Otis believes that labor issues and the respect for law and order will be the key to the election. He wants strong declarations in the party platform but no demagoguery. Otis does not want a platform against organized labor but against “industrial disturbers.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-28

A donkey recklessly drives an automobile labeled “Democratic Party,” bearing down on the Republican elephant labeled “G.O.P.” standing in the middle of the roadway. An arm labeled “Standpatter” reaches out from the left and an arm labeled “Insurgent” reaches out from the right. Each grabs the Republican elephant and pulls it in opposite directions. Caption: Both — Quick! Come this way, dearie!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1910-08-17

Print shows William Jennings Bryan kneeling on steps labeled “Socialism, Inflation, [and] Paternalism” with his back to a statue of an old man labeled “Populism” sitting in a chair labeled “Free Silver” that is covered with cobwebs. He is appealing to a crowd of men, some of whom are labeled “Voter”, and a female figure labeled “Prosperity” skipping or running along a road that leads to a building labeled “Regular Party Politics.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1899-07-05

A “Medicinal Spring” with water labeled “A Clean-Cut Progressive Platform” flows from a stone figure shaped like Theodore Roosevelt. “Sherman, Woodruff, Wadsworth, [and] Barnes” are standing by the spring, holding glasses, with dubious looks on their faces. Caption: You can lead them to the waters, but can you make them drink?

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1910-09-21

William Jennings Bryan carries a “Cross of Gold,” a “Crown of Thorns,” and a carpetbag labeled “W.J.B. Speeches” as he walks along railroad tracks headed in the opposite direction of Washington, D.C. Walking with him are newspaper editors Edwin Lawrence Godkin carrying papers labeled “Anti-American Editorials,” Joseph Pulitzer, Edward Atkinson, Carl Schurz carrying a drum on his back labeled “Anti-Expansion Band,” and Oswald Ottendorfer carrying a small bag labeled “Staats Zeitung.” In the background, William McKinley is riding on a railroad car labeled “Expansion Train” that is racing along railroad tracks, headed for Washington, D.C.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1899-12-20

Print shows William Jennings Bryan as the Democratic Donkey with the bit end of a bridle in his mouth, trying to climb out of a hole constructed of blocks labeled “Aguinaldoism, Anti-Trust, Anti-Imperialism, Free Riots, Anti-Expansion, Free Silver, Populism, Calamity Cry, [and] Chicago Platform,” with the U.S. Capitol nearby.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1899-12-27

Thomas F. Bayard carries a banner that shows a portrait of Thomas Jefferson and is labeled “Jeffersonian Principles,” with a streamer at top that states “A Government of the People, by the People, for the People.” Attached to the corners of the banner are ribbons that are being pulled in different directions, tearing the banner in the process. At the upper left, a ribbon labeled “Civil Service Reform” is pulled by George H. Pendleton, holding a notice that states “Civil Service Reform will Save the Country.” At bottom left, a ribbon labeled “High Tariff” is pulled by Samuel J. Randall, holding a notice that states “High Tariff benefits the Laborer.” At center is Bayard with a notice in his pocket that states “Let us dodge every question.” On the bottom right, a ribbon labeled “To the Victors belong the Spoils” is held by John Kelly, along with a notice that states “The Spoils Policy is the Safest Policy.” At top right, a ribbon labeled “Free Trade” is pulled by Abram S. Hewitt, holding a notice that states “Free Trade benefits the Laborer.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1883-04-25

President Taft, as a rooster, has members of his flock labeled “Tawney, Ballinger, Aldrich, [and] Cannon,” as well as J. S. Sherman, under his wings. In the background, on the left, the sun labeled “Progressive Policies” rises. Caption: But the sun will rise whether he forgets to crow or not.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1910-04-13

Print shows William Jennings Bryan as a goose flapping his wings and squawking, perched on a nest with a large egg labeled “Free Silver 16 to 1.” At his feet is a bowl of food labeled “Republican Non-Interference with the Money Question.” In the background, Mark Hanna and William McKinley are standing behind a gate that leads to the White House.

Caption: Chairman Hanna–We must be careful not to take that food away from him. We wouldn’t be nearly so sure of our jobs without those eggs.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Ulysses S. Grant is leading his “Grant Boom” band comprised of Samuel J. Tilden, Lucius Q. C. Lamar, Roscoe Conkling, William W. Phelps, David Davis, James D. Cameron, John Sherman, James G. Blaine, John Kelly, Winfield Scott Hancock, William Mahone, and John Logan. Most carry drums that are broken or in disrepair. Across the street, in front of the “Political Armory,” Puck is operating a makeshift stand, issuing “New Drums for Old Drums.” Benjamin F. Butler kicks away his old drum labeled “Butlers Old Policies” and is getting a new drum labeled “Civil Service Reform.” Brooklyn Mayor Seth Low and Grover Cleveland are trying out new drums labeled “Independence” and “Civil Service Reform.” Other new drums are labeled “Tariff Reform, Political Honesty, Anti-Monopoly, Honesty, [and] For the People.” Caption: The U.S. Army is to have new drums. In their day the old drums did good service. Now they must retire and give place to better drums. Phila. Record.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1883-02-14

Print shows William Jennings Bryan wearing a plumed hat labeled “1900” and riding on a rocking horse labeled “Presidential Aspirations,” leading a small army, among whom are William Joel Stone, James K. Jones, James Stephen Hogg (carrying a blunderbuss labeled “Anti-Expansionist”), and Benjamin R. Tillman, as well as a “Silver Republican” and a “Populist,” while others carry flags labeled “Anti-Trust” and “Free Silver.” They have emerged from a fortress labeled “16 to 1” and are following a rocky road, with some rocks labeled “1896,” toward a fortress topped with the White House. Caption: The same old cry in the same old place.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1899-11-15