Presidents--Attitudes

James M. Strock identifies nationalism as the bedrock principle of Theodore Roosevelt’s political philosophy which he contends overrides categorizing Roosevelt as either conservative or progressive. Strock identifies, explains, and provides examples of the ten planks of Roosevelt’s nationalism, including patriotism, social mobility, service, and building the ranks of the middle class. The essay is populated by many excerpts from Roosevelt’s writings and speeches, especially the “New Nationalism” speech of August 31, 1910. In keeping with the content of that address, Strock includes many references to Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War.

A photograph, political cartoon, and painting of Roosevelt join another political cartoon in illustrating the book excerpt.

Natalie A. Naylor charts Theodore Roosevelt’s support of women’s suffrage from his writing an essay supporting equal rights for women as a Harvard student, to his tepid support of the movement as president, and his embrace of the right of women to vote in his 1912 Progressive Party campaign for president. Naylor notes the unsuccessful efforts of pioneer suffragettes like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton to move Roosevelt on the issue while president, and she shows how the 1912 campaign saw a change in Roosevelt’s attitude that he would maintain until the end of his life. Naylor details Roosevelt’s efforts in support of women’s suffrage in the years surrounding World War I, including the successful passage of women’s suffrage in 1917 in New York State.

The article includes a transcript of Roosevelt’s undergraduate essay “Practicability of Equalizing Men and Women before the Law” along with a one page hand-written excerpt from the essay. Two photographs of Roosevelt speaking and a drawing by Roosevelt supplement the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

In his “Faithfully yours” column, William N. Tilchin introduces and reprints a letter from President Theodore Roosevelt to the French writer Frederic Mistral. In the December 15, 1904, letter, Roosevelt asserts that while the accumulation of wealth and industrial power is important to a nation, attention should also be given to “the things of the spirit.” Roosevelt believes that virtues like courage, love, and appreciation for beauty must also be cultivated by a people. 

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

2014

President Roosevelt writes Nicholas Murray Butler that he is not surprised that Butler does not like his most recent message to Congress. Roosevelt says that he has received a lot of supportive letters, and he asserts that those with a sense of “righteousness and decency” will support his attacks on business leaders, corporations, and the newspapers that back them. 

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1908-02-06

President Roosevelt writes his son Kermit Roosevelt about attending the funeral of Ida Saxton McKinley, President William McKinley’s widow, and he says that he was both “half irritated and half amused” that the assembled crowds seemed much more interested in him than in Mrs. McKinley or the memory of President McKinley. Roosevelt acknowledges that people will always be more interested in the live dog of the present than the dead lion of the past. The vision statement of the Theodore Roosevelt Association appears below the letter. 

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1907-06-01

Susan Dunn examines Theodore Roosevelt’s policy positions during and after his presidency and asks whether Roosevelt was a cautious conservative or a radical progressive. Dunn emphasizes that Roosevelt often made it difficult for others to determine his stance because of his muddled language, but she asserts that Roosevelt was constrained by the need to work with others in the Republican party and by the Constitution which, with its checks and balances, limited the power of the president. Dunn notes that some of Roosevelt’s stances, favoring an inheritance tax and the review of judicial decisions, cost him the support of friends and colleagues such as Henry Cabot Lodge. Dunn labels Roosevelt “a bold, courageous leader” who achieved much despite the need to compromise with his party and the Constitution.

Seven photographs of Roosevelt from 1875, 1880, 1899, 1901, 1910, and 1914 illustrate the article.

John P. Avlon explores Theodore Roosevelt’s thoughts and beliefs on twelve different topics, ranging from self-improvement to facing death, by quoting from Roosevelt’s writing and speeches. Many familiar quotations are invoked, including a passage from “Citizenship in a Republic,” better known as the “Man in the Arena” speech. Photographs of Avlon and Roosevelt supplement the text.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

2003-10-24

Herbert Knox Smith asserts that Theodore Roosevelt was focused on achieving “a unity of America,” and that he tried to achieve this by stressing equality of opportunity. Smith says that some of Roosevelt’s policies, such as the conservation of natural resources for all to use, promoted this equality.

There is no date, publication, or context provided for this article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Ohio Senator Marcus Alonzo Hanna is tied to the ground and has an “Ohio State Convention” funnel in his mouth. President Roosevelt holds a “Roosevelt indorsement” hose that Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker is about to turn on. Caption: Roosevelt to Foraker—”Turn on the water, Joe.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

Cartoonist Stewart presented a rather hyperbolic depiction, yet basically accurate as to the issues, of the recent “dirty laundry” within the Republican Party over President Theodore Roosevelt’s potential re-nomination a year after the cartoon’s publication; and Senator Mark Hanna’s ill-concealed ambition for the presidency.

President Roosevelt holds up South Carolina Senator Benjamin R. Tillman–labeled “Exhibit A”–with “Tillman’s fork.” Caption: Why the Secret Service Department Should Investigate Congress–Exhibit A.

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Comments and Context

The controversy over the expansion of the Secret Service, its responsibilities and mission, had expanded beyond President Roosevelt’s proposal to Congress in his 1908 Annual Message. In fact the disagreement had escalated from Congress’s dismissal. Roosevelt implied that Congressmen feared a new investigatory agency; House and Senate members made angry speeches, some of a personal nature against the president; and a bitter resolution of censure was sent to the White House.

President Roosevelt and “Congress” are dressed like older women as they reach for one another’s eyes. Uncle Sam looks on. Caption: “I’ll scratch your eyes out!”

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Comments and Context

After weeks of controversy over President Roosevelt’s request that Congress supplement the purview of the Secret Service, and Congress’s dismissal — not its first — the issue evolved from criminal investigations to political amity, insinuations, angry denunciations between the White House and Capitol Hill; and a bitter Congressional resolution, and the President-as-Muckraker, revealing scandals about some solons.

In the first vignette, President Roosevelt uses his big stick to push South Carolina Senator Benjamin R. Tillman into the “Undesirables Club.” Caption: As seen from the White House. In the second vignette, Tillman uses his pitchfork to hoist Roosevelt into the “Ananias Club.” Caption: As it looks from the Senate.

Comments and Context

This cartoon from early in Nelson Harding’s career, through frequently reprinted in history texts, seldom is placed in context. President Theodore Roosevelt’s altercations with the Populist firebrand “Pitchfork” Ben Tillman were well known — in fact Tillman’s enemies were legion — and history knows Roosevelt’s mythical “Ananias Club” to which he consigned liars and opponents who engaged in exaggeration and hyperbole. He borrowed the name from the early church member, recorded in the New Testament Book of Acts, who was struck dead by the Holy Spirit for lying to the Apostles about his tithes and offerings.

Harding’s inspiration was the story of that week, emanating from, originally, a simple request by the president that Congress charter an increased scope of duties for the Secret Service. Roosevelt maintained that new forms of crime — especially interstate offenses — required heightened federal action. The Congress peremptorily dismissed Roosevelt’s request; there were back-and-forth reiterations; words became sharper; the president implied that Congressmen must have feared being investigated; an angry resolution was fired at the White House… and so forth.

A bruised and beaten “Congress” is surrounded by a group of men: a “crook,” a “thief,” a “timber thief,” a “land thief,” a “briber,” and a “forger.” President Roosevelt holds the “logic” big stick and walks back to the “White House.” The timber thief says, You pretty near whipped him,” while the briber says, “Old interference is spoiling everything.” The forger says, “It was a noble battle,” while the land thief notes, “You did the best you could for us.”

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Comments and Context

When this cartoon was drawn, William C. Morris was at the beginning of his chameleon-like career as political cartoonist. That is, as with some (but relatively few) cartoonists, his loyalties, advocacies, and opposition wildly shifted. Usually he took the opinions of whichever publisher was paying his salary at any given time. His views of Theodore Roosevelt, other public officials, elections, and issues were as constant as weathervanes.

President Roosevelt runs across the water as men from the four military departments follow.

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Comments and Context

This cartoon by Frederick T. Richards, cartoonist of the Philadelphia North American, appeared in Life magazine, where for many years he composed genre drawings of each previous month’s major news stories. The North American was Republican, and Life was a Democratic-leaning cartoon and commentary journal, but their editors and Richards evidently were happy with the arrangement. Also, Richards’s “Month in Cartoons” pages generally were illustrated headlines, not persuasive political cartoons.

President Roosevelt sits in the White House attic with a variety of items: ears of corn with the label of “presidential tips to farmers,” a picture of Edward Henry Harriman with “my dear Harriman” crossed out and replaced with “undesirable citizen,” “the big stick,” several books, including “How to choose a successor,” a crib “for larger families,” and a coffin of a “nature faker.” Roosevelt holds a book entitled, “Science of Pseudology.” Caption: Mr. Roosevelt–“I wonder how much of this stuff Bill wants me to leave behind.”

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Comments and Context

The brilliant but largely forgotten body of cartoons that W. A. Carson drew for the front pages of the Utica Saturday Globe — centered, below the masthead and dateline, always in bright colors — often were accompanied by perfectly superfluous printed explanations. Carson’s work was so direct and documentary that written guides were useless; and the work of the anonymous editor was invariably vapid and redundant.

German Emperor William II looks at President Roosevelt. Caption: The Kaiser–And you mean to say that you are permitted to give out an expression of opinion whenever the spirit moves you?

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Comments and Context

Throughout his presidency, Theodore Roosevelt always handled Wilhelm II, the German kaiser, with deference and skilled diplomacy. Apart from the emperor’s alleged delusions of grandeur (such as when he forced the resignation of the respected Chancellor Otto von Bismarck early in his reign, in 1890), he managed Germany’s dilemma as an emerging world power after other countries had gobbled up colonies and sea lanes. Over trade rights in Morocco, and other issues, Roosevelt the peace-maker intervened and might have averted a European war, for at least several years.

“Miss Propriety” teaches President Roosevelt, who sits on a chair with a baseball bat and ball” the “rules and precedents for nice little boys.” Roosevelt longingly looks toward “the national political championship series” outside with cries of “Hurrah for Taft!” and “Go it Bryan!” Caption: Miss Propriety–Theodore, are you listening?

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Comments and Context

Cartoonist Jay N. “Ding” Darling was reliably friendly to Theodore Roosevelt throughout his career. In this cartoon Ding explained to readers the traditional role of presidents during campaigns of their eventual successors, and he found humor in Roosevelt’s preternatural patience and frustration as the raucous campaign proceeded across the field.

President Roosevelt sits on a throne, wearing a “Theodore I” crown” and holding a “my policies” big stick. There is a carpet labeled “G.O.P.” leading up to the throne. A small Frank H. Hitchcock stands beside a small steamroller on the carpet. Roosevelt asks Hitchcock, “Can’t you run that steam-roller any better?”

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Comments and Context

“Ruffled!”, the political cartoon by Edward Joseph McBride of the staunchly Democratic St. Louis Republic, was strangely prescient in its unconscious forecasting of a situation — even to its informal terminology — that attended the Republican nomination and election campaign four years in the future.

James Roscoe Day holds an umbrella as he looks toward the White House. In his back pocket is a “copy of interview attacking Roosevelt.” A storm cloud and lightning appear from the White House with the following note: “Washington, D.C.–It is reported that Chancellor Day’s name was mentioned at yesterday’s cabinet meeting.” In the background are three men running away.

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Comments and Context

Despite President Roosevelt’s popularity with the general public, and by all accounts with Republican voters, he faced significant opposition from a portion of professional politicians within his party. In many ways the story of his second-term successes is also a story of continual, determined, and often skillful warfare against fellow Republicans. Some policy victories were won in spite of his own party’s congressional leaders. They proudly called themselves the Old Guard and adopted “Stand Pat” as a battle cry against Roosevelt’s reforms. Some — like Roosevelt’s predecessor as Republic governor of New York, Frank Swett Black — identified themselves as opponents of the Square Deal, and claimed the label of “reactionary.”

Secretary of War William H. Taft grabs “Mingo Saunders 25 yrs good service” by the shoulder and brings him toward President Roosevelt who uses “the square deal” shoe to kick an African American into a “door of hope” river as he says, “Midnight assassins.” The other men of the U.S. Army’s 1st Battalion, 25th Infantry stand watching.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-26