Presidents--Elections

He couldn’t tell a lie

Theodore Roosevelt, dressed as George Washington, holds an axe labeled “1912 Candidacy,” and, with his left hand on his chin, he ponders chopping down a cherry tree which has a quote carved into it that states “‘The wise custom which limits the president to two terms regards the substance and not the form, and under no circumstance will I be a candidate for or accept another term’ T.R. Nov. 9, 1904.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-02-14

The star in the east

In the desert, five men, Woodrow Wilson, Judson Harmon, Champ Clark, Oscar W. Underwood, and William Jennings Bryan, and a donkey overburdened with “Pledges,” follow a star labeled “Tariff Issue” that has appeared in the east. Caption: If they are wise men, they will follow it.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-02-14

The Boy Scout

President William H. Taft, as a scout, sneaks up on a tipi labeled “Outlook Wig-Wam” which shows the shadows of several men wearing feather headdresses. The one on the left may be Theodore Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-03-06

Will the history of Napoleon’s return repeat itself?

Theodore Roosevelt, as Napoleon I, returns from political exile. He stands before French troops under the command of President Taft, who is riding the Republican elephant. They carry banners labeled “Republican Delegates, Federal Job Holders, [and] The Old Guard.” One soldier among them is labeled “Hitchcock.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-03-06

The strap-hanger

Theodore Roosevelt is dressed as an elderly woman, wearing furs, and holding on to a strap labeled “The Outlook” on a crowded streetcar. He is addressing the Republican elephant labeled “G.O.P.” sitting on a seat next to a small child labeled “Taft” who is holding a toy dog labeled “Tariff Board.” Caption: “Madam, are you going to permit that child to keep his seat and let ME stand?”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-03-27

Stop! Look!! Listen!!!

Theodore Roosevelt charges through the air at a high rate of speed at an extremely large President William H. Taft who is seated on top of the White House. Uncle Sam appears as a professor of physics explaining the illustration. Caption: Professor Sam of the Department of Physics — Gentlemen, we are about to witness what really happens when an Irresistible Force meets an Immovable Body.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-03-27

The hawk

A hawk labeled “Teddy” flies over a frightened mother hen labeled “Democratic Party” and a group of chicks running for cover labeled “Gaynor, Dix, Kern, Foss, Bryan, Clark, Underwood, Wilson, [and] Harmon.” One chick, “Bryan,” is pulling on a long worm labeled “The Commoner.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-04-03

The new tattooed man – he makes an exhibition of himself

Theodore Roosevelt exhibits himself as a tattooed man, with text that entwines his body and states “Under no circumstances will I be a candidate.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-04-10

Getting his bumps

A baseball player sits on one end of a seesaw labeled “1912,” with a man labeled “The Politician” being bounced around on the other end, causing him to lose his top hat and papers. Standing in the middle is a man labeled “The Common People” with his arms spread. He appears to be handling the ride much better than the politician. A small dog dances on hind legs on the right.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-04-17

The fight for the water-hole

A group of Native Americans on horseback, including “Dixon, Teddy, Perkins, [and] Pinchot,” circle a water hole labeled “The Presidency,” which is being guarded by two men labeled “Taft” and “Brother Charlie.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-04-17

“The flowers that bloom in the spring, tra-la!”

President Taft, dressed as a woman, waters a garden labeled “Delegates – Hardy Quadrennial” with a watering can labeled “Patronage.” The “flowers” have human heads.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-04-24

Hagar and Ishmael in the desert

Theodore Roosevelt, as the biblical Hagar in a moment of despair, sits on the ground next to a wooden figure (Ishmael) wrapped in cloth that looks like Roosevelt, wearing a crown labeled “III Term.” An empty water bottle labeled “Prestige” and a staff lie on the ground next to Hagar/Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-04-24

The campaign issue

The Republican elephant labeled “G.O.P.” holds an empty “Dinner Pail” which he is asking a woman labeled “Mrs. Consumer” to fill. She is holding an “Empty Market-Basket” labeled “Tariff Tax on the Necessities of Life.” Caption: The Republican Elephant–Well, the campaign is on. Fill the Dinner-Pail for me. / The Woman in the Case–You great big Gop! How can I give you a Full Dinner-Pail from an Empty Market-Basket?

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-05-01

The tortures of temptation

William Jennings Bryan, as an old man, sits in a chair looking up at a jug of “Perpetual Candidacy Booze” and a “Nomination Perfecto” cigar floating above. On the floor is a paper that states “I hereby pledge myself to quit liquor and tobacco in any form. Bill Bryan” with the seal of “Uncle Sam (witness).”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-05-08

The combination

William Jennings Bryan tries to open a safe labeled “The Presidency” using a combination from a sheet of paper labeled “16 to 1, Populism, Anti-Imperialism, Predatory Wealth, [and] Anti-Everything.” Standing to the right are four men, “Underwood, Clark, Wilson, [and] Harmon,” holding pieces of paper labeled “Tariff Reform.” Each wants an opportunity to open the safe. Caption: The Peerless One — I can’t open it, Gentlemen. You try.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-05-15

“Hail, Caesar! We who are about to die salute thee!”

The Republican elephant labeled “G.O.P.” bows to Theodore Roosevelt as the Roman emperor, Caesar, in a colosseum.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-05-22

Nothing can keep it out

A strong beam of light labeled “Republican Tariff’s Responsibility for High Cost of Living” floods the home of a family sitting around a table. The beam of light comes from a tall building labeled “Democratic Headquarters.” Caption: The tariff issue enters every American home.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-05-22

“Members of this club”

In a boxing ring, Uncle Sam is the referee for a boxing match between Theodore Roosevelt, with his campaign manager Joseph M. Dixon, on the right, and President William H. Taft, with his campaign manager William Brown McKinley, on the left. Standing at the back of the ring are challengers to the winner of the match: “Harmon, Clark, Wilson, [and] Underwood” as the Democratic hopefuls in the upcoming presidential election. William Jennings Bryan, between the ropes, appears to be climbing out of the ring. Caption: Referee Sam — It gives me great pleasure to announce to you that Battling Wilson of New Jersey, Kid Harmon of Ohio, Fighting Underwood of Alabama, and Scrapper Clark of Missouri, will challenge the winner of this bout!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-05-29

Teddy the old Dutch cleanser – with acknowledgments to Old Dutch Cleanser

Theodore Roosevelt, dressed as the advertising image of Old Dutch Cleanser, carries a large club. Caption: Chases dirt – and everything else.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-06-05

The vision of Joan of Arc

Theodore Roosevelt, in a grove of trees as a young Joan of Arc, experiences a vision of himself wearing a suit of armor and receiving a large sword labeled “Third Term.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-06-12