Reed, Thomas B. (Thomas Brackett), 1839-1902

Among the silent ones

Uncle Sam, holding a paper labeled “Political Guide,” rides on a camel being led by Puck through the “City of Silence,” past several silent sphinxes labeled “Tom Reed, Allison, McKinley, Morton, [and] Harrison.” Includes dialogue between Uncle Sam and Puck that tells how these rulers were turned to stone for being unable to answer the currency question. Caption: Scene–The City of Silence in the Land of G.O.P., ferninst the Great Political Desert. – Enter Uncle Sam with Puck, his Dragoman.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-07-31

Puck’s presidential possibilities. No. III, The czar out of a job

Thomas B. Reed stands on a low platform labeled “Maine,” looking through a bent and crooked telescope, labeled “Presidential Aspirations,” at the White House in the distance. A diminutive “Joe Manley” slips a gavel labeled “Speaker of Next House of Representatives” from Reed’s left hand.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-09-12

A dead failure so far

William McKinley appears as Napoleon I, looking dejected, sitting on cannon barrels labeled “Jingoism, Paternalism, [and] McKinleyism.” Behind him is Thomas Reed firing a cannon labeled “Calamity Cry” with a paper labeled “Speech.” The cannonball falls far short of the target labeled “Presidency 1896.” Reed rests his left hand on the top of the hat of Benjamin Harrison who is holding a sword labeled “1888.” On the right, George F. Hoar, also looking dejected, is sitting on a large shell labeled “Reciprocity.” In the background on the right, standing near a sign labeled “Republican Testing Grounds for New Issues,” are John Sherman next to a cannon labeled “Sectionalism” and Levi P. Morton looking through a telescope. Beyond them is another man, possibly Matthew S. Quay. Caption: Trying to find a gun that will do for the coming campaign.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-10-10

The spring athletic meeting

Grover Cleveland lifts a heavy weight labeled “Silver Question.” He has several medals pinned to his chest. With him are “W.E. Russell,” David B. Hill, Robert E. Pattison, Adlai E. Stevenson, James E. Campbell, and William R. Morrison. On the right, refusing to touch any of the weights labeled “Silver Question, Tariff Question, [and] Cuban Question,” are William McKinley, Shelby M. Cullom, Levi P. Morton, Robert Todd Lincoln, Thomas B. Reed, Benjamin Harrison, [and] William B. Allison. Uncle Sam is part of a large audience seated in the background. Caption: One strong man has shown his ability to lift the heavy weight; – now let’s see what the others can do.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-05-13

Reed’s rope

Speaker of the House Thomas B. Reed unrolls rope labeled “Debate” from a spool labeled “Rope for Democrats” and feeds it to congressional Democrats who use it to tie nooses around their necks in the House chamber labeled “Fifty Fifth Congress.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1898-02-02

He starts in with an Austerlitz

William McKinley sits on a white horse on a cliff, as the brilliant leader of a successful military campaign, with Mark A. Hanna standing next to him, holding a banner that states, “Three Cheers and a Tiger for Prosperity’s Advance Agent!!” In the valley below lie the casualties of the campaign, “Morton, Quay, Allison, Reed, Manley, [and] Cullom,” and in the background are John Sherman, Robert T. Lincoln, and Benjamin Harrison. “Manley,” Reed’s campaign manager, wears a Red Cross on his uniform.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-05-20

A few pleasant recollections of the fifty-fourth Congress

A large group of members of the Fifty-fourth Congress are pictured. Many are dressed as natives, with some wearing grass skirts. Most are armed with spears or clubs, while some have shields. Four are reading the “Reminiscences of John Sherman,” one turns the crank on a spit where John Bull is being roasted, and Thomas B. Reed is standing on a platform on the left. A statue labeled “Jingoism” appears at center. Grover Cleveland appears in effigy with several spears or arrows stuck in him. Joseph G. Cannon sits on the floor on the right.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-05-27

The hares and the tortoise (from Aesop, altered to suit)

The race for the Republican presidential nomination is underway between the tortoise labeled “Morton” and the hare(s) labeled “McKinley, Reed, [and] Harrison.” Includes a revised version of the fable by Aesop.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-04-10

He’s back again!

A gigantic, well-dressed pig labeled “Protection Glutton” confidently strides into Congress carrying a paper that states, “We demand a prohibitory tariff on all imports, in the interest of the suffering laborer, the down-trodden farmer, and the struggling infant industries of the country.” Among the Congressmen present are Thomas B. Reed, Nelson Dingley Jr., Matthew Quay, Garret A. Hobart, and possibly Mark A. Hanna.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-01-13

Look out, there, boys!

A gigantic snowball labeled “Morton Boom” is rolling down a hillside toward four men labeled “Allison, Reed, McKinley, [and] Harrison.” At the top of the hill are Thomas Collier Platt, Levi P. Morton, and another man.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-02-19

The old leading man retires

Matthew S. Quay and Thomas Collier Platt hold papers labeled “Great Republican Farce Comedy – Presidential Aspirations – Star Part.” Around them stand Thomas B. Reed, William B. Allison, William McKinley, and Levi P. Morton as actors in costume. On the far left, Benjamin Harrison is exiting the building. Caption: The Stock Company (in chorus)–“I want that part – it requires whiskers, and I’ve got ’em!”, “Give that character to me, and I’ll keep the house in order with it!”,”Let me have it – I’m a regular Napoleon in that kind of role!”, “Don’t mind those young fellows, – a man of mature age is needed to play it right!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-02-26

The poster craze in candidateville

Uncle Sam strolls along “Presidential Avenue” through a maze of presidential campaign posters being posted by several of the candidates, including William “McKinley on his High Charger ‘War-Tariff’,” “Levi P. Morton, the only Able Guide through the Woods, Years of Experience,” William B. “Old Bill Allison, The Farmers Friend,” Henry M.”Teller Holding up the Ratio 16 to 1,” “Samson Davis Carrying Off the Honors, ‘Monroe Doctrine’,” Matthew Quay “If you want a ‘Boss Time’ try Quay – the Reformed One,” and Thomas B. Reed, “The only Reed in Continuous Performance – Dancing Lightly on Silver.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-03-11

Pennsylvania’s disgrace

Matthew Quay, senator from Pennsylvania and political boss of dubious character, stands at a podium labeled “Keystone Auction Rooms, Matt. Quay, Auctioneer.” Quay is auctioning off Pennsylvania’s 32 electoral votes, labeled “32 Delegates for Quay,” to the highest bidder. The four men at the foot of the podium are William McKinley, Thomas B. Reed, Henry M. Teller, and a man labeled “Morton.” Caption: Auctioneer Quay–Now then, gentlemen, what am I offered for this lot? – the highest bidder gets ’em!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-03-18

Out of a clear sky comes a fierce nor’wester!

Several men are on a ship at sea, with a waterspout labeled “Western Republican Silver Sentiment” and looking like Thomas H. Carter bearing down on the ship. At the helm, labeled “Sound Money,” is John Sherman. Others on deck are “Platt, Allison, Reed, McKinley, Quay, Morton, Hackett, Wellington, Chandler, Burrows, Clarkson,” and an unidentified man who may be George F. Hoar.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-03-25

“Step up, gentlemen, and try your luck!”

A ringmaster labeled “Harrity Chairman Dem. Natl. Com.” stands on the left, offering an opportunity to ride the Democratic Donkey which wears a saddle labeled “1896” and “$50,000 a year for the man who can ride on this donkey to the White House.” Several reluctant man observe from the grandstands. They are identified as “Stevenson, Hill, Pattison, Olney, Matthews, [and] Campbell”, and William R. Morrison. In the background, riding on the Republican Elephant labeled “1896” are “McKinley, Morton, Reed, Allison, [and] Quay.” McKinley holds a pennant labeled “Protection.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-04-15

His contribution to the Christmas gayety

President McKinley, with an enormous white elephant labeled “Philippines” wearing an eye patch labeled “Aguinaldoism” behind him, speaks to the 55th Congress. Many of the Congressmen react with fear, notably, George F. Hoar in the lower left foreground, and Speaker of the House Thomas B. Reed who drops the gavel. Caption: President McKinley (to the 55th Congress)–Now, gentlemen, I’ve done my share; – I pressed the Spaniards; you do the rest!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1898-12-21

Pioneer Cleveland

President Cleveland stands on the right, holding an axe labeled “Political Wisdom,” in a forest where he has been cutting trees labeled “Gold Standard.” Approaching from the left is a procession led by Mark A. Hanna, as drum major, followed by William McKinley, Garret A. Hobart, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas B. Reed, George F. Hoar, John Sherman, Henry Cabot Lodge, and others. One is carrying a banner that states, “The Repubican Party is unreservedly for Sound Money – the existing Gold Standard must be preserved. Rep. Platform.” Caption: He blazed the path that they have got to follow.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-08-26

Convalescent

Uncle Sam sits in a chair with pillows behind his head, convalescing. Before him is a table filled with various medicines, including “Bland-Allison Silver Mixture, Sherman’s Compromise Lotion, Tariff Tinkering Tincture, Jones’ Repudiation Pills, Weaver’s Old Greenback Cordial, [and] Fake Financial Theories.” A bottle of “Byran’s Free Coinage Panacea” lies under a chair and a device labeled “Peffer’s Populistic Electrifier” sits on a small table. In consultation around a table in the background are “Drs. Cleveland, McKinley, [and] Reed.” On the table is a bottle labeled “Currency Reform Medicine.” Wreaths labeled “Merry Christmas” are hanging in the windows. Caption: Uncle Sam (to his three eminent doctors of different schools)–Say, gentlemen, I’m getting over my prostration so fast that all I need is a good dose of that bottle on the table, and you can throw all this stuff here out of the window!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-12-23

Extra session of the House of Representatives of the Fifty-fifth Congress

Thomas B. Reed, Speaker of the House, sits at the Speaker’s desk and, oversized, is the only member of Congress present. Caption: Speaker Reed–What is the pleasure of the House?

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-06-30

Crowning the abomination

A huge figure labeled “Tariff for Trusts,” wearing a quilted cape labeled with products and percentages and holding papers labeled “Concessions,” sits between the Senate and House chambers. Garret A. Hobart sits on the left and Thomas B. Reed sits on the right. Nelson Dingley and William B. Allison, holding enormous pincers labeled “Ways and Means Committee” and “Finance Committee” with a crown labeled “Sherman’s Bluff Anti-Trust Law of 1890” in the jaws, are placing the crown on the head of the devilish figure at center.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-07-28