Republican elephant (Symbolic character)

Cartoon in the Washington Herald

President Roosevelt uses his patented “Roosevelt invigorator” with “necessary measures,” “anti-injunction,” “anti-trust,” and “currency legislation” to blow into the mouth of a “Do Nothing 60th Congress” elephant costume that appears to be on Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon who says, “A storm must be brewing.” Roosevelt’s big stick lies on the ground with the United States Capitol building in the background.

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-05-06

They do say that Auntie wanted a new one this year, but William wouldn’t let her have it

William H. Taft sits beside a well-dressed Republican elephant who says, “Poor girl! She’s been making over that same old hat ever since I can remember.” William Jennings Bryan sits beside an older lady labeled “democracy” and “Bryanism,” who says, “Gra-cious! Now aren’t those new styles just the limit!” Bryan scowls and says, “Fierce!”

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-19

A peep into the future

A Republican elephant dressed as a palmist supposedly reads William H. Taft’s hands but actually reads President Roosevelt’s hands and says, “I see by the lines in your hand Mr. Taft that you will be the Republican nominee for president.” In a handwritten addition to the cartoon, John M. Woll writes, “I hope to God the above reading will come true.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-07

A helping hand

President Roosevelt holds a large document labeled “Roosevelt policies” as an elephant sits against a tree in the background. House Minority Leader John Sharp Williams holds a donkey and says, “If you mount isn’t on the job, try mine.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-28

Cartoon in the Washington Herald

President Roosevelt and William Jennings Bryan sit in an “our policies” wagon with boxes labeled “speeches W. J. B.” and “messages T. R.” The wagon is drawn by an elephant and a donkey. In a much smaller wagon, Arkansas Senator Jeff Davis is riding in “the inspirer” wagon drawn by a dog. He says, “Hooray!”

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-07

Nice big apple for the elephant, but he doesn’t seem to want it

President Roosevelt holds a large apple that looks like like Secretary of War William H. Taft to the mouth of the “G.O.P.” elephant.

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-27

Change cars!

Secretary of War William H. Taft departs a ship with a variety of luggage labeled “Taft U.S.A.” and walks toward a “G.O.P.” elephant equipped with a seat for him. President Roosevelt holds the elephant.

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-21

Uncle Mark will need a political life saver next

A Republican elephant and Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker sit in an “Ohio Rep. Convention” boat as Foraker says, “Get into the boat!” Ohio Senator Marcus Alonzo Hanna holds a broom as he points toward a “Roosevelt sentiment” wave. Hanna says, “We’d better sweep it to one side at present.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-05-24

In training

President Roosevelt and the Republican elephant stand at the dock of the “G.O.P. Boat Club” as they watch Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon, Secretary of War William H. Taft, Senator Joseph Benson Foraker, Philander C. Knox, Leslie M. Shaw, New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes, Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks, and Secretary of State Elihu Root try to row a boat.

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-26

Down in old Virginia

President Roosevelt and the Republican elephant sit relaxed in hammocks with Roosevelt reading a quotation from Plutarch: “Rest is the sweet sauce of labor.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-21

The presidential Glen Echo

President Roosevelt flies down the road driving an automobile with William H. Taft in the backseat. To the left side of the car the Republican elephant tries to keep up. There is a sign, “the presidential Glen Echo,” in the foreground and the White House and the Washington Monument in the background. Senator Joseph Benson Foraker holds up a watch and cries, “In the name of the speed limit, slack up.” Caption: Town Marshal Foraker: “Stop! in the name of the law.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-17

The rider bigger than his mount

A large President Roosevelt sits atop a very small elephant. Caption: Elephant– “I never felt so small before in all my life.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-06

Explaining it

Uncle Sam holds a paper that reads, “Harriman raised $200,000 campaign fund for Roosevelt in 1904” and asks President Roosevelt, “Well, what have you got to say for yourself?” Roosevelt, clutching a bag of money and holding a G.O.P. elephant on a string, says, “It’s a ‘deliberate’ and ‘willful’ untruth!”

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04

Uncle Joe returns

Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon stands on a platform with a suitcase that has a “Panama” label waving as he looks ahead and sees two men fighting, an elephant and an “Ananias cup.” The words “willful untruth,” “$5,000,000.00 conspiracy fund,” “You coughed up everything,” “deliberate untruth,” “brainstorm,” and “blame it on Loeb” appears from the kerfuffle.

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-09

The White House tennis club

An elephant holds a tennis rule book that reads, “Love 40–The Deuce,” and thinks, “Every evidence of a dangerous game.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-24

The modern St. Patrick

President Roosevelt uses his big stick to cast various reptiles into the water: “land grabber,” “spoils,” “mollycoddle,” “Brownsville,” “graft,” “rebate,” “swollen fortune,” and “Bellamy.” In the background stands an elephant about to hit a toad with a cane, “Watch me.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-17

The tie that binds

J. Pierpont Morgan and Edward Henry Harriman stand on the side of the “Square Deal” labeled “railway interests” while President Roosevelt stands on the other side, “public interests.” In the foreground is an elephant holding a ruler labeled, “Square Deal” and a book entitled, “How to Square a Circle.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-14

Another Delaware case

Uncle Sam drives President Roosevelt in a horse-drawn carriage labeled “3rd Term” at a fast speed while an elephant races by.

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-12

Uncle Joe heads to Panama

Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon with a cigar in his mouth holds a folded up umbrella and a suitcase labeled “Uncle Joe” with a paper, “The Show Me,” walking toward “Panama.” Behind him is an elephant also with a cigar in its mouth. On the ground are footprints of others: President Roosevelt, Uncle Sam, and Secretary of War William H. Taft.

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Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-07

He’ll not quit his job

Uncle Sam, wearing boots (one that says “Army” and the other that says “Navy”), marches forward with a shovel and a pail toward “Panama.” Beside him is an elephant holding a shovel. President Roosevelt is in the distance away from Panama waving a white paper.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-01