Republican elephant (Symbolic character)

President Roosevelt—the “usher”—informs William Jennings Bryan and “Miss Democracy,” who are sitting in “Roosevelt policies” seats, “Pardon me, but you are in the wrong seats!” William H. Taft and a Republican elephant sit behind them. Caption: Gosh blame it! And right in the middle of the play, too.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Jay N. “Ding” Darling made a point that other cartoonists and commentators observed in the 1908 campaign — that not William H. Taft alone, but William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic presidential candidate, laid claim to President Roosevelt’s set of policy prescriptions.

William H. Taft packs his suitcase with stamps from “Japan,” “Philippines,” “Cuba,” “Panama,” and “China” as the Republican elephant looks on. On the ground are several books, including Winning the West, and a “time table” and “Taft’s stump itinerary.” On the wall is a picture of Taft giving whistle-stop speech from the back of a train. Taft says, “Well, now I guess I will be at home in this traveling stunt!”

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Comments and Context

William H. Taft unfortunately was known for his lassitude, frequently falling asleep during his presidency, even during daytime meetings. The cause might have been a variety of narcolepsy, occasioned by his bulk of up to three hundred and forty pounds.

President Roosevelt holds William H. Taft, who is depicted as a baby and holds a Republican elephant rattle. Uncle Sam, who has a cigar in his mouth, looks on. Caption: Uncle Sam–My, what a big boy! But Bryan says he can’t talk? Papa Teddy–Oh yes, he can! He repeats everything I say.

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Comments and Context

In 1908, James Calvert Smith was honing his cartooning skills and the incisiveness of his political commentary from the outpost of Jacksonville’s Times-Union. Soon he would become a magazine gag cartoonist and work for publications like Judge and Life into the 1930s.

Senator Joseph Benson Foraker shakes hands with William H. Taft as Foraker holds several “speeches ready to deliver.” Taft says, “Dee-lighted!” At the door of the “Taft headquarters” is a sign that reads, “Drop hatchets here.” A donkey looks on from outside and asks, “What d’ you know about that?” while a Republican elephant is jumping for joy.

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Comments and Context

Politics makes strange bedfellows; and sometimes not so much strange as overdue or perhaps compulsory due to urgent exigencies. Such was the case in 1908 when in-state Republican rivals William H. Taft and Joseph Benson Foraker were obliged by their own campaigns and the health of Ohio party politics to forgive and forget.

“Hot air” comes out of the “Rep. National Committee” as a bright sun in the shape of President Roosevelt’s face shines. A Republican elephant with “Standard Oil exposure” tied to its tail and “my policies” tied to one leg kicks Senator Joseph Benson Foraker. Foraker says, “I got mine, boys.” On the side is a “steamroller” and Frank H. Hitchcock, who has a “big can” tied to his suit, running away and saying, “I’m the original fall guy.” J. S. Sherman uses a net to attempt to capture a “vice presidency” bug and says, “I’ve got it!” while Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon stands on a stump, holding a “gag rule” gavel and a “Speech in Kansas,” and says, “And no one can boss me, d—n it.” Finally, William H. Taft rides Roosevelt’s big stick in circles and says, “I’m the heir to the Roosevelt policies and the best friend labor ever had.”

Comments and Context

In a genre drawing that might have made Breughel, or Bosch, seem modest, political cartoonist Edward McBride dipped his pen in venom as well as ink, and indicted a panoply of Republicans during the campaign of 1908. There is more malice than logic in the representations, and many characters are depicted engaged in pursuits that seem ad hominem.

President Roosevelt, for instance, is the sun warming the whole scene, and (presumably) cursing despite his toothy grin. Most of the drawings are self-explanatory, but a couple notes might be helpful. Senator Joseph Foraker of Ohio had recently been scorched by revelations from purloined letters in the Standard Oil files of corruption between the senator and the corporation. The exposure damaged his campaign for reelection.

President Roosevelt picks up William H. Taft holding a Republican elephant children’s toy and says, “You are the boy for Teddy!” William Jennings Bryan holds a Democratic donkey toy and puts his finger to his mouth. On the ground is a “Roosevelt letter,” and a woman dressed in the Stars and Stripes looks on.

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Comments and Context

The semi-official political campaigns of earlier times often began later in the year than in our day. Presidential and senatorial campaigns — or at least rumors and organizing — virtually begin, in the twenty-first century, the mornings after previous election nights, even if four years in the future. Even when presidential nominating conventions were held in mid-summer, campaigning was restrained until Labor Day. That tradition, however, was often observed in breach. Theodore Roosevelt, for instance, was nominated for mayor of New York City only weeks before election day.

William H. Taft rides a Republican elephant toward “the West” and fires a revolver labeled “my policies” that shoots “10,000 words.” A flying bird labeled “Bryan” says, “Never touched me.” Attached to the elephant’s tail is a big stick with President Roosevelt’s face on it and “Standard Oil exposure.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

In his relatively brief career on the St. Louis Republic, cartoonist Edward McBride packed more partisanship in his drawings than most political cartoonists could manage, or think practical and effective. His newspaper, of course, approved of their cartoonist’s excesses. The Republic at this time was under management of rabid Democrats, one of whom was a virtually unreconstructed Southerner from Georgia; his successor a radical who leaned toward Socialist Eugene Debs as much as conventional Democrats. Oddly, as a Democrat organ, the paper was founded as the Missouri Republican.

In this detailed cartoon, a variety of individuals try to figure out if Oklahoma Governor Charles Nathaniel Haskell—who has run off—touched second base, which has a container of “oil” on it. Uncle Sam stands in the center of the diamond and says, “It’s a draw.” A large group of people congregate just off the first-base line, including William H. Taft, Samuel Gompers, William Jennings Bryan, Norman Edward Mack, William Loeb, President Roosevelt, William F. Sheehan, Alton B. Parker, and George von Lengerke Meyer. A variety of people are around the field: Charles Francis Murphy, Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker, New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes, New York Lieutenant Governor Lewis S. Chanler, William James Conners, and Patrick Henry McCarren. John D. Rockefeller, John D. Archbold, Henry Huttleston Rogers, and James Roscoe Day all watch from the side. In another section of the audience, the Democratic donkey and Republican elephant fight. A handwritten note is included: “Mr. President: This is so good I have to send it to you.”

Comments and Context

Frequently political cartoons have a subtext related news events, gossip about figures being caricatured, and the shadowy realm of the interests and agendas of publishers. All these factors were play in the genre scene composed by cartoonist Thomas E. Powers, nominally about Oklahoma Governor Charles Nathaniel Haskell.

Haskell was also Treasurer of the Democratic National Committee, with financial responsibilities in the presidential campaign of William Jennings Bryan. “Touching second base” or not, as the oil can with Standard Oil’s dollar sign, sits on the base that Haskell clearly avoids, is the nub of the cartoon.

President Roosevelt stands in front of several pictures of himself, the “trusts,” and the Republican elephant with the title, “in the same frame & same game.” A picture of “Fairy Bank” is below. Roosevelt stands on the “Constitution” and “Declaration of Independence” and wears a “big stick” saber and “Baron Littauer’s brand” gloves. Two ultimatums are in his belt. To his left is his “letter of acceptance” that includes a number of statements, “signed — ‘we’ per ‘I.'”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-24

A family rides in a “labor G.O.P.” box on an elephant as a “hard times” wolf tries to reach them.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-10

President Roosevelt holds “the strenuous life” big stick as he looks at a Republican elephant lying on the ground. Similarly, Alton B. Parker holds “The Constitution” and looks at a tired donkey. Caption: Roosevelt and Parker—”Wonder how I can get some life into the pesky animal?”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-08

President Roosevelt pokes a Republican elephant that is already bleeding from a number of other spears adorned with flags bearing messages pertaining to currency. It is also shackled by a “fraud” and “graft” ball and chain. Roosevelt says, “Hang it!! Some some activity, I don’t care for your pain!”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10

Alton B. Parker spurs a donkey that carries himself and “the Constitution of the U.S.” forward to catch a slow-moving elephant that carries President Roosevelt. Both head toward the “White House,” where Uncle Sam stands.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-17

This advertisement features a parade of Republican elephants and urges the citizens of Indiana to vote for President Roosevelt and Indiana Senator Charles W. Fairbanks.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11

Secretary of War William H. Taft, Elihu Root, Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, Secretary of State John Hay, and Pennsylvania Senator Philander C. Knox all march out of “the Most Expensive Show on Earth” tent armed with weapons. President Roosevelt sits on a “sacred white elephant” that Alton B. Parker pokes with a pitchfork. A “postal frauds scandal that won’t come off” mailbag is chained to the elephant’s left leg.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-01

President Roosevelt pops out of the “White House” and speaks into a megaphone: “falsehood,” “absolutely false,” “wicked falsehood,” and “monstrous.” A Republican elephant, William Loeb, and Chair of the Republican National Committee George B. Cortelyou, who holds a “Trust Secrets compiled by G. B. Cortelyou” book, run away.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-06

Uncle Sam waves an American flag as President Roosevelt on a Republican elephant, Alton B. Parker on a Democratic donkey, and Thomas E. Watson on a goat hobbyhorse line up.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-06

President Roosevelt rides a Republican elephant and speaks into a megaphone, saying, “I’m it.” He carries several weapons and “the big stick.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-09

President Roosevelt and Alton B. Parker, dressed as police men, use batons to attempt to wake up a sleeping elephant and donkey respectively in “Presidential Park.” Caption: “Will the ‘hot-foot’ wake them up?”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-08

President Roosevelt easily drives a cart hitched to an elephant on the road while Alton B. Parker’s “campaign rig” cart driven by a donkey is stuck in the mud. Caption: The Judge: It begins to look as if I would have to get out in the mush and mud and push this thing.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-11