Republican elephant (Symbolic character)

President Roosevelt drives a chariot with the Republican elephant and Democratic donkey while William Jennings Bryan stands by the side in a clown outfit with whip that says “govt ownership” and “16 to 1” on the end.

comments and context

Comments and Context

This drawing, probably by Kirk Russell, the Washington Post’s interim cartoonist after departure of Clifford Kennedy Berryman, addresses a topic much on the minds of politicians and pens of editorialists and cartoonists in 1907: the appeal that President Roosevelt held with portions of the national Democratic constituency.

President Roosevelt ploughs through a variety of drifts: “tariff revision drift,” “swollen fortune drift,” “railroad drift,” “Standard Oil drift,” “Senate drift,” “Jap. drift,” and “canal drift.” In the background the Republican elephant cries, “Help!” stuck underneath a drift.

comments and context

Comments and Context

“Drift” was a word that made its way into President Roosevelt’s speeches and articles, reflecting his concern that events might slip out of control in areas of public life where he had influence. Whether it was reform to forestall revolution, or urgent conservation measures to prevent the spoil of natural beauty and resources, or similar palliatives, Roosevelt always seemed concerned with anticipating possible over-reactions to challenges and problems in society.

President Roosevelt, holding a book “Roosevelt’s Policies” in his hand, watches a Republican elephant dancing in a tuxedo. A teddy bear and an older woman labeled “Democracy” look on with the woman saying, “Oh Theodore, you look good to me.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

By 1907, near the end of President Roosevelt’s presidency, his policies, or at least prescriptions and theoretical palliatives for the government and economy, had grown somewhat radical. Disputes with trusts, banks, corporations, the “predatory rich” and “malefactors of great wealth,” corrupt unions, and reactionary legislators had propelled his reforming zeal. Additionally, as he noted to confidants, the rise of radicalism, Muckraking journalism, labor violence and Socialism impelled him to co-opt extreme tendencies in America when he could.

President Roosevelt shakes the hand of a Republican elephant dressed up in a tuxedo as he says, “De-lighted!” A donkey labeled “Democracy” sweats as it says, “Well, it’s all up with me again!”

comments and context

Comments and Context

Clifford Kennedy Berryman’s cartoons usually specialized in depicting current events rather than advocating policy positions or attempting to persuade readers. As such he routinely was called, or in later years recalled, as “amiable.” In fact, despite his invariable political subjects, he was more of an editorial cartoonist than a political cartoonist.

An elephant labeled “G.O.P.” looks on as a man labeled “Senate” and President Roosevelt shake hands. In the corner stand a teddy bear and a dove.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Long before the United States Senate issued its formal, bound Report on the Brownsville Incident — and, by implication, to what extent President Roosevelt acted properly in the summary dismissal of a regiment of black soldiers after a murderous nighttime disturbance — cartoonist Clifford Berryman depicted exoneration and amity between the Senate and the White House.

President Roosevelt holds his hands back and sweats as he watches a fight in “New York” that includes a Republican elephant, a Tammany tiger, William Randolph Hearst, Charles Evans Hughes, and the “Independence League.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-31

President Roosevelt rides on an elephant and leads a Saint Patrick’s Day parade featuring the “G.O.P. band,” which includes Secretary of War William H. Taft, Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon, Pennsylvania Senator Philander C. Knox, Secretary of State Elihu Root, Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks, and Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw. The parade has a banner with a three-leaf clover that has words in each leaf: “anti-rail-road rebate,” “Philippine tariff moderation,” and “Panama Canal—no grafting.” Roosevelt holds a “Spanish-American War” sword.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-03

A “rate bill” man with a locomotive head leaps over a Republican elephant and a donkey ridden by South Carolina Senator Benjamin R. Tillman, dressed as a circus clown. President Roosevelt stands in front of a pillow while Uncle Sam looks on.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-03-04

President Roosevelt participates in a variety of events at the circus, including taming “political lions” to riding “trust” bulls to flying on a trapeze to juggling to directing the Republican elephant.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12

“The Press” tries to walk toward the “cabinet” car, which includes Secretary of State Elihu Root, Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, Secretary of War William H. Taft, Attorney General William H. Moody, Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte, and Secretary of Commerce Victor H. Metcalf, but “Headkeeper” William Loeb holds “the big stick” and tells him to stop. There is a dove of “peace” on the car and a sign that reads, “This way to the stuffed bears and mountain lions.” President Roosevelt rides away on an elephant.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-10-22

President Roosevelt drags a Republican elephant, to which Chair of the Republican National Committee George B. Cortelyou and Cornelius Newton Bliss and bags of money are chained, toward “Wall Street.” A “yellow dog fund” follows behind. Several lambs look out a window and point at the sight.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09-25

President Roosevelt tries to push Secretary of War William H. Taft onto an already overloaded Republican elephant, which carries a lot of baggage: “Philippine scandal,” “Panama Canal supplies,” “tariff reduction,” “Loomis Rex. Whitewash,” “Morton Railroad Rebate scandal,” “Anti-trust fiasco,” and “wood Manila.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09

President Roosevelt drives a “Panama machine” elephant into the “Panama Canal.” Secretary of State Elihu Root brings a pick axe and shovel to Roosevelt while another man sits on a “10,000,000” money bag. There is a sign that reads, “Culebra Cut: Danger.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-18

President Roosevelt pushes an elephant that carries a “Panama Canal project” box. Uncle Sam watches and says, “The right man is behind it!”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-25

President Roosevelt rides a Republican elephant that digs into the “U.S. Treasury” while Uncle Sam watches in horror. They are outside the United States Capitol building.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-05

A “standpatter” points to an “American industries” baby in a cradle and tells President Roosevelt, “We must not neglect our child.” In the background, Uncle Sam carries a “Panama Canal Cream Fund” to the “foreign market.” A Republican elephant sits beside the cradle.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-04

“The trusts” man holds “the big stick” and rides an elephant that attempts to straggle President Roosevelt. The elephant walks away from the “$acred tariff wall” and steps on a “Panama” man as it heads toward the “markets of the world.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-05-21

President Roosevelt holds “Panama Canal’s” hand and a “markets of the world” paper as they run away from the “$acred tariff wall.” A man labeled “the trusts” and an elephant watch from atop the wall.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-05-17

President Roosevelt, an elephant, and a tiger all hold up their glasses for a toast at the “Iriquois Club, Chicago, Illinois.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-05

President Roosevelt carries several bear carcasses on his back as he walks up to the White House gates. A “treasury deficit” elephant greets him and says, “I, too, have been busy.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-05-11