Republican National Convention

Several Republicans with presidential aspirations and/or delegates to the Republican National Convention in Chicago, and a young boy holding a pillow labeled “Stand-Pat Press,” stand around “Stand-Pat” King Canute on the seashore with cliffs at their back, as he commands the rising tide of “Tariff Revision.”

Comments and Context

Samuel Ehrhart returned to Puck’s political-cartoon pages with a standard use of the King Canute legend, frequently employed by cartoonists; it was a misuse, actually, because the real story of Canute is not that the king tried to command the waves to recede, but to illustrate to his court that his powers were not unlimited.

In any event Ehrhart had a chance to reconnect Puck with partisanship, as it had been addressing generic issues with force but without regard to party positions or specific personalities to this point in the 1908 campaign. In this cartoon, the king is a generic figure but his retinue is, exclusively, high-tariff Republican proponents from the Senate and House.

At the Republican National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, Theodore Roosevelt is passing the pike of “Policies” to William H. Taft, as “The New Mahout,” sitting on the “G.O.P.” elephant. Seen through the left lens of Roosevelt’s spectacles, labeled “Before Taft is Nominated,” are James J. Hill, J. Pierpont Morgan, Thomas Fortune Ryan, John D. Rockefeller, Edward Henry Harriman, Joseph Gurney Cannon, Joseph Benson Foraker, and Nelson W. Aldrich looking very somber. Seen through the right lens labeled “After Taft is Nominated,” the same group is cheering. In the lower right, Roosevelt refuses another curtain call. On the lower left he offers “Taft Bitters” to a cowboy. Across the bottom is Roosevelt’s familiar toothy grin.

Comments and Context

Forsaking harsh criticism of the Republican Party, or President Roosevelt or the imminent nominee William H. Taft, the nominally Democratic magazine Puck instead had it cartoonist L. M. Glackens devote this Convention Issue’s centerspread drawings to topical humor and light commentary.

Cleverly framing the genre cartoons in a motif of Roosevelt’s trademark pince-nez spectacles and toothy grin, Glackens perhaps subconsciously wished to hold on to cartoon icons as long as possible before Roosevelt retired.

A stork with the face of Theodore Roosevelt delivers William H. Taft, bundled as an infant, to the Republican National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.

Comments and Context

Surely Puck‘s cover cartoon, Frank A. Nankivell’s depiction of a spindly stork with the face of President Roosevelt, summoning all the strenuosity he could muster, provided a smile for readers. Especially as the Republicans’ bundle of joy was the putative presidential nominee William H. Taft, in all his glorious baby fat.

There was little drama or any possible surprises that the convention would produce — the vice presidential candidate would be J. S. Sherman, a Stand Pat congressman from upstate New York — so Puck was determined to squeeze all the humor and irony it could in its color cartoons and interior jokes and drawings.

Joseph Gurney Cannon stands on a small platform labeled “Wall Street” at the end of a long two-handled accordion-like folding extension device manipulated by J. Pierpont Morgan who is standing in New York and using the tool to transport Cannon to the “Chicago Convention.”

Comments and Context

Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon of Illinois served longer than almost any other Speaker, and ruled with an iron hand, or fist as his opponents including fellow Republicans might say. He far surpassed the imperious actions of Republican Speaker “Czar” Thomas B. Reed of Maine. In Cannon’s time the Speaker had the power to name committee chairmen and committee members — so he had influence over careers, patronage, and legislation.

As Cannon was famously a “Stand Pat” reactionary, and President Roosevelt was a reformer in every area of potential legislation, logjams were averted by Roosevelt’s continual diplomacy, flattery, and appealing to the public over Cannon’s head. The President had experience of this sort from his compulsory dealings with Republican “Boss” Thomas Collier Platt when Roosevelt was Governor of New York.

President Roosevelt is pleased with the results of the convention and with how Henry Cabot Lodge performed; however, he is already looking forward to his trip to Africa once he leaves office. Consistent with his approach to life in general, Roosevelt does not want to simply go along for the ride. Rather, he wants it to be a scientific trip. His sons are back in Washington, and Theodore Roosevelt Jr. is happy to be out of school and working.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1908-06-22

President Roosevelt is pleased that Anna Roosevelt Cowles has been able to see his sons at their boarding school on her trip with her family. He is pleased about her husband William Cowles’ promotion to admiral in the Navy. Roosevelt also mentions having averted a possible “stampede” at the upcoming Republican National Convention in Chicago.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1908-06-17

Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary informs Sidney D. Redmond that Roosevelt is seriously considering his suggestion to select Perry Wilson Howard as one of those to second his nomination at the Chicago Convention.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-05-29

Theodore Roosevelt sends his thanks and appreciation to Hugh T. Halbert for the victory in Minnesota as well as being elected as a delegate for the Chicago Convention.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-05-27

Theodore Roosevelt examines the campaigning of President William H. Taft and the endorsements Taft has received from prominent newspapers, such as the Chicago Evening Post, the National Republican Party, and voters across the country. Roosevelt questions the President’s credibility, his means of obtaining voters’ support, and the truthfulness of his record.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1912-07

Governor Roosevelt has accepted the nomination for vice president and reviews the political circumstances under which he changed his mind.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1900-06-25

Theodore Roosevelt is glad that Judge Hundley is going to Chicago and to get the full information from him in regards to a situation in Alabama. Roosevelt hopes Hundley will have success in Chicago.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-06-07

Theodore Roosevelt addresses the “negro question,” concerning African American delegates to the National Progressive Convention. Roosevelt deliberately brought into the Progressive Party African American delegates of good character from the Northern states, which was accomplished by encouraging men in the North to act fairly toward their neighbors, giving African Americans the opportunity to earn respect instead of “paying obligation to them” as the Republican Party did in the South. Roosevelt argues that following the course of action taken by the Republican Party, while politically expedient, would ultimately be detrimental to both black men and white men in the South, as well as the Progressive Party itself.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-08-06

Theodore Roosevelt is beginning to plan the organization of a division of the military and has directed mailed applications and letters accordingly. He updates Anna Roosevelt Cowles on Archibald “Archie” B. Roosevelt and Quentin Roosevelt at Plattsburg, and discusses his frustration with President Woodrow Wilson and the recent Republican National Convention.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1916-07-23

Oscar K. Davis releases this item for the morning papers of August 3, 1912. Theodore Roosevelt describes in detail the treatment of African Americans by both the Republican and Democratic Parties, but believes that for the Progressive Party, this issue is not a race issue, but a moral issue. Roosevelt concludes that the Progressive Party, as well as Southern black men, will be best served by appealing to Southern white men who support civil rights.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-08-01

Theodore Roosevelt thanks John C. Schaffer for his telegram and discusses Luke E. Wright and Hiram Johnson as potential nominees for progressives at the Republican National Convention in Chicago. Roosevelt is interested in appealing to Southern voters, preferring to nominate a Southern representative. Roosevelt concludes with support for Albert J. Beveridge as a possible governor of Indiana.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-07-20

A child of Theodore Roosevelt expresses delight at knowing where Jacky P. S. Harrison currently resides, as Harrison’s last letter revealed nothing. The young Roosevelt states that, although his father’s attempt at gaining the Republican Presidential nomination was beaten by “dishonest methods” at the Republican National Convention in Chicago, Theodore Roosevelt is forming a new national party.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-06-24

W. N. Mitchell would like to second Theodore Roosevelt at the Chicago convention, but Mr. Pierson from North Carolina will be doing so.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-06-03

Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary tells George W. Brown that Roosevelt’s schedule is too busy for him to respond personally, but he hopes to talk with friends after the nomination in Chicago.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-06-03

Theodore Roosevelt writes that he does not know whether he will have to travel to Chicago, Illinois for the upcoming Republican National Convention but that he will act in accordance with what he believes are the interests of the “plain people” of the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-06-10

Theodore Roosevelt writes Joseph L. Printz to say how glad he is that Printz’s father is attending the Republican National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, as an alternate and comments on the “great” victory Printz achieved in Pennsylvania.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-06-10