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President Roosevelt and Assistant Postmaster General Joseph L. Bristow pull back a curtain to reveal black paint that reads, “Bristow’s report regarding the Post Office Department scandal: corruption, fraud, bribery, and theft.” Roosevelt holds a paper in his hand: “The guilty shall be punished to the limit of the law.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-12
President Roosevelt attempts to ride a startled Republican elephant that is surrounded by “postal scandal” flames.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-03-14
President Roosevelt and Postmaster General Henry C. Payne attempt to scrub the stains of the “Post Office scandal” off the Republican elephant in a tent labeled “G. O. P. The Sacred White Elephant Show.” A “Department of Publicity” megaphone sits on a table outside of the tent.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-13
President Roosevelt goes to light a “Post Office scandal” stick of dynamite as three men—New York Senator Thomas Collier Platt, Ohio Senator Marcus Alonzo Hanna, and Pennsylvania Senator Matthew Stanley Quay—tell him to stop. Meanwhile, “Miss Democracy” looks on while Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker rides in on a fire wagon. Caption: Chorus from the doorway: “Don’t do it, Teddy! It is dangerous!”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-03
President Roosevelt walks toward the White House while struggling under the weight of an old man on his shoulders. The old man wears a “P. O. scandal” satchel and drinks from a “graft” canteen.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-09
A woman holding a “Mother Jones” sign and a “labor problem” pitchfork rides a Republican elephant that rings the doorbell at President Roosevelt’s gate at Sagamore Hill. A sign reads, “Sagamore Hill: Positively no admission, except by invitation. T. R.” There are various signs attached to the elephant: “Ohio sandstone ring,” “postal scandal,” “Littauer glove scandal,” and “custom house frauds.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-29
President Roosevelt looks over a fence covering his mouth and nose, as Postmaster General Henry C. Payne stirs a pot of soup labeled “Post Office Department” with a stick labeled “Investigation.” Steaming out of the pot are “Foul Oders,” “Postoffice Scandal,” “Corruption,” “Dishonesty,” and “Fraud.” Caption: “Say, Payne, don’t stir that pot any more than necessary. I’m afraid the odor might undermine my political health.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-05-22
A snake with the label of “free rural postal delivery” breathes “scandal” and comes after Postmaster General Henry C. Payne, Ohio Senator Marcus Alonzo Hanna, and New York Senator Thomas Collier Platt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-06-15
President Roosevelt hangs on to Ohio Senator Marcus Alonzo Hanna who grips another man, presumably Postmaster general Henry C. Payne, who grabs the Republican elephant currently drowning in the flood of the “Post Office scandal” water outside of the “White House.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-06-19
In the first vignette, Postmaster General Henry C. Payne points at a “Post Office scandal” stick of dynamite and says, “Aw! — It’s only a squib” as Perry S. Heath and August W. Machen look on. In the second vignette, the stick of dynamite explodes, sending Payne, Machen, and Heath flying.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-06-20
Uncle Sam looks on as Assistant Postmaster General Joseph L. Bristow holds a searchlight and a net while chasing after fleeing figures.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-06-21
The “administration band wagon” that New York Senator Thomas Collier Platt is riding in gets stuck in the “Post Office scandal” mud as President Roosevelt urges the Republican elephant on. Postmaster General Henry C. Payne holds a shovel and Ohio Senator Marcus Alonzo Hanna tries to push the wagon forward. Meanwhile, a Democratic donkey looks on.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-06-18
President Roosevelt stands in front of the Republican elephant and looks at Ohio Senator Marcus Alonzo Hanna. To the right of the Republican elephant is a white elephant—”Post Office scandal.” Caption: Ring Master Roosevelt: “I think we would have a better show if we didn’t have that white elephant.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-06-27
President Roosevelt holds up a stuffed bear labeled “canal ‘scandal.'” Caption: Another nature fake exposed.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-13
President Roosevelt walks toward a “canal ‘scandal'” jack-in-the-box with his big stick in his hands. Uncle Sam puts his hand on Roosevelt’s right shoulder. Caption: Uncle Sam–“There’s no need of getting excited, Theodore.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-16
The author of this letter to the editor disapproves of American Olympic officials James E. Sullivan, Gustavus T. Kirby, and Joseph B. McCabe, and the effect they have had on the culture of the United States. The author includes a clipping from a Boston newspaper which they say displays an event of “tasteless vulgarity” organized by Harvard University and Yale University, in which the King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra of Great Britain were shown “the grossest disrespect.” The accompanying clipping which is quoted seems to describe an initiation ceremony to a Harvard club that pokes fun at the conclusion of the 1908 Olympic Marathon, with students dressed as Dorando Pietri, Johnny Hayes, and members of the royal family.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-18
George Edward Graham is grateful for President Roosevelt’s recognition that he would never intentionally do something that Roosevelt disapproved of, and writes to let him know that Roosevelt’s wishes regarding the Roosevelt Home Club will be followed. He reviews some of the circumstances that led to the present situation, and regrets that he took a leadership position in the organization because he is not a businessman, and the club needed business experience. He reassures Roosevelt that when the club solicited funds from office holders, they made sure to be clear that there was no compulsion attached. He regrets any embarrassment or annoyance Roosevelt felt, and hopes to be able to visit him sometime.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-06
Black ink cartoon of President Roosevelt returning from a hunt with animal skins on his back. He is looking at a steam vent labeled “Washington” which has popped its lid because of the pressure. Men are struggling in the vent with steam bursts labeled “Loomis-Bowen Scandal,” “Santa Fe Rebate Suits,” “Panama R.R. Rates,” and “Castro’s Defiance.” Seated on top of the lid is Secretary of War Taft with devil’s horns.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1905-05-13
A man has hooks for hands and has labels over his ears and mouth that state “Deaf” and “Dumb.” Hanging from one hook is a paper that states “Elected.” Drowning in paper in the background are Benjamin Butler with notes that state “Big Talk Butler, Big Promises Butler, I’m Going to Reform Everything, B.F.B., [and] The Government Belongs to its Friends,” Winfield Scott Hancock with notes that state “Foolish Letters” and “What I Know About the Tariff Question, Hancock,” and Samuel J. Tilden, holding a quill pen, with a note labeled “Cipher Dispatches.” Caption: One who can neither make foolish speeches, write foolish letters, nor listen to foolish counsel.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1883-01-24
Print shows a fireworks display with Puck bowing on a stage in front of a “Fan Light” featuring the likenesses of William H. Vanderbilt, Russell Sage, Cyrus W. Field, and Jay Gould; on stage with Puck is a hand holding a smoldering torch which may represent Bartholdi’s hand and torch from the Statue of Liberty. On the left is a pagoda labeled “Puck Office” and on the right is a building labeled “Tammany Hall.” Among the fireworks are many faces of politicians and other prominent figures of the day, some labeled by type of firework, such as “Chicago Shower” – Arthur, Grant, Conkling, Logan and Cameron; “Tumbler” – Tilden; “Twister” – Schurz; “The Falling Tammany Star” – Kelly; “Bomb” – Davis; “Junk Whizzler” – Robeson; “Polar Rocket” – Bennett; “Buster” – Butler; and “Star Route Staggerer” – Dorsey. Others shown are James G. Blaine, Henry Ward Beecher, Elizabeth Tilton(?), Thomas De Witt Talmage, and Theodore Tilton.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1882-07-05