Shaw, Leslie M. (Leslie Mortier), 1848-1932

President Roosevelt holds his “big stick” as he is trapped below the “feathered bed of private life.” Meanwhile, Uncle Sam sits on him and holds up a “candidacy lightning rod” with multiple prongs on it: “peace of Portsmouth,” “rate legislation,” “Panama Canal,” “beef trust,” “post office cleansing,” “coal strike,” “railroad merger,” “New Orleans,” and “departmental investigations.” Lightning from the “Republican nomination 1908” storm cloud hits this rod. Three other men—Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker, Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks, and Leslie M. Shaw—hold up much smaller lightning rods with no success.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905

Secretary of State Elihu Root, Secretary of War William H. Taft, Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte, Attorney General William H. Moody, Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, Postmaster General George B. Cortelyou, Secretary of Commerce and Labor Victor H. Metcalf, Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, and Secretary of the Interior Ethan A. Hitchcock all march out of the “White House” and to the “keeper of the gags.” There is a large sign that reads, “Notice! By order of the President the members of the cabinet will resume their muzzles on leaving the White House.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-10-23

All of the cabinet officers stand in a circle, have gags in their mouths, and point at one another: Secretary of State Elihu Root, Secretary of War William H. Taft, Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte, Attorney General William H. Moody, Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, Postmaster General George B. Cortelyou, Secretary of Commerce and Labor Victor H. Metcalf, Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, and Secretary of the Interior Ethan A. Hitchcock.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-11-04

“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

Cabinet officers march out of the “White House” with each one holding an axe: Secretary of State Elihu Root, Secretary of War William H. Taft, Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte, Attorney General William H. Moody, Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, Postmaster General George B. Cortelyou, Secretary of Commerce and Labor Victor H. Metcalf, Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, and Secretary of the Interior Ethan A. Hitchcock. A bald eagle looks on and says, “Gee whiz!” Caption: Shade of George Washington!

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-10-18

President Roosevelt wears a “big stick” and attempts to close the “President’s cabinet” door on Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw and Secretary of War William H. Taft.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-10-20

“The Press” looks a number of cabinet officers who have gags in their mouths: Secretary of State Elihu Root, Secretary of War William H. Taft, Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte, Attorney General William H. Moody, Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, Postmaster General George B. Cortelyou, Secretary of Commerce and Labor Victor H. Metcalf, and Secretary of the Interior Ethan A. Hitchcock. The “White House” is in the background. Caption: “Think twice before you speak, then talk to yourself.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-10-19

President Roosevelt—with his “big stick” beside him—spins a revolving cabinet that includes Secretary of War William H. Taft, Postmaster General George B. Cortelyou, Attorney General William H. Moody, Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte, and Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw. Several cabinet office titles are at the bottom of the cabinet: “Secy War,” “Post-Master Genl.,” “Atty. Genl,” and “Secy Navy.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-04

Charles J. Bonaparte wears a a “Secy of the Navy” ribbon and stands at the front of a battleship. Behind him are President Roosevelt with “the big stick,” Secretary of War William H. Taft, Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, Secretary of State John Hay, Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, and Attorney General William H. Moody.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-03

President Roosevelt holds up two fingers and talks to his cabinet: Secretary of State John Hay, Secretary of War William H. Taft, Postmaster General George B. Cortelyou, Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, Attorney General William H. Moody, Secretary of the Interior Ethan A. Hitchcock, Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, and Secretary of Commerce and Labor Victor H. Metcalf. There is a bear skin with two holes on the wall.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-05-14

Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon, Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks, Secretary of War William H. Taft, Elihu Root, Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker, and Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw also listen to a sound recording from a machine that has a sign that reads, “Drop a penny in the slot and hear the president decline the nomination for 1908.” Caption: President Roosevelt, during his visit in Chicago, on two occasions reaffirmed his declaration that he would not again be a candidate for the Presidency.—News Item.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-05-12

Commissioner General of Immigration Sargent informs Secretary of the Treasury Shaw that he has brought charges against Chinese Inspector Ralph Izard and is seeking his dismissal from service for the Bureau of Immigration.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-01-12

“Wrote Secretary Shaw to call particular attention to letter in personal files.” Note is related to E. W. Bloomingdale’s concern about the prospect that Samuel G. French may be appointed Deputy Appraiser in New York City.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-01-12

The “G.O.P.” elephant holds a tambourine labeled “Stand Patism” and hands out free baskets labeled “Tariff Graft” containing a turkey, duck, or chicken to ragged figures labeled “Coal Trust, Steel Trust, [and] Wool Trust.” A long line of trust figures await their turn. Joseph Gurney Cannon, Nelson W. Aldrich, Joseph Benson Foraker, and Leslie M. Shaw appear in women’s clothing as the “Republican Salvation Army” singers, singing “There are no flies on Dingley.” A man labeled “Protected Monopoly” stands in the foreground, at the edge of the platform. Caption: Distribution of Christmas goodies by the Republican Salvation Army.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Politics occasionally did intrude in holiday issues of Puck as this centerspread cartoon by J. S. Pughe attests. The Salvation Army was a relatively new force in 1906, but there had been urban missions and soup kitchens in lower Manhattan for generations. Pughe’s venue is a larger auditorium than might have been typical of a Salvationist Christmas food charity, but other stereotypes are there: music with a tambourine, female singers with bonnets sharing their sermons in song.

Joseph Gurney Cannon leads a procession including Nelson W. Aldrich, Joseph Benson Foraker, Henry Cabot Lodge, and Leslie M. Shaw who are carrying the golden ark of the Dingley Tariff, with figures labeled “Trust, Infant Industries, [and] Protected Monopoly” bowing as it passes.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Approximately a decade had passed since the last major revision of tariffs in the United States, when Puck Magazine published this scathing cartoon by Udo J. Keppler. It depicted the sacrosanct regard for high tariffs among Republicans and industrialists (trusts), and specifically the inviolability of the Dingley rates. Those schedules took effect in 1897 after a major Depression during the second Cleveland administration, and prosperity returned, punctuated by good weather, record crop yields, the war with Spain, and a presidential assassination. The five years of President Roosevelt saw unprecedented prosperity.

Senator Hanna believes Secretary Shaw’s policy to end the Anthracite Coal Strike will clear the situation and guarantee prosperity. He hopes for success.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-10-02

President Roosevelt thanks Joseph Bucklin Bishop for his letter explaining General Thomas H. Hubbard’s desire to have his international bank appointed as the fiscal agent for the Government of Panama. Roosevelt asks Bishop to tell Hubbard that he will discuss the matter with Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1904-01-22

Newspaper clipping announcing a dinner given by President Roosevelt in honor of William H. Taft.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1902-02-06

President Roosevelt tells Joseph Bucklin Bishop to ignore the rumors about Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw running against him for President. Roosevelt mentions that he is glad to have Bishop’s support.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1903-10-25

President Roosevelt understands why Joseph Bucklin Bishop could not bring General Hubbard and gives Bishop permission to show Hubbard the letter regarding Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw’s position. Roosevelt is concerned about Edward Henry Harriman having supported New York City Mayor-Elect George McClellan.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1903-11-05