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After much back and forth and strong opposition, Merwin Kimball Hart has finally been removed from consideration as assistant secretary in the Interior Department.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-05-19
After having lunch with President Roosevelt at the White House, former New York governor Frank Swett Black reports that Roosevelt is certain to win the delegates from New York. The article also discusses the potential of Black becoming the newest U.S. Senator from New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-02-06
President Roosevelt pushes off the “big stick” and says, “Don’t flinch; don’t foul” as he leans on Timothy L. Woodruff who leans on George Rumsey Sheldon who leans on Secretary of State Elihu Root who leans on J. S. Sherman who leans on Frank H. Hitchcock who ultimately leans on William H. Taft who is fighting against William Jennings Bryan. On the other side William Randolph Hearst pours a “Standard Oil” can and says, “I’ll make ’em slip.” Meanwhile, Norman Edward Mack leans against Herman Ridder who leans against William James Conners who leans against Charles Francis Murphy who leans against John Worth Kern who leans against Bryan. Uncle Sam referees.
It was impressive cartoon that readers of the Brooklyn Eagle beheld in the Election Day edition of the paper. It was, properly, not partisan or biased toward a candidate or party, published as it was on Election Day when political argumentation traditionally ceased.
William H. Taft and J. S. Sherman sit atop the Republican elephant that stands on a washed-out bridge with President Roosevelt. The “Democratic votes” river beneath them is rising as they look at Washington, D.C., in the background. Taft says, “What’s the matter, Teddy?” Roosevelt replies, “Never saw the river so high since Cleveland was elected!!”
Two days before national balloting for the presidency, Democratic political cartoonists like James Calvert Smith plied their trade, intending to persuade and encourage readers through wishful thinking more than policy prescriptions or party planks. Of course Republican cartoonists were doing the same thing; the practice was old as the profession itself.
A variety of individuals jump for joy: Uncle Sam, President-elect William H. Taft, Vice President-elect J. S. Sherman, Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon, Iowa Governor Albert Baird Cummins, President Roosevelt, New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes, and the Republican elephant.
Sometimes the very simplest concept and presentation is the most effective. Jay N. “Ding” Darling proved that many times over his career — most notably in his eulogistic cartoon on the death of Theodore Roosevelt. Astride a horse and headed up a ghostly trail to Heaven, Roosevelt turned and waved to readers.
On the left side, President Roosevelt holds a “message” firearm that shoots projectiles at “The Capitol.” Caption: The president’s message was loaded after all. On the right sign are two different vignettes: a scene of men looking at papers with the caption of “scene in Senate after hearing of the Secret Service paragraph” and a drawing of Vice President-elect J. S. Sherman. At the bottom, Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon bangs two gavels at different times and damages them. Caption: Speaker Cannon smashed gavels in rapid succession.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-16
William H. Taft wears a suit made of “T. R.” tags and asks J. S. Sherman who is hiding in a hole, “Where have you been Jimmy boy?” Sherman replies, “Dare I come out?” In the background is a “Hearst volcano” with “letters” and “accusations.”
Virtually every political cartoonist, whether pro-Taft or anti-Taft, had fun at his expanse; the broad aspects of William H. Taft were irresistible to caricaturists. But credit must be paid to an otherwise pedestrian cartoonist, Joseph Harry Cunningham of the Washington Herald, for adding some extra graphic stereotypes; it is surprising that they were not adopted by other cartoonists, or survived the presidential campaign.
William H. Taft in the shape of the moon uses a “my policies mirror” to get the sun in the shape of President Roosevelt to shine on him. Around the sun are three stars: J. S. Sherman, Frank H. Hitchcock, and Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker. Taft sings, “I care not for the stars that shine.” Meanwhile, on “the earth,” a Republican elephant looks up toward the moon through a telescope. Caption: Presidential firmament.
Unseasoned cartoonists — and the St. Louis Republic’s Edward Joseph McBride did not have a long or distinguished career — often bite off more than they can chew, conceptually, or seldom are able to focus. These are two explanations for the nature of his usual genre cartoons. They are like mother hens, gathering as many topics and issues of a campaign week under its wings, instead of addressing one.
In the top left, John D. Rockefeller, pours “oil” down Oklahoma Governor Charles Nathaniel Haskell’s throat as crowds cheer, “Standard Oil, dah-de! Dah! Bryan, Bryan–Rah! Rah rah!” and “Taft’s a big man–ump-ti-de-de! He’s the guy for the pres-i-den-cee!” John D. Archbold chases down Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker as Secretary of State Elihu Root runs into the fray. William Jennings Bryan fights William H. Taft supported by individuals in their parties: Charles Francis Murphy, Thomas Taggart, Henry Watterson, John W. Kern, Norman Edward Mack on the Democratic side and President Roosevelt, J. S. Sherman, Frank H. Hitchcock, and New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes on the Republican side. Uncle Sam referees.
This cartoon from the beginning of the last month of the 1908 presidential campaign offers a convenient summary of the major players, and a view likewise of the personalities involved the now nearly forgotten subplot that nearly overshadowed the main contest. The cartoonist is unknown, but the signature seems to be “Allen,” tempting one think it might be Clarence Allen, longtime political cartoonist of the Tulsa World but for the fact that he was ten years old when this cartoon was published.
President Roosevelt holds a “big stick business” and an “imperialism” crown and sits near the “increasing tide of Democratic strength.” William H. Taft, J. S. Sherman, and Roosevelt all say, “Go back!” William Jennings Bryan watches from afar: “Watch them get wet!”
King Canute, of Danish lineage and around 1027 A.D., is famous in legend for assembling his courtiers at a sea shore and commanding waves to cease breaking. Cartoonist James Calvert Smith was one of uncountable storytellers through the centuries who have subscribed to event’s ahistoricity; it seems that King Canute staged such a scene, but only to humbly illustrate that even a king had no control over forces of God and nature.
William H. Taft, J. S. Sherman and an octopus representing John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil ride on an elephant while William Jennings Bryan rides beside them on a donkey.
The White House scrapbooks of political cartoons from across the nation during Theodore Roosevelt’s administration are remarkable resources for what they reveal. Political cartoons were respected as legitimate and important reflections of public opinion. The president was able to keep tabs on the attitudes in the citizenry, based on local pictorial commentary. By the great percentage of negative cartoons, it suggests that Roosevelt was quite interested in diverse opinions, not only sycophants.;
President Roosevelt admires his painting of William H. Taft—”my candidate for president”—and says, “Nice work.” There is a picture of “James S. Sherman for vice-president” on the wall, which Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon points at and says, “Oh! I don’t know — he’s one of us.”
This cartoon by Joseph Harry Cunningham was published four days after the closing gavel of the 1908 Republican National Convention. It presents an accurate depiction of the convention results, as well as the relative positions of the candidates, the president, and the Old Guard party stalwarts, who are represented by Speaker Joseph Gurney Cannon.
William Jennings Bryan looks at a paper featuring “Republican candidates Wm Taft and J.S. Sherman.” The Democratic donkey puts his hand on Bryan’s shoulder, and Bryan wears a shirt sleeve filled with “16 to 1” on it. On the ground are newspapers with headlines of Taft’s nomination.
Cartoonist Clifford Kennedy Berryman encountered a photograph of a contemplative William Jennings Bryan, and was therefore equipped to construct a cartoon of Bryan the Democratic donkey, presumably measuring their long odds in the upcoming presidential campaign.
J. S. Sherman rushes toward “the Roosevelt policies” cart as William H. Taft pulls the horse to stop. William Jennings Bryan sits beside Taft. There is a sign in the background pointing to “Utica, N. Y.”
Ralph Wilder succeeded John T. McCutcheon at the Chicago Record-Herald; and successfully approximated the latter’s distinctive drawing style when the latter switched his home newspaper to the Chicago Tribune. He lacked McCutcheon’s grasp of the political situation at any given time, and lacked a facility for presenting forceful and persuasive concepts.
Uncle Sam sits on a fence and looks at nominees for president and vice-president of various parties: William H. Taft and J. S. Sherman of the Republican Party, William Jennings Bryan and John Worth Kern of the Democratic Party, Thomas E. Watson of the People’s Party, Eugene W. Chafin of the Prohibition Party, and Thomas Louis Hisgen of the Independence Party. Uncle Sam says to a teddy bear, “Well, they all know they’re it now!” The teddy bear replies, “But the worst is yet to come to most of ’em.”
Clifford Kennedy Berryman’s cartoon in the nation’s capital paper, and then the largest circulation in Washington, the Star, was virtually a capstone to the close of the four-year scramble for presidential nominations, and the opening start of the actual campaign. He depicted the major and relatively major candidates. Uncle Sam and the teddy bear mascot, and Berryman himself, commented on the universal smiles in the group; but that was likely due to the cartoonist’s famous reliance on available photographs, as to their optimism that provided the cartoon’s theme.
President Roosevelt attempts to fly a “G. O. P.” New York airplane with two wings: “Anti Hughes” and “Hughes.” On the ground is the town of Albany, New York. William H. Taft and J. S. Sherman watch atop a Republican elephant.
The Republican Party in New York State had been so dominant for so long that the ambitions of its many leaders often collided. Between the Civil War and World War I, there were a multitude of presidents, vice presidents, and candidates for each office, from both major parties. Tammany Hall Democrats and Republican bosses, in and out of the United States Senate, also had national impact. Theodore Roosevelt’s gubernatorial nomination was prompted in part by a necessity to replace the scandal-tainted Republican governor Frank Swett Black; in 1904 the New York judge Alton B. Parker was, in effect, the anti-Bryan. In 1906 President Roosevelt had persuaded attorney Charles Evans Hughes to run for governor as the middle choice between two warring factions in the Republican Party.
“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.”
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.
In a clip from The New York Press, Representative Nicholas Longworth denies discussing President Roosevelt’s future candidacy during his speech. While advocating for William H. Taft’s election, Longworth mentioned New York state and supporters in the audience shouted Roosevelt’s name. The situation was then misrepresented by the Democratic press.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-06
A compiled publication that features Governor of New York Charles Evans Hughes’s full speech highlights, select sentences of importance, and supporting quotations from other politicians. In his speech, Hughes outlines the Republican Party’s successes in promoting the nation’s welfare. William H. Taft is a highly qualified candidate who will prevent injustices and ensure continued progress. Democrat candidate William Jennings Bryan’s unsuccessful 1896 campaign illustrates not only his failures but those of his party.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-05
The tariff slogan of the Republican Party for the coming Congressional campaign will be “stand pat,” as decided by several members of the Republican Congressional Committee and approved by President Roosevelt. While no attendees gave quotes of the proceedings of the luncheon at Roosevelt’s home, all expressed satisfaction with the conference, and confidence that the Republican party can stand on its record. Republican campaign headquarters are to be opened in New York shortly. The article additionally reports on Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon’s travel plans.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-23