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Thomas E. Watson, William Randolph Hearst, and William Jennings Bryan push a wagon full of bricks—”free silver,” “government ownership,” “anti-imperialism,” and “populism”—on a rocky road. It is driven by a donkey that sits down and says, “I must sit down on this push.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-27
Extracts of letters in which Theodore Roosevelt discusses the silver sentiment, the resentment of some working class people for the wealthy and the part of organized labor in the upcoming election.
1896
William Jennings Bryan, as Romeo, hangs off a balcony, speaking to an old woman labeled “Democracy” as Juliet, with “Nurse Grover” Cleveland standing behind her. The full moon in the upper left is labeled “Free Silver.” Standing in the bushes below is William Randolph Hearst. Caption: Romeo — Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear, that tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops- / Juliet — Oh, swear not by the moon, that twice inconstant moon! / Romeo — All right, I’ll cut it out! It’s a dead one anyway!
A sign of more literate times is this Puck cartoon based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. More than a riff on “Wherefore art thou, Romeo?” cartoonist Udo J. Keppler assumes readers’ familiarity with other characters from the play, as well as current politics.
William Jennings Bryan, walking along railroad tracks and following a sign “To Salt River,” drags a carpet bag which contains a gold cross, crown of thorns, bellows, and possibly a megaphone. Following him are Arthur Brisbane who is carrying a doll-like William Randolph Hearst, James K. Jones, Charles A. Towne, Richard F. Pettigrew, and Gardner F. Williams.
In the 1904 Democratic convention, the remnants of Bryanism — remaining supporters and a few old platform planks — and William Jennings Bryan himself were routed. The conservative but obscure Judge Alton Brooks Parker was the party’s presidential nominee, and the traditional views of leaders like former president Grover Cleveland were ratified in the platform.
William Jennings Bryan, as a pope wearing robes and a tiara labeled “16 to 1,” sits on a throne on a low pedestal labeled “Kansas City Platform.” Two Swiss guards stand next to him. The one on the left is labeled “Jones,” and the other on the right is labeled “Stone.” Caption: But Democrats have lost faith in his infallibility.
As midterm elections loomed in 1902, William Jennings Bryan sought to assert his primacy in Democratic party councils. He had twice been beaten for the presidency, so his support — and support for his issues, for instance the bimetallic plank in the 1900 (Kansas City) platform — was vital. The vassals behind Bryan are two of his more loyal supporters: Senator James K. Jones of Arkansas was Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and William J. Stone (at the time a year away from being elected to the United States Senate from Missouri) was a contributor to Bryan’s magazine The Commoner. In 15 years’ time Stone would be one of six senators to vote against declaring war on Germany.
William Jennings Bryan sits at a desk on which are papers labeled “Free Silver Speeches.” With a sorrowful look, he stares up at a raven perched on a bust of Pallas Athena. The raven wears a medallion labeled “Free Silver.” Caption: “On this home by horror haunted — tell me truly, I implore! — Is there — is there balm in Gilead? tell me, tell me, I implore! Quoth the Raven, ‘Nevermore!'”
Drawn and printed too early to have foreseen the actual outcome of the 1900 presidential election — which generally was considered a forgone conclusion against William Jennings Bryan — cartoonist Keppler drew a cartoon that would be safe in any eventuality. His albatross, so to speak, was the raven in this twist on Poe’s famous poem. For all of Bryan’s other attributes, qualities, and deficiencies, his stubborn adherence to inflationary bimetallism — “16 to 1” coinage of silver-to-gold ratio — widely was seen as fatal to his advancement on the national stage.
William Jennings Bryan offers a large knife labeled “16 to 1” to a laborer who is daydreaming about “Contentment.” The laborer sits next to a large bucket, labeled “1900,” of golden eggs labeled “Savings, Good wages, Steady work, No shut downs, Prosperity, [and] Good hours.” Bryan wants the laborer to use the knife to kill the goose, in the left foreground, labeled “Gold Standard” that lays the golden eggs.
“16 to 1” refers to the intentionally inflationary currency plan that would require the federal government to include silver as a medium of exchange and fix its rate at one-sixteenth of gold’s value. Especially after the discovery of major silver lodes in the West, this plan would make currency more elastic, and theoretically make economic life easier for farmers. This was one reason that both parties targeted the minds and votes of farmers in this era. The United States instead de-coupled silver, and went on the gold standard until the New Deal.
William Jennings Bryan pulls on strings attached to a skeleton labeled “16 to 1” trying to make it jump like a wooden toy. Caption: Bryan–They say it’s dead! Can’t you see it move?
William Jennings Bryan, on the eve of the Democratic National Convention, where he would be nominated for President a second time, is depicted by cartoonist Keppler as relatively dignified, but continuing to be the political charlatan Puck always considered him to be. Despite a mild anti-Imperialist focus to his speeches and the party platform taking shape, Bryan continued to argue for an issue largely extinct: the free coinage of silver to gold at a ratio of 16 to 1, his 1896 theme.
Illustration showing two men escorting Admiral George Dewey down a street, on the left is a man labeled “McLean” and on the right is Joseph Pulitzer. On the left side of the street is the “Democratic Museum” and on the right of the street is the “Republican Museum,” and a sign on the left is directing them to the convention hall.
comments and context
Despite appearing that the men, right and left, might be recommending the saloons to Dewey, they are in fact husting him past them to the Democrat presidential convention. After his adulation in the United States as the hero of Manila Bay — a smashing naval victory in the Spanish-American War — Admiral George Dewey was seduced by the clarion call of politics. Democrats, especially those who feared that another William Jennings Bryan candidacy would lead to defeat again, persuaded him to explore the possibility of running for the presidency in 1900. Two such Democrats were publisher Joseph Pulitzer, who boosted Dewey in his newspapers, including the New York World, and Dewey’s informal political adviser and brother-in-law William R. McLean, publisher of The Washington Post and The Cincinnati Enquirer, and part owner of the Cincinnati Red Stockings baseball team. Dewey embroiled himself in awkward public situations and his putative candidacy never gained traction.
Illustration showing two gladiators, one labeled “Gold Standard” and the other labeled “Silver Standard,” in a coliseum, the “Gold Standard” gladiator stands victorious over the “Silver Standard” gladiator, his sword, labeled “16 to 1” lies broken at his side.
“Survival of the fittest” is a term coined by Herbert Spencer in 1864 as his summary of Darwinian theory applied to his own economic ideas. It thereafter was adopted by Darwin himself. Since the Panic of 1873, the United States government, operating on a bimetallic basis — gold and silver convertible to specie and coin on fixed values — had a relatively unstable economy. Economic growth was influenced by an inelastic currency as well as the results of gold rushes and silver mining. The Populist revolt, 1892-1896, exacerbated by a severe depression, led to William Jennings Bryan to advocate for inflation and a value-ratio of 16 to 1, silver ounces to gold ounces. Such near-anarchy in the economy ended in 1900 with the passage of the Gold Standard Law, forever taking the United States from any reliance on silver, hence the broken “16-to-1” sword in the cartoon. In 1933 the country likewise abandoned the Gold Standard.
President Roosevelt is frustrated at the newspapers for condemning the Republicans for their view on sound money. The Democrats’ candidate is boasting that he has supported the cause of free silver in the last two elections. Roosevelt believes that his campaign has no apology to make.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-11
This page of the journal reproduces a letter written by Robert Barnwell Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt’s uncle, in which he admits that though he has been a Democrat, he voted for William McKinley for president in the 1900 election. A text box with information about the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA), including contact information and its governance appears alongside the letter.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2003
Alton B. Parker holds a lead rope attached to a Democratic donkey. A bag of “stupidity” and two planks—”silver planks” and “wild theories advocacy”—are attached to its tail. Parker says, “Let’s pretend it ain’t there, Jack!”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09
In the cartoon on the left, “Democracy” is a “political hobo” as he walks on the “free silver road.” In the cartoon on the right, “Democracy” greets “Wall Street,” who says, “My brother,” on “Belmont-Hill Road.” Democracy responds, “Yes, I’ve a strawberry mark on my left arm.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09
A Republican elephant carries a “16 to 1 issue” skeleton and a flag that says, “the silver question is not dead!” as it rushes forward. William Jennings Bryan sits on a fence and says, “When I did that, they said I was crazy!”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-28
Dame Democracy is startled when President Roosevelt shows her the portrait he painted as he holds a “letter of acceptance—a party that has no policy.” The likeness features a frame that reads, “Without policy or principle—the Democracy 1904.” In the portrait, Dame Democracy wears a “dire menace” hat, has “free trade” and “free silver” hair, and wears a “Parker fichu.” At the bottom of the picture is a sign: “Political portraits painted while you wait. T. Roosevelt.” Caption: Dame Democracy (the day after the letter came out)—Oh Theodore! How you do flatter me!!
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08
Alton B. Parker holds “that telegram” and puts “1904 gold” into a box while the ghost of Parker puts “1896-1900 silver” into a box.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-01
David B. Hill holds a bag of “silver” beside a “Democratic convention” wall. In the background, William Jennings Bryan is about to use a “free silver” axe as “democracy” kneels down and is tied to a “doubtful money” stake. Caption: Judas Iscariot (Hill) sold his party for a few pieces of silver.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-30
This cartoon shows Alton B. Parker at the voting booth in 1896, 1900, and 1904. In 1896 and 1900, he holds a “ballot (for free silver).” The captions for the first two read, “I voted for Bryan and Free Silver in 1896—” and “And again in 1900—” The last caption for 1904 reads, “But of course I regard the Gold Standard as irrevocably established.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-26
William Jennings Bryan and Grover Cleveland hold two kites. Bryan has a paper that reads, “free-silver or bust,” while Cleveland kicks a “declination” shoe through the kite. In the background, President Roosevelt flies a “1904” kite. Caption: The political kite-flying season will begin early this year.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-04-09