Your TR Source
Paul Morton forwards President Roosevelt a photographic proof from James Bryant Lindley in South Africa, and expects that it will kindle in Roosevelt the desire to go big game hunting.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-04-18
A bruised John Bull offers a “Tonic” of “Financial Help” and “Liberal Treatment” to an injured and battered Paul Kruger, President of the South African Republic, following the end of the fighting in South Africa.
Puck consistently had taken the side of Great Britain through the Boer War in its editorials and cartoons. In similar fashion, as the South African nationalists under “Oom Paul” finally were defeated in the Transvaal and Orange Free State, cartoonist Pughe almost immediately depicted the terms of surrender in the most generous light. After negotiations, some of them contentious, a treaty was signed, stipulating that the “Republic of South Africa” and the Orange Free State would be formal colonies of Great Britain, with promised timetables for increased rights and eventual independence.
South African President Paul Kruger wanders Europe in exile.
The figure represented, the Wandering Jew, has been a character in myth, legend, poetry, and fiction for more than a millennium. One version of the legend maintains that a Jew taunted Christ on His way to crucifixion and was as punishment was condemned to roam the earth, homeless, until Christ’s Second Coming. Keppler’s depiction is almost exactly the conception of the French illustrator Gustave Dore. In the Puck cartoon, “Oom Paul” of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, during the Boer War, is seen as rejected by the world’s powers, not only England against whom the South Africans rose up during the Boer War at this time. It was solidarity among Colonial states; but not less did those nations covet the Tip of Africa for themselves.
Illustration showing President Paul Kruger of the South African Republic as a frog attempting to make himself as big as the British John Bull, here actually shown as a bull. The cartoon makes light of the South African Republic, a small country, attempting to fight Great Britain in the South African War for independence.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1900-04-11
The British Lion runs on a path toward “Pretoria” while four figures representing Russia, France, Germany, and Italy hide. At the time of this cartoon, the British Empire stepped up its campaign to suppress rebellion of its colonial rule in South Africa.
Pughe’s cartoon could illustrate the admonition against “fishing in troubled waters.” By 1900 most of the globe had been carved up by colonial powers or controlled by spheres of influence. South Africa was recalcitrant, a thorny problem for the British who regarded the Horn of Africa with special importance. Only 15 years before this cartoon’s publication, Germany had gobbled up lands, largely comprising the present Tanzania, and established German East Africa, and British colonial fears were heightened. The cartoon suggests that Great Britain simultaneously doubled its resolve to quash the Boer Rebellion, and kept rival powers from intervening themselves.
John Bull, the symbol of Great Britain, shovels British soldiers into the “British Empire Shute.” They end on the shoulders of “Oom” Paul Kruger who sits on a rock with a rifle across his lap, on soil labeled “Dutch Republic.” Overwhelmed by the soldiers, he has dropped his copy of the Bible that he was reading.
By 1900 the notable failures of the British Empire to defeat the “Farmers” (Boers) in South Africa were reckoned to result in British defeat or an outright campaign of attrition. The latter strategy, recorded by Winston Churchill and others, was adopted with reasonable success despite much of world opinion on the side of the longtime Dutch settlers. Oom Paul was a beloved leader who rallied his followers in the South African Republic and the neighboring Orange Free State. Their language and identity was “Afrikaans,” closely related to Dutch. Paul Kruger and his followers were quite religious, and had support around the world from Christian and missionary groups, hence the Bible falling from his lap in this symbol-laden cartoon.
Illustration showing two concerned citizens and Joseph Pulitzer imploring Uncle Sam, dressed as a U.S. policeman, to break up a fight taking place in the background labeled “South Africa” between John Bull and Paul Kruger.
The concerned citizens in Pughe’s cartoon are meant to represent missionaries and clergymen, appealing for humanitarian intervention in the Second Boer War. Joseph Pulitzer, as Publisher of the New York World and de facto leader of the Democrat Party press, urged intervention as he had previously in Cuba. The fight between Great Britain and the Boers (“Farmers”) is depicted by John Bull, the traditional symbol of England, and “Oom” (Uncle) Paul Kruger, leader of the insurgent Transvaal (South African Republic) and the neighboring Orange Free State.
Illustration showing a man sitting on a rock with a rifle across his lap, he is holding a Bible, a young boy is standing in front of him holding a toy rifle, and in the background, a woman is standing at the entrance to their house. Caption: Boer Child. — Father, if I were carrying the Bible in one hand and a gun in the other and an enemy approached, which should I drop first? Boer Father. — The enemy, my son!
In the aftermath of the Spanish-American War, many politicians and journals celebrated the unspoken alliance of Anglo-Saxon peoples — the United States, a new Empire, joining the United Kingdom, on whom “the sun never set.” Puck and Judge waved such flags. Their rival, Life Magazine, was anti-war and anti-Imperialist. However, favor was often shown towards the South African Boers, who resisted British domination and cartoons such as this Nankivell cover depicted the Boers as sympathetic, even noble.
President Roosevelt chides Governor Guild for being involved with a petition that recently came to Roosevelt’s desk on behalf of Africans in the Congo Free State. Roosevelt receives hundreds of such petitions on a variety of topics based on whatever the current social cause is. If he had absolute power, and the United States were “prepared to embark on a long career of disinterested violence on behalf of all sufferers outside its limits,” then Roosevelt would gladly intervene, but as it stands he does not have any authority to intervene in any of the cases presented to him. Moreover, as the United States would not actually go to war in any of the cases, Roosevelt feels that the government should not “put itself into the ridiculous position of making a fuss which it does not intend to back up.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-04-02
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary writes Charles Scribner’s Sons to acquire a copy of Major James Stevenson-Hamilton’s book on the wildlife and game reserves of South Africa. (Roosevelt would go on to write a foreword for the book Animal Life in Africa.)
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-07-06
Theodore Roosevelt recalls meeting with J. R. Erasmus and has read a great deal about South African history. The odds seem against Roosevelt’s presidential campaign but he is going to stand for the “cause of all decent men.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-07-02
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary informs Winthrop Page that Roosevelt cannot give him sufficient information about the conditions surrounding Salisbury, South Africa. He suggests Page consult the “number of very good books” on the topic.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-11-13
Theodore Roosevelt encloses a letter from a South African interested in forest conservation and requests that Gifford Pinchot send the man some literature on the subject.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-08-29
Theodore Roosevelt thanks E. R. Bradfield for his letter and has directed a friend to send Bradfield relevant literature regarding deforestation and erosion.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-08-29
Theodore Roosevelt replies to W. Robert Foran and expresses concern about Foran’s career prospects. After speaking with Kermit Roosevelt, he agrees that there are few prospects in the newspaper business and suggests Foran’s unique skills would make a good match for the Canadian Mounted Police.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-06-27
Theodore Roosevelt is pleased that Frederick Courteney Selous has gone to British East Africa. Roosevelt has come to agree with Selous that the brutal German conduct was a result of a doctrine preached by German leadership. He has publicly spoken strongly about the failure of the United States and other neutrals to do their duty after the violation of the Hague conventions. Roosevelt has been surprised at the strength the Germans have shown in their colonies. He will not write to Selous about ordinary things while Selous is part of the “terrible struggle.” Roosevelt regrets the United States is not fighting.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-04-02
Theodore Roosevelt thanks General Wilhelm Snyman for sending a paper. Roosevelt stresses the importance of the Boers or Afrikaners learning English.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-03-13
Theodore Roosevelt writes to Henry Cabot Lodge to introduce General Wilhelm Snyman. Snyman fought during the Boer War in South Africa and wishes to talk with Lodge.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-01-16
President Roosevelt informs Ambassador Bryce that he does not want to appear to advise other countries and thus will not write the letter MacDonald requested. However, Roosevelt sees no reason not to greet Louis Botha of South Africa, as he is interested in the country’s scientific development and dry land cultivation.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-02-23
President Roosevelt thanks Leslie Simson for the advice he gave regarding the types of firearms Roosevelt should bring along with him on his safari. Roosevelt wishes he could visit South Africa, but it is not possible.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-30