Tammany Hall

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.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-05

President Roosevelt, wielding a dagger and his “big stick,” chases a fleeing tiger whose collar reads “Tammany, N. Y..” Other animals, sporting some injuries, watch from the background.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-24

Seth Low was initially hesitant when he heard Representative Herbert Parsons’s plan for a fusion of the Republican Party and the Independence League for upcoming local elections. However, he has been convinced that such a move is necessary given the dominance of the Democratic Party in New York City. The idiosyncrasies of local politics means that politicians must be willing to make compromises they wouldn’t in state or national elections, and Low uses Tammany Hall’s position as the city’s “permanent foe,” which New York City Republicans must be focused on defeating above all else as his chief example.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-01

In an open letter, Representative Parsons urges the Republicans of New York County to consider his case for “fusion” with the Independence League in the upcoming municipal elections. Cooperation with this political group will enable Republicans to elect assemblymen who support New York Governor Charles Evan Hughes, as well as allow for the retention of several judges appointed by Republicans. Furthermore, Parsons argues, fusion is the best way to defeat the ambitions of their mutual political enemy, Tammany Hall.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-10-21

Advance proof of an editorial by Julian LaRose Harris on the South’s political future, intended for publication in the March issue of Uncle Remus’s Home Magazine. Harris discusses the reasons why white southerners currently vote only for the Democratic Party, and why this has caused a stagnant political landscape that the Republican Party might exploit. Harris supports the disenfranchisement of African American citizens. However, he asserts that the focus on this disenfranchisement in the South has resulted in the diminishing influence of Southern Democrats over national Democratic Party policies and presidential nominations. He suggests that president-elect William H. Taft could encourage more bipartisan voting by white southerners if he heeds their political appointment suggestions and refuses to give federal appointments to African American candidates.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02

James Sullivan Clarkson updates William Loeb on powerful influences in the Democratic Party, including Tammany Hall. Conservatives, with former president Grover Cleveland’s support, have retaken the Democratic Party and are nominating Alton B. Parker for president. He suggests an argument that may be effective against Parker’s campaign–namely that he would be indebted to Tammany Hall as president.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-04-25

James Martin urges President Roosevelt to have one of his friends purchase the struggling New York Daily News to aid him in fighting Tammany Hall and preventing the Democrats from winning New York City, and therefore the state, in the next election.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-04-14

Sheet music for “Would You Rather be a Tammany Tiger or a Teddy Bear,” a campaign song for William Jennings Bryan’s 1908 presidential campaign. The cover features an illustration of a teddy bear and doll-like tiger.

Collection

Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection

Creation Date

1908

Songbook supporting the 1900 presidential campaign of President McKinley and Governor Roosevelt in California. The cover features illustrations of the candidates.

Collection

Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection

Creation Date

1900

Former President Roosevelt, dressed as Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany, stands on a battlefield looking at a map of New York spread open on a table. Frederick Morgan Davenport holds a battle flag with a bull moose on it as cannons fire into the air, creating smoke bearing the names of former Governor Sulzer, Lieutenant-Governor Glynn, and District Attorney Whitman.

comments and context

Comments and Context

The midterm 1914 elections, the last stand of the Progressive Party, saw chaos in New York State’s gubernatorial contest. Governor Sulzer had been impeached after running afoul of the Democrat machine Tammany Hall; Glynn succeeded him as governor; and Republican Charles Whitman defeated the incumbent. Frederick M Davenport, the Progressive candidate, placed third, after Sulzer sought that party’s nomination.

Three figures stand holding strings leading to boxes with small figures popping out of them. The first figure, a tiger, represents the Democratic Tammany Hall and holds a string leading to a box labeled “Dix.” Second is the figure of Theodore Roosevelt, who holds a string leading to a box with “Stimson” written on it. Finally is the figure of William Randolph Hearst, who holds both a sign saying “The simon-pure unbossed Hearst” and a string to a box labeled “Hopper,” with the figure emerging out of the box holding a flag labeled “Independence League.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905

Checks donated to Tammany Hall for the election of the organization’s candidates are made payable to Richard Croker, who has been the finance committee chairman for several years. Croker admitted to not having any records for the money donated to Tammany. Croker appears to have a large income and has extensive real estate and expensive racehorses.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-10

Newspaper article describing political infighting during the New York City mayoral election. The Republican party’s “fusion” candidate, Seth Low, is not supported by some of the party and efforts were made to make sure he was not elected. However, the party discovered and warned defectors that party support would be behind Low.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-10-26

Newspaper article featuring an interview with F. Norton Goddard. Goddard discusses door-to-door canvassing during his campaign and his efforts to root out the corruption of Tammany Hall.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-10

Newspaper article reviewing President Roosevelt’s article entitled, “Reform Through Social Work: Some Forces That Tell for Decency in New York City.” Roosevelt praises philanthropy and the work of F. Norton Goddard.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-10-29

Rip Van Winkle educates himself about the events of the past twenty years, surrounded by newspapers referring to William Jennings Bryan, the Evelyn Nesbit and Harry Kendall Thaw scandal, hostilities with Mexico, President Roosevelt’s clashes with Speaker of the House Cannon, and Roosevelt’s attacks on the Tammany Hall political machine. Van Winkle exclaims, “Shucks!! I’m going back to sleep!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1913

“Dr. Schurz” holding a large carving knife and sharpening tool, “Dr. Grace,” and “Dr. Parkhurst” holding a saw examine a sick tiger labeled “Tammany.” A medicine case in the foreground contains a drill, pincers, and a bottle of “Giant Powder – Reform Brand.” Caption: Cut him up into small pieces; – don’t let any of his nine lives get away!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-11-06

David B. Hill is a golfer trying to play a tough lie. His club, labeled “Peanut Politics,” is broken; his ball, labeled “Presidential Hopes,” is in a hole; and the flag is at the top of a hill with three bunkers labeled “Dishonest Methods, Snap Conventions, [and] Petty Tricks” in the way. Charles A. Dana, carrying a golf bag labeled “N.Y. Sun,” stands nearby as the caddie. In the background is a large building labeled “Tammany” and on the green is the White House. Caption: A hard and hopeless game for Davy.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-11-13

The Tammany Tiger sits at a table, holding a knife and fork, and crying over the tiny turkey labeled “Patronage” on a platter labeled “20,000 Majority for Tammany.” Next to the platter is a mug labeled “No Sunday Beer.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-11-27

Mayor William L. Strong is depicted as St. Patrick standing outside “N.Y. City Hall,” holding a long crosier labeled “Power to Remove,” driving away snakes and frogs labeled “Tammany Office-Holder, Tammany Heeler, Office-Holder with a ‘Pull,’ Tammany-ite, [and] Heeler.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-03-20