Tariff

Such a sad case!

A child-like figure labeled “American Industry,” supported by an infant walker on wheels labeled “High Protection,” holds in one hand a bottle of “Payne Aldrich Baby Food” and in the other a rattle shaped like the U.S. Capitol dome. On the tray of the walker is a broken elephant, an eagle, a bull moose, and a donkey. Caught underneath the support is an Uncle Sam doll. Caption: His delusion is that he cannot walk alone.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-07-31

The trusts – the tariff – the nigger in the woodpile

Woodrow Wilson pulls a leg labeled “The Tariff” that is caught in a woodpile labeled “The Trusts.” The Democratic donkey observes from the far end of the woodpile. Caption: “The tariff is the center of the problem of the Trusts and of the present cost of living.”–Woodrow Wilson.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-08-07

In the name of labor

A gigantic man wearing a crown labeled “Protected Monopoly” holds upright a wooden figure of an American laborer labeled “Protected American Labor” and a sign that states “Protection Maintains for American Labor the American Standard of Living.” The wooden figure holds a dinner pail in one hand and a booklet labeled “Savings” in the other. A diminutive man labeled “American Laborer,” in the left foreground, looks at the viewer and gestures with his thumb back at the wooden figure. On the right, from a ship at a dock, a stream of “Foreign Labor” disembarks, passing through a gate labeled “Starvation Wages,” and heading for factories in the background. Caption: How much longer can he get away with it?

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-08-14

Protection Tweedledee and protection Tweedledum

A businessman addresses a group of laborers, explaining to them how important tariffs are to their jobs and that if the reform candidate is elected, then the factory would have to close. On the businessman’s return from a trip abroad, customs officials search his luggage, and he rails against tariff duties and the invasion of his personal property. Caption: Around election time at the shop. On his return from a trip abroad.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-01-11

It was about time he woke up

Uncle Sam, as Rip Van Winkle, returns from his tariff sleep to discover that other countries now dominate foreign trade. His old rifle labeled “Monopoly Tariff” is outdated. John Bull sits with other representatives of foreign countries outside the “Inn of South American Trade.” In the background, steamships with flags of many nations unload freight. An insert shows a map and “The North Americans Idea of the Western Hemisphere.” Caption: Sam Van Winkle finds a lot of hustling strangers in his place at the inn.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-02-08

Bearers of evil tidings

A man labeled “Protected Monopoly” lies on a bench in an Egyptian temple next to a large bloody sword labeled “Closed Mills” with which three man, labeled “Labor,” have been slain. Each lies next to papers labeled “No Orders the Prices Come Down, Cancelled Orders, [and] Consumer Balks.” At one end of the temple are the faces of “Sherman, Aldrich, [and] Payne.” In the distance are factories.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-02-15

The interrupted ceremony

Uncle Sam is marrying a woman labeled “Canada” with President Taft as the clergyman. When Taft asks anyone who objects to the marriage to speak, all the guests in the church (they all have hogs heads) clamor to object. Caption: Clergyman Taft — Into this common-sense estate of Reciprocity these two persons present come now to be joined. If any man can show just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now sp– / Chorus of Tariff-Protected Monopolies — We object!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-03-08

Yumping yiminy, what a yolk!

A large egg labeled “Taft’s Message” has hatched in the congressional chamber, startling the congressmen. Two large conjoined chicks (a double-yolk), labeled “Reciprocity” and wearing hats labeled “Canada” and “U.S.,” are standing on the broken shell.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-04-12

The American family

On the left “Under a Low Tariff” is a large, prosperous, well-fed family with servants. On the right “Under a High Tariff” is a small family sitting in a dark chamber, poring over the bills.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-05-17

Liberty

A large man, holding a cat-o’-nine-tails labeled “Schedules” and wearing a crown labeled “Monopoly” shaped like the dome of the U.S. Capitol building, sits atop a U.S. Customs building in front of which is a large pile of “Tariff Tribute” money being deposited by disgruntled citizens. Standing to the right is a large Statue of Liberty pointing to the streams of citizens and laughing. Caption: “It is to laugh!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-07-05

Some class to this rail-splitter

President Taft uses an axe with the handle labeled “Tax Reform” and the head labeled “Argument” to drive a wedge labeled “Reciprocity” into a log labeled “Party Solidarity.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-07-19

The hemlock cup of the Republican Socrates

The Republican elephant labeled “G.O.P.” is about to drink from a cup labeled “Reciprocity.” With him are several men labeled “Root, Sherman, Cannon, La Follette, Crane, Lodge, Payne, Dick, Gallinger, Penrose” and one unidentified man. Some are distraught, while others are merely watching.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-08-09

The alarm

Based on painting by Henri-Paul Motte that depicts Rome being saved from an attack of the Goths by squawking geese, in this cartoon “Lobbyists” are ascending the city wall around “Ottawa” and handing bags of money down to be delivered to two men, wearing top hats labeled “Protected Trust.” The building tower is labeled “Reciprocity” and the squawking geese are kept in an enclosure labeled “Independent Press.” Caption: As the geese saved Rome, publicity will save reciprocity.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-09-20

“Co’, Boss! Co’, Boss!”

President Taft, wearing a large hat, offers a corn stalk labeled “Excuse, Apology, Explanation, Defense, [and] Persuasion” to a cow labeled “The West” and with a bell labeled “Insurgency” around its neck. The cow is not interested in Taft’s excuses or explanations.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-10-11

Laocoon in the toils

Uncle Sam, as Laocoön, is pictured with two men, one labeled “Business” and the other “Labor,” entwined with snakes labeled “Tariff Uncertainty” in front of the U.S. Capitol.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-10-11

Republican party platform

Theodore Roosevelt discusses the Republican Party’s 1912 Platform and its position on several topics, including economics, constitutionalism, and public welfare. Item includes several drafts.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1912-06

Minutes of the Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Progressive National Committee held December 2nd, 1914

Minutes of the December 2, 1914, meeting of the Executive Committee of the Progressive National Committee. State reports were delivered and a general discussion was held regarding the future of the national organization. In view of the Progressive Party’s showing in the recent election, with 1,750,000 votes in 37 states, the Committee issued a public statement reaffirming Progressive principles and announcing the date of the party’s next convention. The statement made particular reference to the Progressive Party’s stance on the tariff and called for the creation of a “permanent expert non-partisan tariff commission.” Senator Dixon resigned as chairman of the National Committee and Victor Murdock was recommended as temporary chairman until the National Committee could select a new chair.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-12-02

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Anna Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt compliments his sister Anna Roosevelt on how interesting her letters from England are but he is glad she is coming back. Brother-in-law Douglas Robinson is recovering from his polo accident and little son Kermit cannot do what the other children can. Roosevelt just completed three days of lectures. The Democrats are split over the tariff and a Republican victory seems certain next election.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1894-07-22

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Anna Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt informs his sister Anna Roosevelt about the tangle over the tariff in the Democratic party continues which keeps his friend Senator Lodge in town. They dine together and with other friends as well. He is very homesick for wife Edith and the children, especially Kermit with his knee problems. Their alcoholic brother Elliott has recovered from his fall and is drinking again.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1894-08-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lawrence F. Abbott

Theodore Roosevelt is happy that Lawrence F. Abbott’s father and sister completed their journey. He is pleased Abbott is happy with the editorials he wrote and he is glad to see what Abbott has to say about the tariff prospects. Roosevelt agrees with Abbott on the importance of a national corporation tax.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1909-09-10