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President Roosevelt and South Carolina Senator Benjamin R. Tillman go fishing in a “senatorial pool.” At the bottom of the pool is “the railroad rate bill” turtle, a “Philippine tariff bill” alligator, a “statehood bill” frog, and a “Santo Domingo” fish. On the ledge are two crayfish by a “bait amendments” can.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-01-25
President Roosevelt describes to Quentin that while he was out riding, he came across a rabbit and terrapin in the road which resembled the characters in the story of “B’rer Rabbit.” Roosevelt draws a rabbit and turtle on the bottom of the letter.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
1904-06-21
President Roosevelt describes his jumping Roswell over a big hurdle to his son, Theodore Roosevelt. He is glad that Theodore is assistant manager of the crew team. He notes that Louis Adams Frothingham visited yesterday. Archibald B. Roosevelt caught tadpoles, turtles, and a small alligator that he put in the bathroom.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-05-12
President Roosevelt thanks Cornelia Osgood Tyler for sending the terrapin, which was delicious.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-03-23
Two figures stand above the “senatorial pool” armed with fishing equipment. Theodore Roosevelt holds a large pole with a can labeled “bait amendments” by his side. Next to him, holding a pitchfork with a net strung in it, is the figure of Benjamin Tillman, a democratic senator from South Carolina. In the pool are a number of creatures, including a frog labeled “statehood bill,” a fish labeled “Santo Domingo,” a crocodile labeled “Philippine tariff bill,” and a large turtle with the head of a steam locomotive labeled “the railroad rate bill.” Roosevelt’s fishing pole has hooked under the lip of this turtle’s shell.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1906-02-25
The race for the Republican presidential nomination is underway between the tortoise labeled “Morton” and the hare(s) labeled “McKinley, Reed, [and] Harrison.” Includes a revised version of the fable by Aesop.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1895-04-10
President McKinley rides on the back of a large tortoise labeled “Congress,” its body bound with ribbons labeled “Demands of Populists,” “Concessions,” “Demands, East, West, North, and South,” “Demands of Silverites,” and “Demands of Monopolists.” McKinley is holding a whip labeled “Administration.” They are making slow progress on the road “To Prosperity.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1897-05-05
A turtle with the face of William Jennings Bryan is racing a rabbit with the face of William H. Taft. Caption: The Tortoise — If that chap only goes to sleep, I’ll win out by a mile.
Few observers of the American political scene in 1908 expected the Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan to win the election over Republican William H. Taft for the open seat in the White House. In 1904 the “Solid South” was broken, with Missouri breaking its long-term ranks and swinging in line for the Republicans.