United States. Congress. Senate

A huge man, representing “Transcontinental R.R. Interests,” holds many strings linked to members of the U.S. Senate to stall legislation on a “Nicaragua Canal Treaty.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

This cartoon is reminiscent of Puck‘s famous “Bosses Of the Senate” (1889) by Joseph Keppler Sr., showing many large figures representing the Trusts in the Senate galleries. Here, the Railroad Trust is depicted as manipulating the members on the floor in opposition to the proposed Isthmian canal (Nicaragua the likely route, in most speculation). Largely neglected by history is the opposition to the building of a canal by railroad monopolies that profited from coastal trade in the United States.

Cartoon depicting several governmental agencies vying for President Roosevelt’s attention.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-03-08

President Roosevelt rides over the “Cuban Reciprocity Bill,” the “Panama Canal Bill,” and the ratification of treaties towards a goal.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-03-16

Uncle Sam looks on as President Roosevelt forces a horse labeled the Senate to drink from a water trough labeled Panama Canal Treaty. Roosevelt holds a smoking gun where the smoke forms the words “extra session.” The item is regarding an extra session of Congress to address open treaties and bills.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-03-18

President Roosevelt rides down the Capitol steps laden with the signed bills, Panama Canal treaty and Cuban Reciprocity bill, that he kept the Senate in an extra session to complete.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-03-21

Columbia, holding an apple labeled “1904,” appears as a teacher with students named “Rep. President (looking like Theodore Roosevelt), Rep. Senate, [and] Rep. House.” Beyond her on the board are these questions: “When is a Trust not a Trust? How about Tariff Revision and if so, why? Shall we have reciprocity with other countries?”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904

A disgruntled Senate is pictured holding several bills as a smiling President Roosevelt hands him an extra session proclamation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-03-03

President Roosevelt is shown standing upon two logs, House and Senate, trying to remain afloat and direct the logs towards legislation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-02-22

President Roosevelt rides in to deliver new bills for the Senate as he tries to head home. The cartoon is regarding an extra session of Congress.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-03-03

President Roosevelt is smiling at a startled woman labeled Senate and holding a proclamation for an extra session of Congress. A sink full of dishes labeled Unfinished Business sits in the background. Caption: Come Back and Finish Your Work.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-03-03

President Roosevelt is shown pushing an extra session of Congress down the throat of Senator Morgan of Alabama who is standing on the Panama Canal bill.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-03-02

Uncle Sam watches as President Roosevelt tries to ride a bucking elephant labeled the Senate over a bridge towards the Canal and Cuban treaty legislation while prodding it with an extra session of Congress.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-03-07

Cartoon depicts Mark Hanna sitting in a U.S. Senate chair with capital and labor each on one knee as President Roosevelt looks on from over the top of the President’s chair.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-08-10

Arkansas Senator James K. Jones holds a “senatorship” shotgun from which he fires several rounds. A torn “Democracy” flag is in the background of the “Arkansas election.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-04-10

Assistant Secretary Roosevelt acknowledges Alonzo H. Stewart’s courtesy of admitting Bayard Dominick to the private congressional galleries and requests the same be done today.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1898-03-28

President Roosevelt returns a draft of the message to the Senate and wonders if Secretary of State Hay thinks it would be worthwhile to alter the last paragraph to clarify a point. Roosevelt also wants to know if all of the treaties are “substantially alike in form.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-12

President Roosevelt asks Secretary of State Hay not to speak with Illinois Senator Shelby M. Cullom until Roosevelt has had a chance to discuss the proposed amendments to the Newfoundland Treaty with some senators. The president also encloses a copy of his letter to Andrew Dickson White, “which explains itself.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-13

President Roosevelt apologizes to Secretary of State Hay that he cannot attend their morning talk due to the dedication of the Lutheran Memorial Church. He comments on the Senate’s handling of the arbitration treaties and declares the United States cannot intervene on Korea’s behalf against Japan.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-28

President Roosevelt sends Secretary of State Hay a letter from Andrew Carnegie, who questions the constitutionality of the Senate amendments. Roosevelt disagrees with Carnegie.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-02-06

President Roosevelt has received Senator Platt’s letter, and while he is not yet ready to announce his decision to nominate Charles M. Hough for a judgeship in New York, he disagrees with Platt’s assertion that his preference of J. Addison Young should be enough to tip the scales in Young’s favor. He furthermore does not understand how Platt can say that Roosevelt’s preference for Hough over Young is an “affront,” and rebukes Platt, saying that his duty as the president is to nominate a candidate, and the Senate’s duty is to confirm or not confirm that candidate, with both bodies trying to find the best person for the position. Neither Platt nor Roosevelt himself should let individual preferences affect who they determine to be the best candidate.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-17