United States. Congress

“Congress” plugs his nose with a clothespin as he reads “Roosevelt’s message to Congress–To gas, gas, gas, gas.” Meanwhile, the gas furnace has President Roosevelt’s spectacles and large grin on it.

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A six thousand word presidential message, responding to a short three-part Congressional resolution, might have seemed like “gas” to Congress, and to Democratic cartoonist James Calvert Smith, but a brief riposte could hardly have been expected. Predictably, the president’s response to Congress’s criticism was punctilious. The genesis of the back-and-forth was a request to expand the Secret Service, and Congress’s refusal to consider it.

Minnesota Representative James A. Tawney and Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon use a crosscut saw and Iowa Representative Walter I. Smith uses a hatchet to cut “Roosevelt’s big stick” into pieces. “Congress” holds a gun to a “Secret Service” dog and says, “Halt” while a group of men look on: Edward Henry Harriman, a “gov’t grafter,” a “trust,” a “gov’t land grabber,” and a “timber thief.” The United States Capitol building is in the background.

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An inevitable aspect of lame-duck politicians is that opponents generally can be freed of threats of retaliation. As President Roosevelt essentially made himself a four-year lame duck by declining in advance to succeed himself with the election-night announcement in 1904, he brought a challenge upon himself. Uniquely, much of the reform president’s opposition came from within his own party, the Republicans’ Old Guard.

President Roosevelt wears a mask and sits at a desk with Secret Service reports. On the wall are “Rogue’s Gallery no. 1–Members of Congress,” a “list of undesirable citizens–Harriman, Rockefeller, Foraker, Haskell, and Tilman,” and a March 1909 calendar. On the other wall is a sign–“Old Sleuth Hawkshaw & Co.: Private Investigations. Shadowing”–and some disguises, including “mollycoddle masks,” “Ananias masks,” “malefactors of great wealth,’ and a coat “for the frivolous judge disguise.” On the ground are “gum shoes” and a “Muck Rake” cat.

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As President Roosevelt’s term drew to a close, many Democratic cartoonists who had routinely criticized him continued without abatement. Other partisans seized the opportunity to increase their level of bitterness and ridicule while he was on his way out.

President Roosevelt hands his “message of January 4” to “Congress,” who asks, “What is the name? Please.” There is a raccoon in the foreground that says, “Hoity toity!”

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Ole May was a political cartoonist who invariably provided a fresh perspective on events he addressed, if the number of reprinted cartoons by other newspapers is a gauge. And his origins in the Pittsburgh-Cleveland axis marked him as one more cartoonist who began with a style similar to the others (e.g., Billy DeBeck, Charles M. Payne) but developed a distinctive style and greater fame.

President Roosevelt greets a bandaged “Congress” sitting in a wheelchair and holding a sign that reads, “Resolved, that you never touched me! Congress.”

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President Roosevelt sincerely believed in the necessity of expanding the role and resources of the Secret Service. A growing country had new problems, many crossing state lines, and there was no agency but the Secret Service, at least by logical extension. It was created strictly to protect the president and his family; and to chase counterfeiters. He was angered and increasingly frustrated that Congress would not consider his requests.

President Roosevelt holds a “special message” torch that lights up the area–“exposure of congressional strangling of Secret Service.” A man brings a covered platter labeled “resolution to expunge from record.”

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The controversy over the expansion of the Secret Service had grown from a presidential request to address new forms of corruption and crime that were not currently addressed if they crossed between states. President Roosevelt assessed that the Secret Service, already in existence but restricted to presidential protection and chasing counterfeiters, was best suited to build upon. For a passel of reasons Congress repeatedly rebuffed the proposals.

President Roosevelt attempts to send a message while South Carolina Senator Benjamin R. Tillman has his pitchfork in the line to intercept the message. Tillman says, “I’ve struck a live wire with my pitch-fork.” The “Senate” and “House” watch from the window as they hold rifles. Caption: Washington’s revival of the grand old melodrama.

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Cartoonist Louis R. Linscott based the Civil War melodrama Secret Service as a setting for his cartoon comment on the ongoing controversy between President Roosevelt and Congress.

In the top left hand corner, “Ananias” and “Munchausen” speak. Ananias says, “Our Congressmen and Senators are poor but honest. To my personal knowledge they would scorn to hire out to trusts and monopolies.” Munchhausen says, “The delicate and retiring modesty of the president would make it impossible for him to assume any authority not given him by the Constitution.” Caption: A–Prominent liars who have inside information regarding fight between President and Congress. In the top right hand corner, two letters are visible. One reads: “My dear Senator, Our Trust is overjoyed at your good work for us in Congress. I enclose check as per your request. Archbold.” The other reads: “My dear Harriman, You and I are practical men. Come and see me after dark and bring some campaign funds. Knock once and whistle three times. T. R.” Caption: B–Important documents which have mysteriously disappeared. In the middle on the left side, “Congress” and President Roosevelt step on “the common people,” who says, “Lemme up. Caption: C–Innocent bystander who is endangered by fight. In the middle on the right side, “Crooked Trusts and Corporations” laughs with arrows pointing to his face. Caption: D–Interested party greatly worried over outcome of fight. (Arrows show expression of anxiety). At the bottom, Roosevelt talks to the “Secret Service Dep’t.” He says, “Meet me in the ruined mill at midnight with evidence against the Senators and Congressmen. Remem-bar-r!” The “Secret Service Dep’t” replies, “I will be ther-r-re!” Caption: F–Scene from forthcoming melodrama entitled “Why Senator Scrubbs Left Home, or No Mother to Guide Him.”

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The brilliant Frederick Burr Opper, often called “The Mark Twain of Cartooning,” was on one of the most influential political cartoonists of his generation; his career spanned the 1870s to the 1930s. Prominent outlets he appeared in were Puck magazine until 1899, and the newspapers of William Randolph Hearst until 1932.

In the first section, President Roosevelt holds his big stick and walks toward the “House” and the “Senate.” In the second section, Roosevelt accidentally hits the “House” as he reaches for a “message from the jungle.” In the third section, Roosevelt glares at the “House,” who sits on the ground, and hits the “Senate” in the head as the messenger laughs. In the fourth section, Roosevelt walks away as the “House” and the “Senate” point their fists at him.

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Cartoonist Camillus Kessler drew for several St. Louis newspapers — the Women’s National Journal, the Republic, The Star, and Joseph Pulitzer’s Post-Dispatch— all consistently Democratic in focus. This cartoon, for the Star, is however virtually free of partisan rancor. It treats President Roosevelt’s tilts with Congress not as bitter controversies (which they were) but as unconscious side-effect of his other preoccupations. Most readers would have assumed that the whacks delivered to Congress in the cartoon were over the raging Secret Service imbroglio, but Kessler attributes the message about Roosevelt’s upcoming African safari as a distraction.

President Roosevelt smiles and holds his “Secret Service” big stick as the “Pa Congress” shakes his fist at Roosevelt and holds a “rebuke” shoe, saying, “Now will you behave?”

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The Philadelphia North American was a consistent supporter of Theodore Roosevelt through the years. In 1912 it became one of the Progressive Party’s main organs, and its publisher, Edwin A. Van Valkenburg, later served on the Publications Committee of the young Roosevelt Memorial Association.

President Roosevelt holds up South Carolina Senator Benjamin R. Tillman–labeled “Exhibit A”–with “Tillman’s fork.” Caption: Why the Secret Service Department Should Investigate Congress–Exhibit A.

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The controversy over the expansion of the Secret Service, its responsibilities and mission, had expanded beyond President Roosevelt’s proposal to Congress in his 1908 Annual Message. In fact the disagreement had escalated from Congress’s dismissal. Roosevelt implied that Congressmen feared a new investigatory agency; House and Senate members made angry speeches, some of a personal nature against the president; and a bitter resolution of censure was sent to the White House.

In the first section of the cartoon, the “Congress” cat is asleep as “graft” mice eat from the “public lands & timber” and “Post Office Dept” bags and the “National Treasury” barrel. One mouse says, “Why don’t you get a basket? You can carry more.” Caption: When you consider the conditions that existed for years in national affairs– In the second section, Roosevelt holds a “reform” big stick and tells the “Congress” cat to “Get busy!” Congress replies, “You are violating all precedents.” Many “graft” mice lie dead on the ground.

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It is interesting to note several important historical facts as conveyed by political cartoonist Jay N. “Ding” Darling.

With fewer than two months left in his Administration, and as the cartoon makes clear, President Roosevelt was as earnest as ever he had been, in this matter and others, fighting corruption.

In the first section of the cartoon, “Congress” holds a “public business” basket of eggs, and sticks his tongue out at President Roosevelt. In the second section, the basket is on the ground with a number of broken eggs, and both Roosevelt and “Congress” walk away. “Congress” says, “He’ll never sass me again,” while Roosevelt says, “I beat him to a frazzle.”

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This cartoon conveys a message of “a pox on both houses,” revealing bias in favor of neither President Roosevelt nor Congress.

President Roosevelt is teaching in a schoolroom of chaos as President-elect William H. Taft opens the “Congress” door. The “House Resentment Committee” throws items at the president who holds his big stick. There are two notes on the blackboard: “Our teacher is no good. B. T.” and “Do we love our Teacher?” Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker and South Carolina Senator Benjamin R. Tillman fold paper airplanes while Maine Senator Eugene Hale tries to take a “naval appropriations” stick. Caption: Getting square with the old teacher.

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President Roosevelt might go down in posterity as a strict disciplinarian, and he did deserve many of the characterizations of his leadership talents. But many presidents have endured Congresses that, collectively and in its individual members, asserted their independence, sometimes outright rebellion, even regarding a president of the majority’s party.

President Roosevelt carries his exhausted horse and says, “Next!!” as representatives and senators look on. Caption: After That 98-Mile Ride.

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This cartoon appeared after President Roosevelt and three aides rode a one-day, 100-mile round trip on horseback between the White House and rural Virginia. The president had registered shock at the lassitude, and often corpulence, of desk-bound military officers. He issued a challenge to naval and army officers, which was met by resistance and criticism.

President Roosevelt holds a “Secret Service” big stick and rides a bucking “Congress” horse that says, “You ain’t goin’ to whip me!” The “Senate” looks on and says, “My, how reckless!”

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The majority of headlines after the election of William H. Taft were devoted to the wrangle between the White House and Congress, and the many-factored fallout, over the expansion of the Secret Service. President Roosevelt was eager to quash yellow-press allegations of financial improprieties related to the Panama Canal; and the public was curious about Roosevelt’s plans for his Africa safari. Otherwise the issues swirling around the Secret Service disputes dominated the news.

President Roosevelt wears his “imperialism” crown and holds his “big stick” as he bounces down the bumps labelled “liars,” “Secret Service,” and “Tillman” of the “Sixtieth Congress.”

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One of James Calvert Smith’s virtual farewell drawings (the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt had about six weeks remaining) was almost a textbook example of an ad hominem attack cartoon.

In the first section of this cartoon, President Roosevelt hits a woman labeled the “Republican side of Congress” with his “Secret Service” message big stick. He says, “I’ll teach you that I’m boss here.” In the second section, the woman takes her “rebuke” broom and hits Roosevelt on the head. She says, “You’ll hit a lady, will you?” New York Representative William F. Willett watches from the doorway and says, “De lady needs help.” In the third cartoon, Roosevelt goes to hit the woman with his big stick again, saying, “I’ll fix you for that.” Willett punches Roosevelt in the face: “Gargoyle, unhand dat lady.” In the fourth cartoon, the woman holds a broom and watches Willett with stars around his head. She says, “Wretch, how dare you interfere in a little family affair.” Willett says, “Dat’s like a woman all right.”

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The Boston Record provided posterity with a facet of the explosive Secret Service controversy between President Roosevelt and the Congress of the United States. What began as a presidential request that Congress expand the charter, duties, and budget of the Secret Service beyond protecting the president and chasing counterfeiters. Changing conditions in American life required a federal agency that could conduct investigations. Congress summarily refused Roosevelt’s request — actually the proposal and dismissal became a virtual cycle — and there was an escalation of earnest rhetoric, intemperance, imputations of corrupt motives, insults, and finally, in Congress, interminable angry debates and a resolution of censure.

A monkey holds a paper that reads “Washington D. C.–Jan 9th 09–Cable: Roosevelt in hot water / Congress.” A variety of African animals like an elephant, a hyena, a lion, a giraffe, and a zebra look on.

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The legendary cartoonist Homer Davenport, once a fierce critic of Theodore Roosevelt when he drew for the papers of William Randolph Hearst, ultimately became an admirer, then a friend, of the president. After his conversion he drew the most famous cartoon of his career, and one of the most memorable in American history, the 1904 endorsement by Uncle Sam, “He’s Good Enough For Me.” Likewise, the New York Mail was a consistent proponent of Roosevelt and his policies.

President Roosevelt writes on a “Defi to Congress” as he also looks at a man holding a “dandy” gun, who asks, “Can’t I sell you one of our dandy guns?” A “rebuke from Congress” missile flies behind Roosevelt near a copy of the “N. Y. World” that Roosevelt is hitting with “the big stick” thanks to “spanking machine” that he is operating with his left foot. “Bill possum” chases a “teddy bear” near Roosevelt’s feet, and there are “Ananias Club tickets,” a “message,” and “98-mile ride” boots on the ground. Roosevelt uses his right foot to send a “wire to California.” He holds a “pat. gladhander” in his left hand as he shakes hands with a “big game hunter,” an “office hunter” and a “prize fighter.” A phonograph plays “Delighted, delighted” on it. Meanwhile, a man carries out a mattress and sings, “Moving day.” Caption: With only a few weeks more in which to finish up his work.

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For two presidential terms political cartoonists of all persuasions had dutifully drawn cartoons trying to capture the omnivorous activities of the polymath in the White House; Theodore Roosevelt as cognoscente, strenuously pursuing interests and guests of all sorts. Willis H. Thorndike of the Baltimore American would have been one of the last, in the last weeks of the Roosevelt presidency, and he covered many areas of the president’s activity (or hyperactivity) — almost a compendium of minor issues and passing disputes.