United States. Congress

Uncle Sam tries to get the attention of Joseph Gurney Cannon who is talking with Sereno E. Payne in the House chamber, as a large hand labeled “The Big Interests” wearing “Stand Pat” cufflinks, appears from above with its thumb extended as though to squash Cannon. Caption: He can’t get the speaker’s eye.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Udo J. Keppler’s cartoon is a brutal indictment of Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon. The chamber is mostly empty but for a few members lounging or in lassitude; and the Speaker merely chatting at the chair, not conducting the people’s business.

Illustration shows Theodore Roosevelt delivering a jolt of electric current through wires spelling “Presidential Message” to two cats labeled “House” and “Senate” asleep on a wall. Caption: Before and after the current is turned on.

comments and context

Comments and Context

The cartoon of Frank A. Nankivell, illustrating the effect of President Roosevelt’s challenges to Congress, is a play on the popular and ghastly rodenticide of the day, “Rough on Rats.” That product was simple arsenic powder cut with coal dust to provide color, and it was likely that neither Roosevelt nor Nankivell wanted to go that far in insinuation.

President Roosevelt’s message to Congress at the beginning of the third session of the fifty-eighth Congress in 1904. In this message, Roosevelt discusses various aspects of the state of the union and introduces the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-06

Although he believes the rate bill will pass as it is, President Roosevelt believes he will be stuck in town because of an upcoming situation with the Panama Canal. He discusses the political sensitivity around hosting the Indian prince and princess, and provides an update on the outdoor activities of Archibald Roosevelt and Quentin Roosevelt.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1906-05-20

President Roosevelt is pleased that Anna Roosevelt Cowles has joined the National Grange and that she is at Farmington at this lovely time of year. He is uncertain about Representative Lilley’s trustworthiness; he is also satisfied that Congress made at least some progress this year before the recess.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1908-05-31

Theodore Roosevelt as Martin Luther drafts his “Message to Congress Series H No. 4723.” He is standing at a desk and is about to throw an ink pot at the devil who is hovering to the right, holding up a crown labeled “3rd Term” while shying away from possible injury.

comments and context

Comments and Context

“Martin Luther Roosevelt” is one of Udo J. Keppler’s most famous cartoons. Starkly simple yet powerful in presentation, it requires modern readers to know something of Theodore Roosevelt’s position on another presidential race, in 1908; and of a momentous event in the life of Protestant reformer Martin Luther.

President Taft skis down a steep slope labeled “Nomination Slide 1912.” One ski is labeled “Control of Senate” and the other, which has broken its strap and come loose, is labeled “Control of House.” Taft looks about to fall after losing one ski.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-01-18

Minutes of the April 16, 1913, meeting of the Executive Committee of the Progressive National Committee. States had pledged $51,000 for the year, and $12,000 had been collected, supplemented by about $3,000 from other sources. All but a few hundred dollars of the revenue was expended or encumbered. Committee members pledged various levels of income from their respective states for the remainder of the year. Hon. Victor Murdock, floor leader of the Progressives in the House of Representatives, reported there would be a Congressional Committee to help nominate and elect Progressive candidates in the 1914 election. Subcommittees were appointed to direct financial matters and to make decisions related to the Progressive Bulletin.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1913-04-16

Theodore Roosevelt describes a visit from Senator Lodge for his sister Anna Roosevelt Cowles. Roosevelt feels the United States should interfere in Cuba but he does not believe President Cleveland will do so. Roosevelt adds he gave a speech at Harvard and describes an encounter son Ted had with two ladies.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1896-03-30

Theodore Roosevelt writes his sister Anna Roosevelt Cowles about recent house guests and his disgust with Congress. Sister Corinne is beyond help until she begins to help herself. Uncle Jimmie Roosevelt wrote he enjoyed his visit to Anna. Roosevelt provides updates on the family and says he did inspections to see how the new liquor law is working.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1896-05-03

President Roosevelt writes his secretary George B. Cortelyou that in the future, as in the past, he will oppose any legislation in Congress against the brewers. He considers such national legislation as “utterly mischievous.”

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1904-08-18

President Roosevelt writes journalist Lincoln Steffens that the striking down of the Santo Domingo treaty by the Democratic caucus in the Senate is a betrayal to the American people and done only to serve the interests of a small faction. Roosevelt believes they are more dangerous than politicians beholden to corporations. Roosevelt responds to allegations by Steffens that he did not do enough to get results by saying he has gotten closer to what he wanted than other politicians.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1906-02-06

Lincoln Steffens promises that if he uses President Roosevelt’s card to get information from officers under Roosevelt about Senators and Congressmen, then he will report the information to Roosevelt before he publishes it. Steffens believes that the Executive Department reflects Roosevelt’s spirit, but the department is under strong pressure.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1907-03

President Roosevelt writes his daughter Alice that he was interested in her letters, especially the account of the household of the great-grandson of “old Manassa Cutler.” Roosevelt does not believe Alice’s husband Nicholas Longworth has any troubles ahead in his campaign and thinks the Republicans will carry Congress.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1906-10-26

President Roosevelt congratulates his daughter Alice on the campaign she and her husband Nicholas Longworth ran. Roosevelt is happy how well the Republicans did in the Congressional elections, riding “iron-shod over Gompers and the labor agitators” and says having Frank R. Gooding elected Governor of Idaho is a big victory over “those Western Federation of Miners scoundrels.”

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1906-11-07

Civil Service Commissioner Roosevelt informs Harvard professor Charles Eliot Norton he is unable to accept the invitation to speak, due to not being able to leave Washington. He has had to turn down other invitations until he finds out what Congress is going to do.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1894-01-28

Representative Jenkins believes that the public will not tolerate a delay by Congress in investigating the Anthracite Coal Strike.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-10-08

Representative Theodore E. Burton is to retire from Congress and Thomas H. Tongue believes this would be a loss to the Republican Party.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-06-09

Theodore Roosevelt writes to Joseph Bucklin Bishop to discuss his anger over the attitude of Congress toward Bishop, but notes that President William H. Taft and Senator Elihu Root have agreed to look out for Bishop.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1909-03-10

Assistant Secretary of State Loomis acknowledges communicating with Senator Cullom and Mr. Hitt concerning the resolution.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-02-08