Voting

Six policemen labeled “Chafin, Taft, Debs, Watson, Hisgen, [and] Bryan” gather around a young boy labeled “Reactionary Voter” standing on “Radical Ave.” The boy appears confused by all the political parties represented by the various candidates – Eugene W. Chafin of the Prohibition Party, William H. Taft of the Republican Party, Eugene V. Debs of the Socialist Party of America, Thomas E. Watson of the Populist Party, Thomas L. Hisgen of the United States Independent Party, and William Jennings Bryan of the Democratic Party. Caption: Chorus of Kindly Cops — Don’t you know where you belong, little boy? / The Waif — No-o-o! I’m a-all turned round. Boo-hoo!

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1908-09-23

A beauty contest is underway where “First Prize” is the “Presidency.” The presidential candidates, all dressed as women, are sitting on raised platforms around which men have gathered to admire their beauty. Two men in the lower left appear to be voting for number “1. The Empire State Enslaver.” Among those in the running are “2. The same Old Widow from Beanville, 3. The Mulligan Masher from Maine [holding fan labeled] J. Blaine, 4. The Delaware Darling, 5. The Indiana Dumpling [holding fan labeled] J. E. MDonald, 6. The Homespun Houri of Ohio, 7. The Illinois Pet, 10. Utica Immortelle, 11. The Buffalo Girl, 12. The Indiana ‘Sun-Flower’ [with ribbon labeled] W. S. Holman, 13. The Nation’s Ex-Favorite [holding fan labeled] U.S.G., 14. The Pension Ring Pocahontas [with fan labeled] Logan, 15. The Centennial Spinster Ex-Champion de jure, 16. The Free Trade Fairy [with fan labeled] Hewitt, 17. The Ohio Water Lily Ex-Champion de facto, 18. The Pearl of Protection [with fan labeled] Randall, The Sherman Sisters 19. The Tecumseh Twin, 20. The Treasury Twin, 21. The Virtuous Vermonter [with fan labeled] Edmund, [and] 22. The Fat Fairy.” Among those depicted are Chester A. Arthur, Benjamin F. Butler, James G. Blaine, Thomas Bayard, Joseph E. McDonald, Allen G. Thurman, Robert Todd Lincoln, Roscoe Conkling, Grover Cleveland, William Steele Holman, Ulysses S. Grant, John Logan, Samuel J. Tilden, Abram S. Hewitt, Rutherford B. Hayes, Samuel J. Randall, William T. Sherman, John Sherman, George F. Edmunds, and David Davis.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1884-01-23

Creator(s)

Keppler, Joseph Ferdinand, 1838-1894

Benjamin F. Butler is a “Recruiting-Sergeant” holding a paper that states “Join the Butler Army OH! – Victory and Spoils in 1884.” He is appealing to a man sitting on a chair, holding a “Southern Vote” in his hands. Caption: The Unrecruited South – “Stranger, I guess you’ll have to count me out of this.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1883-07-18

Creator(s)

Gillam, Bernhard, 1856-1896

A large hand labeled “The Public” depresses a lever on a large bottle labeled “Sulzer” in which the face of William Sulzer appears. A stream of seltzer water labeled “Direct Primaries” splashes two diminutive figures labeled “Barnes” and “Murphy.” Caption: It requires only a little pressure to start something.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1913-06-11

Creator(s)

Unknown

Theodore Roosevelt appreciates David Carver’s letter. Roosevelt has forwarded the funds sent by Carver to Elon Huntington Hooker.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-08-28

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

A hand labeled “Protective Tariff League” sprinkles salt from a bag labeled “Sophistry Salt” onto the tail feathers of a red, white, and blue bird labeled “First Voter” in an effort to capture the bird. Reproduced in the upper left corner is a card, “Circular no. 216,” addressed to “Dear Sir” and instructing him to provide the name and home address of a “person who will cast his first vote” in the 1908 election. The Protective Tariff League, the issuer of the cards, would like to be able to forward information “on the Subject of Protection.” It is signed “Yours truly, American Protective Tariff League, 339 Broadway, New York.”

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1908-03-18

A “Party Boss” is fashioning a president from “Presidential Timber,” using parts labeled “Subserviency, Respectability, Party Regularity, Clean Record, [and] Urbanity” which he plans to dress in “Some Body’s Shoes” and a “Presidential Frock Coat.” The surrounding vignettes show that a president must be good at “Reviewing a Parade, Getting His Picture Taken, Receiving Ambassadors, Laying a Cornerstone, Going Home to Vote, [and] Shaking Hands.” Caption: So, as usual, when we get a live one, we don’t know what to make of him.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1907-12-18

Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary asks Mrs. A. W. Nicholson to write a letter to Roosevelt expressing her views on women’s suffrage. She is to write in a tone that reflects that Roosevelt is for suffrage, and he may send the letter to The Outlook to publish. Roosevelt showed Nicholson’s letter to Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt, who has been “extremely lukewarm” on the subject of women’s suffrage, and Mrs. Roosevelt approved of Nicholson’s approach. Roosevelt increasingly favors women’s suffrage, but does not want to force it on states that do not want it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-05-08

Creator(s)

Secretary of Theodore Roosevelt

Illustration shows the drafting of Article I, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution. Two men labeled “The Big Interests” and “Political Boss,” who has a “Legislator” in his back pocket, are peeking from behind a curtain labeled “The Intervening Years.” Caption: Present-Day Boss — They couldn’t have hit on a better way of electing senators if we’d been there to fix them.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-07-12

Creator(s)

Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956

Theodore Roosevelt thanks Bill Purchase for his letter and the “result” at the Pend Oreille County Convention. He comments on the “fourteen Purchases” and asks that Purchase give Roosevelt’s regards to Purchase’s father, mother, seven brothers, and seven sister-in-laws, stating that whenever women have had votes in elections, those votes have gone to Roosevelt. He ends by reminiscing about his days spent with cow-punchers in Medora, North Dakota.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-06-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Fairfax Henry Wheelan urges the businessmen of San Francisco, California, to vote in the primary elections.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09

Creator(s)

Wheelan, Fairfax Henry, 1856-1915

Letter to the editor from “Spartacus” encouraging Americans to follow the example set by President Roosevelt and perform their civic duty by voting.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-02-07

Creator(s)

Unknown

Assistant Postmaster General Bristow reviews the employment and voting history of Charles A. Conrad, chief clerk of the bureau.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-03-19

Creator(s)

Bristow, Joseph L. (Joseph Little), 1861-1944

William Emlen Roosevelt writes to President Roosevelt in anticipation of his visit to Oyster Bay, New York to vote. He informs President Roosevelt that he and his mother moved into town and will provide food and lodging.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-10-27

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, William Emlen, 1857-1930

Report on the Republican vote in 1900 for several states.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-30

Creator(s)

Unknown

D. B. Fairley asks President Roosevelt to delay the charges against Agent Smith of the Ignacio Agency until early November. He believes the charges could put 300 votes at risk.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-10-13

Creator(s)

Fairley, D. B. (David Bell), 1851-1938

Robert Barnwell Roosevelt relays Robert Croker’s opinion of President Roosevelt’s dinner with Booker T. Washington. Croker believes the dinner was an excellent political move and will secure one hundred votes for every vote it lost.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-10-25

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Robert Barnwell, 1829-1906

F. Norton Goddard forwards the letter from Mr. Nichols regarding Hawaii. He was pleased to hear from the man recommended by President Roosevelt. In a postscript, Goddard analyzes the vote in the recent elections in the 18th Assembly district, where Democrats have gained sizable majorities. He also comments on the possible re-appointment of U.S. Marshal William Henkel.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-10-10

Creator(s)

Goddard, F. Norton (Frederick Norton), 1861-1905

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt writes a statement indicating that he is no longer a resident of New York and has not been a resident since he was appointed Assistant Secretary.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1898-03-21

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

John Ellis Roosevelt outlines the residency requirements for voting in a state election and explains to Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt that because Roosevelt claimed not to have resided in Oyster Bay, New York, for tax purposes, it would be best to forego voting in the fall. Arrangements can be made, however, to establish residence in Oyster Bay this summer if Roosevelt desires it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1898-03-24

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, John Ellis, 1853-1939