White House (Washington, D.C.)

Joel Chandler Harris tells President Roosevelt, “You see–It’s this way about a rabbit–” In Harris’s pocket is the “Story of the Dog Flash.” By Roosevelt’s chair is the book, “Nature Faking by T. Roosevelt,” and behind his chair are two men: “fakir” and “nature fakir.” There are mounted animals: a bear, a moose, a raccoon, a deer, and a mouse. They say, “What’s that?” “Gee whiz!” “Did you hear what that man said?” “The biggest one I ever heard” and “You don’t say so!” respectively. In the foreground is a turtle that says, “I’m a nature fakir myself!”

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Theodore Roosevelt was exceedingly taken with the writings of Joel Chandler Harris, an editor of the Atlanta Constitution who was active in Southern journalism and literature from the Civil War days until just after the turn of the century. Roosevelt’s mother was from Roswell, Georgia (her childhood plantation was believed to be the model for Tara in Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind) and he often referred to himself as a Southerner (and as a New Yorker, which he was; and also a man of the West, which he was). The president also at times was especially solicitous of writers and editors whose opinions held sway. Harris’s editorials were distributed throughout the South; political satirist Finley Peter Dunne (“Mr. Dooley”) was another writer to whom Roosevelt displayed deference.

President Roosevelt returns to the White House with a pitchfork over his right shoulder and a tennis racket in his left hand. There are suitcases labeled “T.R.” behind him. William Loeb follows with a locked bag of “speeches,” an “elephant’s tail,” and Roosevelt’s bulldog, Pete. The pillars of the White House are “fresh painted — Uncle Sam Co.”

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Joseph Harry Cunningham’s drawing is more of an editorial cartoon than a political cartoon, as it portrays an event — President Roosevelt’s return to Washington after a long vacation and string of appearances — and does not attack, support, nor attempt to persuade readers.

President Roosevelt’s dog Pete is chained up outside the White House, “Ah woe is me!!!” as two dogs run past saying, “I too desire to be elsewhere, Herbert,” and “Come, Chester, I don’t wish to be seen around that vicious animal!” Meanwhile, a lot of activity occurs in the White House: “Where’s Loeb? Ask him!!!” “Kill ’em,” “Choke ’em,” “That dog must go,” “Well, what shall we do?” “Got to be done!!!”

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Few presidents were associated with pets and animals at the White House as was Theodore Roosevelt. He loved his pet dogs through the years, and he rode almost daily, but a lively brood of six children accounted for pet snakes, bears, lizards, guinea pigs, a one-legged rooster, a barn owl, and the pony Algonquin who was smuggled up the White House elevator to cheer up a sick Archie.

In the first vignette, a Japanese man holding a camera sees the Washington Monument and says, “I’ll snap this shot tower” while another Japanese man takes a picture of German Emperor William II saying, “Ah, a snap!” In the second vignette, a Japanese man takes a picture of the White House, “This may come in handy.” In the third vignette, a Japanese man draws a picture of a trolley car and says, “Hist!” In the fourth vignette, a Japanese man takes a picture of President Roosevelt as he pushes a plow, “Ha! A new engine of war!” In the fifth vignette, a Japanese man draws a picture of a trolley and a car on a torn up road, “I never saw such a sight before! Some new method of blocking a forward movement I suppose.” In the middle of the cartoon, a man labeled “American jingo” reads the “yellow journal” with the headline, “Japs posed for war! Spies everywhere!”

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In this commentary-cartoon by Clifford Kennedy Berryman, the focus is not on suspicious activities by Japanese immigrants and visitors, but mocking the paranoia of nativists at the time and, specifically, the frenzy whipped up by the “Yellow Press” (a name applied to sensationalist newspapers, nothing related to racial stereotypes).

Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks, Secretary of State Elihu Root, Secretary of War William H. Taft, and Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon — all depicted like chickens — and a large mother hen labeled “Roosevelt’s policies” squawk at a duck depicting Philander C. Knox in the pool of “states’ rights.”

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If Philander C. Knox was not an ugly duckling in the Republican Party of his day, his close relationship with Theodore Roosevelt made him an odd duck in Roosevelt’s circle.

President Roosevelt flies down the road driving an automobile with William H. Taft in the backseat. To the left side of the car the Republican elephant tries to keep up. There is a sign, “the presidential Glen Echo,” in the foreground and the White House and the Washington Monument in the background. Senator Joseph Benson Foraker holds up a watch and cries, “In the name of the speed limit, slack up.” Caption: Town Marshal Foraker: “Stop! in the name of the law.”

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Contemporary news stories, and even local geography, inform this cartoon by Jack Smith of the staunchly Republican journal, the Washington Herald.

William H. Taft attempts to push a rock labeled “Ohio” with Senators Charles Dick and Joseph Benson Foraker sitting on top of it through the White House gates as he sweats profusely. President Roosevelt looks on with a bomb labeled “popular policies” in his right hand. Caption: The president– “Don’t work so hard, Bill! We can blow it up with this stuff in my hand.”

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Republicans dominated Ohio politics for decades after the Civil War. In fact, the state, like Virginia, traditionally supplied many presidents and prominent, powerful politicians; in 1920 the two major party presidential candidates were Ohio newspaper editors, Harding and Cox. The Republican Party at one point was so powerful, with numerous talented leaders, that its factions were as persuasive and contentious as were Democrats and Republicans in other states.

There are two scenes in this cartoon. In one, President Roosevelt with “the stick” is attacked by a buzzing “3rd term bee” as he heads toward the “to retirement 1909” sign. In the second, President Roosevelt attempts to catch the “3rd term bee” with a net as he heads toward the “to the White House 1909” sign.

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The forgotten cartoonist N. Eingen, in The Woman’s National Daily, contributed to the public’s interest, and the insatiable curiosity and skepticism of cartoonists, regarding President Roosevelt’s intentions for 1908 — adhering to his pledge to declaim a third term, or run to succeed himself. Eingen seemed to suggest more hypocrisy than indecision.

William H. Taft sits on a raft by the presumably safe “White House Landing” on a waterway where “Fort Dick” and “Fort Foraker” fire cannon balls on him from the shores.

Comments and Context

There were few inter-party conflicts on the 1907 political landscape more contentious than the intra-party tensions within Ohio’s Republican Party. Many squabbles were fomented and advanced by the personality and ambitions of Senator Joseph Benson Foraker. A longtime fixture in state and national politics, his disagreements with Theodore Roosevelt commenced when the latter was the corruption-fighting Commissioner of Civil Service in the 1880s; and were rife as ever in 1907, most recently over the Senator’s condemnation of the President’s actions in the Brownsville Affair, the dismissal of black troops after a melee outside a saloon that resulted in a murder and a shooting injury.

Foraker had traditional adherents — and those of recent vintage, like the newly appointed Ohio senator Charles Dick — generally from northern Ohio. In 1907 his party rivals included those centered around Cincinnati, including Secretary of War William H. Taft and Representative Nicholas Longworth (Roosevelt’s son-in-law).

President Roosevelt, dressed as Diogenes, shines a lantern toward New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes passing by him on the road. In the background is a barrel labeled “The White House.”

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In this cartoon, which was originally printed in color, cartoonist W. A. Carson comments on the possible presidential candidacy of the recently-elected New York Governor, Charles Evans Hughes. The cartoon of course depicts Hughes in a complimentary fashion (Carson’s paper was located in Utica, New York) and aims to say more about Hughes than President Roosevelt.

William H. Taft follows the many footsteps leading toward the White House, made by President Roosevelt who carries “the big stick.”

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Cartoonist Frederick C. Nash in the Detroit Free Press put a clever spin on the cliche — and a necessity when presidential largesse is bestowed on a potential candidate — of “following in a man’s footsteps,” shown in the drawing and described in the poetic caption.

Edward Henry Harriman and Henry Hustleton Rogers fire Senator Boies Penrose from a cannon labeled “extra dry” at the White House.

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In the lead-up to the Republican presidential nomination in 1908 there were machinations aplenty in the Republican Party, both in spite of President Roosevelt’s stated preference for William H. Taft and because of it. In Ohio, for instance, Senator Joseph Benson Foraker, a bitter critic of the President, harbored presidential ambitions, and had therefore to undermine fellow Ohioan Taft, while attacking Roosevelt.

William Jennings Bryan dressed as a farmer holds a “list of missing issues”: “Grindstone (Swollen Fortunes), Cider Press (Railroads), Yoke (Trust Regulation), Dinner Bell (Plutocratic Domination).” As he hears a dinner bell with a tag that reads, “I’m a victim of a plutocratic conspiracy,” Bryan says, “That sounds like my old bell.” In the background is the White House.

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Cartoonist Kirk L. Russell, endeavoring to have his work look like that of Clifford Kennedy Berryman, whose role he assumed on the Washington Post, was perceptive in this cartoon. The theme it depicted was one of gradual development, not an overnight event, and had two aspects, captured by Russell.

An ostrich labeled “T.R. 1908” with tail feathers, “my policy,” sticks its head in the “denial sand.” A rooster labeled “Harriman” scratches “pay dirt,” saying, “I’ll keep right on scratching.” In the background are Uncle Sam with a rifle saying, “Oh! What a fine target” and “the cabinet” birds sitting in a nest atop the White House saying, “Look out! He’s onto you.”

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Cartoonist Porter, who is yet to be identified, depicts President Roosevelt’s feud with Edward Henry Harriman, but it was a minority view in the country, even among strongly partisan newspapers. The public disagreement was multi-sourced and multi-layered between the men who were once cordial but were victims of growing hostility and recriminations.

President Roosevelt watches from the White House as New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes, Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks, Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon, Leslie M. Shaw, Secretary of State Elihu Root, former Secretary of the Treasury Philander C. Knox, watch Secretary of State William H. Taft and Senator Joseph Benson Foraker roll two eggs — “Taft boom” and “Foraker boom”on the White House lawn.

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As Easter approached in 1907, cartoonists like Clifford Kennedy Berryman of the Washington Evening Star found another opportunity to sail to deadline with a ready-made premise for the topic of the day — who would succeed President Roosevelt? Boys + White House + rivalry = easy variation-on-theme.

As they walk toward the White House, all the hats fly off the heads of the railroad magnates as they see a large shoe kicking pieces of railroad tracks and trains up in the air from inside the White House. Caption: The railway representatives who proposed calling at the White House seem undetermined whether to do so or not.

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The one-day meeting at the White House, earlier in March 1907, between President Theodore Roosevelt and J. P. Morgan, who was representing major railroad interests, including Edward Henry Harriman, resulted in few decisions or course-corrections — the magnates wanted an easing of governmental rules and regulations — but allowed the businessmen to be public about their points of view.

Edward Henry Harriman visits President Roosevelt in the White House as depicted in nine scenes. In the first scene, Harriman is dressed in a top hat and marches toward the White House saying, “I’ll show this Roosevelt that there are no flies on yours truly.” In the second, President Roosevelt grabs Harriman by the collar, “Welcome!” In the third scene, Roosevelt throws him on the ground saying, “This is the anti-mollycoddle tackle!” In the fourth scene, Roosevelt jumps on him and says, “A little roughness is a good thing.” In the fifth scene, Roosevelt grabs Harriman by his legs and says, “This is Jui Jitsu.” In the sixth scene, Roosevelt wears boxing gloves and states, “Take your corner. This is to a finish.” In the seventh scene, Roosevelt punches Harriman in the face: “That is the interstate wallop.” In the eighth scene, Roosevelt picks Harriman up, “Dee-lighted to have met you, Harriman.” In the ninth scene, Harriman has been thrown out, and Roosevelt stands watching, “Call again!”

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Cartoonists never tired of depicting Theodore Roosevelt in various aspects of physicality and athletic activity; largely because neither did the peripatetic president himself. When a personal or political conflict provided a context, readers were treated to visual fun. Cartoonist William Norman Ritchie of the Boston Post took advantage of these ingredients when he prepared a feast of speculation about a meeting, just announced, between the Roosevelt and J. Pierpont Morgan, who was representing railroad trust magnates.

President Roosevelt tags an enormous William H. Taft saying, “You’re it!” Taft replies, “Oh fudge.” In the background are Secretary of State Elihu Root, Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks, and Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-19

Edward Henry Harriman shakes hands with Uncle Sam saying, “My long-lost uncle!” as Harriman holds a brick labeled, “24 Carats (NIT).” President Roosevelt rushes toward them with his “big stick” saying, “No gold-bricking while I’m on this beat.” The White House is in the background.

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The somewhat mysterious (that is, unknown to researchers) cartoonist “June” uses a cliched situation of the day, popularly a theme of cartoonists, political and humor artists alike, of a country bumpkin visiting the big city, being braced by a “bunko man” who gains his trust, and buys the shyster’s “gold brick” (at a supposed sacrifice), invariably a real brick painted gold.

Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon says, “Tariff revision or an extra session!” in one cartoon. The next includes a teddy bear and President Roosevelt reading a paper that says, “Mr. President: Anything you say goes! California.” Another cartoon depicts a government clerk holding a bag that says, “50% salary increase” while Uncle Sam says, “And more if necessary.” The next cartoon depicts William Jennings Bryan saying to William Randolph Hearst, “After you, my dear Willie!” with a sign that reads, “To presidency.” Another one shows South Carolina senator Benjamin R. Tillman depicted with a pitchfork walking toward the White House with a dove of peace. Finally, the last cartoon depicts Senator Joseph Benson Foraker with a sign that says, “Reenlistment” in front of a group of soldiers labeled, “25th Infantry” — the black regiment at the center of the Brownsville Incident.

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When cartoonist Clifford Kennedy Berryman switched, shortly prior to this drawing’s publication, from the Evening Star from the Washington Post, his drawing style improved: a better ability to capture celebrities’ likenesses to place atop little bodies. This cartoon fell back on the erstwhile cartoonists’ annual chestnut — a reliable theme to use once a year, the Valentine cards for politicians — either dream-fantasies or the unlikeliest of scenarios.