The use of this text or audio material is subject to the TR American Patriot user agreement located at: TR American Patriot.com
CHAPTER XX
The "Big Stick" at Home and Abroad

S
OME casual remark of Mr. Roosevelt's, quoting the old proverb that it is well to speak softly but carry a big stick, had caught the visualizing imagination of the cartoonists; and on many occasions they have found it convenient to depict him as armed with a heavy club. He was not, however, making belligerent use of that or of other offensive implements in the year that followed his inauguration. There were many other matters of international concern in the spring and summer of 1905 besides the Russo-Japanese war and its termination. There was a Pan-American Con-

the senate to the president : " Say! What's It about?"—From the Herald (Boston)
(Referring  to Mr.   Eoosevelt's  efforts  to straighten out  the finances  of  San  Domingo.)

THE  BIG   STICK  IN  THE  CARIBBEAN   SEA From the Herald (New York)

132

A Cartoon History of Roosevelt's Career

president roosevelt  (on his way to Texas) : " Oh, things will be all right in Washington.    I have left Taft sitting on the lid keeping down  the  Santo  Domingo matter."—From  the  Plain Dealer   (Cleveland)

THE CALL OF THE WILD '

 

THE ARRIVAL OF ROOSEVELT
(How the Texas bears had warning that somebody was
coming.) From the Herald (Rochester)

(The wild animals which Mr. Roosevelt encounters on his hunting trip also prefer arbitration to war.)
From the Eagle (Brooklyn, New York)

The "Big Stick" at Home and Abroad

133

THE   PRESIDENT   GOES   A-HUNTING—LEADING   THE  SIMPLE   LIFE   IN   COLORADO
From the North American (Philadelphia)

" THE    WINNING   OF   THE    WEST " (Apropos  of the  reception  tendered  to  President Roosevelt  by   the  leading  Democratic   club   of   Chicago. )
From the World (New York)

gress at Rio de Janeiro, and we were bent upon using that occasion as a means of increasing our friendly relations with South America. Secretary Hay had passed away, and his place at the head of the Department of State had been filled by the Hon. Elihu Root.
Mr. Root, after five years of eminent service under McKinley and Roosevelt as Secretary of War, had returned to the practice of law in New York, refusing to be a candidate for governor and a prospective candidate for the Presidency in 1908, and having no ambitions for further public office. But the call to be Secretary of State is one that it has been the tradition of eminent New York lawyers to accept. Even while Secretary of War, Mr. Root had been the leading member of the cabinet, and the President's chief adviser in foreign matters involving legal knowledge. He brought to the post of

134
A Cartoon History of Roosevelt's Career

Secretary of State a peculiar personal fitness for its duties, and a comprehensive knowledge of its problems.
Mr.   Root,   more   than any one else, had devised the   arrangement   which brings   Cuba   under   our protection and control in certain   emergencies.      It now   devolved   upon  him to find a way for the regulation of the broken-down finances  of  the  little  re-• public   of   San   Domingo. The  European powers were bent upon a forcible collection of their debts, San Domingo having defaulted   upon   its   foreign bonds.    Our   government virtually    guaranteed     a new   issue   of   San   Domingo securities, and was permitted to take charge
..—..-«•.      j\inrn a	jjj      q£   tjie   custom.jlouses   in
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S FORTHCOMING FEAST,—A SOUTH order to satisfy foreign
AMERICAN VIEW OF THE LATEST APPLICATIONS OF THE creditors and promote the
MONROE DOCTRINE—From Succcsos (Valparaiso, Chile)	peace of the distracted
peacemaker roosevelt : " I've mended worse rips.' From the Star-Journal  (Pueblo)
MOKE TROUBLE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL
POLICEMAN From  clie Record (Philadelphia) '

island.    Mr. Root, mean-

The "Big Stick" at Home and Abroad

135

THE   YANKEE   PERIL,   AS   PICTURED   BY   ONE ARGENTINE  JOURNAL
Prom C(ira$ y Caretas  (Buenos Aires)

ROOSEVELT AND ROOT IN BRAZILIAN EYES (The Malhn, of Rio Janeiro, commenting on a minor incident growing out of local political animosities in Argentine, reports the following alleged conversation between President. Roosevelt and the Secretary of State : Roosevelt: " How is it, Brazil gave you flowers and her neighbor nation stones?" Root (calmly) : " Each one gives what he has, Mr. President.")
Mr. Root's visit to South America was the chief topic of the cartoonists among our Latin neighbors to the south at the time.

P Bi

From ^uck.    Copyright 1004.    By permission.
WHAT   WOULD   LINCOLN   DO?
(President   Roosevelt,   in   dealing   with   matters  of  grave  importance,  was often guided by  the thought of
what Lincoln would do under the circumstances.)

136

A Cartoon History of Roosevelt's Career

THE STORY OF KETTLE HIM.
(President   Roosevelt   entertaining   the   Japanese   Peace Commissioners at Oyster Bay.) From the Herald (New York)

WHAT IT MAY COME TO
(Peace Missionary Roosevelt in a new role.) From the Journal (Minneapolis)

while, proceeded upon a South American tour, visiting the Pan-American conference at Rio and receiving tributes at the leading capitals of other South American republics.
He had visited Canada with fruitful results for the settlement of all outstanding questions between the United States and the Dominion. His visit to South America was of so tactful and sympathetic a character, and so appreciative of everything creditable in South American statesmanship and progress, that it removed not a little of the prejudice that had existed among the polite peoples of Latinic origin in the Southern republics

MARCHING  THROUGH   GEORGIA (Referring  to   President  Roosevelt's  trip   through   some
Southern States in 1905.) From the Tribune   (Chicago)

REJOICING OVER THE END OF THE HUNT
the bears : " We're glad he's gone." From the Tribune  (Minneapolis)

The "Big Stick" at Home and Abroad

137

THE FIGHT OF HIS LIFE (Roosevelt   beginning   his   great   fight   for   railroad
regulation.) From the Eagle (Brooklyn, New York)

against what they regarded as the brusque,	the    president's    determination    to
commercial Yankee nation.	^ES£FSS£S££Uam ™°a ™
Mr.  Taft,  furthermore, had  come home	From the Leader (Cleveland)

CHRISTMAS AT THE WHITE HOUSE—From Judge (New York) (On his hobby, anti-railroad rebate laws.)

138

A Cartoon History of Roosevelt's Career

THE PRESIDENT AND THE HOSPITABLE SOUTH
(Some   cartoons  on   this  and  the   following  page  refer  to   one of Mr.  Roosevelt's  Southern trips.)
From the Post (Washington)

PRESIDENT   ROOSEVELT   BEING    WELCOMED
TO DIXIE LAND From the Post  (Washington)

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT HOUSECLEANING AGAIN

(Apropos of a scandal in connection with the leak of  a  government  cotton report.) From the Constitution   (Atlanta)

The "Big Stick" at Home and Abroad

139

UNDER   THE   PALMETTO   TREE
the  solid  south :  " Well,  sah, Gunnel Roosevelt,  you  all suttinly  has  powahful  persuadin'  ways.     I keeps fohgettin' you ah a Republican, but I reckon you ah a Democrat on your mother's side."
From the Tribune   (Chicago)
from the Philippines to take Mr. Root's former place as Secretary of War,and he had at once assumed a very influential place in the cabinet. With Mr. Root on his travels, and President Roosevelt in the West on a brief hunting trip, Mr. Taft was in special charge of the unfinished business relating to San Domingo, Cuba, and our outlying responsibilities in general. It was a little later on that a situation of chaotic turmoil somehow arose among the little republics of Central America. Again the man with the " Big Stick " spoke softly, and peace was restored. It was largely by Mr. Root's efforts that a plan was devised for settling Central American difficulties through a representative tribunal that was expected to prevent future hostilities among half a dozen small sovereignties. The plan was good, even if it has not as yet produced the expected results.
As the autumn advanced, the attention of the man who carried the big stick was centered upon the approaching session of Congress. It was his determination to secure the passage of a law that would put an end to the almost universal practice among the

140

A Cartoon History of Roosevelt's Career

f\Y    MESSflSe.   TO   COMCRES&.
territories to be grrwtep statehood.
help   OUR    ORIE.NTRU    TRHDE.
exclvoe;  K«»E$iRflBi.E.   iiimigrhticiih.
SUPERVISION  Of IN50RHMC& COMPflW QuflSHfNCr  Qf   REBflTE   EVf(_,
uniform rights to lrbor c^fl rhh-roro   ftflre.   Rec-guBTio
EiCOhOMY IN GOVERNMEflT  EXPENOIT
pLonnnc and coHSOi-ftR service:
^LflRGlNG   THC NflVY.
otTiOiS v better thrifp r£i.*itioms
•filSURTfOM   TO EXPEDITE  p
ES &Y F£PERflL
railroads of granting rebates to the large corporations, and other favored shippers. The principle of national regulation of railroads had become firmly established, and it was considered that the one point above all others most necessary to be secured was the equal and impartial treatment of all whose business required them to use the means of interstate transportation. It was a hard fight, but the legislation was secured, its results were accepted by the railroads, and a great reform was put into effect that the railroads have since regarded as even more val-
THE   SQUARE  DEAL From  the  Spokesman-Review   (Spokane)

THEY HAVE TURNED THEIR MUD BATTERIES
AGAINST HIM
(President    Roosevelt's    vigorous    fight    against wrongdoing of various kinds brought upon him all sorts of abuse and calumny from  these sources.) From  the  Spokesman-Review   (Spokane)

 

A NEW TASK FOR THE ROUGH RIDER (In the spring of 1906 a threatened coal strike engaged the attention of the President.) From the Leader (Cleveland)

" CAUGHT IN THE ACT "
(President  Roosevelt turning the  flashlight of  the
Garfleld report on the Standard Oil monopoly.)
From the Frees (Philadelphia)

The "Big Stick" at Home and Abroad

141

THE   PARTIES   AND   THE   PRESIDENT'S   BAIL-ROAD POLICY From the Post   (Washington, D. C.)

TRYING  TO  BLOCK   HIS   WAY
Prom the  Tribune   (Minneapolis)
uable to them  than  to those  who  had  so strenuouslyfought against the rebate system.
Along with  the granting of freight rebates, there disappeared the  granting of free passes to politicians and their henchmen, which   had  been   an   abuse   of  almost   incred-

uncle  sam   (to  the railroad  trusts  and  obstructionists) : " Give the President a chance."
From the Evening Mail  (New York)

____J= \ UNCLE SAM IS ON

senate : " Hey, Uncle, come quick. Look, see what the terrible Teddy has done now—Panama— silver coinage—Santo Domingan treaty—awful— wow ! ! I "
uxcle sam : " Say, I'm not half so much interested in what Teddy has done as in what you are not doing."
From the Journal (Minneapolis)

142

A Cartoon History of Roosevelt's Career

the rough eidek : " San Juan Hill is not in it with this brute."
From Collier's  Weekly

THE THREE R'S
(President Roosevelt  will   impress   them   upon pupils of the Congress School.)
From the Journal  (Minneapolis)

the

ible dimensions, and which had played no small part in the corruption of legislatures and the obstruction of honest government.
Mn Roosevelt's messages to Congress for that period are elaborate discussions of the economic and social conditions of the country. Their value as presentments of fact, and as contemporary discussion of evils and remedies, will have great appreciation at the hands of the future historian. Thus in the message of December, 1906, statements

are made regarding the working of the recent Railway Rate bill; and it is shown that this and other recent legislative steps toward the better regulation of interstate commerce had already been justified in experience. In view of conditions that led, in 1910, to the enactment of the new Railroad Rate bill, with its enlargement of the powers of the Interstate Commerce Commission, it is worth while to quote a little from Mr. Roosevelt's message of 1906. Let us take, for example, the following paragraphs:
ushnett.
It must not be supposed, however, that with the passage of these laws it will be possible to stop progress along the line of increasing the power of the national government over the use of capital m interstate commerce. For example, there will ultimately be need of enlarging the powers of the Interstate Commerce Commission along several different lines, so as to give it a
" JIU-JITSUED "	larger and more efficient control over the rail-
From the Post (Cincinnati)	roads.

The "Big Stick" at Home and Abroad

143

HIS   FAVORITE   AUTHOR.—Prom   the   Chronicle   (Chicago)

 

THE   LEGISLATIVE    SIDEWALK    SNOWBOUND
the  president's   message:   "Get  busy!"—From   the  Journal   (Minneapolis)

144

A Cartoon History of Roosevelt's Career

It cannot too often be repeated that experience has conclusively shown the impossibility of securing by the actions of nearly half a hundred different State legislatures anything but ineffective chaos in the way of dealing with the great corporations which do not operate exclusively within the limits of any one State. In some method, whether by a national license law or in other fashion, we must exercise, and that at an early date, a far more complete control than at present over these great corporations,— a control that will, among other things, prevent the evils of excessive overcapitalization,—and that will compel the disclosure by each big corporation of its stockholders and of its properties and business, whether owned directly or through subsidiary or affiliated corporations.
These paragraphs set forth a program that Mr. Roosevelt well understood could not be carried out at once. It is precisely the program that President Taft took up in 1909, and that was included in (i) the Railroad Rate bill, which became a law in June, 1910; (2) the work outlined by President Taft for a commission to report upon the best way to regulate the issue of railroad stocks and bonds, and (3) the bill of Attorney-General Wickersham, providing for the federal incorporation of railroads and large industrial companies.

THE LATEST RECRUIT From the Press (Philadelphia)
Many of the progressive ideas advocated by Mr. Roosevelt in 1905, and the two fol-

THE SPIRIT OF 1906
(With President Roosevelt, Speaker Cannon, and Senator Tillman marching in harmony, the national spirit of 1776 is recalled.)
From the Herald  (New York)
" YOU'RE ANOTHER ! " From the Journal  (Minneapolis)

The "Big Stick" at Home and Abroad

145

"NEXT!" From the Plain Dec.ler (Cleveland)
lowing years, which brought upon him the enmity and violent criticism of the exponents of great corporate wealth, had already, by the time Congress adjourned in the summer of 1910, found acceptance as self-evident and commonplace doctrine in the platforms of both wings of both great parties.

A NAUSEATING JOB, BUT IT MUST BE DONE
(President Roosevelt 'takes  hold  of  the  investigating muck-rake himself in the packing-house scandal.)
From the Saturday Globe   (Utica)