The use of this text or audio material is subject to the TR American Patriot user agreement located at: TR American Patriot.com
CHAPTER XXI
Some Activities of a Versatile President

POI^OW  YOUR  LEADER,  THE  NEW  REPUBLICAN   GAME From the Herald   (Salt Lake)

 

THE CANDIDATE
From the Leader   (Cleveland)

" DEE-LIGHTED " From the Inquirer  (Philadelphia)

Some Activities of a Versatile President

147

Stereograph, Copyrighted, 1906, by Underwood & Underwood N. Y.
PRESIDENT   ROOSEVELT   AT   PANAMA   RESPONDING  TO THE  WELCOME   OF   PRESIDENT
AMADOR
P
RESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S hold upon the confidence of the country was again put to the test in the Congressional elections of 1906. It was recognized that the President and his policies formed the issue, and a clever cartoonist at the time depicted Mr. Roosevelt as the candidate in front of the polling booths of every State. The campaign was also notable as one in which the Republican party tried to obtain its funds by small popular subscriptions rather than in large sums from business interests.
Ever since the Civil War, the Republican party had made the protective tariff its shibboleth, and had relied upon the manufacturing interests to provide its election funds. This practise of collecting from wealthy business interests had been continued; but it became embarrassing when the government was attempting to enforce the Sherman antitrust law to break up illegal railroad practices and dissolve industrial combinations*
The election having resulted in an emphatic endorsement of the administration, Mr. Roosevelt broke the traditions which had held our President strictly upon American soi.l by making a trip to Panama to inspect personally the sanitary and engineering work of our new Canal Zone, and to pay his respects to the young Republic of Panama, which he had been accused of creating. He came back prepared to refute the attacks that had been made upon our beginnings with the canal, and besides his regular message to Congress, at its assembling in December, he prepared a special message on conditions at Panama,

148

A Cartoon History of Roosevelt's Career

 

 

INSPECTING   THE  DITCH Peace hath her trenches no less than-From  the  Inquirer  (Philadelphia)

NOW  WATCH  THE  DIRT FLY!
From the flio&e (New York)

" DEE-LIGHTED "
(President Roosevelt has illustrated his message to Congress. The American cartoonist welcomes him to the craft. No trouble finding something " to do with ex-president Roosevelt.")
From the Journal (Minneapolis)

Some Activities of a Versatile President

149

TWISTING   THE   LION'S   TONGUE father time (closely examining small incision in tree-trunk) : " Who's been trying to cut this tree down? "
" teddy " roosevelt (in manner of young George Washington) : " Father! I kannot tel a li. I did it with my litl ax."
faihek time : " Ah, well!   Boys will be boys ! " From Punch (London)

providing each Congressman with a copy elaborately supplied with photographic illustrations.
A FEW SHOTS AT THE KING'S ENGLISH
" What Mr. Roosevelt means is to scrap the English language.   He is a patriot, not a pottering Philologist," according to the London Saturday  Review. From Collier's Weekly (New York)
but

KIKT OUT! From the Spokesman-Review (Spokane)
Incidentally it may be said that these messages to Congress were much commented upon by reason of their use of the simplified spelling that 'had been recommended by a group of learned gentlemen who had banded themselves together to reform the spelling of the English language. They had appealed to Mr. Roosevelt during his summer vacation at Oyster Bay by telling him they had hit upon a method of arousing an apathetic nation to the adoption of phonetic spelling not by gradual process by a sudden stroke. If Mr. Roosevelt would but use the simplified form himself, and instruct the Government Printing Office at Washington to put all public documents in this new phonetic dress, the reformed system would be virtually established, and the newspapers and public schools would have to follow.

150

A Cartoon History of Roosevelt's Career

THE   NEW   SCHOOL
From the Plain Dealer (Cleveland)
The outcome proved, however, that there were some things that even the dauntless President could not accomplish. The English language resisted the attack. Mr. Roosevelt accepted his defeat with entire cheerfulness. There was little if any reformed spelling in his Romanes lecture at Oxford three or four years later. About spelling reform.

TEACHING THE YOUNG IDEA HOW TO  SPELL From the World  (New York)

THIS DOES SETTLE IT
(President Roosevelt positively cannot accept tlie nomination for a third term ; he has undertaken the introduction of spelling reform, and that is trouble enough for one man.)
Prom  the  Tribune   (Minneapolis)

Some Activities of a Versatile President

151

THE PRESIDENT CROWNED AGAIN From the World  (New York)

as about the revision of the tariff, Mr. Roosevelt was, in fact, at heart an opportunist. At one time or another he urged both reforms at the request of his earnest

THE ANGEL OF PEACE
(The Germans think he looks uncommonly like the American President. But they don't quite like his looks (or all that.)
Prom Kladderadatioh (Berlin)

Mr.. roosevelt to norway : " Delighted !! "   (The award of the Nobel peace prize.)
From the Press  (Philadelphia)

" WAIT JUST A MOMENT, MR. PRESIDENT " From the Leader  (Cleveland)

152

A Cartoon History of Roosevelt's Career

and convinced friends; but he himself could afford to abide the general verdict and await the slower processes of time.
" TEDDY THE GOOD " IN A NEW ROLE
" It is a very laudable purpose, but would anybody but Theodore Roosevelt   ever think   of   dedicating  a   Christmas windfall   of $40,000 for such a purpose?" From the Times   (Brooklyn)
Through all this period there was constant and relentless ef-;fort in the Department of Com-;merce and Labor, the Department of the Interior, and the Department of Justice to prove and to punish violations of law by great corporations. Mr. Hitchcock had retired from the interior Department, to be succeeded by Mr. James R. Gar-rield. Mr. Cortelyou, after the successful campaign of 1904, had become Postmaster-General, and in the middle of Mr. Roosevelt's second term he had been transferred to the head of the Treasury Department upon the retirement of the Hon. Leslie M. Shaw. Mr. Moody, who had succeeded Mr. Knox as Attorney-General (Mr. Knox having entered the Senate) was as energetic as Knox himself in the prosecution of offending corporations. Meanwhile, a vacancy having occurred on the Supreme Bench, Mr. Moody was appointed to that high tribunal, and Mr. Charles J. Bonaparte became Attorney-General.

john bull : " Thank you, Mr. Roosevelt, for the prompt kindness of your navy and your people in this terrible disaster at Jamaica \
Prom the Westminster Gazette (London)

uncle sam  (to the President) : " Here, Theodore, drop that and get back to your old job."
From the Blade (Toledo)

A BUSY DAY IN THE CABINET From the Tribune (Chicago)

Some Activities of a Versatile President

153

" I  TAKE MY  PEN  IN  HAND " From the Evening Mail  (New York)
ALL   READY   FOR   THE   FIREWORKS From the Tribune (Chicago)
Mr. Oscar S. Straus had succeeded Mr. Cortelyou as head of the Department of Commerce, and Herbert Knox Smith had become head of the Bureau of Corporations succeeding Mr. Garfield. Mr. Pinchot, who had for a long time been Chief Forester under the veteran head of the Department of Agriculture (Mr. Wilson), had by this time become an official of great influence and power.

THE PRESIDENT AND THE UNITED STATES SENATE
(The  hen  vociferously  protests,   but   Farmer   Roosevelt   selects   the   eggs   just   the   same.)
From the Saturday Globe  (TJtica')

154

A Cartoon History of Roosevelt's Career

PRESIDENT

ROOSEVELT
SEES
AS  SENATOE HIM
From the Globe  (New York)

EAYNER

the   law   was   enforced   against   oppressive combinations.
A delicate situation, moreover, had arisen on account of anti-Japanese riots in Pacific Coast States. Japanese laborers were not excluded under the law that prevented Chinese immigration. A good many Japanese laborers were finding employment. California demanded the extension of the Ex-clus'ion act to Japanese and Korean laborers. Japan's victory in the great war against Russia had naturally enhanced the consciousness of power and importance among the Japanese people, and they resented the idea of exclusion from America. The situation was met with tact and good-will by both governments.
The great financial panic that spread from the banks and trust companies of New York City throughout the country in the last weeks of 1907 created situations that called

His strength was due to the greatness of the situations he had to deal with, and the breadth of his view and the strength of his grasp. When Mr. Pinchot had taken office years before, we were practically without forest reserves. No one had supposed that our timber supply could be exhausted. But by degrees it came to be understood that great lumber companies were managing to monopolize the forest areas that remained as part of the Western public domain, and that for reasons of large public policy the remaining timber areas must be kept as national forests.
President Cleveland had made an important beginning in this direction • President McKinley had gone still further, and it remained for President Roosevelt, with his exceptional knowledge of the physical conditions of the country, to make forest preservation, and the protection of other great natural resources, one of the leading concerns of his administration. There was earnest co-operation among all the executive departments to protect the public domain, to enforce the Interstate Commerce law in the interest of the people, and to see that

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE PANIC
" Teddy, in the heat of his eloquence, beating the table, caused to fall a number of banks, which were already worm-eaten. Seizing tbe advantage of this accident, he began to thunder against business corruption. Yet, during nearly eight years of his ' reign' he did nothing to suppress these corrupt practices. He escaped at the end of his term by stirring up a great scandal.
" Teddy, you fool nobody.    We all, know that your anger is put on to assure you a fine wind-up." From Figaro  (Vienna)

Some Activities of a Versatile President

155

NO MOLLY-CODDLING HERB
(This is the prevailing Wall Street notion of President Roosevelt's attitude toward corporate interests.)
From the Globe (New York)
for government relief. Mr. Roosevelt, through his Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Cortelyou, acted with his accustomed promptness. The money stringency was relieved by the government's proposal to issue and place on the market many millions in Panama Canal bonds, and many more millions in short-term notes under a law that had been enacted in the period of the Spanish War.
The panic illustrated the need of a reform in our money and banking system; and Mr. Roosevelt did everything in his power to promote the view of those who were working for banking reform and an elastic currency. There were many financiers embarrassed by the panic who imagined at the time that President Roosevelt's efforts to enforce the law as respects interstate commerce and industrial monopolies had created distrust and brought about the crisis that was so disastrous to the stock market. Most of those men, two years later, in looking back upon the course of events, would have acknowledged their entire mistake as to the facts and causes.
The panic had been brought about by con-

WALL   STREET   PAINTS   A   PICTURE   OF   THE
PRESIDENT From Corner's Weekly (New York)
ditions of over-speculation and bad business methods that were brought clearly to' light when the strain came. The panic, in other words, was but a symptom of those very

THE RAILROADS AND ROOSEVELT (Before and after the long struggle for anti-rebat9
legislation.) From the Evening Star  (Washington)

156

A Cartoon History of Roosevelt's Career

" WHOA ! " (Apropos of the President's order reserving the public
timber and coal lands.) From the Record-Herald (Chicago)
evils in the industrial and commercial world that Mr. Roosevelt had been pointing out and trying to remedy.

THE THDNDEREH
Cseum  ipsum  petimus  stultitia noque, Per nostrum patimur scleus, Iracunda Jovem ponere fulmina.
—Horace, Ode III, 38-40. From Collier's Weekly  (New York)

NO   OCCASION   FOR   GENERAL  ALARM
president  roosevelt:   "Don't  be  afraid,  gentlemen;   he   will   hurt   only   the   crooks." From the Saturday Globe   (TJtica,  N. T.)

Some Activities of a Versatile President

157

THE   USUAL   VICTIM From the Herald (New York)
Out  of  the   intense  discussion  of  that  period, several plans of financial reform were evolved; and these had much debate during the ensuing Presidential campaign.    Thus Mr.

VACATION TIME ON  SAGAMORE  HILL From the Tribune (Minneapolis)

president roosevelt : " Uncle Sam, it seems to me that this tool ought to be used."
Prom the Tribune (Minneapolis)

158

A Cartoon History of Roosevelt's Career

,'"? •" •--
UNFORTUNATELY,    PRESIDENT   ROOSEVELT'S ARMS ARE NOT LONG ENOUGH
From PucJe (Tokio)

DISCUSSION IS BETTER  THAN CONCUSSION
president roosevelt : " Don't butt; let's talk it over."
From the Eagle (Brooklyn, New York)
Bryan made himself an advocate of the plan of guaranteeing bank deposits; and -he secured the endorsement of this plan in the Democratic platform. Mr. Roosevelt and his administration agreed with most of the bankers that the guaranteeing of deposits would not be wise. They advocated, on their part, the establishment of a general system of postal savings-banks, so that if

THAT INTERVIEW AS IT WASN'T
admibal yamamoto : "Good morning, Mr. Presi-	admiral yamamoto :  "We are going to have a
dent.    We are going to have a war	"	warm day to-day."
president roosevelt : " What's that? "	president roosevelt: "Oh, yes,  yes!    I think
we are." Prom the Tritiune  (Minneapolis)

Some Activities of a Versatile President

159

PRESIDENT   ROOSEVELT   FINDS   THE   DENIZENS   OF   THE   CANEBRAKE   PREPARED
From the Herald  (New York)
the people were afraid to deposit their savings in ordinary banks they could commit them to the care of the government under reasonable conditions. It was believed that this might be an especially effective thing in times of business panic or distrust.
RECIPROCITY
(One good lift deserves another.) From the Journal (Minneapolis)

In the last two years of the administration, the place of Postmaster-General was

" WHEREAT I WAS MUCH CAST DOWN."—Theodore Roosevelt, " Hunting Big Game " From the Herald (New York)

160

A Cartoon History of Roosevelt's Career

 

' Now, Mr. Railroadman, stock watering must stop—

Rates are too high—

 

They  must  come down—

Safety must be guaranteed-

I hope I impress my meaning on you—	Good day !
RAILROAD   LEGISLATION From Collier's Weekly

Some Activities of a Versatile President

161

THE VERY SIMPLE MESSAGE OF THE BIG
STICK.    HE WHO RUNS MAY READ
From the Tribune (Minneapolis)
AN   IMPREGNABLE   SHIELD From the Gazette-Times  (Pittsburg)
filled by Mr. George von L. Meyer, who had served as ambassador at more than one leading European capital. Mr. Meyer bent all his energies toward securing the adoption by Congress of the postal savings-bank scheme; and although its success was deferred, there was every assurance that postal savings-banks would be established in the very near future. The plan was endorsed by the Republican national convention, and Congress accordingly passed the bill, with Mr. Taft and the Postmaster-General (Frank Hitchcock) also favoring it, early in 1910.
Mr. Roosevelt had managed through these years of high pressure and varied activity to avoid those effects of strain and over-work that few men have been able to escape whose responsibilities are great and whose duties are incessant. His, through the Presidential years, was always the clear, strong mind of the man who sleeps well, takes his exercise, and wards off the disease called worry.
Thus, as the panic came on Mr. Roosevelt was on his way back to Washington from a bear hunt in the Louisiana canebrakes. These absences were always well-planned, never interfered with public business, associated themselves with helpful visits to different parts of the country, and kept the President physically able to meet the tasks that only a strong man could survive.
That period of Mr. Roosevelt's Presidency was one in which his dominant note of justice and public duty was of more value to the country than any other tone or quality could have been. Whether the civil service, the national forests, tariff reciprocity with European countries, naval growth, insular questions, canal problems at Panama, an army and race theme like the Brownsville affair, or any other of a hundred topics was under consideration, Mr. Roosevelt brought to bear in every case the power of a vigorous mind and conscience. He saw in a clear, broad manner the thing that was right to be done, and demanded of Congress and the country the ethical solution and no other.