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Title: JM-130: Hello, Is that the coroner?
Summary: This cartoon is an editorial depiction of the fear of war with Japan in later 1910. At the time, the army of Japan was growing, and they were seeking new technology and funding. This was combined with Japan seizing territory around it, such as parts of Korea. These military actions made relations between the United States and Japan more tense, even to the point where California was proposing legislation to limit the rights of Japanese citizens. The Chicago Tribune took a relatively relaxed approach to the situation, asserting relations between the United States and Japan were nowhere near a declaration of war. Journalists came to this conclusion, because the costs of war were too great for both sides. Ultimately, President Taft sought to avoid public fear by seeking to dismantle rumors of war by publicly announcing the United States intention of peace with Japan. This cartoon shows Taft crushing the personified Japanese war scare while on the phone saying "Hello, is that the coroner? Well, say, come up in about 10 minutes. I'll have a nice job for you." (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-129: Will It be Conservative or Progressive?. 129
Summary: This cartoon depicts President Taft creating a message regarding railroad freight rates. In the 1910, a large portion of goods was transported on railroads in the United States. Railroad owners made large profits by charging rates to ship cargo from one location to another. One of the books in the cartoon is titled, “injunction”. This likely refers to the injunction granted by Judge David P. Driver against 25 western railroads located throughout the Midwest to the West Coast, who were all members of the Western Traffic Association. This injunction was granted in Hannibal, Missouri, as a result of an executive order from President Taft. This injunction prevented any of these railroads from raising or adjusting their rates in anyway. The special assistant to the Attorney General, Edwin Grosvenor, presented charges against these railroad companies in St. Louis, Missouri. These charges allegations of price-fixing and conspiracy between these companies to collectively raise rates. President Taft’s administration is known for a hard stance against trusts. Taft's predecessor, President Theodore Roosevelt, began this practice during his own administration. Another project begun during President Roosevelt's administration: the construction and governance of the Panama Canal is also shown in this cartoon. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-131: Well, I think I am going to have a white Christmas. 131
Summary: This cartoon depicts Richard Achilles Ballinger, the Secretary of Interior, acting smug over the whitewashed Republican majority report that declares him guiltless while the Democratic insurgent minority report declares him guilty and unfit. Ballinger was part of a controversial affair in 1910 that went down in history as either the Pinchot-Ballinger Controversy or the Ballinger Affair. The Ballinger Affair began over an investigation into Clarence Cunningham, who was suspected of illegally transferring land ownership in Alaska to commercial third parties. This investigation began under the Roosevelt administration. Ballinger, the General Land Office Commissioner, eventually concluded the investigation without the approval of his the Secretary of Interior, as he was required. Ballinger left his position for private practice as Cunningham’s personal counsel, but he returned to served as Secretary of Interior under President Taft. Ballinger tried to resolve the allegations against Cunningham, but faced great backlash from other members of the administration, including Chief Forester, Gifford Pinchot. Pinchot, among others, accused Ballinger of negligence and endangering public lands. A committee was formed to determine Ballinger’s guilt. With the exception of one Republican, all the Republicans on the committee ruled in favor of Ballinger, and all the Democrats on the committee ruled against Ballinger. The Ballinger Affair led to mass criticism of the Taft administration.The dispute between Ballinger and United States Forest Service Chief Gifford Pinchot that contributed to the split of the Republican party before the 1912 presidential election. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-133: Portugal goes Republican
Summary: This cartoon depicts King Manuel II fleeing Portugal after the Republican Revolution, which occurred in 1910. Before the revolution, Portugal had a constitutional monarchy, modeled in a similar fashion to that of Great Britain. In the decades before the revolution, the monarchy faced adversity by lower factions of society. The monarchy ruled Portugal in combination with aristocratic oligarchies, which maintained a relatively stable political status quo. Eventually, these oligarchies failed to maintain power, and the political situation in Portugal became increasingly unstable. Hatred for the monarchy grew to the point when King Carlos and his first son where jointly assassinated in 1908. Manuel II began to rule Portugal in his father’s place, but failed to quell the urge to rebel among his people. On October 5, 1910, the violent revolution began in Lisbon, leaving hundreds dead in the struggle. Manuel II and his family fled, hoping to receive news that loyalist forces managed to overcome the revolutionaries. After realizing the revolutionaries had succeeded, Manuel II fled to England. The English government sympathized with the Portuguese monarchy. The new republican government maintained power and Portugal never returned to a constitutional monarchy structure. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

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