Search results
Pages
-
-
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-167: Two crimes
-
Summary
-
This cartoon depicts the Lusitania, an American ocean liner destroyed by German naval forces in World War I on May 7, 1915. The ship was carrying American passengers and ammunition intended for the British armed forces. The top panel of the cartoon features the periscope of the German submarine spying on the Lusitania. Eventually the German submarine fired a torpedo, which killed 1,198 passengers aboard the ship. The bottom panel of the cartoon shows the 173 tons of ammunition carried on board the Lusitania and the innocent, most likely unaware passengers standing above it. The sinking of the Lusitania caused international outrage, but blame for the attack was passed back and forth between various parties. Many, particularly those in Great Britain, blamed the Germans who committed this attack. Others blamed the United States and the passengers, who ignored Germany’s repeated warning that any ship attempting to enter Great Britain would be subject to attack. Many, including journalists for the Chicago Tribune, claimed Great Britain was responsible for this tragedy. Great Britain had placed immense pressure on the United States to deliver arms, and the British government assured the Lusitania it would be protected from German attack. The Chicago Tribune featured an entire article placing responsibility for the sinking of the Lusitania on Great Britain. After detailing Great Britain’s interest in the Lusitania, the author of the article wrote, “England and England alone is to be held responsible for the loss of life because England lured Americans to death, hoping that the presence of Americans would protect the ship against German attack.” (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)
Pages