Search results

(1 - 20 of 29)

Pages

Title: JM-149: Conundrum of the California Alien Land Law. 149
Summary: The top panel of this cartoon depicts a little girl, “states’ rights” crying over the grave of free silver. “Free silver” refers to the concept of the free coinage of silver, which was a popular idea for public policy among populists and other groups. Those in favor of free coinage of silver would argue that it would increase the circulation of currency, which would make wages higher and loan easier to obtain. Those against the free silver policy typically supported the gold standard, which was officially adopted by the United States in 1879. The gold standard limits the coinage of silver and other currency in circulation, because all currency must defined in the value of gold. Proponents of the gold standard argued it stabilized American currency, which allowed business to function. William Jennings Bryan, an influential American politician and Secretary of State (1913-1915), was an outspoken supporter of the free silver policy. In the top panel, William Jennings Bryan is abandoning states rights to go to California. William Jennings Bryan became involved with attempting to block discriminatory legislation against Japanese immigrants in California, such as the California Alien Land Law. This law placed restrictions of Japanese immigrants’ legal ability to acquire and own property. Such discriminatory laws created a tense diplomatic relationship with Japan. As Secretary of State, William Jennings Bryan attempted to limit the impact of such legislation to improve relations between the United States and Japan. The idea behind many of these discriminatory laws in seen in the bottom panel. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-170: Getting scareder and scareder!
Summary: This cartoon depicts President Woodrow Wilson planning his reelection campaign against Charles Evans Hughes during the presidential election of 1916. The first panel shows President Wilson calmly planning to take a passive role in the campaign until he receives a note that the state of Maine voted for Hughes by a narrow majority. The second panel shows a concerned Wilson receiving news that Hughes was addressing crowds in the West, whose vote Wilson was counting on for winning the election. The third panel shows a shocked Wilson learning Hughes was predicted to win the election by a large margin. Despite the assumptions made in this cartoon, Woodrow Wilson would defeat Hughes in the election of 1916, and he became the first democratic president to serve two consecutive terms in a row since Andrew Jackson. Woodrow Wilson appealed to many with his campaign slogan, "He kept us out of war," which appealed to many European (especially German) immigrants who did not wish to have the conflict of loyalty that would come from the United States joining World War I. Despite this, the United States would eventually enter World War I in 1917 during Wilson’s second term. The Chicago Tribune published many articles in support of Hughes and his campaign. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-175: Don't drop the pilot!
Summary: This cartoon show Uncle Sam talking with President Wilson, Force, and Politics. Uncle Sam is insisting these parties do not allow someone to take the principle of arbitration outside the “ship of the state”. Arbitration is a form of dispute resolution that gained popularity during the world wars. It was a quick and efficient way to resolve personal and commercial disputes without the time and effort associated with moving a claim through the traditional judicial system. The United States government began to use arbitration as a way to efficiently solve disputes involving wartime resources. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-176: The daily bread line 1913
Summary: This cartoon depicts a line of men waiting for food during the winter. One of them is holding a sign that says, “He kept us out of work”. This sign is a play on President Wilson’s campaign slogan, “He kept us out of war”. There were some areas of United States economy struggling in 1913, making many individuals unemployed. In 1913, many criticized President Wilson’s economic initiatives to be harmful to workers, and contributing to increased in unemployment. Such initiatives included further limiting commercial trusts and requiring investigations be made when particular businesses changed the wages of their workers. These investigations would be used to evaluate the costs of the factories, which was needed to determine guilt of criminal acts. In response to these initiatives, many factories closed operations or began to limit the changes that could be made to workers’ wages. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-180: In the national army parade today, you are likely to see the man you'll all be cheering and voting for in years to come
Summary: This editorial cartoon depicts people watching the National Army of the Republic parade outside the window. A man wonders who will be "the Grant of this war." This is most likely one of the many parades held by military forces while the United States was fighting in WWI. This cartoon is captioned. “In the National Army Parade today, you are likely to see the man you’ll all be cheering and voting for in years to come”. The “Grant of this war” is a clear reference to Ulysses Grant, the eighteenth president of the United States from 1869 to 1977. Ulysses Grant was a general in the Civil War, and he is often given much credit for the Union’s victory. After being appointed General-in-Chief by Abraham Lincoln in 1864, Grant would accept General Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House, which effectively ended the Civil War. This cartoon suggests the future leaders of the United States would likely have served in World War I. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-128: Shake hands with my friend, Canadian Reciprocity. 128
Summary: Editorial cartoon depicting William Howard Taft encouraging a free trade accord between the Midwest and Canada.

Title: JM-C010: The changing world: Books that caused fear now and then
Summary: Editorial cartoon consisting of two scenes. In the first scene, a Victorian woman is recoils from a "Ouida" book presented to her by a man. In the second scene, a woman in 1920s attire shows a sweating man a book titled "Sex Problem". "Ouida" was the pseudonym of the English novelist Maria Louise Ramé, who was known for her literary salon and the scandalous books she published toward the beginning of her career.

Title: JM-191: Don't wreck that car!
Summary: This cartoon shows railroad employees fighting with railroad employers in a car named “U.S. Prosperity”, which is carrying the United States in the back seat. There were many railroad employee strikes in the first half of the twentieth century, usually protesting against poor pay and/or working conditions. Railroads were one of the most efficient methods of transportation, especially the transportation of goods. This made railroads critical to the health of the United States economy. In the corner of this cartoon, President Woodrow is yelling at the employers and employees to not wreck the car. While the role was not extensive, the government did take an interest in these railroad disputes, and made sure they were eventually settled. This intervention was usually performed to ensure the railroads would continue to ship American goods throughout the United States. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-173: National defense
Summary: The top panel of this cartoon depicts Congress attempting to slow Uncle Sam driving a automobile and is used to represent the fast moving sentiments for national defense. The donkey is being used to suggest the actions of Congress are aligned with the democrat interests of the time. National defense is passing through pork and casting it to the side. The word “pork” is being used to describe projects and/or funding given by Congress to benefit certain areas or populations in the country. An example of pork would be Congress awarding money for a damn to be built in a specific state. The bottom panel has two possibilities that stem from the sentiments of the top panel. The scenario on the left depicts a man dissatisfied with increased taxes that Congress would have to impose to fund national defense interests. The scenario on the right shows the same man having to pay tributes to an invader. The bottom panel suggests that tax increases for national defense are in the best financial and personal interest of citizens. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-181: Long speeches by those pictured
Summary: This cartoon compares three speeches. The first speech on the left was Patrick Henry’s famous speech, in which he stated “Give me liberty or give me death!”. This speech was given on the eve of the Revolutionary War. The second speech was by Stephen Decatur, a commodore in the United States Navy. Decatur’s speech was given at the conclusion of the War of 1812. The final speech was given by Private Sammy Jones during World War I. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-168: Long distance driving
Summary: Editorial cartoon depicting Wilson holding reins titled "Wilson policies" of a donkey heading toward the San Francisco Convention, where Bryan is placing a flag of his policies.

Title: JM-184: Peace talk
Summary: The cartoon shows the interpreted process of peace talks during World War I. The top panel shows the German people being dragged to peace by the Kaiser Wilhelm II. The second panel shows the Reichstag calling for peace after the kaiser orders them to begin discussions. In 1917, the United States had entered World War I, and Germany’s and the Axis powers’ chance of victory was becoming smaller and smaller. This made them more willing to negotiate for peace than in previous years of the war. The third panel shows the American stock market falling in value. This drop in the stock market was caused by the peace talks. Supplying weapons and other resources in World War I significantly improved the economy of the United States. Many factories and other means of productions had been created solely to meet the needs of the global conflict. As World War I came to a close, the United States large profits from the war effort began to decline. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-C007: Cheering crowd at a football game
Summary: Editorial cartoon depicting the crowd at a football game. All of the audience members are cheering or waving flags, except for one man who is seen working on his nails.

Title: JM-179: There are some Congressmen who don't want the Germans to see we are in earnest
Summary: This cartoon depicts Uncle Sam being held back by by men from fighting with his full strength. Uncle Sam is meant to personify the United States. Uncles Sam’s weak arm represents the feeble military forces available through voluntary enlistment. Uncle Sam’s bulky arm represents the United States’s powerful military capability if it enacted the draft. The group holding back Uncle Sam is representative of congress. The two Germans represent Germany across the Atlantic. This comic is showing the disagreement in the United States of employing conscription during World War I. The United States fought in World War I from 1916 to 1918. The draft was eventually employed on May 18, 1917 until November 11, 1919 through the Selective Service Act of 1917. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-148: Japan objects to the weapon which he himself has never hesitated to use. 148
Summary: This cartoon personifies United States relations with Japan in 1913. Japan is criticizing California for employing Japanese exclusion laws. These laws are most likely a reference to the California Alien Land Law of 1913. This law prohibited "aliens ineligible for citizenship" from owning agricultural land or possessing long-term leases, but permitted short-term leases lasting up to three years. This act was problematic for diplomatic relations with Japan, as it directly discriminated against Japanese citizens. This law also limited the number of Japanese immigrants to come to the US. While this law actually had little tangible backlash on Japanese citizens, it caused a large amount of tension between Japan and the US. Japan is also illustrated wielding the weapon of exclusion laws. In response to California's discrimination laws, Japan threatened to begin creating policies, which would discriminate against Americans. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-132: Fifty years from now
Summary: This cartoon depicts an aged version of Katherine Elkins and Prince Luigi Amedeo, Duke of Abruzzi. Katherine Elkins was the daughter of Senator Stephen B. Elkins, an influential politician from West Virginia. The Duke of Abruzzi was Commander in Chief of the Italian fleet and fifth in line for the Italian throne. They met through a series of social events in the United States, and their courtship was covered by the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers for over two years. The Duke of Abruzzi needed the permission from the King of Italy to marry. If the couple had married without royal permission, then Ms. Elkins would not have received a royal title or estates and The Duke of Abruzzi would have received reprimand from the crown. When this cartoon was drawn, the Duke and Ms. Elkins were rumored to be engaged, but still waiting for the King’s blessing to wed. Eventually, the King would deny this request and the couple separated around 1912. Katherine Elkins went on to marry Billy Hitt, the son of an Illinois congressman. The Duke Abruzzi led the Italian navy through World War I, and he oversaw the Italian colony of Somalia. The Duke of Abruzzi married as well, and died in 1933. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-158: The President has important business in Massachusetts. 158
Summary: This cartoon shows President Taft racing out of the White House with an ax for his predecessor, Theodore Roosevelt. While President Taft was in office, Theodore Roosevelt continued to remain active in policy. This cartoon was published with article indicating former President Roosevelt sought to protect International Harvester Company, which was in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. There had been a series of letter by Theodore Roosevelt published, which indicated Roosevelt was involved with encouraging the government to not pursue International Harvester Company. President Taft was leaving for Massachusetts to give a speech to denounce the actions of Theodore Roosevelt. President Taft also wished to remind the American people how much he had done to eliminate trusts to protect the American people. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

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-136: Adjusting the Russian treaty difficulty
Summary: This cartoon illustrates tense diplomatic relations between Russia and the United States in 1911. The Treaty of 1832 between the United States and Russia was created to give citizens of both countries specific rights such as economic freedoms or freedom of movement, whether they resided in Russia or the United States. Slowly beginning in the 1890s and continuing into the 1900s, Russia was limiting the rights of Jewish citizens from the United States. Eventually these citizens’ United States passports were no longer accepted by the Russian government, which was clearly against the Treaty of 1832 (or the Treaty of Constantinople). Outraged by this breach, Congress issued the Sulzer Resolution, which called for the immediate nullification of the Treaty of 1832 due to Russia’s violation of its contents. The first panel of the cartoon shows the beginning of the political tension between Russia and the United States. Russia was offended by the language of the Sulzer Resolution, stating they never fully violated the treaty. The second panel shows United States resentment of Russia’s discrimination of their citizens. The third panel shows the United States compromising with Russia by changing the wording and nuance of the dispute to appeal to Russia’s sensibilities. During this political tension, President Taft held a strong desire to maintain diplomatic relations with Russia. Despite Taft’s efforts, diplomatic relationships between the United States and Russia remained strained due to a lack of compromise from either side. (Summary created by Mary Delano, History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-169: He kept us out of war!
Summary: This cartoon shows a democratic speaker addressing a crowd. The speaker is saying, “He kept us out of war”, which was President Wilson’s campaign slogan for the election of 1916 against Charles Hughes. There are various countries making comments behind the speaker. This first man on the left represents Japan. Japan is saying President Wilson would have gone to war with Japan, if he had allowed an act discriminating against Japanese immigrants in larger immigration legislation.The country next to Japan is England. England is saying that President Wilson would have entered World War I, if he had protected American shipping. This is a reference to the attack of an American ship, the Lusitania, by a German submarine. Japan and England were both Allied powers during World War I, and they are separated from the Axis powers, Germany and Mexico, by a wall. Germany is saying that President Wilson would not have needed to keep the United States out of war, if Germany had not been an aggressor against other nations. Next to Germany, Mexico is saying President Wilson would have declared war, if he had remained adamant on the salute if the flag. This refers to when President Wilson did not want to salute (and thus recognize) the Mexican government under the control of Victoriano Huerta. Despite his apprehension, President Wilson eventually returned the salute from a sense of precedent and duty. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Pages