Items from "Domestic/International Issues": 24

Similarly to the Hornet’s Nest cartoon, this image refers to the 1938 recession. The Great Depression in 1929 came as a result of the collapse of the credit system. Easy money caused stocks to boom, encouraged speculation, and encouraged higher wages and prices. The system was a “coin tossing game” however, and when the credit failed the whole…

Under FDR the government began to instate many policies to centralize and increase the control that was held over many of industries. Keynesian economics argued that people would need to accept an increase of government regimentation as consumers, farmers, businesses and industries in order for the economy to make improvements. The image below…

The Republican Party arguably felt like they received nothing but bad news during the reign the Democratic Party had from 1933 until 1953. During these years many of the opinions of the G.O.P were offended by legislation passed by the Roosevelt administration. One of the aspects of Roosevelt’s presidency that is illustrated by this cartoon is the…

J. Public, the depiction of the average American citizen, is very surprised over the fact that the government is attempting to cut taxes. Popular opinion was that the government was known only to raise taxes, not lower them. This cartoon provides an interesting comparison to other images in this collection in its depiction of the…

California senator Hiram Johnson does not look happy to be receiving the information detailed in the telegram in this image. The telegram informed him that President Calvin Coolidge was bestowing him with the honor of serving as postmaster in Oil City, PA. Postmaster was not an esteemed position and by figuratively placing Johnson there Coolidge…

Many American citizens today can identify with the taxpayer pictured in the image below. In this cartoon the Legislature is depicted relaxing on top an enormous tax bill which is hovering precariously over the head of the taxpayer. At the time of publication, the coffers of the Federal government were running low from funding programs such as…

The cartoon below provides a second interpretation on the political machine that was Tammany Hall. In the image below a sinister figure dressed in Native American garb serves a caricature of a Irish man a plate out of a pot labeled “Public Office Stew.” The Irish made up a significant population in the poor sections of New York and as a group were…

Tammany Hall was an infamous political machine that operated out of New York in the late 19th to mid 20th century. The cartoon below depicts the trial of one of the Tammany Hall mob bosses, James Joseph Hines. Manhattan District Attorney Thomas Dewey led the prosecution against Hines. Hines was sentenced to 4-8 years in prison and the trial…

George Norris served in Congress from 1903 until 1943: 1903-1913 in the House of Representatives and 1913 until 1943 in the Senate. Norris identified himself as a progressive Republican. He stands out in history for the collaborations he made across party lines with Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Norris was a stong supporter of…

America, the land of golden opportunity. Below, a “statesman” is issuing confident declarations on the wealth and resources of the United States. However, his words fall flat as he is shown faced with the average American citizen. The citizen poses the question to the statesman that despite America’s reputation as the land of opportunity the…