An Administrative Elephant
6/25/1905
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President Theodore Roosevelt supported a revolution in Panama in 1903 after Columbia refused to ratify a treaty granting the United States a strip of land across the isthmus of Panama for an interoceanic canal. Negotiating with the new government of Panama was successful; the hard part was getting Congress to approve funds to build the canal. The powerful and persuasive Roosevelt was the driving force behind efforts to initiate the canal project.
This illustration by cartoonist Clifford Berryman, which appeared in the Washington Post on June 25, 1905, depicts President Theodore Roosevelt pushing the Republican elephant, which represents the large Republican majorities in both the House and the Senate for funding to build the Panama Canal. Uncle Sam concurs that Roosevelt is the right man for the job.
Berryman was one of Washington, DC's best-known cartoonists in the early to mid-1900s. Berryman drew for the Washington Post and Evening Star newspapers. His cartoons touched on a variety of subjects including politics, elections, and both World Wars.
This primary source comes from the Records of the U.S. Senate.
National Archives Identifier:
6010597Full Citation: Cartoon I-025; An Administrative Elephant; 6/25/1905; Berryman Political Cartoon Collection, 1896 - 1949; Records of the U.S. Senate, Record Group 46; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/administrative-elephant, April 19, 2024]