Opening of the Democratic Dime Museum for 1900, by J.S. Pughe, Puck, 1899 September 6
Item — Box: 1, Folder: 22
Scope and Content:
From the Collection:
The Helen Farr Sloan’s political cartoon collection (1802-1950) contains a variety of prints of political cartoons, illustrations, and caricatures from several different magazines. The collection contains pages from magazines, pages from books, and other prints that were not a part of a publication. The magazines featured include Puck, Judge, Vanity Fair (British, 1868-1914), Vanity Fair (American, 1913-1936), Harper’s Weekly, Gil Blas, Le Charivari, Truth, The New Yorker, The Illustrated London News, The New York Herald, and The Sun. There are other series included like Treagar’s Black Jokes and Le Gens de Paris. There are works from publishers like S.W. Fores, Currier & Ives, and J.Sidebotham. Also included are works by Rowlandson, which are individually published.
The first series contains cartoons from Puck magazine. Its materials are pages and covers from the magazine including the fronts and backs of the pages. The artists that are included are Frederick Burr Opper, Frederich Graetz, Bernhard Gillam, J.S. Pughe, James Albert Wales, and Samuel Ehrhart.
The second series contains cartoons from Judge magazine. The materials are pages and covers from the magazine and include both the fronts and backs of the pages. The artists that are included are Thomas Worth, Bernhard Gillam, Victor Gillam, and Grant E. Hamilton.
The third series contains cartoons, caricatures, and portraits from Vanity Fair (British, 1868-1914) and Vanity Fair (American, 1913-1936) magazines. The materials for the British magazine include the one-sided caricatures and cartoons featured in the publication. The material for the American magazine contains a portrait on the front and a table of contents on the back of the page. The artists that are included are Carlo Pellegrini (Ape/Singe), James Tissot (Coïdé), Thomas Nast, Leslie Ward (Spy), and William Henry Cotton.
The fourth series contains cartoons from Harper’s Weekly magazine. The materials include the front and back side of pages from the magazine. The artists that are included are William L. Sheppard, Charles G. Bush, Thomas Nast, and A.B. Frost.
The fifth series contains cartoons, caricatures, and illustrations from various magazines and publications. The artists and their publications include Théophile Steinlin, from Gil Blas, Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier (Paul Gavarni), from Le Gens de Paris, Thomas Rowlandson, William Summers, from Tregear’s Black Jokes, Charles Williams, William Elmes, George Cruikshank, Isaac Robert Cruikshank, Jules Joseph Georges Renard (Draner), Charles Robinson, from The Illustrated London News, Thomas Worth, Richard F. Outcault, from the New York Herald, Helen E. Hokinson, from The New Yorker, Charles Amédée de Noé (Cham), from Le Charivari, Sydney B. Griffin, from Truth, Oscar Cesare, from The Sun, and William Bruns.
There are a wide variety of themes and events covered in the cartoons and illustrations throughout the collection. There are numerous presidential elections covered including the elections of 1806, 1880, 1884, 1888, 1892, and 1900. The 43rd and 54th Congresses are both represented within cartoons in the series. Other events that are shown in cartoons in the collection are the Chicago World’s Fair/World’s Columbian Exposition, the Spanish-American War, Reconstruction, and the Kansas Exodus. There are also many representations of the Democratic, Republican, Greenback, and Citizens parties as well as Tammany Hall. Other themes included are immigration, Jewish communities, social ambition, weather problems, voting rights, the gold standard vs. free silver debate, diseases, family roles, plantations, white supremacy groups, Communism, financial issues, militaries, pic-nic societies, King George IV’s court, political corruption, and social events and issues. A large number of the cartoons included in the collections are products of their times and therefore many include racist language and depictions. The transcriptions and metadata associated with each cartoon is described as is for the purpose of providing the easiest access to the collection and does in no way reflect the views of Wilkes University or its archive department.
The first series contains cartoons from Puck magazine. Its materials are pages and covers from the magazine including the fronts and backs of the pages. The artists that are included are Frederick Burr Opper, Frederich Graetz, Bernhard Gillam, J.S. Pughe, James Albert Wales, and Samuel Ehrhart.
The second series contains cartoons from Judge magazine. The materials are pages and covers from the magazine and include both the fronts and backs of the pages. The artists that are included are Thomas Worth, Bernhard Gillam, Victor Gillam, and Grant E. Hamilton.
The third series contains cartoons, caricatures, and portraits from Vanity Fair (British, 1868-1914) and Vanity Fair (American, 1913-1936) magazines. The materials for the British magazine include the one-sided caricatures and cartoons featured in the publication. The material for the American magazine contains a portrait on the front and a table of contents on the back of the page. The artists that are included are Carlo Pellegrini (Ape/Singe), James Tissot (Coïdé), Thomas Nast, Leslie Ward (Spy), and William Henry Cotton.
The fourth series contains cartoons from Harper’s Weekly magazine. The materials include the front and back side of pages from the magazine. The artists that are included are William L. Sheppard, Charles G. Bush, Thomas Nast, and A.B. Frost.
The fifth series contains cartoons, caricatures, and illustrations from various magazines and publications. The artists and their publications include Théophile Steinlin, from Gil Blas, Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier (Paul Gavarni), from Le Gens de Paris, Thomas Rowlandson, William Summers, from Tregear’s Black Jokes, Charles Williams, William Elmes, George Cruikshank, Isaac Robert Cruikshank, Jules Joseph Georges Renard (Draner), Charles Robinson, from The Illustrated London News, Thomas Worth, Richard F. Outcault, from the New York Herald, Helen E. Hokinson, from The New Yorker, Charles Amédée de Noé (Cham), from Le Charivari, Sydney B. Griffin, from Truth, Oscar Cesare, from The Sun, and William Bruns.
There are a wide variety of themes and events covered in the cartoons and illustrations throughout the collection. There are numerous presidential elections covered including the elections of 1806, 1880, 1884, 1888, 1892, and 1900. The 43rd and 54th Congresses are both represented within cartoons in the series. Other events that are shown in cartoons in the collection are the Chicago World’s Fair/World’s Columbian Exposition, the Spanish-American War, Reconstruction, and the Kansas Exodus. There are also many representations of the Democratic, Republican, Greenback, and Citizens parties as well as Tammany Hall. Other themes included are immigration, Jewish communities, social ambition, weather problems, voting rights, the gold standard vs. free silver debate, diseases, family roles, plantations, white supremacy groups, Communism, financial issues, militaries, pic-nic societies, King George IV’s court, political corruption, and social events and issues. A large number of the cartoons included in the collections are products of their times and therefore many include racist language and depictions. The transcriptions and metadata associated with each cartoon is described as is for the purpose of providing the easiest access to the collection and does in no way reflect the views of Wilkes University or its archive department.
Dates
- Created: 1899 September 6
Creator
- Pughe, J. S. (John S.), 1870-1909 (Person)
Access:
Anyone may access these political cartoons.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Political cartoon
Condition Note:
Fair. The material has yellowed.
Measurements:
20.5 x 14 in
Title:
Opening of the Democratic Dime Museum for 1900.
Description:
This cartoon by J. S. Pughe for Puck magazine depicts a scene at a carnival with a large white tent displaying different acts on the side. Republican John P. Jones is beckoning audiences to a “freak show” filled with notable democratic politicians, and symbolic labels given to certain democratic groups. In front of the tent is a crowd of men dressed in jackets and hats looking at the tent. At the opening of the tent is a wooden platform and on it is Jones who is wearing a blue jacket,blue pants, and an orange tag on his jacket that says “Jones” He is yelling out to the crowd with his arms outstretched. In one of his hands, he is holding a bunch of money. The first image on the tent is a yellow colored mosquito with the text, “The Gold Bug,” above it. The “gold bug” was a name given to a small group of democrats who supported the gold standard against free silver (which was supported by more democrats). The next is a red devil wearing a gold necklace. He is holding a silver staff with a dollar symbol at the top, and below him is the text, “The Money Devil.” The money devil most likely refers to the Democratic party’s support of free silver. Pughe, being in favor of the gold standard, refers to those supporting free silver as the “money devil.” Beside that is the image of most likely Melville Fuller with a purple robe. He is kneeling on a cloud, holding a scroll that says, “U.S. Supreme Court,” and is holding out his other hand with an angry expression. The text above him reads, “The Injunction Evil.” Fuller is being depicted in this image because of his outspoken disagreement with free silver and fear of the nomination of someone pro free silver like Bryan. The ‘Injunction Evil” refers to Fuller’s frequent issuing of injunctions. He even pushed for changes so the Supreme Court could issue even more injunctions. Next is William Jennings Bryan as a very small man dressed in a tan schoolboy outfit with a red bow on his collar and red bows on his shoes. He is talking with his arms out and behind him is a table with a white pitcher. Above him reads, “The Boy Wonder.” Bryan is being mocked in his image due to his heavy support of free silver. He gave a well known speech, “Cross of Gold,” on his opposition to the gold standard. Below that is an image of Jim Hogg as a large pig who is laying down looking at playing cards that are laid out. Above the pig is the text, “Educated Wild Hogg of Texas.” Next is the image of a man in a blue and red jester outfit holding two lit torches. He is holding one torch towards his open mouth. Beside him is the text, “The Great Fire-Eater.” The term “Fire-Eater” was used in reference to democrats who were extremely pro-slavery as well as having the South separate into the Confederate States of America. Last is the image of a blue and red octopus with a human face. Above that is the text, “The Trust Octopus.”The “Trust Octopus” is most likely saying that Democrats have a hold on trusts and monopolies like an octopus and its tentacles. Pughe was born in Wales and came to America as a child, where he eventually studied art. He was an illustrator for numerous newspapers before joining Puck in 1894 where he worked until 1908. The back of the cartoon features unrelated articles and other illustrations.
Transcription:
The title is written below the image,” Opening of the Democratic Dime Museum for 1900.”
Creator
- Pughe, J. S. (John S.), 1870-1909 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu