(Image by Clifford Kennedy Berryman, artist. “The President’s Dream of A Successful Hunt.” 1907. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. )
Theodore Roosevelt moved to break up trusts he decided worked against the public interest, while allowing trusts to stay together if they charged what he decided were fair prices.
Consider this political cartoon from the time:
Would you consider this cartoon to be supportive of Roosevelt’s efforts? Why or why not?
What message is being sent about the bear marked “good trusts”?
1 This cartoon definitely supports Roosevelt's efforts. He introduced the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1890 which helped to get rid of monopolies.
2The bear represents here scared monopolies that shows that a scared bear is a dishonest monopoly while other bears who are not hunted upon are honest firms.
Feedback
Possible Answers:
Supportive—Roosevelt is depicted as someone who is hunting potentially dangerous wild animals (trusts)
Not supportive—Roosevelt could be interpreted to be an aggressor that only spares trusts that bend to his will.
Trusts that behave themselves as far as Roosevelt is concerned will be spared.
