Images of Roosevelt

Although Roosevelt did not consider woman's suffrage to be one of the year's most important issues, his political opponents did not ignore his party's commitment to suffrage. This February 17, 1912 cartoon from Harper's Weekly shows Roosevelt bringing flowers with a note, "From your Friend, TR," to the Campaign Headquarters of Woman's Suffrage. The feather in his hat carries the words "Votes for Women."

Compare the portrayal of Roosevelt in the image to the right to the portrait of him above. What is different about him, his clothes, and his demeanor?

Why would the cartoonist choose to represent Roosevelt as he or she did? Do you think this cartoonist approved of Roosevelt's support of woman's suffrage?

To learn more about the positions the Republicans, Democrats, and Socialists took regarding woman suffrage in 1912, be sure to visit their pages. Through this website you can also examine the arguments the antisuffrage forces and prosuffrage forces used in their struggles.