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"Sweet! Sweet!" / K. - Political cartoon, public domain image
Summary
Illustration shows a hand labeled "Protective Tariff League" sprinkling salt from a bag labeled "Sophistry Salt" onto the tail feathers of a red, white, and blue bird labeled "First Voter", in an effort to capture the bird. Reproduced in the upper left corner is a card, "Circular no. 216", addressed to "Dear Sir" and instructing him to provide the name and home address of a "person who will cast his first vote" in the 1908 election; the purpose being that the Protective Tariff League, the issuer of the cards, would like to be able to forward information "on the Subject of Protection". It is signed "Yours truly, American Protective Tariff League, 339 Broadway, New York".
Illus. in: Puck, v. 63, no. 1620 (1908 March 18), cover.
Copyright 1908 by Keppler & Schwarzmann.
It wasn't really until the 1700s that caricature truly blossomed as a form of political criticism. In the late 1750s, a man named Thomas Townshend began using the techniques employed by earlier engravers and applying them towards a political model. This gave Thompson's cartoons a much greater feeling of propaganda than previous artistic critiques of the time. The intense political climate of the period, and often accusatory nature of most political cartoons forced many artists to use pseudonyms in order to avoid accusations of libel. Other artists took it a step farther, and left their cartoons completely unsigned, foregoing any credit they may have received. Political higher-ups were notoriously touchy about their reputations and were not afraid to make examples of offenders. Puck was the first successful humor magazine in the United States of colorful cartoons, caricatures and political satire of the issues of the day. It was published from 1871 until 1918.
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