The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-07-02
UNCLE SAM.

In comic art there Is no more potent char
acter than the familiar and extraordinary
figure of our honored "Uncle Sam" Every
American acknowledges kinship with him,
but few know how he came into existence
Even some of the artists who have depicted
him year after year, in his different moods
and attitudes know nothing of his origin.
After making many interrogatories in re-
gard to him, and considerable research into
his genealogy, I learned that an English
carjcaturist created him in derision, long
ago. The intent was to embody all the igno-
rance, egotism, crudeness, pretention and
assertiveness Of the saucy young coun-
try in the quaint figure of the
old Yankee. But there was a dignity
in the tall, angular, self-satisfed old
man which his creator neither meant nor
saw. The people of the new country saw it,
however, and took him to their hearts. They
adopted the idea of the beneacent uncle,
and put it into song and story. Then they
accepted him as he was portrayed, thin and
elongated long haired, hatchet-faced, and
wearing raiment the like of which never was
seen on land or sea-striped pantaloons of an
economical cut, swallow-tailed coat OF
most antiquated design, high hat that is
challenge to all modern headwear, and vest
gaudier than a tropical bird. This became
the familiar figure which, in comic art, rep
resented our beloved country. The idea took
definite form; it became fixed in our fancy;
it was a creation destined to live and to
grow. Uncle Sam became fact, a reality,
a part of ourselves and our history.
He was first made familiar to his people In
Yankee Notions, q comic paper that -four
ished more than quarter Of a century ago,
but has long since climbed the golden stair.
Mast was the first artist to lift our revered
uncle out of ridicule and contempt, endow
him with proper dignity and make him a
distinctive and honored character, though
he claims no credit for it. He says he re-
members him as far back as he can remem-
Der anything in the way Of pictures The
other artists assert that Mast has made him
what he is-a kind, wise, courageous, quick
witted, sunny spirited, dignified, lovable old
man, keenly alive to everything affecting the
interests of his people; in short, a gentle
man.
One of the whims Of caricature is to make
Uncle Sam fat and jolly when ''times are
good" and thin and sad when finances Ian
guish. Keppler, of Puck, first made him fat
in the prosperous days Of 10 One of Nast's
hits was giving him a swollen silver leg and
one good solid gold leg during the monetary
conference in France and the mining excite
ment in the west, some years ago. The silver
leg was equity, and could only be moved by
means of straps and pulleys. 1t tied him to
the chair and made an invalid of him, of
course. 1t was Mast, too, who represented
him as an eagle.
1t is interesting to see how the character
of "Uncle Sam" has developed with the
character OF his people. One realizes this
by comparing some Of the old portraits Of
him with the more modern. In Nasts allie
gorical sketches we have seen him in all the
phases of his strong, spirited and noble
character. He has wept with Columbia
over the bier of heroes; he has held fast to
the old flag when it was riddled with shot
and shell; he has turned his gray head aside
in humiliation when public trusts were be-
trayed and honors abused; he has mourned
over his slain sons as they lay in the valleys
on the hills, and by the rivers of the SOUTH
His keen wit has mercilessly punctured
shams and his big heart swelled with
sympathy when the children Of his adoption
suffered. Dear, quaint, grand, old Uncle
Sam, may his kind and rugged face ever
beam upon us in love and good will When
he smiles his people rejoice when he weeps
or frowns they are sorrowful or wayward.
An eccentric person is our dear old uncle,
surely. Though he mixes much with states
men and is an honored figure in councils of
the great, he cares more for the society of his
old pet eagle than for all the fine people of
the earth. And his fiagl Nothing under
the sun is SO sacred to him as that With
what pride he uplifts it. How bravely he
stands by it. What sublime faith he has in
It, The Fourth Of July is the greatest day
of the year to him. On that day, l776, he
was born. He was the babe for whom the
bells were rung; he was the hope of the
men who met and voted for Independence
he was the first free born American child
and he has fulfilled the hopes of the people