Thibodaux commercial journal. (Thibodaux, Lafourche Parish, La.) 191?-1959, 1922-10-07
DONKEY AND ELEPHANT.

nj DONKEY AND ELEPHANT.
e "The executive committee of
: the Missouri Democracy, meet
d ing the other day, declared that
!. one of the demands of the times
was new emblem for the party.
1t said the Democratic party
should no longer be pictured as a
! donkey which is neither artistic
or dignified.
The action of the committee
naturally arouses curiosity as to
; why and how the donkey was Sc
lected to represent the Democra-
tic party and the elephant the
Republican party.
Edward G. Riggs, an old New
York newspaperman, has been in
vestigating the matter. He gives
the results in an interesting arti-
Icle in the New York Sun.
According to Mr.. Riggs, the ori-
ginator of both embFems was
Thomas Mast of Harper's one of
the earliest and greatest of Amer
lean cartoonists, but the genesis
of the idea was with the New
York Herald.
One Sunday morning in Novem-
Der, 1874, the Herald published a
fake story describing the escape
of animals from the Zoo. 1t at
tracted widespread attention be-
cause of its graphic portrayal and
vivid description. 1t was accom-
panied by pictures of all kinds of
anlmmals- elephants, donkeys,
lions and in fact a regular Noah's
Ark collection.
Later in the same month Mr..
Mast, getting his inspiration
from the Herald story, published
a cartoon in Harper's portraying
an elephant, on account of its
great strength and burden-bear-
ing capacity, simulated the Re-
PUBLICAN party, which had to car
ry the burden of the cry of ne
potlsm then being raised against
President Grant; greenback-
ism, and the whisky ring frauds.
followed by the Star Route
frauds, the corruption of the Re-
construction period as well. Re
publican party politics was then
At about its lowest ebb in the his
,Ory of that party
"A fortnight later Mr.. Mast pu-
ollshed another cartoon depicting
he donkey as the emblem of the
Democratic party. 1t was based
m the party's alleged assinine
Vay of handling the situation
gainst the adversary.
"Mr. Mast depicted the elephant
s crossing bridge of planks
rom the Republican platforr1
Which were breaking under the
urdens he had to carry. He de-
lcted the donkey as what an ass
Sually is. Other cartoonists took
p the idea until today, as Mr..
dggs says, they are in universal
Sc Tor purposes OF ridiculing the
wo parties and having good ma
ured fun.
The action of the Missouri De-
locracy is timely. The wonder is
nat long since the Democratic
arty did not resent the use of
ne donkey as an emblem.
There have been times when
ne Demdcratic party has acted
S stupidity as the donkey. But
o more times than the Republi-
an party has earned the criti-
sm of assininty.
We have had no stronger adnni-
lstrations than the two of Mr..
leveland and Mr.. Wilson. both
mong our ablest and most pow
'ful Presidents. We have had
ever weaker administrations
IAN Mr.. Hayes, or Mr.. Taft's or
II. Hardings.
1t is absurd, therefore, that the
party should be repre-
snted as a great and powerful
nimal and the Democratic party
) an ass.
Recent years have shown-the
st twenty odd years-that if
ne party has a monopoly of stu
.dity it is the Republican party.
he Democratic party has fail
| in a number of elections be-
luse it stood resoluteIy for prin-
pies. The Republican party has
one down to defeat because it
as exhibited many Of the traits
? tha dcnkov