Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-08-16

Y view OF the discussion now prevailing in
newspapers and among the people gener-
ally as to the possible nominees of the
different parties for the next presidency, and
the place and time for holding the national
conventions of 1924, l regard it as timely to
refer to the American political zoo, which is
the most famous and humorous of any sim
liar collection of animals in the world.
The donkey, the emblem of the Demo-
cratic party; the elephant the symbol of the
Republican party, and the tiger, the token
Of Tammany Hail. have contributed much to-
the gaiety of the nation.
Thomas Mast, the celebrated illustrator
and caricaturist, created these historic car
tOOns about a half century ago. and he has
been dead about twenty years, but this trim
ity of symbols are glowing and pulsating
with vigorous life as emblems of Democ-
racy, Republicanisnl and Tammanylsm, and,
no doubt, they will continue to represent
these powerful organizations as long as these
great structures exist in the political lie
of the American republic.
Donkey First on the Scene
| The donkey was the first of the trio
brought into existence, so some chronlclers
say My information is, he made his appear
| ance under the following circumstances AS
far back as January 10, 1870, Mast produced
in HaTpers Weekly cartoon entitled, A
Live Jackass Kicking Dead Lion. me
jackass was labeled 1.-THE Copperhead Press.
1t will be recalled that the name Copper
pathized with the south during the War Be-
tween the States. Mast, in the Grant-Greeley
presidential campaign of 1872, used the DON
key as the emblem of the Democratic party,
illustrative, so / have read, "of the party
ability to do the wrong thing SO carefully.
II was not long ere the donkey became the
party symbol, and it has remained such ever
since, and the animal is being depended
upon now to kick the Republican elephant
away from the political trough i'll the next
election.
Labeled Elephant Grand Old Party"
When the New York Herald .thunderously
proclaimed against the project OF Roscoe
fCoukIing and other influential Republicans
to nominate Grant for a third term as pres
ident and denounced the movement as
"Caesarism,'' the genius of Mast proceeded,
in November, 1874 in Harper's Weekly, to
ridicule the idea by picturing the Herald as
an ass ia a lions skin frightening other
animals with his braying. Mast cartooned
Democracy as a fox-'the donkey not hay
ing proprietary rights'-and the fox was
made to represent Samuel J. Tilden, who had
just been elected governor of New YORK
state by large majority.
The elephant was introduced in the car
toon by Mast TO represent the Republican
vote, because the vote was tlm1d and I'M
manageable The big, unwieldy, but t1mld
animal was on the brink of a pitfall. The
elephant was shown disappearing into the
pitfall and again climbing out to safety and
happiness In the following month of De-
cember, Mast applied the elephant to the
Republican party for the same reason he had
made it represent the vote of the party in
November.
Nasts utilization of the animal to SYM
bolize the Republican organization became
frequent, and he finally labeled The elephant
Grand Old Party" which in time was
shortened to &c. o. p" and by these in
itials it is known over the land today.
IL u3Iso nRN 81 don
ton of the tiger connects it with the vol
unteer fire engine company known as big