Evening star., 1927-11-06
BY FLORENCE SEVILLE BERRY.
MAN

OF lIleietdlll lleillS anu presents TIE
core of the matter in one swift and
telling expose. 1t is, furthermore
timely and of Importance locally OF
nationally. Sometimes it is even
prophetic.
Now that the political pot is boiling
again, the cartoonists will have a
busy and happy season. President
Coolidge's choosing" last Summer
provided cartoonists throughout the
country with veritable barbecue of
graphic opportunities.
Party politics were the parents OF
the American political cartoon and
endowed it with distinctive. racy
flavor quite different from British
and continental caricature. The lat
ter have throughout their history
been primarily concerned with larger
issues national and interna tional
problems; whereas our caricature has
most distinguished itself when it has
had political aspirations as its target.
CartooninS and its brutal brother,
caricature are Of a great age dating
back 10 prehistoric times. in one form
or another. Benjamin Franklin was
the first noted American cartoonist.
although his works were mainly of
an emblet1atic or allesorical nature.
Andrew jackson. in his second cam
didate upon whom American carica-
turists first began TO practice their
aim. They wrought no appreciable
havoc however. nor did they con-
tribute particularly to his success: for
their gallery was little more than
minute fractions of the voting popIl-
latlon There was no real medium
Of circulation. such as the newspaper
Of later day. So their achievements
exercised no effect, as we understand
1t. in formulating opinion among the
great masses Of American people.
Their cartoons would be printed
sometimes hv the artists themselves
a. lithographic sheets, to be nailed
MP in public places or passed from
hand tn hand. They were very crude
on the whole although the liSenesses
were good and failed of strength or
character. This is probably due to
the fact that most Of the cartoonists
were foreigners who had come here
as adult immigrants. and conse-
ouertly could not grasp our political
situations as a native-horn American
would. But whereas the latter was
arutelv familiar with the situa ton.
be had had no means of acquiring
s1v education in art: for the PennSyl-
vania Academy of the Fine Arts was
the oniya art school OF any value
IN this country at the time. The
European. on the other hand, had ac-
eess to numerous excellent schools
NJ art. with splendid traditions. In
brief. the American had ideas. hut
m tech1idue: the immigrant had tech
nique, without ideas.
y X +
THE establishment Of Currier &
Ives. in IS4s. insured a steady
fow of these photographic cartoons,
which are of great interest To us now.
from a historic rather than an artistic
viewpoint
Political cartooning as we know il
today. began after the close of the
War between the States. Ironically
enough. the masterful cartoons in
spred by that conflict were made bv
British artists and published i'm Lon
don Punch. The United States boasted
no great cartoonists at that time or
previously.
Thomas Mast, the first and in many
respects the greatest political cartoon.
list this country has ever had. was. to
he sure. embarked rrOn his career as
an artist at that time. but had not
then essayed cartooning. He was COM
missioned by Harper's Weekly TO
make series of drawings on the war.
all Of which were of a deeply serious.
Illustrative nature.
American cartoonists have endeav-
ored from the earliest days TO mold
rather than reflect public opinion. and
ia achieve this end have not hesitated
10 stoop to the bitterest. coarsest forms
nf personal abuse in many instances
no sooner would man announce his
candidacy for an Office than the mud
singing would begin. His past would
he combed in hope of unearthing some
form of sea ndal which might furnis i
the caricaturiSts with spicy material
But. however expert the cartoonist<
NAV prove themselves as marksmer
during the impending open season. one
NAV rest assured there will be no ca su
alfies as a consequence Of their stead,
aim. Cartoonists nowadays use bla nj
cartridges. which have nothing mort
deadly than gusts of laughter in the
way of a report. Sometimes they ma
make a candidate look thoroughil
ridiculous. but nine times out Of ten he
will feel grateful TO them. considering
their shots as good publicity. Not sc
40 or 80 years ago.
* +
IT would be an eXaggeration 10 say
that any single cartoon ever brought
about the downfall of a candidate Rui
q series, developed by an able artist
has not infrequently achieved such q
(. coUn.
The most dr3 story o. career.
blasted by an artists pencil is that al
the Tweed ring and Thomas Mast. Il
is absolutely unique in the annals o.
caricature.
Mast. native of Bavaria. came Il
this country with his parents wher
years old. He grew 10 manhood IL
New York City. secured his first wnrl
az the age OF IS on the staff Of Leslie
Weekly at 81 week. His talent wa'
insta ntiy manifested. and he hat
ample opportunity AT the outset Il
study the corruption OF New York
city government.
At the end of the war between III,
States Cen Ora nj declared that. in hi
n.inion. Thomas Ma: was the fore
most figure in civil life developed b,
the rebellion. lie did as much as an,
one man to preserve the Union am
hiring the war TO an end" said tn
general.
Ss@i'x cartoons of President John
sor constituted his initial IN carica
tore or carto ing They were vigof
Gus snA yenomDu~. as were those il
1863. which had much TO do with de
fesiira jI"ra,io Seymour. the Dems
cratic candidate against Grant. 10
the presidency. Mast was stancl
sgptDftrr nf Grant throughout tn
is il@r'* political career.
In 1863 were heard the FIRST run
ilH;ss - q ,atHpalpn which alone WA
- eB3ifis PAST tD everlasting fam
euH eatg sin iig~ iii" Modern ~
.~e.fxs - fh" ieH." The titv govern
tneht ~ Neg York wa completely i
ii1es es '1Ge nf t0nr Mon kuofFn as IN
'"t.eed IS5rL tEoSs" Witlar
Tweed "Pete' EaeerY, city chainbe!
ia4r. 's1gpefy Dick Conno!l", 90,
src.5er Ct pulA!c expenses ard o. K.
Hal n.syoc ot &ew York City
IL .ess thsl ~ months the ring