History 1700

The Gilded Age -- images

Labor vs. Greed, Southern Mercury (Dallas, TX), July 23, 1896 .Plutocracy was a synonym for monopolist in the late nineteenth century.  In Greek Mythology, Pluto was the god of the lower world, also known as Hades.  Populist newspapers frequently reprinted particularly good cartoons from other Populist newspapers.  Watson Heston of Carthage, Missouri, drew this illustration for Jacob Coxey's newspaper, Sound Money (Massillon, Ohio).  Henry Vincent, former editor of the American Nonconformist, which carried many Watson Heston cartoons, worked for Coxey in 1896, and copyrighted the illustration, which the Southern Mercury of Dallas, Texas, reproduced.  Notice that the balance bar at the top of the scales is labeled "Corrupt Legislation."  Populist contended that it was corrupt legislation that allowed exploiters to steal from producers.  Also, note that the sword in the farmer's hand is labeled the "last resort."   Although farmers expressed considerable anger toward banks and mortgage companies, very little actual violence occurred.  The People's Party was firmly committed to the democratic process.  ( http://history.smsu.edu/wrmiller/Populism/texts/How_To_Use.htm)

                   

The January 11, 1896 cover of The Ram's Horn, a magazine devoted to the "social gospel."

The Helping Hand, 1911, A reproduction of a famous painting of the same name, this satirical cartoon shows banker J.P. Morgan as helping Uncle Sam steer the boat, a representation of America.