The Mysterious Stranger and Other Cartoons

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

These cartoons have been reprinted in the hope that they may have a permanent interest because of the great historical importance of the period they encompass. In the last two or three years the world has moved with more than its usual alacrity. It has been a history-making epoch. There has been a war that WAS a war. There have been disasters almost without parallel; and we have weathered as pleasant a presidential campaign as the oldest inhabitant can remember. Mr. Roosevelt has been insured to us for another four years and his activities in peace and in war and in sports have been a source of unending inspiration to the cartoonist. In addition, the nation has achieved merited glory because of the great exposition held in St. Louis, and last, but not least, Missouri has taken it into her head to go Republican.

The importance of these affairs is our excuse for hoping that the cartoons appearing in this collection may have more than an ephemeral interest, and with respectful humility, we hereby dedicate them to that grand old man—sometimes so foolish but always so well-meaning—our Uncle Sam.

John T. McCutcheon