To self: Thomas Nast 1840-1902. Created the Republican Party symbol- The Elephant. Much earlier than 1900, I believe in the 1870's onward. He helped destroy a powerful political machine, Tammany Hall. His cartoons were the "greatest".
To paraphase Tweed, "I don't care what the papers say about me, because most of my constituents can't read. It's those d*mn pictures!"