Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Harry Johnston
Subject(s): Costa Rica--Santo Domingo (Canton), Cuba, Haiti, Harper Brothers, Imperialism, International relations, Letters, Magoon, Charles E. (Charles Edward), 1861-1920, New York (State), Panama, Public opinion, Publishers and publishing, Puerto Rico, Southern States, Venezuela
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President Roosevelt tells Harry Johnston that he does not believe that the United States will intervene in Haiti, although he thinks that it ought to. Roosevelt does not like to act unless he can get the support of the American population behind him. In many cases in Central America and the Antilles, it either took a long time for the population to embrace interference or they never became interested. Roosevelt would have liked the United States to act in Venezuela, Central America, and Haiti, but says that people are “not merely blind, but often malevolently blind, to what goes on.” Roosevelt is pleased that Johnston’s impressions of New York are going to be published, and hopes that his thoughts on the Southern United States are likewise published.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-12-04
Creator(s)
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Recipient
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)
Repository
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Page Count
2
Production Method
Record Type
Multi-image
Resource Type
Rights
These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Harry Johnston. [December 4, 1908]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o205548. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Harry Johnston. [4 Dec. 1908]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. December 12, 2025. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o205548.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1908, December 4]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Harry Johnston.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o205548.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. December 12, 2025. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
APA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
