Your TR Source
Charles William Anderson is surprised at the news about John W. Prather, who has always appeared to be a man of character, and suggests Prather be moved to another post. Anderson intends to oppose efforts to nominate Governor Charles Evans Hughes for president. He asks William Loeb to share any information that might be useful to him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-21
Charles William Anderson encloses a letter that will show that Stewart L. Woodford is likely involved in a scheme to organize bolts of African American men across the South. At the conference, Anderson noted that Charles Evans Hughes could not be nominated, and Woodford took exception. Anderson relays his role in the conference to William Loeb.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-05-01
Charles William Anderson tells William Loeb that he recently spoke to a friend of New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes to advise him about a speech that former Governor Frank Swett Black gave about the Race Track Bills. Anderson thought Black’s speech could be used against him, and believes Hughes took his advice, judging from a recent speech. William Tecumseh Vernon, the Register of the Treasury is not being as brave as he should be, and has been too cautious in his recent speeches, according to Anderson. Anderson also wonders if Consul James Weldon Johnson could be transferred from Venezuela to a European consulate, as he believes it would be a good move.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-05
Charles William Anderson recently spoke with Robert McCormick, who told him about a conversation wherein Benjamin B. Odell predicted that President Roosevelt would carry New York by a landslide, while Abraham Gruber disputed this and said that people in New York were against Roosevelt. Anderson had recently criticized Odell’s support of Charles Evans Hughes, and seems to suggest that this criticism turned Odell’s support to Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-27
Charles William Anderson sends William Loeb a clipping from The Cleveland Gazette campaigning against the reelection bid of Republican Representative Theodore E. Burton. He also sends a letter from the Gazette co-founder and owner Harry C. Smith from Judge Mifflin Wistar Gibbs congratulating him on how well the newspaper opposed Burton and hoping that President Roosevelt would receive similar treatment by the newspaper if he were to run. Anderson is concerned by Gibbs’s stance, as his son-in-law William Henry Hunt is currently the Consul to St. Etienne, France.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-19
Charles William Anderson reports on several members of the New York Republican State Committee’s opinions of President Roosevelt, Governor Charles Evans Hughes, and Secretary of War William H. Taft. The majority of the members have indicated that they would support Hughes’s run for president over Taft’s should Roosevelt not seek renomination, although Roosevelt would be their first choice. Anderson has heard some rumors among financial circles about an unnamed fourth potential candidate, but has not seen any support for him among the actual State Committee members.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-16
Charles William Anderson has learned that New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes is helping Charles W. Farnham seek employment with the state. Farnham has given Anderson information about Hughes’s candidacy for the presidency. In a postscript, Anderson adds that Farnham has secured a job working for the New York Public Service Commission.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-21
Charles William Anderson appeals to William Loeb on behalf of his good friend Dr. John W. Prather, who has been working as an immigration inspector in Montreal. Prather has recently been transferred to a post in Santa Maria, Texas, near Brownsville. Anderson fears Prather would be unsafe there as a colored man, and so he asks Loeb to bring this matter to President Roosevelt’s attention so that he might revoke the transfer. He apologizes for the intrusion, but feels strongly in this matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-20
Charles William Anderson advises William Loeb that the Reverend Reverdy C. Ransom has been transferred from Boston to the Bethel A.M.E. Church in New York City. Anderson says the conditions of the transfer seem to be corrupt, possibly made due to a bribe from newspaper editor John E. Milholland, and that Reverdy is “a thoroughly bad man.” Anderson thinks Booker T. Washington shares his view of the situation.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-03
Charles William Anderson expresses his disapproval of William L. Wilson as a potential postmaster of New York. One of his objections is that Wilson placed African Americans William H. Butler and Major R. Poole in positions in the New York legislature, despite how they “had used the vilest epithets in referring to President Roosevelt, because of the Brownsville incident.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-08
Charles William Anderson tells William Loeb that it is rumored that Gilchrist Stewart, traveling with some of the soldiers discharged as a result of the Brownsville affair, intends to make a speech to President Roosevelt and give copies of it to White House reporters. Anderson thinks that Stewart, who is working for the Constitution League, will pass a copy to the papers as a “star-play for himself, and his employers.” Anderson also reports that a white lawyer, Joe Smith, has connections to the Boston Tablet and to Stewart’s employer John E. Milholland, who had told Mrs. Mary Church Terrell to call on Roosevelt “before any of the colored delegations reached him, and in that way forestall everybody in the favor of the Constitution League.” Anderson also notes that Reverend William H. Brooks is in the city and also works for the league.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-11-30
Charles William Anderson informs William Loeb that Roscoe Conkling Simmons, Booker T. Washington’s nephew by marriage, has started a newspaper in New York that aligns with the political leanings of Benjamin B. Odell and Lemuel Ely Quigg. Other friends of Washington have also expressed political opinions contrary to Roosevelt, and Anderson intends to tell Washington that he ought to stand by the President.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-12
Charles William Anderson informs William Lobe that the New York Age, a prominent black newspaper, is supporting Benjamin B. Odell and Lemuel Ely Quigg. Anderson also notes that Odell and Quigg aim to challenge Anderson’s membership to the Republican State Committee in New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-31
Charles William Anderson writes to William Loeb about the meeting of the Republican State Committee in New York. Anderson disputes a report that Chairman of the Committee Benjamin B. Odell had intended to question Anderson’s right to vote in the Committee. Anderson suggests that a future meeting between President Roosevelt and New York Representative Herbert Parsons will “clear up the atmosphere” concerning rumored indifference on the part of Roosevelt toward Parsons.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-30
Charles William Anderson advises William Loeb that the “fight to displace County Chairman Halpin, is on.” Anderson has tried not to join in the fight and passes on the information for the president’s consideration.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-14
Charles William Anderson acknowledges William Loeb’s request relative to Colonel John Nugent. He asks Loeb to send a note to Internal Revenue Commissioner John Watson Yerkes, requesting two additional places in the office of Collector of Internal Revenue. Anderson, who is “colored,” has recently been appointed by President Roosevelt to Collector of Internal Revenue and wants to add one man whom “the circles of high initiation” want placed and another man to represent the colored voters without displacing any of the present officers.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-05-18
Charles William Anderson, the Supervisor of Racing Accounts in the State of New York, confidentially informs William Loeb that the Bishop has “touched our friend Ward for a cold Thousand,” but the situation has been resolved. Anderson updates Loeb on his club’s work to secure the “colored” vote in New York City.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-08
Charles William Anderson will be speaking at Quinn Chapel A.M.E. in Chicago, and he asks William Loeb for guidance on any topics President Roosevelt might want him to address to the African American audience. Anderson also warns that an indiscreet man named Quarlles, who is in the district attorney’s office, is showing letters from Roosevelt around town.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-06-03
Charles William Anderson recommends Jerome B. Peterson for appointment to the consulship at Puerto Cabello, Venezuela.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-05-14
Charles William Anderson writes to explain his success in convincing a Mr. Smith to withdraw his application for the Hampton, Virginia, post office. Anderson argued, and Smith agreed, that they should not embarrass President Roosevelt by submitting applications for such offices (presumably from African American candidates), at a time when the Southern press is already unhappy with the President.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-01-20