Eliot, Charles William, 1834-1926

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1900-11-09

Creator(s)

Eliot, Charles William, 1834-1926

Recipient

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Harvard University President Eliot defends himself against newspaper claims that the portion on athletics in his Annual Report was in response to what President Roosevelt had said at the Harvard Union on February 23, 1907. Eliot references the Brownsville Affair and “the difference between College pranks and ‘shooting up’ a town.” He explains that he felt the old college administrative practice of “punishing the innocent with the guilty when the innocent would not bear witness against the guilty” unjust.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-09

Harvard University President Charles William Eliot regrets that he will be away in Canada when President Roosevelt visits. He asks Roosevelt to speak to the students and try to improve their work ethic.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-18

Charles William Eliot writes to President Roosevelt regarding his feelings on how labor unions must be regulated.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-12

President Charles William Eliot of Harvard writes that James H. Hyde is qualified to be the ambassador to France. Eliot congratulates President Roosevelt on the election results. He praises Roosevelt for his stand against monopolies. Eliot believes the federal government must “defend American society” by regulating trusts.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-06

Charles William Eliot informs Theodore Roosevelt that Harvard’s Committee of the Board of Overseers on Government will be meeting in Boston on May 10th. His attendance is requested.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-05-02

Creator(s)

Eliot, Charles William, 1834-1926

Charles William Eliot hopes Theodore Roosevelt can attend the last two Overseers’ Committee meetings of the academic year. Most of the board members from Massachusetts oppose a three-day meeting in Cambridge.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-04-22

While Charles William Eliot cannot lecture in New York City regarding the issue of equal pay for men and women teachers, he explains to Joseph K. Van Denburg why he has “never seen a sillier proposition.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-04-21

Charles William Eliot discusses reasons why there is no need for further restrictions on immigration.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-01-10

Harvard President Charles William Eliot thanks President Roosevelt for the letter congratulating him on his retirement. He notes that Roosevelt is leaving the presidency 25 years younger than him, and that after his trip to Africa, he will be able to “vigorously” take up another task. Eliot regrets that he and his wife cannot visit on January 28.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-24

Charles William Eliot, president of Harvard College, replies to President Roosevelt regarding several matters. The telegrams that Roosevelt sent him are correct, and Eliot regrets their publication, as it is the policy of Harvard College not to say anything about students being punished. Eliot discusses the punishment of Charles C. Morgan and Sidney W. Fish, as well as the events that brought about the necessity of punishing them. While Roosevelt thinks that their punishment–suspension from the Harvard crew team–was unjust, Eliot thinks it was deserved.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-14

President Charles William Eliot of Harvard tells President Roosevelt about an incident where one person broke a rule and another person gave a false name. Being put on probation was the least punishment. Eliot thinks that a keen sense of honor is the finest result of college life, and believes that colleges and graduates should therefore condemn dishonorable conduct.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-19

Charles William Eliot explains to President Roosevelt why Leonard Wood experiences hostility. This goes back to the service Wood gave President McKinley and his wife. Wood’s “egotistic freedom of speech” to the press also contributed to distrust of him. Eliot hopes Roosevelt will not pay attention to those who have business interests in Cuba. The U.S. government cannot immediately create peace and prosperity in the country. Eliot believes the Democratic Party is desperate after William Jennings Bryan’s recent failure.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-27

Harvard President Eliot assures President Roosevelt that sending Secretary of War William H. Taft and Assistant Secretary of State Robert Bacon to Cuba is the “best thing you can do.” Eliot believes there could be Americans lending money to the Cuban rebels. He agrees with Roosevelt that Cuba will need a strong military force to control further uprisings.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-17

Charles William Eliot advocates strenuously against any form of law restricting or forbidding immigration as laborers are needed in all sectors of society. In a handwritten note from President Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge, Roosevelt sarcastically comments on how the nation needs Eliot’s “trained intelligence to guide us through – and into – the pitfalls!”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-19

Charles William Eliot would like a copy of the letter written to the Sultan. He also discusses his misgivings about Emperor William II.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-26

Charles William Eliot thanks Theodore Roosevelt for donating a St. Gauden’s medal to the Harvard College Library. Eliot continues to point out Roosevelt’s contribution to “American criticism” of college education.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-15

Harvard President Charles William Eliot tells President Roosevelt that he likes Massachusetts Senator Winthrop Murray Crane, and is glad that Roosevelt trusts him and takes his advice. Eliot will always be glad to listen to Secretary of War William H. Taft speak on any political theme, but believes that the Philippines are no longer of the highest importance, having been supplanted by the tariff, civil service, and labor unions. He criticizes the Democratic party for not having a common conviction regarding these subjects.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-21

Charles William Eliot asks President Roosevelt to write to Secretary for Appointments H. S. Thompson with further details about the living arrangements and compensation he would provide for a tutor for his son Ted. Ted desires to enter Harvard at age eighteen. Eliot states that this is a good age for “an ambitious and sturdy boy.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-26

Charles William Eliot writes to President Roosevelt about whose wording should be used in a speech about America’s involvement in the Philippines.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-16