Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1910-08-13

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

Recipient

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Language

English

University of California President Wheeler tells President Roosevelt that most Californians are eager to show their support for Secretary of War William H. Taft’s presidential bid. The Alameda County, California, political machine generally opposes Taft, but William F. Herrin has instructed these men to support Taft. Wheeler praises Roosevelt’s skillful handling of the Berkeley, California post office matter, which Wheeler believes has secured California’s delegation for Taft. He updates Roosevelt on other happenings in California state politics and advises him to do nothing for now.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-20

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

University of California President Benjamin Ide Wheeler sends William Loeb information regarding Secretary of War William H. Taft’s recent trip to Washington state. Wheeler discusses a letter from Judge Henry A. Melvin to Arthur I. Vorys in which Melvin says the existing political machine in Alameda County, California, will support Taft in the upcoming primaries. Wheeler believes Melvin wrote this letter because he is indebted to William E. Dargie and George W. Reed for his judgeship. Wheeler feels that these men are truly in opposition to Taft and Roosevelt, but are supporting Taft because his victory seems inevitable and they want to be on the winning side.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-19

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

Benjamin Ide Wheeler is sure Senators George C. Perkins and Frank P. Flint will agree on confirming a highly regarded man as postmaster in Berkeley. Wheeler thanks William Loeb for his assistance, and explains that the current situation has been organized to benefit Representative Joseph R. Knowland at the expense of the federal government. Unfortunately, Wheeler has recently realized that Secretary of the Navy Victor Howard Metcalf was partially responsible.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-03

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

Benjamin Ide Wheeler will tell Senator Ralph Metcalf to go East, “whether riding or walking.” Wheeler hopes to see President Roosevelt in November.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-03

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

Benjamin Ide Wheeler thinks that to avoid the situation with the “railroad gang” there should be a move to confirm Clarence S. Merrill as Postmaster of Berkeley, California.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-30

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

University of California President Wheeler is satisfied with President Roosevelt’s letter to Representative Joseph R. Knowland. He reports that the post office has been “miserably managed for years,” a claim confirmed by an inspector’s reports. Knowland’s underhanded attempt to appoint Charles E. Thomas reflects poorly on both his and Thomas’s characters. Wheeler calculates that the university produces half, if not more, of the city’s mail. He highly appreciates Roosevelt’s Provincetown speech.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-26

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

Benjamin Ide Wheeler, President of the University of California, Berkeley, apologizes to William Loeb for being “obliged to trouble” President Roosevelt with the issue of appointing a postmaster for Berkeley. However, he strongly opposes the appointment of Charles E. Thomas as it fulfills the “private purposes of a political candidate,” that candidate being Representative Joseph R. Knowland.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-20

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

Benjamin Ide Wheeler, president of the University of California, Berkeley, forwards a letter from Washington Senator Ralph Metcalf to President Roosevelt. Wheeler attests to Metcalf’s integrity and directs Roosevelt to Wheeler’s information regarding Secretary of War William H. Taft’s candidacy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-20

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

Benjamin Ide Wheeler asks President Roosevelt to consider meeting with Edward Henry Harriman and explains the reasons behind Harriman’s behavior.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-29

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

University of California President Wheeler thinks that President Roosevelt and Edward Harriman need to talk face-to-face about the impending railroad legislation. Wheeler says that, contrary to rumor or gossip, Harriman prefers Taft as the next president to anyone else.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-19

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

Benjamin Ide Wheeler praises President Roosevelt’s diplomatic skills. Wheeler states the future of the United States will be determined by the countries across the Pacific Ocean instead of those across the Atlantic Ocean as it was in the founding of the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-16

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

Benjamin Ide Wheeler writes that Frank P. Flint has won the Senate seat. Wheeler recommends Flint as an honest man, and a supporter of President Roosevelt’s administration, though not of “supreme ability or thorough education.” Flint was “selected” by the Southern Pacific Railway and so will not take issue with “railroad interests.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-13

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

Benjamin Ide Wheeler sends a lengthy excerpt from a letter written by Professor Mezes, a Democrat living in Texas. Mezes states the South will change its allegiance from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party due to changes President Roosevelt has made in the Republican Party.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-07

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

Benjamin Ide Wheeler considers how President Roosevelt will govern now that he has a “mandate” from the people, but Congress is mostly filled with persons selected by special interest. Wheeler thinks there will be continuing disagreement among members of the Republican party. He discusses possible Cabinet appointments.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-13

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

Benjamin Ide Wheeler sends news from the Republican National Convention; including how Senator Fairbanks won the vice-presidential nomination, the resolution of a matter surrounding the Wisconsin delegation, and Wheeler’s opinion on the party platform.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-22

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

President Wheeler gave Paul Ziertmann a letter of introduction and hopes Theodore Roosevelt will meet with him. Ziertmann is an exchange teacher and knows more about the American educational system and student needs than any other European. Wheeler comments on President William H. Taft and Woodrow Wilson as candidates and reports that Professor David P. Barrows returned from a trip through Mexico and finds the country quieter than supposed.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-08-15

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

President of the University of California Wheeler clarifies for Theodore Roosevelt how the socialist mayoral candidate, J. Stitt Wilson, won in Berkeley.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-04-05

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

Benjamin Ide Wheeler believes the plan to have Theodore Roosevelt open a bond campaign in San Francisco “would undoubtedly have the effect of stirring things to the depths and of vastly widening all through the country the clientage of the bond.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-03

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927

Benjamin Ide Wheeler, president of the University, reminds Theodore Roosevelt to visit alum, and bird enthusiast and photographer William L. Finley while in Portland, Oregon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-03-31

Creator(s)

Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927