Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles J. Bell
Subject(s): Employees--Appointment, qualifications, tenure, etc., Fairbanks, Charles W. (Charles Warren), 1852-1918, Jones, Aaron, 1838-1928, Nominations for office, Norris, Elliott B. (Elliott Baldwin), 1845-1918, Odell, Benjamin B. (Benjamin Barker), 1854-1926, Political campaigns, Political ethics, Wilson, James, 1835-1920
Click on image to zoom in
President Roosevelt expresses concerns to Charles J. Bell about a prior discussion they had with Governor Benjamin B. Odell and Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson regarding the possible appointment of Elliott B. Norris to a prominent position shortly before the election. Although Roosevelt “took a great fancy to him,” he is concerned that since Norris ran for political office in New York just two years prior as a Democrat, appointing him at this time would “look too much like bargain and sale.” It would leave Roosevelt’s actions open to misinterpretation, and the opposition would be sure to use it during the current campaign.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1904-08-01
Creator(s)
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Recipient
Bell, Charles J. (Charles James), 1845-1909
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 1st Term (September 1901-February 1905)
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 Charles J. Bell. [August 1, 1904]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o188719. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles J. Bell. [1 Aug. 1904]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. April 24, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o188719.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1904, August 1]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles J. Bell.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o188719.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
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. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. April 24, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
APA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
