Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Benjamin Ide Wheeler
Subject(s): Bryan, William Jennings, 1860-1925, Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865, Lubin, David, 1849-1919, Presidents--Nomination, Railroads--Freight--Rates--Law and legislation, Root, Elihu, 1845-1937, Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930
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President Roosevelt thinks that Benjamin Ide Wheeler’s letter was very interesting, and believes Wheeler is correct that the business people were foolish. He comments on the way railroad rebates and rate legislation has been handled, and says that he “raised the issue arbitrarily in just the sense that Lincoln raised the slavery issue arbitrarily when the issue was the preservation of the Union.” He agrees that the current legislative session has been very good, but understands Wheeler’s anxiety about who will take up the mantle of leadership after Roosevelt’s term ends. Roosevelt believes that Secretary of War William H. Taft would be a good candidate, and comments on Secretary of State Elihu Root as well.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1906-07-03
Creator(s)
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Recipient
Wheeler, Benjamin Ide, 1854-1927
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 Benjamin Ide Wheeler. [July 3, 1906]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o195989. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Benjamin Ide Wheeler. [3 Jul. 1906]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 20, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o195989.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1906, July 3]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Benjamin Ide Wheeler.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o195989.
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. February 20, 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.
