Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Dudley Foulke
Subject(s): Bonaparte, Charles J. (Charles Joseph), 1851-1921, Campaign funds, Cortelyou, George B. (George Bruce), 1862-1940, Cromwell, William Nelson, 1854-1948, Harriman, Edward Henry, 1848-1909, Hornaday, James P. (James Parks), 1863-1935, Journalistic ethics, Laffan, William M., Ogden, Rollo, 1856-1937, Panama--Panama Canal, Parker, Alton B. (Alton Brooks), 1852-1926, Press and politics, Pulitzer, Joseph, 1847-1911, Robinson, Douglas, 1855-1918, Smith, Delavan, 1861-1922, Swift, Lucius B. (Lucius Burrie), 1844-1929, Truthfulness and falsehood, Villard, Oswald Garrison, 1872-1949
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President Roosevelt responds to William Dudley Foulke’s request to call the Indianapolis News to account for the falsehoods they are spreading. Roosevelt explains that he does not believe it will do any good, because the paper is simply on par with other papers like the New York World, New York Sun, and New York Evening Post. Such papers will simply repeat their falsehoods and spread new ones if they are corrected. Roosevelt believes that it is useless to deny false stories in the news because papers do not attempt to prove their assertions. In particular, Roosevelt mentions false stories about his raising campaign funds and the purchase of the Panama Canal.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-10-24
Creator(s)
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Recipient
Foulke, William Dudley, 1848-1935
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)
Repository
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Page Count
6
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 William Dudley Foulke. [October 24, 1908]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o204687. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Dudley Foulke. [24 Oct. 1908]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 9, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o204687.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1908, October 24]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Dudley Foulke.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o204687.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. 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. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 9, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
APA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
