Speech of the President at the Auditorium, Chattanooga, Tennessee
Subject(s): American Civil War (1861-1865), Arizona, Battlefield monuments, Boynton, Henry V. (Henry Van), 1835-1905, British Americans, Canada, Citizenship, Citizenship (International law), Common sense, Constitutional amendments, Courage, Cuba--Santiago de Cuba, French Americans, Georgia--Chickamauga Battlefield, German Americans, Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885, Hannahan, John J., 1856-1925, Honesty, Hood, John Bell, 1831-1879, Industrial revolution, Irish Americans, Labor unions, Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870, Locomotive firemen--Societies, etc., McMillin, Benton, 1845-1933, Meagher, Thomas Francis, 1823-1867, Mexico, Rifles, Roosevelt, Martha Bulloch, 1835-1884, Sargent, Frank P., 1854-1908, Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891, Spanish-American War (1898), Tennessee--Chattanooga, United States--Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Wheeler, Joseph, 1836-1906
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At the opening session of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen convention, President Roosevelt praises railroad workers as possessing the necessary qualities of soldiers, including obedience, initiative, and the rugged, manly virtues that Roosevelt feels are threatened by modern luxuries. He argues that organized labor is wonderful, but only if it encourages individual improvement while working for the group, and he feels that the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen have historically exemplified this virtue. Roosevelt warns that the prosperity of modern progress also gives rise to new challenges. He insists that, just as certain soldierly qualities remain constant despite changes in arms or military tactics, laws and constitutions may change but the need for good citizens of honesty, courage, and common sense will always be necessary. Having just visited the Chickamauga and Chattanooga battlefields, Roosevelt also praises the unified American spirit shared by men and women across the country, including immigrants.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1902-09-08
Creator(s)
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 1st Term (September 1901-February 1905)
Repository
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Page Count
9
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:
Speech of the President at the Auditorium, Chattanooga, Tennessee. [September 8, 1902]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o288806. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Speech of the President at the Auditorium, Chattanooga, Tennessee. [8 Sep. 1902]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. March 5, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o288806.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1902, September 8]. Speech of the President at the Auditorium, Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o288806.
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. March 5, 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.
