Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt
Subject(s): Alien labor, Chinese, Canals, Interoceanic--Design and construction, Elections, Foreign workers, Chinese, Hours of labor, Labor laws and legislation, Labor movement, Pepperman, W. Leon (Walter Leon), 1876-, United States. War Department, United States. War Dept.
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Secretary of War Taft is glad that President Roosevelt decided to pursue the course of hiring Chinese laborers for work on the Panama Canal. It may not be necessary to advertise the positions, as there have been a number inquiries, from which it may already be possible invite proposals, but Taft will confer with W. Leon Pepperman and Theodore P. Shonts, of the Isthmian Canal Commission, on the matter. Taft is annoyed by the situation in the War Department relating to the eight hour law. He believes it may appear to outsiders to be a way to win votes from the labor movement, although Taft and Roosevelt both know that it is simply a necessity of enforcing the law, where it had previously been avoided.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1906-08-01
Creator(s)
Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930
Recipient
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
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 William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt. [August 1, 1906]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o53684. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930. Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt. [1 Aug. 1906]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 6, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o53684.
APA:
Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930., [1906, August 1]. Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o53684.
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 6, 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.
