Letter from Joseph Gurney Cannon to Theodore Roosevelt
Subject(s): American Federation of Labor, Cole, Ralph D. (Ralph Dayton), 1873-1932, Frye, William P. (William Pierce), 1831-1911, Fuller, Hugh R., 1864-1936, Gompers, Samuel, 1850-1924, Hamilton, Edward L. (Edward La Rue), 1857-1923, Illinois, Labor unions--Political activity, Littlefield, Charles E. (Charles Edgar), 1851-1915, Maine, McNamee, John, Mitchell, John, 1870-1919, Political campaigns, Railroads--Employees--Labor unions, Sargent, Frank P., 1854-1908, Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930, Watson, James E. (James Eli), 1863 or 1864-1948
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Representative Cannon tells President Roosevelt that he is gratified by the kind tone of Frank P. Sargent’s letter and by the fact that Sargent seems to understand his attitude, though there are reports among railway laborers in Chicago that Cannon is unfriendly to railway brotherhoods. While Cannon believes there is value in organized labor, he does not agree with those who, following the lead of Samuel Gompers, seek class legislation and wish to blacklist those who do not agree. These, says Cannon, “are the worst enemies that organized labor can have.” Cannon thinks Gompers’s principal fight is against Roosevelt, yet the labor leader levels his attacks against those in the administration who are not quite as strong. Cannon reveals his campaign tour strategy for the coming months and discusses the local conditions he recently observed in Maine.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1906-09-14
Creator(s)
Cannon, Joseph Gurney, 1836-1926
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
5
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 Joseph Gurney Cannon to Theodore Roosevelt. [September 14, 1906]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o54300. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Cannon, Joseph Gurney, 1836-1926. Letter from Joseph Gurney Cannon to Theodore Roosevelt. [14 Sep. 1906]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. June 4, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o54300.
APA:
Cannon, Joseph Gurney, 1836-1926., [1906, September 14]. Letter from Joseph Gurney Cannon to Theodore Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o54300.
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. June 4, 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.
