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R. M. Norboe is pleased that conservationist John M. Phillips has called upon President Roosevelt and that Phillips is so interested in protecting Pennsylvania game, which Norboe believes is a step in the right direction. Norboe describes an encounter he had with a pack of wolves while hunting. He encloses a picture of the skin of a bear killed in Alaska.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-23
Secretary of the Interior Hitchcock writes President Roosevelt with his advice on the complicated matter of withdrawing coal lands. On Roosevelt’s direction, the Department of the Interior and the General Land Office began surveying and drafting a list of townships that contained rich coal lands with the intention of withdrawing them from homestead exemptions, and the Department is working quickly to wire all of Roosevelt’s orders to appropriate land offices around the country. However, it is apparent that oil industry men can use many loopholes to obtain the land.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-17
Francis C. Travers reports to President Roosevelt about a possible nominee for governor of Alaska. Travers also suggests Major Byrne for a railroad construction project. A party is arranged to greet Roosevelt when he arrives in St. Louis for the fair.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-21
Attorney General Moody has decided to make no public comment on the Constitution’s applicability in Alaska until the case has been decided in the Supreme Court. Moody also suggests that President Roosevelt remove the topic from his upcoming speech.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-21
John Lewis Griffiths praises President Roosevelt’s character and the achievements of his administration.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-03
President Roosevelt in a special police officer’s uniform marches across the United States with his “big stick.” Caption: Why not make him special policeman for life with the United States, Alaska and the Philippines as his beat?
The context of this early cartoon of Jay N. “Ding” Darling is the contemporary speculative fascination over what the relatively young Theodore Roosevelt would do with himself upon retirement from the presidency. Cartoonists, as with politicians and the general public, spent time either wondering whether Roosevelt would reverse his decision not to succeed himself, or wondering about which of seemingly countless fields of endeavor the polymath Roosevelt would pursue.
President Roosevelt wears clothing with a number of states on it as well as “Alaska” and the “Philippines.” He holds “the big stick” and stands on a “Constitution of United States” door mat with a tag that reads, “my private door mat. T. R.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-02-19
Message given by President Roosevelt to Congress at the beginning of the second session of the Fifty-seventh Congress in which Roosevelt describes his legislative priorities for the year.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
1902
Secretary of State Hay and his wife enjoyed the evening with President Roosevelt, and Hay encloses the note regarding Alaska that Roosevelt wanted to see.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-02-28
“Corbin How about Watterson? TR / Alaska boundary report on / Army moral report”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-03-25
Secretary of State Hay recounts the difficulties associated with the ongoing Alaska boundary dispute.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-07-17
Uncle Sam, holding a firecracker, tries to reassure a concerned-looking female figure with wings labeled “Peace” that all the noise she hears is for the celebration of the Fourth of July. Celebrating with Uncle Sam are several figures labeled “Alaska, New York, Texas, Mass., Hawaii, Porto Rico, North, South.” One disgruntled figure labeled “Philippine” is climbing over a wall. An African American is sitting near Uncle Sam. Some are lighting strings of firecrackers, “Texas” is shooting guns, and “Mass.” is firing a cannon in celebration. The “Philippine” climbs over a wall, the only disgruntled child in the group. The U.S. Capitol building is in the background and a dove with olive branch hovers over the figure of “Peace.” Caption: Uncle Sam–It’s all right! There’s no fighting! The noise you hear is just my family celebrating!
Since the founding of the United States, its enlargement and expansion of territories was relatively gradual and organic. Texas, Alaska, and even the recent annexation of Hawaii were slow-paced compared to the “population explosion” depicted by Keppler in this cartoon. Puck Magazine consistently approved.
President Roosevelt reviews his position on the Alaska boundary question and believes the Canadian claim to be “outrageous and indefensible.” He will not submit to arbitration but is willing to appoint three commissioners to decide upon the border. However, Roosevelt would insist upon the entire claim and instruct the commissioners not to yield any territory.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-07-10
President Roosevelt is opposed to arbitration in the Alaska boundary dispute but is willing to appoint three commissioners to meet with commissioners from Canada and Great Britain. However, Roosevelt believes that the Canadian claim is “wholly false” and he does not want to yield on American claims. Secretary of War Elihu Root has been secretly strengthening the garrisons near the disputed territory.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-07-16
President Roosevelt opposes a delay in the Alaska boundary proceedings. He does not want the matter pending during the presidential election and believes that if an agreement cannot be reached this fall it will be due to bad faith by the British. Roosevelt wants the British to understand that American representatives have come to negotiate a definitive agreement and that unilateral action could be taken if an agreement is not concluded.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-06-29
President Roosevelt found Baron Takahira’s letter to be remarkable and believes that Ambassador Jusserand’s comment is due to jealousy. He hopes that the British will act with “sanity and propriety” in the Alaska boundary business. If they do not, it will be a misfortune for the United States and a greater misfortune for Great Britain and Canada.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-08-21
President Roosevelt agrees about the “little islands” and suggests that the rights to the islands could be a bargaining tool in the Alaska boundary matter. If an agreement cannot be reached, he would like to see arbitration before the Hague Court.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-09-15
President Roosevelt returns the letter and hopes that everything goes well regarding Alaska.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-09-18
President Roosevelt encloses a letter and clipping that show political pressure is being used to prevent an impartial decision in the Alaska boundary matter. If necessary, Roosevelt is willing to end negotiations and seize the disputed territory. He believes that such action would be unpleasant but mostly for the British and Canadians.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-09-21
President Roosevelt selfishly hopes that Cecil Spring Rice will be stationed at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. If Spring Rice is sent, Roosevelt would like to show him the maps submitted in the Alaska boundary case which show that the Canadians had no case. Events at the Isthmus of Panama have come to a head. The Colombians were corrupt, incompetent, and impossible to deal with.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-11-09