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President Roosevelt lays out his understanding of the Alaskan boundary dispute between the United States, Great Britain, and Canada. Roosevelt finds Canadian claims to be “outrageous and indefensible,” but is willing to appoint commissioners to investigate the boundary. However, arbitration is out of the question.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-07-10
President Roosevelt wants to know what is being done about the Alaskan forest reserves and would like to see Mr. Anderson appointed assistant superintendent in Wyoming.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-06-16
President Roosevelt is favorable to the “Alaska forest reservation scheme.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-04-15
Arthur H. Noyes is being removed as United States District Judge for the Second Division of the District of Alaska.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-02-24
President Roosevelt wishes to make clear that he did not promise Senator Mitchell the Alaska collectorship. Roosevelt asserts that the only promised appointment he spoke to Mitchell about was that of George W. Bibee. Roosevelt will carefully read Mitchell’s letter, then will plan to meet with Mitchell and Senator Simon together.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-12-12
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt writes to Frederick Courteney Selous about big game hunting and authors of the sport. Roosevelt was disappointed by the inaccuracies in Percy Selous’s book, which he bought because it was co-authored with Henry Anderson Bryden. Roosevelt offers congratulations to Selous and his wife on the upcoming birth of their first child and talks about his own family life and the obstacles it produces for getting away despite being fond of his wife and six children. He longs for an extended hunt but will settle for reading of other wildernesses like those in Selous’s book. Roosevelt presumes they would both count Fitzwilliam Thomas Pollok a fake based on his writings since he includes some experiences “that are all nonsense,” much like the writing of Henry Astbury Leveson, the Old Shikari. Roosevelt says that both Pollok and Leveson’s work would “have done credit” to the adventure writer Mayne Reid. Roosevelt also thinks William Henry Drummond “was not always an exact observer” based on what Selous wrote. Roosevelt mentions the black rhinoceros attacks William Astor Chanler and Ludwig Ritter von Höhnel experienced when in Africa and that he has just finished the book by John Guille Millais that Selous sent him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1898-02-15
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt is glad that Frederick Courteney Selous enjoyed his hunting trip, but is melancholy to realize that the United States has lost so much of its hunting grounds. Roosevelt recalls a few of his own hunting experiences: “I was just in time to see the last of the real wilderness life and real wilderness hunting.” Roosevelt also recommends several books to Selous and provides information about his experience ranching in North Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1897-11-30
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt discusses various national and international reasons why the Navy Department should steadily, yet rapidly, build up the Navy. He reasons that “a great navy does not make for war, but for peace.” Roosevelt lists actionable steps Congress and the Department can take.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1897-09-30
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt enjoyed hearing from T. S. Rodgers. He will not comment on Rodgers’s Alaska plan yet but believes it is a good one and he will do his best to push it through. Roosevelt recently spent three days with the squadron of iron-clad ships and wishes everyone who doubts the Navy could see the squadron.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1897-09-10
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt asks Secretary of the Interior Bliss if John Willis would be eligible for the government surveying expedition to establish a border between Alaska and Canada without taking the civil service examination. Roosevelt vouches for Willis and praises his skills as a guide.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1897-08-19
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt asks Secretary of the Interior Bliss to send reports, maps, and books on Alaska and the Yukon gold fields to Lincoln Steffens of the New York Evening Post. If there is any cost for the requested materials, Roosevelt asks that the bill be sent to Steffens.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1897-08-04
A statement authored by William T. Hornaday criticizes the Sulzer bill which would allow for the sale of moose, caribou, and white mountain sheep meat in Northern Alaska. Hornaday reports that he and several prominent game conservation associations were shocked to discover that the legal sale of big game in Alaska had been occurring for some time.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1918-03-04
William T. Hornaday is disturbed by events at home and abroad. The American Defense Society is fighting against pacifism and working hard to prevent “disloyal meetings” from taking place in New York. Hornaday is alarmed by a bill drawn up Congressman Sulzer and the Department of Agriculture, and supported by Charles Sheldon and Edward William Nelson, allowing the sale of Alaskan big game all year round.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1918-03-02
William T. Hornaday writes to the “Defenders of Big Game” about a “painful situation” where the Department of Agriculture continues to allow the sale of big game in Alaska.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1918-03-04
William T. Hornaday writes that the situation with Attorney General Gregory is “intolerable” and deserving of a congressional investigation. He also encourages Theodore Roosevelt to chastise Edward William Nelson and Charles Sheldon about the proposed sale of big game in Alaska. Hornaday believes that Roosevelt’s ear will recover, as his own did in 1906.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1918-03-08
President McKinley writes to accept the Republican Party’s nomination for President and accepts the platform. He discusses his desire to uphold the gold standard and refutes the opinions of those who support the silver standard. He also comments on international affairs, including the territorial government in Alaska and Hawaii, war loans from the Spanish American War, neutrality policies in the Boer War, law and order in Cuba, and holdings in Puerto Rico and the Philippines. He also comments on domestic issues including civil service reform, the volume of United States currency, and domestic shipping. Finally, McKinley comments on insurrection and peace treaties in the Philippines, asserting his desire for peace and that no person be “deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1900-09-10
Gifford Pinchot reflects on the conservation record of the Woodrow Wilson administration in this open letter. Pinchot believes that because Wilson refused to take sides, or took the wrong side, the question of the people winning in the Shields and Myers waterpower bills and the Phelan oil bill is questionable. It is not possible to compromise with men who would use public resources for private profit.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1916-09-20
George Bird Grinnell received Charles Sheldon’s letter discussing the amendment to the Sulzer Bill. Grinnell agrees with Sheldon’s reasons for supporting the Bill, “after the war is over there may be reasonable cooperation between residents of Alaska and game conservators elsewhere.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1917-06-13
William T. Hornaday thanks Theodore Roosevelt for endorsing his latest book and commends Roosevelt for his own writing about wildlife conservation. Hornaday was extremely disappointed that the book about Alaskan birds published by the Audubon Society did not give adequate coverage to conservation issues.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-02-01
Gifford Pinchot is anxious for Representative Bryan’s reelection to the House, because Bryan has been a strong fighter for conservation. There are a number of reasons Pinchot would like Bryan reelected. Bryan represents Seattle and its business interests are important to the U.S. as a whole and Alaska specifically. Bryan can also support Progressive policies in a variety of areas.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1914-03-27