Algeciras Conference

In a letter to George Otto Trevelyan, President Roosevelt provides details of some of the negotiations he undertook with regard to various crises during his presidency. Roosevelt relays his experience dealing with Kaiser William II of Germany in three matters, and he discusses the desire of the Japanese to keep secret their asking Roosevelt to mediate the Russo-Japanese War. Roosevelt underscores the insecure temperament of William II, and he cautions Trevelyan against sharing his letter except with perhaps his sons and Viscount Edward Grey. Roosevelt also discusses a diplomatic dustup with Germany caused by the diplomatic meddling of Andrew Carnegie.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1911-11-09

William N. Tilchin organizes, explains, and defends the diplomacy of President Theodore Roosevelt. Tilchin lays out the three guiding principles of Roosevelt’s foreign policy: that the United States needs to engage with the global community; that power must be behind the nation’s diplomacy; and the United States should cultivate a close relationship with Great Britain. Tilchin also examines Roosevelt’s style of diplomacy with an emphasis on his personal direction and informality, and he describes the precepts of “big stick diplomacy.” Tilchin also divides Roosevelt’s foreign policy into three periods during his presidency, and he cites specific examples of Roosevelt’s management of various crises and events from the acquisition of the Panama Canal to the voyage of the Great White Fleet. Tilchin highlights Roosevelt’s careful and continual cultivation of a relationship with Great Britain, and he examines Roosevelt’s legacy by looking at the foreign policy undertaken by succeeding administrations in the twentieth century. 

Photographs of Roosevelt as assistant secretary of the navy, army officer, and president appear in the text as does a photograph of Secretary of State George P. Schultz.

Serge Ricard argues that there were two sides to Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policy: “a sort of Jekyll and Hyde” approach that mixed professional diplomacy with imperialism. Ricard notes the shift in the historiography of Roosevelt’s diplomacy during the 1980s with an emphasis on placing Roosevelt’s actions in the context of his time that is more complimentary to his reputation. Ricard praises some aspects of Roosevelt’s foreign policy record, but he contends that Roosevelt could not entirely escape the racist and imperialist thinking of his time that led him to belittle nations like China and Colombia.

A photograph of Roosevelt with a large globe and a text box listing the members of the executive committee of the Theodore Roosevelt Association accompany the text.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Stefan H. Rinke explores the relationship between Theodore Roosevelt and Hermann Speck von Sternburg, the German ambassador to the United States from 1903 to 1908. Rinke notes that the two became friends in the 1880s, and that they shared mutual interests in the outdoors, hunting, and the study of war. Rinke says that Roosevelt’s friendship for Sternburg led to the President’s lobbying the German government to have Sternburg appointed ambassador, but he believes that Sternburg could not significantly improve the relationship between Germany and the United States because Roosevelt was so partial to Great Britain and France.

Photographs of Sternburg and Rinke appear in the article as do two text boxes. One has a listing of the officers of the Theodore Roosevelt Association and the other notes that this issue of the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal is dedicated to Captain Charles S. Abott and the men of the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Frederick W. Marks explores why Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policy record is either ignored or dismissed in high school textbooks. Marks examines Roosevelt’s diplomacy, especially his dealings with Latin American nations, to assert that Roosevelt had a record worthy of study and recognition. Marks notes the irony in Roosevelt’s poor treatment at the hands of historians as Roosevelt was an accomplished historian and a president of the American Historical Association. Marks concludes his article by asking why Roosevelt’s record is downplayed, and he argues that Roosevelt’s larger than life personality overshadows his achievements and that the standards for judging diplomatic behavior in 1900 and 1985 are markedly different. 

A photograph of Marks and of the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site appear in the article.

German Ambassador Sternburg says that “giving way beyond the Austrian proposals would gravely endanger the open door.” French banking interests are seeking a monopoly of Morocco’s resources.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-03-14

Ambassador White thanks President Roosevelt for the honor of naming him his representative to the Algeciras Conference. He will update Roosevelt and Secretary of State Root by cipher when matters involving the conference develop. White describes his social events on Thanksgiving Day, including a Thanksgiving dinner where he hosted George Otto Trevelyan, who was very pleased to attend and spoke highly of Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12-10

Germany is concerned that France wants to exclude Austria and the United States from the banking question at the Algeciras Conference. Italy is pressuring the United States to accept the French plan, but the U.S. delegates are adhering to the principle that all interested nations should participate.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-02-01

Theodore Roosevelt asks Henry Cabot Lodge if he previously wrote to Lodge in detail about his handling of the Algeciras Conference and the Alaskan Boundary dispute. If this is the case, Roosevelt requests to see the letters.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-01-15

Theodore Roosevelt reminds French Ambassador Jusserand about a meeting they had with former German Ambassador Hermann Speck von Sternburg. Roosevelt says he wrote two copies of terms for France and Germany at the Algeciras Conference, and gave a copy to each of them. Roosevelt would like Jusserand to send Roosevelt a copy of what he wrote. He wishes Jusserand and his wife, Elise Richards Jusserand, would visit them, and says it was nice having George Bakhmeteff and his wife, Mary Beale Bakhemeff, over for lunch.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-06-21

Theodore Roosevelt writes to Henry Cabot Lodge in response to a previous letter from Lodge. Roosevelt mentions the value of Lodge’s memoirs and continues by suggesting to have dinner at a later date.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-03-12

President Roosevelt appreciates hearing from Sydney Brooks. However, Roosevelt is unable to give Brooks access to official government documents relating to the Portsmouth and Algeciras Conferences and refers him to The Outlook and Ambassador Henry White. Roosevelt apologizes for not being able to fulfill his request.

Comments and Context

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

President Roosevelt wishes Arthur Hamilton Lee, a member of British Parliament, could have lunch with Secretary of State Elihu Root, Secretary of War William H. Taft and Assistant Secretary of State Robert Bacon and they could discuss various foreign affairs. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-13

President Roosevelt asks for Senator Hale’s assistance in ratifying the Algeciras treaty. Roosevelt had not supposed that there would be opposition to it, but “apparently some of the Democrats are inclined to make trouble.” The United States signed on to the treaty because it was already a signatory to the existing treaty, and failing to do so would have meant a loss of treaty rights. Roosevelt considers it important to be a party to the treaty, and mentions that the United States has had a treaty with Morocco since even before the Constitution was adopted.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-27

President Roosevelt tells Senator Cullom that he hopes the treaty created at the Algeciras Convention will be ratified during this current session of Congress. He cannot understand how anyone is able to find anything objectionable in it, and comments that if it is rejected “it would mean that for the first time since the adoption of the Constitution this Government will be without a treaty with Morocco.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-26

President Roosevelt praises the actions of French Ambassador Jusserand, particularly in connection to his conduct during the recent Algeciras conference. Roosevelt believes Jusserand contributed “more than any other one man” to helping avoid a war between France and Germany, and praises Jusserand’s sound judgement and integrity in all areas of his life.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-25

President Roosevelt introduces Frederick W. Whitridge to Edward VII, King of Great Britain. Roosevelt additionally comments on the Algeciras Conference. Henry White spoke highly of Arthur Nicolson, British representative at the conference, but came to feel that the French and German representatives were not straightforward. Be that as it may, Roosevelt feels that the French and German Ambassadors to the United States, J J. Jusserand and Herman Speck von Sternburg, are good men.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-25

President Roosevelt asks Ambassador Reid to give King Edward VII the enclosed letter. He discusses the trouble that Germany is causing at the Algeciras Conference, after Kaiser William II did not honor his promise to instruct the Germans to follow Roosevelt’s instructions. Roosevelt believes that Germany believes that it can defeat both England and France now that Russia is out of the way. Domestically, Roosevelt believes that the railroad rate bill will pass after “mild troubles,” including Senator Nelson W. Aldrich losing “both his head and his temper.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-03-01

President Roosevelt was very pleased by former Ambassador Joseph Hodges Choate’s letter, and will send him information about the upcoming Morocco conference. There are additional matters that Roosevelt would like for Choate to know, but they are off the record, and proposes inviting Choate to visit and spend the night to discuss them after he reads the official documents.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-08-19

President Roosevelt asks that Cecil Spring Rice give his regards to Lord Henry Charles Keith Petty-FitzMaurice Lansdowne. Roosevelt writes at length about the current state of international affairs and of relationships between different nations. He feels that it is not in Japan’s interest to extend the Russo-Japanese War for another year and explains his actions in pressing for peace negotiations between the two powers. Roosevelt also discusses his efforts urging the United States to interpret the Monroe Doctrine in an active way and remarks upon the recent death of Secretary of State John Hay.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-24