Your TR Source
Photograph of an informational display entitled “Life in the Badlands,” which illustrates animals adapted to life in the badlands region; museum exhibit #12 in the South Unit visitor center of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1967-03-30
Photograph of an informational display entitled “Faded Trails,” which illustrates animals whose presence has declined in the badlands region; museum exhibit #11 in the South Unit visitor center of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1967-03-30
A family of bears dressed as humans stands near railroad tracks. The youngest cub is crying. A train labeled “Presidential Special” has just passed and standing on the back of the last car is President Theodore Roosevelt holding papers labeled “Speeches.” The mother bear indicates that Roosevelt is on a campaign tour rather than a hunting expedition. Caption: Mother Bruin–Don’t be alarmed, children! This is not a shooting trip!
This cartoon aims for an easy target — President Roosevelt and hunting, particularly for bears. He was an avid hunter, as the public knew. Many articles and chapters of books devoted were to the subject. In fact, only months after he was sworn in as president, Roosevelt went on a famous bear hunt in the canebrakes of Louisiana and Mississippi, and initial lack of success led well-meaning guides to rope a bear — which Roosevelt angrily refused to shoot — giving birth to the legend, image, and popularity of the “teddy bear.”
A large group of wild and domestic animals sit around a table for the “Thanksgiving Banquet of the ‘Survival of the Fittest’ Club.”
American cartooning’s foremost animal cartoonist at this time, and until the mid-1920s, was T. S. Sullivant. He drew for Life and, during the period of this cartoon, for Judge Magazine; seldom for Puck. J. S. Pughe was Puck‘s go-to cartoonist for animal subjects, which was a popular genre at the turn of the century.
A large group of happy animals gather around a sign that states “Meeting to thank the Meat Trust for raising prices.” A bull stands on a platform, addressing the gathering. Caption: The Orator — Let us give thanks, my friends, to the noble Meat Trust for putting up prices. In Europe the laborer has meat once a week. Here he has been eating it three times a day. The higher we come the longer we live.
What appears to be a light Aesopian jest cuts to the main argument of low-tariff advocates and free-traders. Cartoonist Pughe illustrates the dilemma inherent in “protective” high tariffs on foreign, imported goods. Industries, and presumably their workers, benefited from cheap foreign imports having duties imposed. But when domestic industries and agricultural/farming interests were thereby “protected,” they often felt free to raise their prices, to the ultimate disadvantage of the consumer.
President Roosevelt is shown leading a group of animals labeled after different Western states. Caption: When Teddy comes marching home again he’ll have a new story to tell.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-03-31
Theodore Roosevelt grants Abbott Handerson Thayer permission to use a picture and expresses his strong disagreement with Thayer’s theory that all animal coloration serves as camouflage. Roosevelt urges Thayer to recognize the complexity of natural coloration and avoid forcing all examples into a single theory. He praises Thayer’s artistic talent and love of nature but warns that his refusal to acknowledge alternative explanations diminishes the scientific value of his work.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-08
Theodore Roosevelt expresses to Frederick Courteney Selous his sympathy for the poor treatment Selous received during a scientific expedition, including health issues and bureaucratic obstacles. Roosevelt defends Selous’s integrity and scientific value, criticizes British officials for their lack of support, and reflects on his own African experiences. He praises Selous’s field observations and urges him to continue his contributions to natural history despite age and physical limitations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-11
Theodore Roosevelt writes to C. G. Schillings to agree with what he has said about the fauna of East Africa, but also tells him that it is unwise for Roosevelt to send the pamplets to the German Emperor since he would be a non-German interfering in German affairs.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-05
Theodore Roosevelt writes to James L. Clark acknowledging receipt of the elephant tusks and offering to do all that is necessary to get the “groups at Washington for mounting.” Roosevelt encourages Clark to mount the giant eland if he is able.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-06-06
In response to William T. Paterson’s question about animals’ experience during birthing, Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary says that Roosevelt states that wild animals “seem to feel but little inconvenience or pain” but do die sometimes.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-03-08
Theodore Roosevelt is glad that Frank M. Chapman is interested in documenting the bird and mammal life of the marshes in Paraguay. Roosevelt is also glad Chapman’s Colombian book is coming along well and looks forward to reading it.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1916-02-01
Theodore Roosevelt writes John Burroughs about the practical application of the term “species” to different animals. Roosevelt is also interested in Burroughs’ account of the woodchucks and thistle-finches, and updates Burroughs on the birds he has seen throughout the season. Roosevelt hopes that “the spirit” will move Burroughs to write about his visit to Pine Knot.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-28
President Roosevelt has never read nor heard of Briar Patch Philosophy. If Clark wishes to write a letter, Roosevelt wants it to be clear he is not responsible for what Dr. Merriam has said, and the only part of the offending article he corrected were the quotes from his interview. He will republish his article on Nature Fakers in his next volume, directly attacking Reverend Long.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-06-04
President Roosevelt thanks Director Hornaday for his letter and the articles he sent. He laments that he gave writer William Joseph Long any press, even if it was to draw attention to his inaccuracies. His stories are complete fabrications, but “he says they are true simple because it pays better.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-06-02
President Roosevelt thanks John Madden for the copy of his book, Forest Friends; the Woodland Adventures of a Boy Pioneer. He agrees with Madden on writer William Long, saying that Long has no interest in reflecting the truth in his writing.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-06-01
President Roosevelt greatly admires George Shiras’s photographs of wildlife in National Geographic Magazine, and encourages him to write “a big book – a book of bulk as well as worth” giving details about the photographs and animals that he observed, saying that such a work would be a great boon to the country.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-14
President Roosevelt informs C. Grant La Farge he would prefer to keep the animals at the New York Zoo, but if they come to him, he will send them to the National Zoological Garden.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-12
Vice President Roosevelt asks Paul Dana and his wife to dine with him and the Baldwins for either dinner or lunch on Sunday, September 15. He could show Mrs. Dana the mountain lions.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-08-27
Kermit Roosevelt describes the work he is doing in Brazil. He finds the work very interesting and something he is fitted for. He also talks about the wildlife there and an encounter with a “barefooted old man” who brought him an armadillo, which he “saved.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912