Your TR Source
Michael McMahon writes to Theodore Roosevelt about politics, securities, printed money, and many other things. McMahon calls Roosevelt “The” Citizen and wishes him a merry Christmas.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-12-16
President Roosevelt tells Christine Griffin Kean Roosevelt (wife of his cousin Emlen) that he hopes she approves of the way he used the Nobel Prize cash award. Roosevelt notes that after he got past his anger over the Maria Longworth Storer incident, that he found the situation amusing. He reports that he is taking up James Alexander Scrymser’s application with “the Departments,” and that he has had a difficult time getting businessmen and bankers to agree upon currency legislation.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-14
Theodore Roosevelt writes to Dix. W. Smith to forward on a letter from his cousin, in which he relays that he has been unable to think of a suggestion to help his friend.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-07-07
Theodore Roosevelt offers to write a letter of introduction for John M. Thompson’s son to the bankers of the South American bank that employs Kermit Roosevelt. However, Roosevelt did not communicate with the bank when Kermit applied and the bankers are politically opposed to Roosevelt. He fears a letter would do more damage then good.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1914-10-02
Ambassador White’s assessment, that unlike big financiers in Europe, American financiers are largely speculators, is correct. President Roosevelt believes this is the main problem his administration is facing, and that the proposed legislation will not solve the underlying problem. He also thanks Margaret Stuyvesant Rutherford White for remembering him at Christmas and sends his love.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-01-13
President Roosevelt asks Secretary of the Treasury Cortelyou to look at the enclosed document. Roosevelt does not know how to answer it and would like more information. It seems that the chief objection to the administration’s actions is the belief that bankers are loaned money without interest, then loan it to stock brokers at a high interest rate. Roosevelt wishes they could “tax stock speculation out of existence.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-01-12
President Roosevelt updates his cousin William Emlen Roosevelt on Archibald B. Roosevelt’s health. He expresses his concern about the situation going on in the business world. He notes that Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt and Archibald will not be going on the trip down south. He asks William to give him notice when William decides to visit. He expresses relief that William warned Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. about business. He is disappointed that he did not see William’s son, George Emlen Roosevelt, at Harvard, but notes that he did not see much of his son, Theodore, either.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-03-08
President Roosevelt tells Dr. Alexander Lambert that the bid is so high because the bankers charge six percent, rather than five as Lambert had expected.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-02-06
President Roosevelt has just seen the reports from U.S. District Attorney in Chicago Charles B. Morrison and bank examiner Edward P. Moxey. Roosevelt does not believe there is anything else he can do in the John R. Walsh case. Roosevelt believes that the only way to proceed from now on is to have communications between Walsh’s lawyers and Morrison. Roosevelt is reluctant to say this to James H. Eckels, Comptroller of Currency, but feels there is no alternative. Roosevelt really liked Walsh and has sympathy for Senator Albert J. Hopkins and admiration for Eckels – which is why he has gone over the case several times at their request.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-19
President Roosevelt explains that he has received many similar suggestions from prominent men and bankers, but not to the same lengths that Forrest H. Parker now makes. Roosevelt says he knows nothing of the subject and it is out of the question for him to treat the matter “unless there was a very strong feeling among bankers and business men about it.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-17
President Roosevelt hopes Senator Dolliver can speak to the New York bankers.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-10
President Roosevelt tells William Emlen Roosevelt he regrets he is unable to attend the bankers’ dinner.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-09
In response to a previous letter from Elihu Root, President Roosevelt asks if he should communicate directly with James Speyer or wait until Root returns from Newfoundland.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-02
President Roosevelt explains to John Byrne his reluctance to say anything until the financial people can come to an agreement. Roosevelt believes Congress would act if the bankers and business men could “agree on any one scheme.” Roosevelt invites Byrne to see him in either Washington or Oyster Bay.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-27
Jacob A. Riis encloses a letter and tells President Roosevelt about his friend John Phoenix Moore Richards in Spokane, Washington. Richards is a “bully fellow” who kept the town calm during a financial panic. Riis also describes the political situation in Vermont. The politicians in that state are against Roosevelt, but the people support him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-01-15
Robert D. Kent approves of President Roosevelt’s plan to issue emergency currency in response to the current economic situation, but warns that a heavy tax will eventually need to be levied to prevent inflation. Kent also encloses a communication by Paul M. Warburg with another plan Roosevelt might consider.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-16
Secretary of the Treasury Shaw writes to President Roosevelt about F. E. Lyford’s suggestion that the government should accept certified checks instead of requiring currency. According to Shaw, requiring cash does not contribute to the “nonelastic character of our present currency system,” and he does not agree with Lyford’s recommendations regarding national bank notes. Shaw claims that Lyford has not sufficiently analyzed the matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-01
Jacob Sleeper, chargé d’affaires in Cuba, informs Secretary of State Elihu Root that the situation in Cuba is somewhat improved. The Cuban government is recruiting heavily to increase their forces and is offering amnesty to any rebels who lay down their arms.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-28
This business card for A. W. Thompson includes his occupation as a cashier at the Rondout National Bank in Kingston, New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-03-09
Elihu Root writes in the interest of Speyer and Co. to ask President Roosevelt if he would either send an American representative or name a presidential commissioner to take part in an international conference about the refinancing of Venezuela. Root has expressed his doubts about the President’s support but inquires anyway, due to Secretary of State John Hay’s confidence that Roosevelt may take action. Root also discusses travel to Newfoundland.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-01