Bigelow, Poultney, 1855-1954

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Poultney Bigelow

President Roosevelt returns the article to Albert Shaw, and hopes that Shaw will write an article himself. Roosevelt wishes that Shaw could visit him again so he could express his ideas in person, but is sure that Shaw already knows his views on a number of topics. He states that while he is friendly to England, he is “neither pro-Boer, nor pro-Briton; simply pro-American.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-10-09

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lawrence F. Abbott

If President Roosevelt had known about it in time, he would have advised against The Outlook publishing Philippe Bunau-Varilla’s article. Now he believes there is no reason at all why they should not publish it. Roosevelt is glad that The Outlook will publish his three lectures, and he will send the one about Leo Tolstoy soon. Perhaps he will send an article about the “Japanese question” to be published first.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-16

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Caspar Whitney

President Roosevelt tells Caspar Whitney that he will read all of the articles Whitney has sent him, and that he “won’t be shaken” from his current views on the “Twenty-fifth infantry”–the African American soldiers blamed for the recent riot at Brownsville, Texas–unless new facts come to his attention. Roosevelt also appreciates Whitney’s thoughts on journalist Poultney Bigelow

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-05

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

President Roosevelt is delighted with the army’s preparations under Secretary of War Taft. He thanks Taft for sending Judge Advocate General George B. Davis’s opinion on the right to intervene in Cuba. However, if intervention is necessary, he would “not dream of asking the permission of Congress.” He regards the treaty as the law and he “shall execute it.” Roosevelt requests Taft give speeches in Colorado and Idaho.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-17

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

President Roosevelt authorizes Secretary of War Taft to use funds to stable the cavalry at Boise, Idaho as General Fred C. Ainsworth mentioned. Roosevelt additionally comments on several appointments, saying he believes that Walston H. Brown should be allowed to carry out his proposal, that he has decided to appoint James Shanklin Harlan to the Interstate Commerce Commission, and that he is inclined to appoint Horace H. Lurton, which will necessitate appointing a new Circuit Court Judge. Roosevelt also writes at length about some recent articles by Poultney Bigelow which contain some “slanderous falsehood,” but about which he believes some response should be made.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-17

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lindsay Denison

President Roosevelt praises Lindsay Denison for his upcoming article, which Roosevelt has received a proof of. He believes that Denision’s writing will show the situation as it really is, which in turn will help the government make improvements.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-03-23

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Brisben Walker

President Roosevelt will meet John Brisben Walker to discuss “the causes which work to the disadvantage of the people” in the government, but does not want to be quoted either directly or indirectly. He adds that the “most potent” cause that disadvantages the public is the way that certain writers and journalists write about the causes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-02-05

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

President Roosevelt has become aware of an article purportedly written by Poultney Bigelow which attacks the administration of affairs on the Panama Isthmus, both by the Isthmian Canal Commission and by Secretary of War Taft. He asks Taft if there is any basis for these charges.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-01-06

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from James B. Wasson to Theodore Roosevelt

Reverend James B. Wasson asks Theodore Roosevelt’s permission to include his name as a reference in his printed materials. He recalls his first meeting with Roosevelt when he and Poultney Bigelow asked Wasson to become a charter member of the City Reform Club, and hopes that Roosevelt will continue to support reform work in this way.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-03-01

Creator(s)

Wasson, James B. (James Biggar), 1852-1927

Letter from Joseph Bucklin Bishop to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of the Isthmian Canal Commission Bishop thanks President Roosevelt for his constant support, and says that if Roosevelt is satisfied with his work, then he does not mind criticism from other parties. Work on the Panama Canal is proceeding smoothly and at a faster pace than was initially thought possible, for which he gives credit to Chairman and Chief Engineer of the Isthmian Canal Commission George W. Goethals. Bishop blames irresponsible reporting for reopening an argument about whether a canal with locks or a sea level canal is better, but believes the upcoming visit by President-Elect William H. Taft should help settle the debate. Bishop approves of Roosevelt’s denunciations of journalists William MacKay Laffand and Joseph Pulitzer, and says that it is important to fight against “lying and debased journalism.” Bishop’s wife, Harriet Hartwell Bishop, appreciates being remembered by Roosevelt, and he praises her strength in remaining sanguine during their long residency away from the United States. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-26

Creator(s)

Bishop, Joseph Bucklin, 1847-1928

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid encloses a critical article about Panama, based on writing from John Bigelow. Reid speculates that Bigelow’s writing is influenced by his desire to defend his son.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-21

Creator(s)

Reid, Whitelaw, 1837-1912

Our chromatic journalism

John Albert Macy’s editorial in volume 24 of The Bookman. Starting with the current use of the word “yellow” to describe bad newspapers, Macy extends the metaphor to describe other types of journalism according to a chromatic scheme. Includes a handwritten note that says “Dear Cabot, This is good. T. R.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-29

Creator(s)

Macy, John Albert, 1877-1932

Response to charges by Poultney Bigelow about the Panama Canal

In response to Poultney Bigelow’s article on the conditions in Panama, the author denounces him as a “false witness,” asserting that official records testify contrary to Poultney’s twenty-one claims against the Canal Commission as further detailed.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-30

Creator(s)

Unknown

Letter from Theodore P. Shonts to John F. Stevens

Theodore P. Shonts informs John F. Stevens that no railway or canal official owns land in Colon. Shonts adds that Poultney Bigelow’s charges are “the rankest kind of nonsense.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-14

Creator(s)

Shonts, Theodore P. (Theodore Perry), 1856-1919

Letter from John F. Stevens to William Grant Bierd

Chief Engineer of the Isthmian Canal Commission (ICC) Stevens has received a telegram from ICC Chairman Shonts, presumably prompted by an article by Poultney Bigelow in the Cosmopolitan, asking whether employees of the Panama Railroad Company or Canal officials own land in Colón. Stevens asks William Grant Bierd, General Manager of the Panama Railroad Company, for a list of those who own land in this town and if any leases have been made within the last year so that he can advise Shonts.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-06

Creator(s)

Stevens, John F. (John Frank), 1853-1943

Letter from William H. Taft to William Loeb

Secretary of War Taft advises William Loeb that no one should go down to the Panama Canal Zone except for Taft, and President and Mrs. Roosevelt. The smaller the party, the better, since space on a ship is small. The Roosevelts are invited to attend a function hosted by President Manuel Amador Guerrero. Taft thinks Roosevelt will have no reason to travel outside the Zone unless he wants to visit Colon to see for himself what Poultney Bigelow had written about. Taft is traveling to Maine from Quebec and expects to arrive in Oyster Bay in a few weeks.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-28

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Letter from Theodore P. Shonts to William H. Taft

Theodore P. Shonts, Chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission (ICC), tells Secretary of War Taft that he has written to Executive Secretary of the ICC directing him to respond to the charges Poultney Bigelow made in a September article. Shonts asks that Taft tell Lady Townley that they have tried employing Jamaicans as foremen and that Shonts will revisit the matter with Chief Engineer of the ICC Stevens.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-25

Creator(s)

Shonts, Theodore P. (Theodore Perry), 1856-1919

Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War Taft agrees with President Roosevelt’s decision to appoint John Marshall Harlan. Taft then analyzes the political considerations in making the appointment of the Supreme Court justice who will succeed Henry Billings Brown. Taft also expresses concern about Chief Engineer of the Panama Canal John F. Stevens’s inability to answer the charges of Poultney Bigelow’s article in The Cosmopolitan, even if the charges have no foundation. In addition, Taft notifies Roosevelt that he tried to get Major George W. Goethals, an army engineer, to be Secretary of the Board to live on the Isthmus of Panama, but the presence of Secretary of the Isthmian Canal Commission Joseph Bucklin Bishop prevents it. Taft recognizes that Congressman Julius C. Burrows is “indignant” about Taft’s involvement in the appointment of District Judge in the Western District of Michigan, but Taft does not think Burrows is justified.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-21

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War Taft writes to President Roosevelt regarding a telephone conference with Senator Kittredge concerning the examination of Poultney Bigelow. Taft offers to speak to Senator Knox as well.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-01-15

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War Taft writes to President Roosevelt, expressing negative thoughts about journalist Poultney Bigelow, who Taft claims does not speak the facts.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-05-18

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930