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President Roosevelt will come to the Harvard Union with Assistant Secretary of State Robert Bacon after meeting his son Ted Roosevelt and nephew Monroe Douglas Robinson. He would like the meeting to be held “under the auspices of the Political Club,” because he thinks that would give the speech “a little more point.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-11
Theodore Roosevelt writes his father, President Roosevelt, with suggestions regarding an upcoming speech to be made at Harvard University. The younger Roosevelt explains that many college men are also on the staffs of newspapers and so it will be impossible for Roosevelt to keep his speech from the papers. The younger Roosevelt also recommends avoiding dealing with Harvard University President Charles William Elliot too harshly and giving the speech under the auspices of the Political Club. He also recommends not replying to this letter until Arthur C. Blagden and Robert Low Bacon have written the elder Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-11
President Roosevelt informs his son Ted that he has written him a letter about the incident with the policemen and believes both Ted and his friend conducted themselves well under the circumstances.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-03
President Roosevelt wishes his son Ted had written sooner “instead of allowing us to inevitably believe that you acted foolishly” as he heard of Ted’s arrest from the newspapers. Roosevelt believes that his son and Arthur Blagden, a fellow student at Harvard, behaved correctly. However, Shaun Kelley, Ted’s roommate, did not. Roosevelt has written Boston Police Commissioner Stephen O’Meara about the plainclothes officer who struck Ted and believes the man “ought to be thrown off the force.” Senator Henry Cabot Lodge also wrote O’Meara supporting Ted in the incident.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-02
President Roosevelt thanks Harvard Dean Edgar Huidekoper Wells for taking an interest in his son Ted’s education, but feels that the standards that Wells has set out in a recent letter “put an altogether impossible ideal before him.” Roosevelt feels that he cannot ask his son to do more than he himself did, and explains how he found himself ranked at Harvard. Roosevelt hopes that Ted will be able to join the Porcellian club, and that he will do some philanthropic work while at Harvard.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-04-20
President Roosevelt will show the business letter to William H. Taft at once. Roosevelt would like to hear about the trip that his cousin William Emlen Roosevelt took with his wife to Southboro, and discusses recent updates on Emlen’s sons, Philip and George. Theodore Roosevelt’s own son, Ted, is teaching a “mission class” and went shooting with a friend, Arthur C. Blagden.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-03-25
President Roosevelt has enclosed a copy of the letter that he sent J. D. White in order for Ted Roosevelt to make plans with him. Ted Roosevelt can “pilot” Roosevelt around the Harvard Union. Roosevelt will not talk about Harvard president Charles William Eliot, and will accept that some of what he says will leak, but asks that reporters not be present.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-11
Senator Lodge updates President Roosevelt about his son Theodore “Ted” Roosevelt and his arrest and upcoming trial, commenting that because Ted is the President’s son that he is “natural prey for yellow newspapers and adventurers like Moran.” Lodge believes Ted’s lawyer, Francis Reginald Bangs, is taking good care of the young men and that Police Commissioner Stephen O’Meara did not realize his men had struck Ted. Lodge further discusses whether the labor unions will support the Democratic candidates in the upcoming elections in New York and Massachusetts.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-04