Your TR Source
President Roosevelt meets with his cabinet in a room filled with snakes: “Harriman interests,” “panic,” “tobacco trust,” “powder trust,” “beef trust,” “railroad trust,” “Standard Oil,” “immunity,” “Japanese war scare,” and “telegrapher’s strike.” The chairs for Secretary of State and Secretary of War are empty.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-27
President Roosevelt with his big stick and Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte with a “law” bucket sit on a log at “Harriman Pool.” The water is labeled, “watered stocks,” and a speech balloon rises from the water, “Not yet but.”
Of the many robber barons and “malefactors of great wealth” with whom Theodore Roosevelt contended in and out of the White House, no relationship was bitterer than that with the railroad magnate Edward Henry Harriman. John D. Rockefeller himself sat through a criminal trial in 1906, indicted on many charges of corruption, and during a break in proceedings (Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis, presiding) he considered going into hiding, yet Harriman was considered the worse malefactor, at least in the President’s view.
At the time of this cartoon, Roosevelt and Harriman were locked in myriad controversies and recriminations — accusations, insults, leaked correspondence, etc. The President had elevated Charles J. Bonaparte from Secretary of the Navy to Attorney General, and two saw eye to eye about corruption in American business and the need for reform.
President Roosevelt looks on as members of his 1906 cabinet laugh at papers with the heading, “Storer.” One chair is empty, and there are pictures on the wall of Postmaster General Charles Emory Smith, Secretary of the Navy John Davis Long, Secretary of the Treasury Lyman J. Gage, and Attorney General Philander C. Knox, all from 1901.
This political cartoon by Clifford Kennedy Berryman, with its typically awkward depictions of public figures, addresses not the general composition of President Roosevelt’s cabinet, although it was within a week of this cartoon that Oscar S. Strauss succeeded George B. Cortelyou as Secretary of Commerce and Labor, the latter moving to the Treasure portfolio.
It rather has to do with the denouement of a protracted and embarrassing contretemps between Roosevelt and erstwhile friends and political sponsors, Bellamy and Maria Longworth Storer of Cincinnati. The wealthy Storers of Cincinnati, friends of William H. Taft of their city, had a home in Washington, D.C., where they hosted friends like Taft when he was President Benjamin Harrison’s Solicitor General. They attached themselves to Taft’s friend Theodore Roosevelt, too, when he became Civil Service Commissioner in 1889.
This article includes pictures from President Roosevelt’s naval review of vessels in the United States Navy from September 2, 1906, to September 4, 1906.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-09
Secretary of State Elihu Root, Secretary of War William H. Taft, Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte, Attorney General William H. Moody, Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, Postmaster General George B. Cortelyou, Secretary of Commerce and Labor Victor H. Metcalf, Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, and Secretary of the Interior Ethan A. Hitchcock all march out of the “White House” and to the “keeper of the gags.” There is a large sign that reads, “Notice! By order of the President the members of the cabinet will resume their muzzles on leaving the White House.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-10-23
“The Press” tries to walk toward the “cabinet” car, which includes Secretary of State Elihu Root, Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, Secretary of War William H. Taft, Attorney General William H. Moody, Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte, and Secretary of Commerce Victor H. Metcalf, but “Headkeeper” William Loeb holds “the big stick” and tells him to stop. There is a dove of “peace” on the car and a sign that reads, “This way to the stuffed bears and mountain lions.” President Roosevelt rides away on an elephant.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-10-22
All of the cabinet officers stand in a circle, have gags in their mouths, and point at one another: Secretary of State Elihu Root, Secretary of War William H. Taft, Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte, Attorney General William H. Moody, Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, Postmaster General George B. Cortelyou, Secretary of Commerce and Labor Victor H. Metcalf, Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, and Secretary of the Interior Ethan A. Hitchcock.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-04
Cabinet officers march out of the “White House” with each one holding an axe: Secretary of State Elihu Root, Secretary of War William H. Taft, Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte, Attorney General William H. Moody, Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, Postmaster General George B. Cortelyou, Secretary of Commerce and Labor Victor H. Metcalf, Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, and Secretary of the Interior Ethan A. Hitchcock. A bald eagle looks on and says, “Gee whiz!” Caption: Shade of George Washington!
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-10-18
“The Press” looks a number of cabinet officers who have gags in their mouths: Secretary of State Elihu Root, Secretary of War William H. Taft, Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte, Attorney General William H. Moody, Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, Postmaster General George B. Cortelyou, Secretary of Commerce and Labor Victor H. Metcalf, and Secretary of the Interior Ethan A. Hitchcock. The “White House” is in the background. Caption: “Think twice before you speak, then talk to yourself.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-10-19
President Roosevelt—with his “big stick” beside him—spins a revolving cabinet that includes Secretary of War William H. Taft, Postmaster General George B. Cortelyou, Attorney General William H. Moody, Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte, and Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw. Several cabinet office titles are at the bottom of the cabinet: “Secy War,” “Post-Master Genl.,” “Atty. Genl,” and “Secy Navy.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-04
Charles J. Bonaparte wears a a “Secy of the Navy” ribbon and stands at the front of a battleship. Behind him are President Roosevelt with “the big stick,” Secretary of War William H. Taft, Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, Secretary of State John Hay, Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, and Attorney General William H. Moody.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-03
Lindsay Denison was displeased with Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte’s disrespectful memorandum regarding a letter that had been written by Denison’s client Benjamin B. Hampton. Denison would like the enclosed letter, also by Hampton and clarifying some of the points previously made, to be sent to Bonaparte.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-21
Maryland political appointments will be announced soon, and Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte, who acts as President Roosevelt’s advisor for Maryland, acknowledges that he has been approached by many candidates. Supporters of Charles R. Mace “are swearing vengeance if [he] is not reappointed appraiser.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-06
In this fragment of a letter, Senator Lodge writes to President Roosevelt about the selection of a man for Secretary of State. He considers Elihu Root and William H. Taft the best candidates, though he does not believe Taft can be spared from his service to Panama and the Philippines.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-07
This memorandum thanks Paymaster General Harris for being willing to continue his duties until a replacement is able to take over. Following Harris’s suggestions of suitable candidates to succeed him, it was determined that Rear Admiral Eustace Barron Rogers would be the best candidate, and inquiries were made regarding his willingness to accept the position. Rogers has notified Secretary of the Navy Paul Morton of his acceptance, to take effect later in the year. Roosevelt personally thanks Harris for the excellence of his administration, and suggests that he have his resignation take effect on November 1, 1905.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-21
Assistant Secretary of State Adee sends Benjamin F. Barnes a copy of a letter from Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte for President Roosevelt to read. The letter includes a report from Edwards F. Leiper, who is the commander of a naval squadron at Santo Domingo.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-07-28
Newspaper clipping on the subject of the the ongoing investigations into the “Trust Magnates” containing Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte’s official statements about the ability of the law to be used to prosecute those leading the trusts.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-19
William H. Taft more fully explains to President Roosevelt the issue of the Southern railways.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-26
Secretary of the Navy Bonaparte has directed that the contract to provide armor plate for two newly constructed battleships be split between the Midvale Company and the “so-called trust companies, namely, the Carnegie and the Bethlehem Companies.” Bonaparte issued a statement clarifying how he came to this decision, specifying that legislation obliges him to choose the cheapest bidders, and that he believes the armor will be most rapidly procured by splitting the contract three ways among the companies.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-11
This newspaper article suggests that, while Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte is “a wonder in politics,” with President Roosevelt leaving the White House soon he will not interfere too much in a political fight.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-03