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President Roosevelt and Frank P. Sargent on stage in front of an audience.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1902-11-13
President Roosevelt outlines for Patrick H. Grace the reasons that he and all labor leaders and laborers should support William H. Taft. He details Taft’s judicial record, and important decisions he has made that have protected the rights of workers. Roosevelt also discusses Taft’s work in his administration, particularly regarding the Panama Canal, in which he has supported working men. Roosevelt believes that if elected, Taft will continue “the definite and constructive program of social reorganization” begun in the current administration, while William Jennings Bryan’s proposals are all vague. A handwritten note by William Loeb states that this letter will be published in the papers on October 26, and asks that it be kept confidential until then.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-19
President Roosevelt would like to make a personal appointment in Texas, and wishes to appoint Lyman S. Roach, a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, postmaster at Texarkana, Texas. He asks asks Cecil Andrew Lyon to “chime in” with him on this matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-07
Theodore Roosevelt received John J. Hannahan’s letter and wrote the two letters that Hannahan suggested. Roosevelt expects Hannahan will bring John Mitchell and Patrick H. Morrissey to the upcoming dinner.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-10-15
Theodore Roosevelt thanks John J. Hannahan for the kind references in his speech. After the election, Roosevelt would like to take a meal with Hannahan at the White House.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-14
President Roosevelt writes to Louis A. Coolidge, Director of the Literary Bureau of the Republican National Committee, about a recent editorial attacking him for accepting an honorary membership in the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen (a trade union). There have been both similar and opposite attacks in other newspapers. Therefore, Roosevelt would like Coolidge to create a pamphlet to demonstrate that he treats wage-workers and capitalists the same, evidenced by dining with both labor men (such as John Mitchell) and heads of corporations at the White House.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-03
President Roosevelt encloses in a letter to Speaker Cannon a letter he wrote to a Quaker to clarify his attitude towards Quakers. Roosevelt also addresses a recent New York Sun article that criticized his involvement with the laboring class. Roosevelt elaborates that the doors of the White House will “swing open as easily to wageworkers as to capitalists” and that he strives to represent all citizens.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-03
Theodore Roosevelt asks George B. Cortelyou if an extract can be used in the labor papers. Roosevelt believes that the accusation is against him, because he is an honorary member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and because he has had other labor leaders to lunch. Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw is eager to speak in Virginia and Tennessee. Roosevelt believes this could work to their advantage.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-02
Commissioner General of Immigration Sargent heartily endorses Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon and lists several of his positive qualities. He also informs President Roosevelt that he intends to visit Milwaukee for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen convention, and will better learn about the opinion of the “railroad boys” regarding Cannon and also “how labor in general is acting.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-07
Commissioner General of Immigration Sargent writes that while he would be happy to oblige President Roosevelt and campaign for Representative Charles E. Littlefield of Maine, Sargent believes that doing so would actually harm Littlefield. Sargent argues that sending him would look like the Republicans were trying to placate organized labor without actually doing anything to help them. The disagreement between the American Federation of Labor and Littlefield is purely personal.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-31
Simon Cordery examines the relationship between Theodore Roosevelt and the nation’s railroads. Cordery highlights some of the significant episodes in Roosevelt’s life made possible by train travel like his trip to the Dakota Badlands in 1883, his exhausting campaign tour as a vice-presidential candidate in 1900, and his “Great Western Tour” as president in 1903. Cordery notes Roosevelt’s affection for the railroad workers and his disdain for their employers. Roosevelt saw the employees, with their difficult and dangerous jobs, as embodying the strenuous life while he wanted to curb the economic and political powers of their bosses. Cordery highlights the Northern Securities Case which dismantled a combination of railroads on the northern Great Plains and the debate over whether the railroads should provide free travel to the president.
The article features nine photographs, including three of Roosevelt and trains, and two political cartoons.
President Roosevelt says that he will not make a speech at this time because he is “simply going down to the Firemen’s Convention at Chattanooga,” but he assures the crowd that he will return to see Ohio later. He thanks everyone, especially veterans of the American Civil War, for coming to see him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-09-06
At the request of Senator Jeter Connelly Pritchard, President Roosevelt stops at Marshall, North Carolina, and addresses the gathered people, whom he says he is even more pleased to see than the beautiful countryside. He tells them he is coming from a convention of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and that he has always liked railroad workers since their qualities are those of a good citizen. He closes by noting the positive impact to a president of visiting different parts of the country, as it shows that “a good American is a good American wherever he is.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-09-09
President Roosevelt has been enjoying his trip through eastern Tennessee. He came to the state for the meeting of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Fireman, and he has also visited several Civil War battlefields.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-09-04
President Roosevelt thanks those assembled at the executive session of the convention but says he will reserve most of his remarks for the open session. He notes that when he was governor of New York, he had to deal with a lot of professional and trade associations, but he only felt he was truly able to meet the requests of the railroad workers as they had a natural common sense. Roosevelt expresses his great satisfaction with his appointment of former Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen head Frank P. Sargent to the position of Commissioner General of Immigration.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-09-08
President Roosevelt thanks the crowd for coming, but says he will not be giving a speech as he is just on his way to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen convention in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-09-06
President Roosevelt thanks everyone who came to see him, especially the veterans of the American Civil War. He says he will not give a long speech because he is going to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen convention in Chattanooga, Tennessee, adding that he is fond of railroad workers and enjoys attending their meetings.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-09-06
President Roosevelt says he will not make a speech at this time but assures the crowd that he will return to Ohio later. He tells the spectators that he is traveling to Chattanooga, Tennessee, for a convention of firemen and thanks everyone for coming to greet him, especially the veterans of the American Civil War.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-09-06