Your TR Source
Harold D. O’Brien is attempting to arrange for some editorials to be written for the 1911 Kansas State Agricultural College annual, Royal Purple, and asks if Theodore Roosevelt would contribute a short piece. They have solicited a number of prominent people, and hope to make their yearbook a great success.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-03-07
William T. Dowdall reminds Theodore Roosevelt of the letter Dowdall sent in 1908 in which Dowell urged Roosevelt to run for president. Dowdall repeats his plea noting that William H. Taft will not win the election if he is nominated. If only Roosevelt will say he is not a candidate for nomination, but he will serve if he is elected, Dowdall is sure Roosevelt will be nominated and elected.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-12-14
John O. Yeiser thanks Isaac T. A. Reneau for volunteering to support this work of bringing Roosevelt’s men together in his city in order to get Roosevelt nominated for President. They are not asking Roosevelt what he thinks, but Yeiser does not believe Roosevelt would refuse the nomination and allow Taft to win again. Yeiser encourages Reneau to get the “real rough Roosevelt men” to sign the petition, and the rest will follow and Roosevelt will be elected President.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-11-29
“Harper’s Weekly errs in classing the Providence Journal with the newspapers ‘which opposed Bryan and support Parker.'”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-25
This article prints a letter from Mexican General Venustiano Carranza de la Garza addressed to United States Consul J. O. Caruthers in response to a message from Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan. Carranza criticizes the United States for landing troops at Veracruz and for dealing with the presidential usurper Victoriano Huerta.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
1914-04-22
President Roosevelt encloses for Richard V. Oulahan an example of the statements being made against William H. Taft, alleging that he dislikes Catholics. Roosevelt notes that Taft has always been “fair and square” to Catholics and believes that the attacks are because Taft is a Universalist. He thinks that men like Ernest Harvier and Michael Walsh should work to make Catholic laymen aware of the attacks made on Taft by William Jennings Bryan’s campaign.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-12
President Roosevelt passes on a selection from Commissioner of Labor Charles Patrick Neill, suggesting that William H. Taft should not attack Samuel Gompers by name. Doing so may make labor men more likely to support Gompers. Daniel J. Keefe of the Longshoremen’s Union strongly supports Taft. Roosevelt has been speaking with Charles Hitchcock Sherrill, who says he has a plan to gain labor support in New York. Roosevelt compliments Taft on his work on the campaign trail and notes his concerns about re-electing Charles Evans Hughes as governor of New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-10
President Roosevelt says that the article Z. B. Campbell sent is admirable, and he will send it to the National Committee to see if it can be distributed. He agrees with Campbell that the trouble is that corporations and “the great sinister moneyed men” want the Republican party to be beaten. Roosevelt complains about the damage the New York Sun and New York Times are doing to the Republicans.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-08
President Roosevelt understands that the clipping William Allen White sent is funny and meant in jest, but he takes exception to the implication that, along with William Jennings Bryan, Oklahoma governor Charles Nathaniel Haskell, and William Randolph Hearst, he is also a liar and a rascal. Roosevelt writes that certain “conscienceless and unscrupulous” journalists who imply that there is no difference between honest and dishonest men, are worse for public life than the worst businessmen and politicians. He believes that White is a decent journalist who does not want to confuse the public and urges him not to publish such jokes.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-07
President Roosevelt thanks Kermit Roosevelt for the letter and asks if the monthly funds will be enough. Roosevelt is lining details up for Africa. He is is pleased that Kermit will focus on his studies, and he doubts that Ted Roosevelt had visited Harvard without getting in touch. William H. Taft is likely to win but Roosevelt is alarmed at William Jennings Bryan’s strength. It is now fall, and recent visitors have included Susan Dexter Dalton Cooley, James C. Cooley, and Alice Roosevelt Longworth.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-02
President Roosevelt agrees with Richard Wilson Knott, but after considering it carefully he is certain he can not go on the stump. Roosevelt will share Knott’s comments regarding William Jennings Bryan’s statement with the Republican National Committee.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-02
President Roosevelt has sent Oregon District Attorney Heney’s letter to William H. Taft. Roosevelt is glad Heney liked his letters to William Jennings Bryan.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-01
President Roosevelt did not feel it was necessary to respond to William Jennings Bryan’s letter, and instead he has written the enclosed statement regarding Edward Henry Harriman and Paul Morton. He will not fight dishonest publications like the Sun and the Evening Post, and the enclosure will clear up any questions about contributions from Harriman.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-30
President Roosevelt suggests that William H. Taft contact First Assistant Secretary of State Robert Bacon for any monetary or confidential matters regarding the campaign in New York. Roosevelt is done dealing with William Jennings Bryan and, quoting Grover Cleveland, says he will now “lapse into a condition of innocuous desuetude.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-28
President Roosevelt has followed William Kent’s suggestion and asked Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte to instruct District Attorney Robert T. Devlin as Kent wishes. Roosevelt has been working to put life into the campaign and to make sure that the public sees William H. Taft’s merit. Although William Jennings Bryan is nice enough, he is self-interested and not fit for presidency, as any bright individual would be able to see.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-28
President Roosevelt understands that Republican National Committee Chairman Hitchcock has been affected by low funds. Republican National Committee Treasurer George Rumsey Sheldon will likely appreciate Roosevelt’s response to William Jennings Bryan’s proposal to publish campaign contributions, as he used an idea which Sheldon had previously given him. When Hitchcock and Sheldon come to visit, Roosevelt will have them over for lunch or dinner. Roosevelt suggests collecting small popular subscriptions to assist the ticket.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-28
President Roosevelt agrees with Dennis T. Flynn’s negative assessment of Oklahoma Governor Charles Nathaniel Haskell. Roosevelt has responded to William Jennings Bryan’s letter, but believes it would be unwise to give a speech. He gets many requests for him to give speeches, but also receives many protests against him speaking.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-28
President Roosevelt writes to Chairman Frank H. Hitchcock of the Republican National Committee regarding T. Coleman Du Pont, head of the National Republican Committee Bureau of Campaign Speakers. Roosevelt believes Du Pont’s resignation would have had a better effect if it had happened when initially suggested. He instructs Hitchcock to guard against the opposition’s use of the situation in their campaign and explains the differences in the seemingly similar cases of Du Pont and Oklahoma Governor Charles Nathaniel Haskell. There has been distressing feedback from New York State, especially concerning the renomination of Governor Charles Evans Hughes and the dissatisfaction of the labor crowd, and Roosevelt outlines persons who should be brought in to assist with securing New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-26
President Roosevelt has records related to Oklahoma Governor Charles Nathaniel Haskell. He offers them to Lawrence F. Abbott, should he cover Haskell, and invites Abbott to come see him. Roosevelt reminds Abbott of an Oklahoma senator’s statement that Haskell is “Bryanism in action.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-26
President Roosevelt is sure Senator Lodge has seen his statement about Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker and his letter about William Jennings Bryan. Roosevelt thinks Foraker’s situation is distressing, but corruption must be exposed. He is torn about William Randolph Hearst’s recent attitude. The amount of corruption in high places is shocking, but it has been natural for Roosevelt to fight it. Superintendent of Yellowstone National Park S. B. M. Young brought two such examples to Roosevelt’s attention, one regarding appointments tied to William McKinley’s election and one regarding the feelings of John Kean and Hamilton F. Kean about business interests.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-25