Businessmen

President Roosevelt tells Christine Griffin Kean Roosevelt (wife of his cousin Emlen) that he hopes she approves of the way he used the Nobel Prize cash award. Roosevelt notes that after he got past his anger over the Maria Longworth Storer incident, that he found the situation amusing. He reports that he is taking up James Alexander Scrymser’s application with “the Departments,” and that he has had a difficult time getting businessmen and bankers to agree upon currency legislation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-14

Judge Elbert H. Gary, a constituent, approves of President Roosevelt’s policies, especially the Square Deal, and has spoken to others who agree. Gary has personally benefited from the policies.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-15

President Roosevelt will discuss postal matters with Postmaster General Payne upon his return and advises against releasing any more statements. Roosevelt regrets Senator Hanna’s action at the Ohio Convention. If Hanna supports Roosevelt “there could be no possible objection to his saying so.” The trip has been great, but Roosevelt is anxious to have his “hands on the levers once more.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-05-23

Theodore Roosevelt cannot consider accompanying the group of businessmen on their tour of European cities, as much as he might like to do so. Roosevelt is grateful to E. A. Filene for writing to him, but he has too much work to do to go on the journey.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-04-22

Theodore Roosevelt thanks Henry Ford for an invitation to visit his company in Detroit. Roosevelt also compliments Ford on his business success. Before accepting his invitation to visit, Roosevelt wants to make sure Ford understands that the two of them hold vastly different views on pacifism; Roosevelt mentions here that he also opposes the views of “my friend, Miss Addams.” Roosevelt urges Ford to use his influence to support righteousness, through which peace will come, rather than peace that will not bring righteousness.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-01-29

President Roosevelt takes exception to Clarence H. Esty’s criticism of his administration and policies. Roosevelt states that thus far no one has pointed out to him a single policy or action that should not have been done. The issues stem not from his administration, but the problems the administration is attempting to eliminate.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-15

President Roosevelt discusses potential Secretary of State nominees with his cousin William Emlen Roosevelt, a prominent banker. The president notes that Elihu Root has popular support while Joseph Hodges Choate does not, adding that trying to “engineer his nomination would be disastrous.” The president says he has heard that the businessmen in Brooklyn, New York, support Charles A. Schieren.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-12

Henry Beach Needham asks Frank Harper to send him records of everything that Theodore Roosevelt has said about businessmen both during his presidency and during the campaign. In particular, he would like to know if Roosevelt has said anything regarding small businessmen instead of “Big Business.” Needham is working on an article about Roosevelt’s views on business ahead of Roosevelt’s upcoming visit to Chicago.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02

Ludwig Nissen suggests that Secretary of the Treasury Shaw make an effort to stop newspapers from discrediting the economic policies of the administration. Nissen tells Shaw that newspapers should give him more credit for helping businessmen, rather than portraying him as helping speculators.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-24

William H. Taft and William Jennings Bryan race to the finish line in cars shaped like a Republican elephant and Democratic donkey respectively. “Trusts” are behind Taft in the car as President Roosevelt tries to jump in while John Worth Kern is behind Bryan. In the background “Standard Oil” says, “Rah! Rah! Brace up!” while a “farmer” and “businessman” cheer on Bryan’s car. Caption: The leading candidates and their friends are at the home stretch in the greatest game of them all.

comments and context

Comments and Context

The Atlanta Georgian‘s political cartoonist J. R. Willis drew an election-day cartoon that, for a brief moment at campaign’s close, was remarkably free of rancor.

President Roosevelt looks at a bar of sawdust partially open on the ground. He is surrounded by a crowd of businessmen with top hats. One of the businessmen is holding a gold brick. The caption states that the businessmen want Roosevelt to give a speech to increase public confidence in their securities.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1907-04-10

President Roosevelt writes to William Woodvill Rockhill to detail the background behind a misunderstanding with Chinese missionaries, citing a previous incident where they felt brushed aside by Rockhill, the American Minister to China. Roosevelt also asks Rockhill to explain a rumored rivalry between the Chinese and the Japanese. Roosevelt further mentions his desire to keep Chinese laborers out of the United States while supporting Chinese students, travelers, and businessmen.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1905-05-18

President Roosevelt replies to Samuel W. Marvin’s inquiry on New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes and his position on the drafting of legislation relating to the railroads. Roosevelt gives his opinion on Hughes’ divisive effect within the Republican Party and advises that he will pass along Marvin’s letter to the New York Republican State Committee Chairman, Timothy Lester Woodruff.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1908-08-14

Theodore Roosevelt confirms receipt of publisher William Bailey Howland’s letter and explains the circumstances behind a piece of correspondence Howland received from President Woodrow Wilson.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1915-06-17

Governor Roosevelt is happy to hear that General Johnson’s health is improving, and confides to Johnson that New York Senator Thomas Collier Platt Platt and the Franchise Bill have been recent “trouble(s)” for him. Roosevelt also mentions a recent visit by businessman, John Campbell “Jack” Greenway to the Executive Mansion.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1899-05-10