Your TR Source
James McCullough received Theodore Roosevelt’s rejection to speak to the Brooklyn Masonic Veterans through William Musgrave Calder, but he implores Roosevelt to reconsider.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-10-07
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Judson G. Wall for his invitation sent via Senator Calder, which he cannot accept at this time.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1917-05-29
Charles M. Richards petitions President Roosevelt to help him get an appointment to a federal position. He lists his many endorsements, and notes that he had asked Roosevelt for help in his previous term as President, but at the time was told that funds were exhausted. He turns again to Roosevelt for help, as he has had trouble finding work after losing his job of 24 years when a store closed.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-01-23
James J. Conway sends Theodore Roosevelt a letter he originally posted in 1908. He reminds Roosevelt that he wrote lyrics about President William Taft and has since received letters from Taft’s family and even Representative Nicholas Longworth and Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Recently he applied to be a steward on the Panama Canal, but despite qualifications, the question of age was raised. Taft has taken the matter up with Secretary of War J. M. Dickinson. Conway lists several prominent citizens as references and asks Roosevelt to talk to William A. Prendergast about him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-01-13
Representative Parsons has learned that men are being laid off in large numbers from the Navy Yard and expresses his concern to President Roosevelt. Many of the men in Representative William Musgrave Calder’s district are employed at the Navy Yard, and Parsons worries the lay offs will hurt Calder’s chances at re-election.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-16
Representative Parsons has conferred with Timothy L. Woodruff, Representatives Olcott, Bennet, Calder, and Sherman, and Charles Evans Hughes about the matter in President Roosevelt’s previous letter. Parsons would like to bring in out-of-state speakers to enliven the campaign but hopes they will not discuss tariffs or labor unions. There was general agreement to have Joseph Gurney Cannon, Speaker of the House, give his scheduled speech but many think it unwise to have Secretary of State Elihu Root speak in New York because of his connection to Thomas Fortune Ryan, the “Equitable matter,” and corporations in general, and how William Randolph Hearst would portray it in his papers. Edward R. Finch agrees with Parsons that Root should still come and speak about stable government ensuring good business conditions, but would like Secretary of War William H. Taft to be his substitute if the Congressmen decide against Root.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-15
Representative Sherman notifies President Roosevelt that a meeting with Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon will be held, but a meeting with Secretary of State Elihu Root will be abandoned. The justification for the decision was “the howl the ‘Yellow Journals’ would make” about Root’s acceptance of a retainer for being counsel to Thomas F. Ryan. Representative Jacob Van Vechten Olcott feels that Cannon’s speech at Durlan’s Academy can only bring “great good.” Sherman feels the Republicans will not lose any votes by exploiting the achievements of the party, and he acquiesces to Representative Herbert Parsons in terms of who would be best to speak in New York City. Sherman hopes Root might schedule a speech in upstate New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-15
Congressman Parsons returns Cornell President Jacob Gould Schurman’s letter, and he hopes William Loeb will show it to President Roosevelt. Parsons believes that William Randolph Hearst will get the Democrat nomination for New York Governor, as there are not many supporters for William Jerome Travers. Several politicians have alerted Parsons that their constituencies would support Charles Evans Hughes as the Republican nominee, but Parsons is wary of a man with so little political experience and is afraid that his election could provide an opportunity for Benjamin B. Odell to gain a stronger hold on state politics.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-06
Timothy L. Woodruff seems to have been ousted from his position of leadership in the Kings County Republican organization, with Frederick J. H. Kracke having taken the lead at a recent meeting. This change comes as part of a plan to redirect the organization towards President William H. Taft’s reelection in 1912.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-07-21