California

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Gifford Pinchot

Theodore Roosevelt agrees with Gifford Pinchot’s attitude on the war and discusses press coverage of the conflict. President Wilson and Secretary of State Bryan have placed the country in a poor position and the United States is held in contempt by the “big fighting nations.” Viscount Bryce’s article supporting the attitude of Wilson and Bryan has increased the country’s difficulties. Foreign affairs are dominating American politics and Roosevelt does not believe that the Progressive Party can run another campaign. Their only recent success has been in California but overall there are too few Progressives to maintain an effective national organization.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-03-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Moses A. Gunst

Theodore Roosevelt thanks Moses A. Gunst for the letter and hopes he is recovering after his accident. Roosevelt is please that Hiram Johnson was reelected governor. He is also looking forward to attending the Panama-California Exposition.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-01-15

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Raymond Robins

Theodore Roosevelt was sorry to hear about the accident Mrs. Robins experienced. It is not possible for Roosevelt to accept the Northwestern University Settlement invitation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-12-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Francis J. Heney

Theodore Roosevelt finds it incredible that Californians can support President Wilson’s peace policy and unpreparedness for war while their actions against the Japanese are the most likely danger for war. Roosevelt is indignant at Wilson and Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan but did not attack them during the campaign at the request of other Progressives. He regrets not being able to visit California to campaign for Francis J. Heney and Governor Johnson.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-12-22

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Gilbert B. Daniels

Theodore Roosevelt agrees with Gilbert B. Daniels’s comparison between voters of the eastern and western states. He was sorry to hear of Frank Honey’s defeat, but is otherwise happy with the results in California. Roosevelt also wishes to thank Daniels for the editorial he wrote.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-12-03

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Hiram Johnson

Japan is making preparations to take part in the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, California, and is prepared to spend large sums to be well represented. It is important to have a Japanese presence, as European participation will be low due to the war. The Japanese do not want any anti-Japanese legislation passed by the California legislature and it would be exceedingly awkward if there was hostile legislation attempted or passed during the exposition. Theodore Roosevelt hopes Governor Johnson can “stave off any action.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-11-30

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Meyer Lissner

The Progressive Party has shown itself to be no better than a third party, and east of Indiana the situation is hopeless. The success in California is primarily due to the influence of Governor Johnson and shows that Californians are interested in progressivism but not the Progressive Party. The primary issue is the economy, and voters that were disappointed in the Democratic administration turned to the Republican Party and not the Progressives. The Progressive Party is also limited due to ingrained party affiliation and a “general revulsion against reform.” Roosevelt is unsure about the future of the party but he remains loyal to the Progressive Party platform of 1912. However, he does not believe he can serve any longer as a party leader.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-11-16

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Hiram Johnson

California and Louisiana were election bright spots for the Progressive Party. The reelection of Governor Johnson was also a great success. Theodore Roosevelt attributes the general failure of the party to the public getting tired of reformers and himself. The wealthy, the educated, and the workingmen all returned to their previous parties and political machines. Roosevelt is reluctant to take further part in politics as he believes his participation will be a detriment to the causes he cares about.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-11-06

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Millicent Garrett Fawcett

Theodore Roosevelt thanks Millicent Garrett Fawcett for her letter. Roosevelt believes that the Progressive campaign helped women’s suffrage by having women work equally with the men in the campaign. If he had won the presidency, he would have given women positions in the administration, even in his cabinet. He is also amused with the voting trends in suffrage states. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-11-19

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Theodore Roosevelt

President Roosevelt discusses with his son Ted the precarious situation of Japanese immigration in the West. Roosevelt hopes that the Japanese government will help to prevent mass immigration of Japanese to the United States, as he thinks this would bring about “the gravest kind of race trouble” that will force the American government to pass exclusion laws.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-13

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Philip A. Stanton

President Roosevelt explains to Philip A. Stanton, Speaker of the California State Assembly, that the federal government’s policy regarding Japanese immigration has been successful and represents the interests of western Americans. Roosevelt warns Stanton that California’s recent “school bill” will undermine this progress, cause unneeded friction, and force the federal government to challenge the legislation in federal courts. If the government’s Japanese immigration policy needs changing in the future, Roosevelt assures that actions taken by the president and Congress, rather than the states, will be most effective.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-08

Telegram from Theodore Roosevelt to James Norris Gillett

President Roosevelt congratulates Governor Gillett and all who have aided him. Roosevelt feels that because California did what was right for the nation, the nation is obligated to safeguard the interests of California. Roosevelt will do anything he can, in public or in private, to support this endeavor.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-10

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Benjamin Ide Wheeler

President Roosevelt tells Benjamin Ide Wheeler, president of the University of California, that the Japanese letter is too good not to be published. Roosevelt is concerned about “California’s totally unexpected outburst over the Japanese,” and is doing his best to prevent any more damage from it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-10

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Chester H. Rowell

President Roosevelt has been interested in Chester H. Rowell’s article on “Orientophobia.” He wishes to see Rowell before he leaves the White House. Roosevelt’s message to Speaker Philip A. Stanton was “just as much a message to Japan as it was to California.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-11

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Kent

President Roosevelt agrees with William Kent, and outlines the foreign policy stance he believes the United States should follow in its relationship with Japan. Roosevelt has come to see the matter of Japanese workers immigrating to the United States as “a race question.” He believes that Japanese citizens should not be permitted to settle permanently in America. However, Roosevelt does not want to provoke a war by offending the “sensitive” Japanese government and population. Current legislation in California and Nevada banning Japanese children from public schools frustrates him, because it is offensive to Japan and does not prevent immigration. Roosevelt wants to forbid Japanese immigration while treating the Japanese government politely and continuing to build up the American navy. He seconds Kent’s view that Japanese laborers should not work on Hawaiian sugar plantations. Roosevelt would prefer to send laborers from Spain, Portugal, or Italy, who could become naturalized United States citizens.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Theodore Roosevelt

President Roosevelt tells his son, Theodore Roosevelt, about Ethel Roosevelt’s dance last Friday. Roosevelt is currently struggling to manage the conflict between California and Japan, and is not entirely optimistic that he will succeed. One California senator, Frank P. Flint, has been very helpful. The other, Senator George C. Perkins, is a “feebly malicious angleworm.” Roosevelt sends Ted a copy of his upcoming speech on Abraham Lincoln.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-06

Telegram from Theodore Roosevelt to Philip A. Stanton

President Roosevelt thanks Speaker Stanton of the California Assembly on behalf of the American people for the stance he has taken, which Roosevelt is sure Stanton’s constituents will support. He is confident Californians understand that the national government must balance its obligations to their state with the need to maintain friendly relations with Japan.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-06

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederic Remington

President Roosevelt agrees with Frederic Remington that Japanese immigration to America should be prevented. However, he is frustrated by certain politicians like California’s Senator George C. Perkins who are trying to implement policies that insult the Japanese government and do nothing to prevent immigration. Roosevelt is working towards a solution that will preserve peaceful relations with Japan.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-07

Telegram from Theodore Roosevelt to James Norris Gillett

President Roosevelt informs California Governor Gillett that the letter he sends tomorrow will explain the reasoning on a bill relating to real property ownership by aliens along with a suggested amendment by Secretary of State Elihu Root. Roosevelt thanks Gillett for his service to California and the United States. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Norris Gillett

President Roosevelt sends California Governor Gillett a copy of the memorandum by Secretary of State Elihu Root concerning alien real property legislation in California. Roosevelt notes that the United States Government has no objection to California passing laws regarding aliens’ ability to own real property as long as the laws follow Root’s suggestions. However, the federal government would object to passing the proposed school legislation and proposed legislation forcing Japanese to live in separate residential quarters.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-26