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President Roosevelt is concerned by Charles H. Betts’s letter and notes that they are handicapped by the lack of funds in the campaign. He will forward the letter to Republican National Committee Chairman Frank H. Hitchcock. Roosevelt agrees about the need to get money to hold meetings and provide speakers.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-12
President Roosevelt believes that Chilion B. Allen understands how short of money the campaign committees are. Roosevelt believes that William H. Taft and Governor Charles Evans Hughes are doing everything they can for him, but asks for the name of Rev. D. D. of Brooklyn, who Allen says is “accepting Republican money.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-12
President Roosevelt waited to respond to Helen Dortch Longstreet because although it is appropriate that she has contributed to the campaign, there are “slanderers” who would be eager to say that she was influenced by members of the federal service.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-05
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 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 responds to Treasurer of the Republican National Committee George Rumsey Sheldon’s recent letter stating that the contribution from Standard Oil Company in 1904 was authorized by the executive committee. Roosevelt was told by Secretary of the Treasury George B. Cortelyou that no money was contributed by Standard Oil, and only after the campaign was he informed that in fact individuals associated with the company had contributed.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-25
President Roosevelt writes to Lyman Abbott that while they should not be aristocrats, they should be “gentleman democrats.” Roosevelt occasionally gets frustrated with the William H. Taft campaign, and argues for a more aggressive fight, especially against Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker. Roosevelt discusses Republican National Committee Treasurer George Rumsey Sheldon’s error in requesting a contribution from John D. Archbold. The China article will count towards what Roosevelt has agreed to write for the Outlook, and so he returns the check.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-22
President Roosevelt sends William H. Taft a copy of the letter he sent to Treasurer of the Campaign Committee George Rumsey Sheldon regarding campaign contributions, after a complaint from Frank B. Kellogg. Roosevelt asks Taft to take more aggressive action against William Jennings Bryan, perhaps giving a speech like the one recently given by New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes. Many have suggested that T. Coleman DuPont should not be in charge of the Speakers Committee, and if it were up to Roosevelt he would be removed. Roosevelt has given the press a copy of a letter from Taft to Arthur I. Vorys in which Taft’s independence is full display, to counteract the press coverage of the supposed reconciliation with Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker. Roosevelt advises Taft, in his speech, to speak about the connection between William Randolph Hearst and the Democratic National Committee. In a postscript, Roosevelt advises Taft to remove Sheldon if he did in fact solicit the donations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-21
President Roosevelt writes to Republican National Committee Treasurer George Rumsey Sheldon regarding campaign funds solicited from John D. Archbold and Edward Henry Harriman. As the head of the Republican Administration, Roosevelt expresses his disagreement with collecting money from anyone currently being prosecuted. He sends two letters that he wrote four years ago to Secretary of the Treasury George B. Cortelyou, who was then chairman of the Republican National Committee, when money was contributed by Standard Oil. The first outlines the reasons that no contributions should be accepted which could be viewed as creating obligation to corporations. The second reiterates that the money should be returned especially in light of the public statements from Standard Oil about the company’s “political attitude.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-21
William Loeb sends George Rumsey Sheldon President Roosevelt’s check that will serve as his contribution to expenses of the Presidential campaign.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-07
President Roosevelt informs Edwin Emerson that Guatemalan president Manuel Estrada Cabrera never donated any money to his campaign and says he was assured of this fact by George B. Cortelyou and Cornelius Newton Bliss, the campaign treasurer.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-13
President Roosevelt discusses matters relating to the upcoming election with William H. Taft including campaign contributions, a talk he had with Frank H. Hitchcock, and the problem with the renomination of Charles Evans Hughes as governor of New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-12
President Roosevelt is amused at some of the political attacks against him. He agrees to Senator Lodge’s suggestions for personnel changes in the Spanish Treaty Claims Commission, but is unsure how to handle the “whisky business” regarding the Pure Food and Drug Act. Roosevelt is facing a number of requests that he run for reelection, but is not concerned with what most people think.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-21
President Roosevelt explains to Lawrence F. Abbott why he does not want public use made of the letters and telegrams he sent to Abbott. The president will explain more in detail when he sees Abbott or his father, Lyman Abbott, about the conversations Roosevelt had with Cornelius Newton Bliss and Senator Philander C. Knox regarding campaign donations from corporations or individuals connected with corporations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-17
President Roosevelt sends Secretary of War Taft a marked editorial and notes that he still has a “patent on certain social, artistic, scientific, literary and other issues.” He also observes in a postscript that there is a campaign prepared against Taft due to the government covering the majority of his travel expenses. Roosevelt believes that they do not have a leg to stand on regarding Taft’s visits to the Philippines or Panama but encourages Taft to pay careful attention to all of his expenses as such accusations could be very detrimental to his campaign.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-12
Lawrence F. Abbott thanks President Roosevelt for his letter and offers for himself or his father to speak with Roosevelt about campaign contributions. Abbott believes that recent criticism from the press about this topic is not shared by the public. He returns enclosures sent to him by William Loeb. He thanks Roosevelt for sharing information about a naval expedition and promises to include it in the next edition of The Outlook, as he feels it will be very interesting to their readers.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-20
Lawrence F. Abbott thanks President Roosevelt for his letter and the copies of correspondence between Roosevelt and Secretary of the Treasury George B. Cortelyou about campaign contributions. Abbott believes that he now understands the Great White Fleet enough to make a statement about it and asks Roosevelt what is proper to say about the Standard Oil Company.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-16
Charles E. Hunter, the Oklahoma Republican Central Committee chairman, explains the state’s “very hard campaign” to Arthur I. Vorys. Hunter’s committee believes they can elect part of the state ticket and possibly the legislature. However, “to win this fight it takes money,” more than the committee can raise. Hunter inquires if Vorys would petition the Republican National Committee to furnish funds to conduct the campaign.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-21
Uncle Sam holds a paper that reads, “Harriman raised $200,000 campaign fund for Roosevelt in 1904” and asks President Roosevelt, “Well, what have you got to say for yourself?” Roosevelt, clutching a bag of money and holding a G.O.P. elephant on a string, says, “It’s a ‘deliberate’ and ‘willful’ untruth!”