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Business card with the name of John M. Barnes written by hand with other illegible notation. Barnes was being recommended for the position of Collector of Internal Revenue for Georgia.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-24
Secretary of War Taft discusses appointments for four different offices, including the Secretary of Agriculture. He gives President Roosevelt his assessment of nominees.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-17
President Roosevelt asks Senator Smith if Benton Hanchett would consider the position of Spanish Treaty Claims Commissioner because Senator William E. Chandler resigned. Roosevelt notes that he has a high opinion of Hanchett, and this is the only position presently open.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-18
President Roosevelt informs the members of the Civil Service Commission that he agrees with their proposal to create a procedure for documenting the reasons for civil service appointments made by executive order, and directs the commissioners to “point out to me the omission” if he does not provide them with a reason for such exceptions. Regarding the list of past exceptions the commission sent him, the exceptions where explanations are given seem justified, but for those entries that are missing that information he states that “tho I am certain that at the time I deemed them satisfactory I can not now prove them.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-03
President Roosevelt encloses the letter that he sent to Senator Thomas S. Martin, and asks Harriet T. O’Brien Stevens to show it to Senator Isidor Rayner. If Mr. Lackey is employed by the federal government, Roosevelt will ensure that he retains his position.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-08
President Roosevelt will speak to Civil Service Commissioner John Avery McIlhenney about Dabney. Whether Dabney could be given a position depends on which position he wants, and where he is from.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-01
Joseph Bucklin Bishop informs President Roosevelt of a situation in the Panama Canal Zone beyond the scope of canal construction. Bishop describes how the executive order signed on November 17 virtually abolished the office of Governor and conferred power on the General Counsel, creating a bad situation in which General Counsel Richard Reid Rogers took advantage of his new power. When Secretary of War Taft visited in March, he issued a new executive order to address this situation, conferring the majority of government power on the chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission and acted on by the governor of the Panama Canal Zone, Joseph C.S. Blackburn. Bishop states that Blackburn is doing excellent work and is well-respected, unlike Rogers.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-06
Civil Service Commissioners Black and Greene inform President Roosevelt that the Commission cannot proceed with establishing a labor register nationwide. The Commission lacks the local personnel to perform the required medical examinations, as well as, the funding to pay for any medical examinations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-10
William Emlen Roosevelt encloses a letter which a friend of his asked him to share with President Roosevelt, presumably about political appointments. He wonders how the president attends to so many matters in the course of his work.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-25
Thomas E. Watson urges President Roosevelt to appoint Captain John M. Barnes as Collector of Internal Revenue for Georgia.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-24
F. Norton Goddard gives President Roosevelt voting statistics from districts in New York. Goddard is a Republican Party official. He is proud to be recognized by Governor Odell for recent turnout at the polls. Goddard follows up on his recommendations for jobs and positions.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-14
Paul Morgan sits on Thomas Fortune Ryan’s lap while Herbert H. Vreeland sits in a “T. F. R.” box. Caption: Mr. Ryan, the ventriloquist—Now, Paul, speak up for the policy-holders! Paul—I accept this position on the understanding that I have an absolutely free hand.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-12
The Civil Service Commission disapproves of William A. Miller’s dismissal from his position as assistant foreman at the bindery of the Government Printing Office. Miller was dismissed due to his removal from the local International Brotherhood of Bookbinders.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-13
Perry S. Heath has been implicated in the Post Office frauds. There is not sufficient evidence to convict Heath but Postmaster General Payne should have an inspector make a thorough investigation.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-10-15
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary informs Paul F. Krause that since he left the White House, he has not acted on behalf of any person regarding a civil service position or promotion.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-02-09
President Roosevelt thinks it may amuse Alexander Jeffrey McKelway to know that Roosevelt has been being criticized by William Garrott Brown. Brown dislikes that Roosevelt is appointing Democrats to government positions, thereby discouraging the growth of a healthy Republican party in the South. Roosevelt shares this information privately.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-26
President Roosevelt sends Ansley Wilcox a copy of a letter from the Civil Service Commission, and comments on the appointment of people to positions in the Civil Service. According to the letter, over 41,000 people were appointed by competitive examination, and 64 special exceptions were made. Roosevelt believes that approximately 60 of these were made for the good of the service, admitting that he made a few appointments for sentimental reasons.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-17
President Roosevelt apologizes, but he does not believe there is much he can do to help Hugh S. Thompson find a position in New York. Because of the actions of Thompson’s father, Hugh Smith Thompson, and Roosevelt as members of the Civil Service Commission, the number of positions that Roosevelt is able to make appointments to is not very large. Unless Thompson knows of an opening, Roosevelt has no means of finding out about likely positions.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-02
President Roosevelt discusses his and Kermit Roosevelt’s preferences for the poetry of Edwin Arlington Robinson, Robert Browning, and Homer with David Gray. Roosevelt mentions how Kermit brought Robinson to his attention and how he appointed Robinson to a civil service post at the New York Custom House.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-20
President Roosevelt recalls Lloyd Collis well and is concerned to hear about his recent loss of a government contract at West Point. While Roosevelt is sure that Collis could fill many positions well, he is unaware of any vacancies at present. Collis should not apply generally, but ought to seek a position in which he is interested.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-13