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President Roosevelt encourages William H. Taft to accept a substantial campaign contribution from William Nelson Cromwell, and to have him serve on an advisory board. Roosevelt points out that Elihu Root made a large contribution to his campaign in 1904, but that did not stop him from appointing Root Secretary of State when the opportunity arose.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-07
President Roosevelt asks Secretary of War Taft to thank William Nelson Cromwell for his “service to the nation” in negotiations with Colombia regarding payment for the Canal Zone.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-21
A letter from Henry S. Brown to William Loeb was forwarded to the Acting Secretary of War with instructions to further send it to Secretary of War William H. Taft. The letter discussed lawyer and lobbyist William Nelson Cromwell, and included an endorsement of President Roosevelt instructing Taft to minimize Cromwell’s connections with Panama. Cromwell’s lobbying efforts were instrumental to getting the Panama Canal constructed.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-07-01
Theodore Roosevelt provides several corrections to William Roscoe Thayer’s article, “John Hay and the Panama Republic.” Roosevelt denies conspiring with Philippe Bunau-Varilla and defends his actions as Colombia could not be treated as a “responsible power.” Had there not been a revolt, Roosevelt was prepared to seize the isthmus by force. However, he took advantage of the situation and stopped the “bandits” from holding up a great project.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-07-02
President Roosevelt asks Senator Knox whether it would be worth stopping the lies of Joseph Pulitzer about the purchase of the Panama Canal once and for all. Roosevelt has received a full list of the stockholders of the Panama Canal Corporation from William Nelson Cromwell, as well as papers regarding what those companies did in connection to the purchase of the canal. While the scandal has not touched the government, Roosevelt thinks it may be good to make these documents public and explains how Cromwell obtained them.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-10
President Roosevelt responds to William Dudley Foulke’s request to call the Indianapolis News to account for the falsehoods they are spreading. Roosevelt explains that he does not believe it will do any good, because the paper is simply on par with other papers like the New York World, New York Sun, and New York Evening Post. Such papers will simply repeat their falsehoods and spread new ones if they are corrected. Roosevelt believes that it is useless to deny false stories in the news because papers do not attempt to prove their assertions. In particular, Roosevelt mentions false stories about his raising campaign funds and the purchase of the Panama Canal.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-24
President Roosevelt explains to William Dudley Foulke that he does not think that it is worth responding to the three false editorials in the Indianapolis News. This paper, under editor Delavan Smith, is just as bad as the New York Sun and New York Evening Post. Roosevelt refutes these editorials, but does not think it is worth making public; if he were to deny all of the falsehoods and stories based on rumors that were printed about him, it would take him all day, every day.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-24
President Roosevelt enjoyed reading Secretary of War Taft’s letter and expresses his admiration for Taft. He can sympathize with the difficulties Taft worries about but does not feel they are as great as Taft makes them out to be. While Taft will likely be attacked on Panama and the Philippines, Roosevelt reassures him that he believes Taft has acted correctly, comments that they “play the game very much alike,” and describes some of the difficulties he is presently encountering. Roosevelt is glad that Taft will be staying in his cabinet longer.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-02
President Roosevelt informs Theodore P. Shonts, chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission, that engineer John G. Sullivan is wrong, and that William Nelson Cromwell did not have his confidence.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-12-21
William H. Taft has enclosed a copy of a letter he sent to William Nelson Cromwell, and hopes President Roosevelt will approve of the action he took.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-07
William H. Taft seeks advice from President Roosevelt regarding an advisory committee being set up by several Republican Party operatives. Taft is concerned that accepting a large donation from William Nelson Cromwell would work against his campaign, as would Cromwell’s work with corporations, though Taft has never had a negative experience with him in that regard.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-05
William H. Taft writes to President Roosevelt about the issue of monetary contributions to his presidential campaign. While Taft knows it will likely decrease the amount of money available for his campaign, he feels strongly that he should follow New York’s publicity law for donations nationwide, which he hopes will ultimately contribute to reducing the power of money in politics. Taft also writes about other issues that have been arising in his campaign, including the selection of certain people to his campaign staff.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-09
Secretary of War Taft sends President Roosevelt the text of cables from William Nelson Cromwell and George W. Goethals regarding measures to be taken to ensure fair elections in Panama.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-05-18
Secretary of War Taft reports to President Roosevelt on his visit to the Panama Canal Zone. Taft was investigating reports of poor conditions in the Subsistence Department to head off a scandal. As a result, Jackson Smith has resigned from the Commission, and Taft suggests personnel and organizational changes. Taft also reports on attempts to rig the upcoming election in Panama.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-05-16
Secretary of War Taft informs President Roosevelt about the update on the Panama treaty. Taft has held a few meetings regarding this issue.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-05-18
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-04-05
Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
English
In a chapter titled “A Most Just and Proper Revolution,” taken from the second volume of his biography of Theodore Roosevelt, Theodore Rex, Edmund Morris details the machinations in Washington, D.C. and Panama that resulted in the revolution against Colombian rule on the Isthmus and the establishment of the independent nation of Panama. Morris describes the careful actions and words of administration figures like Roosevelt and Secretary of State John Hay, and he charts the movement of ships of the United States Navy sent in support of the insurrection. Morris adds to his Panama narrative interludes about the November 1903 elections in the United States, Roosevelt’s visit to Sagamore Hill, and his compilation of a reading list.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2001
John M. Thompson examines the domestic political dimensions of the United States’ efforts to secure a canal zone in Central America. Thompson identifies those who favored canal routes in Nicaragua or Panama, and he looks closely at the Congressional reaction to the revolt in Panama and the United States’ quick recognition of the new nation. Thompson lays out the opposition to the subsequent canal treaty from Democrats and anti-imperialists, and he details the publicity campaign waged by President Theodore Roosevelt’s administration to justify its course of action and win Senate approval of the treaty. Thompson highlights the role of Southern Democrats who supported the treaty because they saw the canal as aiding their region’s economy and because Democrats did not want to be seen as opposing a popular policy of constructing a canal. Thompson concludes his article by examining the various aspects of domestic politics that Roosevelt had to consider when making foreign policy decisions.
Ten photographs and five political cartoons populate the article.
Michael Caglioti challenges the assumption that President Roosevelt acted immorally in the negotiations and events leading to the Panamanian Revolution of 1903 that ultimately led to the construction of the Panama Canal by the United States in the independent nation of Panama. Caglioti details why Roosevelt wanted the Canal built, and looks at the treaties the United States entered into with various countries to pave the way for United States sovereignty over a future canal. He contends that elements of Colombia’s government, press, and public opinion refused to recognize the reality of the United States’ superior economic, diplomatic and military power when negotiating the canal treaty.
Caglioti further notes that the Colombian government refused to ratify the Hay-Herran Convention authorizing the building of the canal because it wanted more money, and details the benefits that Colombia would have received from the canal’s construction. He argues that Roosevelt’s “guilt” in the Panama affair is usually tied to whether his administration gave an explicit assurance of assistance to the Panamanian rebels. He says that Roosevelt acted, as he should have, in the best interests of the United States in helping the revolution succeed.
A photograph of Roosevelt sitting in one of the steam shovels used in the construction of the canal accompanies the article.
The Indianapolis News defends its previous statements raising the question of payments related to the Panama Canal which President Roosevelt has vigorously denounced. Other newspapers have also raised questions related to this matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-28