Your TR Source
President Roosevelt appreciates Chief of Staff Bell “taking thought in advance.” He instructs Bell to show the letter to General Fred C. Ainsworth, who will follow through with Bell’s suggestions concerning sending officers to Cuba.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-01
President Roosevelt agrees with Secretary of War Taft that Culver C. Sniffen should be appointed Paymaster General and asks Taft to notify General Fred C. Ainsworth. He approves of Taft’s proposed travel arrangements for the Panama trip and is “extremely pleased” that Taft sent his speech to the Maine Committee to be reviewed by Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon or Representative Charles E. Littlefield. He sympathizes with Helen Herron Taft’s views of William Jennings Bryan. In a postscript, Roosevelt advices sending men to Cuba at once as “we cannot afford to neglect any chance of learning the situation down there.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-04
President Roosevelt wishes he could be present at the reunion of the Philippine Association. Although he was not in the Philippines, he fought in Cuba during the Spanish-American war, and “[prizes] very greatly the right of comradeship with you.” Roosevelt sends Frank E. Lyman his wishes for a successful reunion.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-06-29
President Roosevelt thanks President Palma and the Cuban people for the gift they sent for his daughter Alice Roosevelt Longworth’s wedding. He praises the country and expresses hope for its future.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-02-19
President Roosevelt asks Cuban minister Gonzalo de Quesada to deliver the enclosed note to President Tomás Estrada Palma. He is deeply touched by the wedding gift that the Cuban people sent to his daughter Alice Roosevelt Longworth.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-02-19
President Roosevelt is glad to hear that William Astor Chanler thinks that Cuba is doing well, and says his information suggests the same. Like Chanler, Roosevelt thinks highly of Frank Maximilian Steinhart, the consul general in Cuba.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-03-27
On the occasion of his recent inauguration, President Roosevelt sends his reflections on the accomplishments of his first term in office and the challenges of his second term, along with a description of the inauguration itself. Secretary of State John Hay gave Roosevelt a ring with a lock of Abraham Lincoln’s hair in it, which he wore while taking the oath of office, sharing his thoughts about Lincoln and how he tries to live up to Lincoln’s example. Roosevelt describes the various groups of people who participated in the inaugural parade, including cowboys, Indians, veterans of several wars, civic organizations, coal miners, farmers, and more. Roosevelt describes current domestic and international challenges. In the English-speaking countries, Roosevelt finds the divisions between rural and city dwellers to be of concern, as well as the dwindling birth rate.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-03-09
President Roosevelt explains how he plans to negotiate a protocol or treaty with San Domingo, which will then be presented to the Senate to act on.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-26
President Roosevelt sincerely thanks Cuban President Palma for the book. He cannot express what it means to him to have aided in freeing Cuba, and congratulates Palma’s wisdom and firmness in guiding the young republic.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-21
President Roosevelt found journalist John Revelstoke Rathom’s article and the cartoon interesting and is glad they share the same perspective on the matter, and which Roosevelt believes “all manly men ought to take.” He is also interested in Ranthom’s memory of “the canteen incident at Siboney.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-09
President Roosevelt thanks Colton Reed for the work he has done in sharing the facts about their service in Cuba during the Spanish-American war.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-10-31
President Roosevelt thanks Rudyard Kipling for sending him a collection of stories, and offers some of his thoughts on his recent political campaign. Roosevelt acknowledges that, while he holds his actions as having been the correct ones to take, there are may people who disagree with him, particularly regarding the Philippines, Panama, and his dealing with the railroads and the trusts. Regardless of the outcome of the election, Roosevelt feels that he has “had a first class run for [his] money, and [he has] accomplished certain definite things.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-01
President Roosevelt informs Secretary of War Taft that the Rowan alluded to in the enclosure is First Lieutenant Andrew Rowan of “A Message to Garcia” fame. If Taft can grant the request for Rowan to be appointed to a position at the War College in Washington, D.C., Roosevelt would be pleased. (Rowan’s exploits were made famous in a popular essay by Elbert Hubbard, who wrote of Rowan’s mission to deliver a message to Cuban General Calixto Garcia during the Spanish American War. “A Message to Garcia” came to signify taking initiative in a difficult situation in American popular culture.)
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-10-10
President Roosevelt explains to Henry W. Taft that the federal government needs to tackle trusts and monopolies because using common law is not possible, and Senator Philander C. Knox, Attorney General William H. Moody, Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, and Secretary of War William H. Taft all agree that the action is constitutional. Regarding American expansion in the Philippines and Cuba, Roosevelt states that Cuba has a measure of independence but not in its entirety, and that similar measures could be taken in the Philippines with certain safety precautions.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-28
President Roosevelt writes to Joseph Gurney Cannon, Chairman of the Notification Committee, to formally accept his nomination as the Republican presidential candidate and to approve the platform adopted by the Republican National Convention. In the letter, Roosevelt provides a comprehensive defense of his foreign and domestic policies and outlines what he believes are the major differences between the Republican and Democratic parties in the upcoming election. Roosevelt discusses, among other topics, his position on international relations, antitrust legislation, tariffs, the gold standard, pensions for Civil War veterans, the military, civil service, commerce, agriculture, taxation, and self-government in the Philippines.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-12
After Judge Alton B. Parker’s letter to John G. Milburn, President Roosevelt thought it wise not to use the extract from Elihu Root’s speech in his letter of acceptance. Roosevelt hopes that Root stays in Newfoundland for as long as he can.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-26
President Roosevelt will avoid using Cuba as an example when speaking about the Philippines. He believes that Christian Filipinos will eventually “show themselves fit” to be given a form of self-government like Cuba, but it may take a number of years.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-26
President Roosevelt thanks and congratulates Secretary of War Taft for his effective speech. Roosevelt has decided to leave out what Elihu Root said of Cuba and the Philippines.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-29
President Roosevelt responds to allegations that diminished his role in the Battle of San Juan Hill. For clarification, Roosevelt offers Fleming a copy of The Rough Riders and cites accounts written by other officers on the scene.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-18
President Roosevelt has been working on his speech since receiving Attorney General Moody’s letter. Roosevelt is having trouble shortening it and the letter will come out six weeks after the speech. Roosevelt included what Moody said about Cuban reciprocity but is uncertain whether or not he will keep it in.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-16