Your TR Source
President Roosevelt approves the plans for the withdrawal of troops from Cuba that Secretary of War Wright suggests.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-11
President Roosevelt informs Provisional Governor Magoon that he has received the umbrella, and that it is exactly what he wished for. He plans to use it for many years. Roosevelt enjoyed seeing Magoon briefly, and expresses his gratitude for all the work Magoon has done in Cuba.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-14
President Roosevelt tells Harry Johnston that he does not believe that the United States will intervene in Haiti, although he thinks that it ought to. Roosevelt does not like to act unless he can get the support of the American population behind him. In many cases in Central America and the Antilles, it either took a long time for the population to embrace interference or they never became interested. Roosevelt would have liked the United States to act in Venezuela, Central America, and Haiti, but says that people are “not merely blind, but often malevolently blind, to what goes on.” Roosevelt is pleased that Johnston’s impressions of New York are going to be published, and hopes that his thoughts on the Southern United States are likewise published.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-04
President Roosevelt introduces Harry Johnston to the diplomatic and consular officers of the United States in Cuba, Haiti, and other Caribbean countries. He attests to Johnston’s character, and asks that he be given assistance and shown every official courtesy.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-04
President Roosevelt introduces his friend, Harry Johnston, to the Naval and Military Officers of the United States currently stationed around Cuba, Haiti, and other Caribbean states. He attests to Johnston’s discretion and judgement, and asks that his wishes be accommodated, so far as is possible.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-04
President Roosevelt approves of “needed reforms,” but their implementation can occasionally bring about minor irritations. For instance, he is now unable to appoint William Bayard Hale to the position where he feels that Hale could do the most good. Roosevelt muses that it may be possible to use Hale as a special agent for Haiti, but it is not likely. The trouble is not that the government does not know what to do for Haiti, but that many people refuse to accept that it is necessary for the United States to “exercise some kind of supervision over the island.” He cites several other instances in which the United States intervened in countries in the Caribbean or Central America, “in each case for the immeasurable betterment of the people.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-03
President Roosevelt sends his heartfelt thanks to Cuban Minster Gonzalo de Quesada for the gift of a hunting knife.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-27
President Roosevelt tells General Wood that Evelyn Baring, Lord Cromer, praised Wood’s administration of Cuba as “the most striking and successful of all colonial administration” in recent years.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-27
President Roosevelt provides a letter of introduction for Harry Johnston, an English administrator with “long and varied experience” in several of England’s possessions in Africa. Roosevelt hopes that Charles E. Magoon, the Provisional Governor of Cuba, will let Johnston see and study whatever he wants.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-27
President Roosevelt thanks Christine Griffin Kean Roosevelt for remembering his birthday. He hopes she is having a good time in Cuba.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-27
President Roosevelt is pleased that the committee in Cuba hung a reproduction of John Singer Sargent’s portrait of him. He is especially glad that Aurelio Melero, a Cuban artist, is the one who made it. He asks Provisional Governor of Cuba Magoon to thank them on his behalf.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-29
President Roosevelt asks Governor Magoon when he can come to discuss the transition of power from the United States to Cuba with him and Secretary of State Elihu Root.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-24
President Roosevelt asks Acting Secretary of the Navy Newberry to prepare a full report as to why Bahía Honda, Cuba, was selected as a location for a naval station, in view of recent reports as to its unsuitability.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-24
President Roosevelt tells Senator Platt that he will see if George C. Tarler can be appointed to be second secretary of the American Legation to Cuba.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-20
President Roosevelt discusses his intentions in relation to Cuba with Secretary of State Root. Roosevelt is against building a naval base at Bahía Honda, with many reports on file describing its unsuitability. Roosevelt thinks that when Cubans elect a new, independent government, it should be with the understanding that all the acts of the American provisional government be automatically codified into law and all new Cuban officials must uphold this condition.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-20
President Roosevelt asks Acting Secretary of the Interior Frank Pierce to detail Henry Gannett to Roosevelt, once he is finished assisting with the Cuban Census. If Pierce does this, Roosevelt will assign Gannett to help the National Conservation Commission create a report detailing the natural resources of the United States. Roosevelt believes that Gannett will be a great help, and so is sending a copy of this letter to Secretary of War Luke E. Wright, to whom Gannett is currently detailed.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-02
President Roosevelt sends Secretary of War Wright a copy of a letter that he sent to Acting Secretary of the Interior Frank Pierce. Roosevelt would be pleased if Wright would instruct Henry Gannett to assist the National Conservation Commission, if such a thing could be done without harming the progress of the Census of Cuba.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-02
President Roosevelt approves of Secretary of War Taft’s recommendation for the purchase of property in Cuba from the Roman Catholic Church at the price of $360,900.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-06-18
President Roosevelt asks Honore F. Lane and the committee to show Cuba Governor Charles E. Magoon this letter. Roosevelt cannot speak to the specific details, but hopes that a good game law will be passed and “adequately enforced.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-05-29
President Roosevelt has received Provisional Governor Magoon’s letter about the church property matter in Cuba and clarifies that he did not mean to hurry “in that sense.” He merely wants to have the facts “clearly before” him, so that the matter can be “in such shape that I can answer bores and critics.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-05-13