Customhouses

President Roosevelt stands next to Uncle Sam who is sitting on a stool in a “U.S. Custom House.” Roosevelt has his left hand on Sam’s right arm and is gesturing to the left, toward a customs official who is inspecting the bags of a Filipino man just inside a door labeled “Philippines” and “Prohibitive Tariff.” The door is locked and barred by “Seventy-Five per cent of Dingley Rates.” In the background, a woman exits through a door labeled “Cuba” and “Reciprocity” and a man exits through a door labeled “Porto Rico” and “Free Trade.” Caption: President Roosevelt–You’ve been fair to the other two. Now, keep faith with this one.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1903-02-04

President Roosevelt instructs Secretary of the Treasury Cortelyou not to let any Canadian whisky into the country, as Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson has raised objections under the pure food law.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-07

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt may decide not to appoint a judge just yet. Although he holds Attorney General William H. Moody in high esteem, Roosevelt reminds Gifford Pinchot that Moody was “hand-in-glove with the Simon people.” Roosevelt has enclosed a letter from W. Sloan Simpson and cautions Pinchot to “not let the civil service people frighten you out of getting really good men.” Homer Davenport can assist with creating favorable public opinion about forest reserves, and Roosevelt would like to see his father appointed to an unnamed position if Pinchot agrees.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-08-22

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt instructs Leslie M. Shaw to investigate the accusations of William MacDonald against the customs officials of Philadelphia.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-05-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

British Foreign Secretary Grey outlines the position of the British government with regards to the rights of American fishing in the waters of Newfoundland pursuant to the Convention of 1818. Due to the difference in interpretation of the treaty between the United States and Great Britain, a temporary agreement has been put in place to assure a peaceful fishing season. Grey summarizes the main points of disagreement and makes several proposals for regulation going forward.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-20

Creator(s)

Grey of Fallodon, Edward Grey, Viscount, 1862-1933

Senator Lodge thanks President Roosevelt for his letter regarding the Custom House in Boston and Representative Charles E. Littlefield. Lodge briefly discusses several books with Roosevelt. He also commends Roosevelt’s letter to Carlos Manuel de Cespedes y Quesada and discusses the situation in Cuba.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-16

Creator(s)

Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1850-1924

A woman holding a “Mother Jones” sign and a “labor problem” pitchfork rides a Republican elephant that rings the doorbell at President Roosevelt’s gate at Sagamore Hill. A sign reads, “Sagamore Hill: Positively no admission, except by invitation. T. R.” There are various signs attached to the elephant: “Ohio sandstone ring,” “postal scandal,” “Littauer glove scandal,” and “custom house frauds.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-29

Creator(s)

Bush, Charles Green, 1842-1909

Boston merchants are prepared to cooperate with the new customhouse system instituted by Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw. After a brief trial, they believe the system will ensure the prompt delivery of goods.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-01-14

Creator(s)

Unknown

Boston merchants are prepared to cooperate with Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw to put the new customs regulations in place. Their primary concern is speedily receiving their goods after the required examination.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-01-14

Creator(s)

Unknown

James Sullivan Clarkson responds to the letter Francis C. Travers had written on behalf of former inspector Lawrence J. Hanley. Clarkson informs William Loeb of Hanley’s poor performance in various positions but promises to look into the matter further.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-09-12

Creator(s)

Clarkson, James Sullivan, 1842-1918

James Sullivan Clarkson informs William Loeb that Bartholomew Gurren has arrived with Loeb’s note and Clarkson has put him to work as a messenger. The man Loeb was going to send from Oyster Bay has not yet arrived.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-09

Creator(s)

Clarkson, James Sullivan, 1842-1918

James A. Clarkson replies to President Roosevelt’s inquiry about the raising of funds for political purposes by Inspectors of the New York Custom House. Clarkson has investigated the matter and now encloses the report of the Civil Service Commission.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-02-04

Creator(s)

Clarkson, James Sullivan, 1842-1918

James Sullivan Clarkson defends himself and the Inspectors of the New York Custom House against allegations of wrongdoing from the Civil Service Commission. He believes that the facts in the recent report are correct, but not the inferences.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-02-04

Creator(s)

Clarkson, James Sullivan, 1842-1918

The Civil Service Commissioners enclose a report on the raising of funds among New York custom house inspectors for political campaigns and for promoting passage of a bill raising inspector’s wages.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-01-28

Creator(s)

Procter, John Robert, 1844-1903; Foulke, William Dudley, 1848-1935; Garfield, James Rudolph, 1865-1950

T. D. Sullivan encourages President Roosevelt to investigate Mr. Croft of New York customs. Croft has been using shake downs to “support his robber camp in Harlem.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-11-27

Creator(s)

Sullivan, T. D.