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President Roosevelt writes to his son Kermit and relates stories of Archie and Quentin playing together. He says Edith is back but is not feeling well. Ethel’s confirmation went well. Roosevelt is still having trouble with the Senate holding up the nomination of Ben Daniels and other legislation. Kermit has written some math problems on the envelope.
1906-03-19
President Roosevelt writes to his son Kermit to tell him that after reading his letter, Edith is okay with inviting Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ferguson to travel abroad with the family. Nick and Alice returned from their honeymoon trip and Ethel is now moved into Alice’s room. Cousin Sheffield Cowles has the measles and Roosevelt is going to visit although his eye is bothering him. Roosevelt says that he has been working very hard and has a hard time with passing the rate bill, the Philippine tariff bill, and some of his nominations in the Senate. Archie and Quentin went to a dog show.
1906-03-04
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary forwards to John Campbell Greenway a letter from Ben Daniels. He tells Greenway that Roosevelt will not compromise or accept a compromised candidate.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-05-10
William Loeb encloses letters of introduction for the artist Charles Dana Gibson from President Roosevelt to New Mexico Territory Governor George Curry, U.S. Marshal Seth Bullock, and U.S. Marshal Ben Daniels.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-11
President Roosevelt would like the smuggling of arms and their sale to the Yaqui tribe of Native Americans to be stopped, and instructs Army Chief of Staff General Bell to dispatch a force of cavalry to Arizona to cooperate with United States Marshal Ben Daniels and the Mexican customs authorities in stopping this trade. He asks Bell to also look up precedents for this sort of action to discover what sort of order should be given, and to report to Acting Secretary of State Robert Bacon on the matter. It would be best to use the smallest number of troops that will still be able to do the work, in order to avoid drawing attention to the matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-28
President Roosevelt greatly appreciated a recent editorial by Frank Irving Cobb, and believes that Cobb is correct in highlighting the administrative work of government of enforcing and administering laws as important. Roosevelt names a number of people involved in his government who he believe are doing very good work.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-03
After talking with George Horace Lorimer, President Roosevelt went back and read The Plum Tree through all the way, after previously having read only half of it. The ending of the book reconciles Roosevelt to many of the problems he had with it throughout, but he still holds many issues with the book which he lays out for Lorimer. The author, David Graham Phillips, falls into the trap of overstating the sort of corruption that is present in politics, and while Roosevelt freely admits that corruption is present–which, he points out, he is working against–there are also many good people working in politics as well. In a postscript of several days later, Roosevelt comments on several of Phillips’s articles on the Senate, in which he acts similarly by taking “certain facts that are true in themselves, and […] ignoring utterly a very much large mass of facts that are just as true and just as important.” Roosevelt criticizes Phillips for working with William Randolph Hearst to achieve notoriety.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-05-12
President Roosevelt thanks Frank Basil Tracy for the nice letter and comments that he takes “just the right view” of the case involving Ben Daniels. Roosevelt confirms that Tracy guessed right and that when Roosevelt asked Daniels if there was anything that might prevent Roosevelt from securing Daniels’s appointment in the Senate as a United States Marshal, Daniels failed to tell Roosevelt about the incident that led to his resignation.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-05-02
President Roosevelt provides Senator Clark with text from telegrams and letters attesting to the character of Arizona United States marshal Ben Daniels. Any accusations against him appear to have been made in bad faith.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-02-23
President Roosevelt encloses a telegram for Senator Clark that explains the allegations against U.S. Marshal Ben Daniels. If Clark thinks it is wise, Roosevelt will make it public, and gives Clark permission to make this letter public. Roosevelt notes that “there is no man in Arizona more justly dreaded by the entire criminal element than Ben Daniels.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-02-22
President Roosevelt is pleased to have an inscribed volume of Frederic Remington’s The Way of an Indian. He does not usually follow serial stories, but he read every chapter of it as it was released. Roosevelt comments on the types of men, like Ben Daniels and Bat Masterson, who he has appointed to office.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-02-20
President Roosevelt encloses telegrams about United States Marshal Ben Daniels from Arizona Territorial Chief Justice Edward Kent and Louis C. Hughes, the editor of the Tucson Star. He believes that bad actors in Arizona want to discredit Daniels.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-02-19
President Roosevelt encloses a letter from District Attorney Joseph L. B. Alexander regarding United States Marshal Ben Daniels, which he would like Senator Clark to put before his committee.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-02-01
President Roosevelt regrets to inform Emerson Hough that after two investigations and reports from Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, he cannot reappoint Pat F. Garrett as collector of customs in El Paso. Garrett is a personal favorite of Roosevelt’s and he would like to keep him on, but he cannot do so without compromising his ability to remove inefficient men from other positions around the country.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-12-22
President Roosevelt is concerned by former Rough Rider Roy F. Haydon’s letter. He would like to help, but he receives many similar requests, and there is a limit to the number of former Rough Riders he can appoint to government positions. He suggests that Haydon speak to Ben Daniels, another former Rough Rider and U.S. Marshal in Arizona Territory, to see if he can do anything for him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-08-03
President Roosevelt thanks William H. Hunter for the editorial and for understanding the “Bat Masterson” type. He is glad to appoint men like Bat Masterson, who are “real survivors of the Viking age.” Masterson’s record is clean as far as Roosevelt knows. However, he admits a few appointees, like Ben Daniels, engaged in activities they should not have during their youth. Regardless, Roosevelt considers these men better “than many a smug citizen who looks down on them.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-02-09
President Roosevelt asks Governor Brodie if a reunion of the Rough Rider regiment could be arranged next spring in San Antonio, Texas, so long as there is not a special session of Congress. The president thanks Brodie and Ben Daniels for telegraphing their congratulations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-11
There has been some opposition to the appointment of Ben Daniels as collector and President Roosevelt requests Governor Brodie’s opinion on the matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-12-15
President Roosevelt congratulates Governor Brodie on his work. Roosevelt does not believe that Ben Daniels is fit for head of the Reform School and gives Brodie permission to appoint Griffith. Daniels should be offered the position of assistant superintendent.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-07-22
President Roosevelt congratulates Alexander O. Brodie on his accession to the office of Governor of Arizona Territory. Roosevelt would also like Brodie’s opinion of Ben Daniels.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-07-08