Democratic Party (U.S.)

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

President Roosevelt asks Secretary of War Taft to consult with Cardinal Francesco Satolli about appointing Archbishop J. J. Harty to succeed Bishop Giovanni Battista Guidi in the Philippines. Roosevelt also suggests that Taft make it clear to Satolli that the Catholic Church’s influence in the Philippines would be greatly diminished if the island gains its independence, and that Catholics who vote for the Democrat Party should be mindful that their vote could mean the triumph of the Agilpayan Church. Roosevelt requests, moreover, that Satolli consider making a Polish-American priest from Buffalo, Father John Pitass, vicar-general.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Josephine Shaw Lowell

President Roosevelt will not promise Josephine Shaw Lowell more than he already has and believes the Democrats are “utterly insincere” in promising independence to the Filipinos. Roosevelt compares the Christian Filipinos to the Islamic Moros and worries that freedom for one group would disrupt peace. Roosevelt also discusses the absurdity of the Democrats calling themselves a reform party under Thomas Taggart, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He is also upset about Carl Schurz’s support of Alton B. Parker in the election because it is the party of John Sharp Williams, Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, who presides over a district whose majority is comprised of people of color but which is governed by white men.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-01

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Benjamin B. Odell

Three members of the National Grange–Aaron Jones, Charles J. Bell, and Elliott B. Norris–have approached President Roosevelt about their objections to G. Howard Davison as the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture. Roosevelt asks for Governor Odell’s opinion on this.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-01

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Seth Low

President Roosevelt agrees with Seth Low’s view on the situation in New York. Roosevelt thinks it is curious that the “gold Democratic papers” in Chicago and Massachusetts are of a different opinion about Alton B. Parker’s actions than those in New York, which are “fairly hysterical” and ignore the Democratic Party’s attitude on the matter. Roosevelt is glad Low wrote to Elihu Root but doubts it will have any effect (probably in convincing Root to run for governor of New York).

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-14

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to H. J. Wright

President Roosevelt thanks newspaperman H. J. Wright for his letter, but disagrees with him regarding the Democrats leaving the gold standard out of their 1904 party platform.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-15

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lyman Abbott

President Roosevelt comments on recent press coverage by Lyman Abbott in The Outlook. Roosevelt acknowledges the article captures his “mental attitude” exactly regarding racial discrimination, black suffrage and equality before the law. He names John Sharp Williams of Mississippi as a prime example of how “whites have suppressed this colored vote so absolutely by force, by fraud, by every species of iniquity.” Roosevelt explains that although the race question was not part of his acceptance speech, if the issue is forced upon him in the upcoming campaign “I shall certainly not hesitate to meet it.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elihu Root

President Roosevelt asks Elihu Root whether he will be in New York in the days after the democratic nomination. If so, Roosevelt would like Root to visit the Roosevelt home in Oyster Bay, New York, and help him go over his speech.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-05

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

President Roosevelt writes to Secretary of War Taft to thank him for his letter. Roosevelt remarks on Taft’s speech in Boston, and expresses his uncertainty towards the Democratic Party.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-06

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Hay

President Roosevelt is frustrated at the newspapers for condemning the Republicans for their view on sound money. The Democrats’ candidate is boasting that he has supported the cause of free silver in the last two elections. Roosevelt believes that his campaign has no apology to make.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-11

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Carter Rose

President Roosevelt believes that in dealing with the southern states it is his duty to not put weight on the side of “reactionary forces.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-28

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick W. Whitridge

President Roosevelt tells railroad owner Frederick W. Whitridge that he has sent Whitridge’s previous letter, in which he offered to help circulate speeches by Secretary of State John Hay and former Secretary of War Elihu Root, to Republican strategist and Columbia University President Nicholas Murray Butler, with whom Roosevelt will consider the offer. Roosevelt reflects on Whitridge’s statement that Roosevelt’s reelection is near-certain by guessing that the Democratic Party might nominate someone similar to Roosevelt, such as U. S. Court of Appeals Judge George Gray, who had been appointed by McKinley. Roosevelt wishes Whitridge luck on his upcoming grouse hunt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-28

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles William Eliot

President Roosevelt has seen the petition for the United States to give political independence to the Philippines, which Charles William Eliot has signed. Roosevelt writes that the Republican convention will not consider it, and if the Democrats do, they prove hypocritical. Roosevelt believes granting independence to the Philippines is the easy way out, while the right thing to do is to remain involved in the Philippines for the betterment of its people. Roosevelt cites other examples, such as Egypt and Cuba, and refers to Arthur Twining Hadley’s Freedom and Responsibility. Roosevelt asks if Eliot would see Secretary of War William H. Taft about the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-04-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Nicholas Murray Butler

President Roosevelt hopes what Nicholas Murray Butler said is true. He will be sorry if Judge Parker is not the Democratic candidate in the upcoming presidential election.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-05-05

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Thomas J. Akins

President Roosevelt believes the Republican party in Missouri should support the nomination of Joseph Wingate Folk, a Democrat. Republicans would have a hard time defeating Folk with a candidate of their own, so Roosevelt believes Folk should be allowed to run uncontested, even though some Republicans might “sulk” if forced to support a Democrat.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-04-05

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Leonard Wood

President Roosevelt informs General Wood that he was confirmed as Major General with a vote of 45 to 16. Roosevelt laments the bitter attacks made on Wood during the election and believes Senator Marcus Alonzo Hanna was the chief cause, as well as negative coverage from the press.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-03-19

As President Roosevelt sees it

This newspaper article discusses President Roosevelt’s re-election campaign platform.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-06

The large-ical candidate

William H. Taft stands at the door of the “Presidency” holding a paper from Justice Brewer recommending him for the presidency and comparing him to President Roosevelt. Caption: Secretary Taft–“I wonder if Justice Brewer was joking?” On the verso, an article titled “The Great World Traveler Is Here” describes William Jennings Bryan’s arrival in New Jersey and the “oratorical tour” on which he is embarking. Another article, “The Standpatism of the Hon. Joseph Cannon,” lauds the Republican Party’s achievements since the inauguration of William McKinley as president, noting these are to be preferred over Bryan’s intended projects.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-01

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Joseph Bucklin Bishop

President Roosevelt thanks Joseph Bucklin Bishop for the editorial. He doubts the Democrats will nominate Mr. Gray as he owes his position and prominence to Republican presidents.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-02-08

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Hay

President Roosevelt is pleased that Senator Hay is recovering. Roosevelt believes the Democratic opposition to the treaty is based on partisanship but will be defeated.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-01-25

Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War Taft informs President Roosevelt that he has received a letter from Henry Scanlan Kerr through Taft’s brother, Henry W. Taft. Kerr’s letter is about his conversation with William Jennings Bryan while they were in the Philippines; Bryan adheres to the Jefferson model while Kerr adheres to the Hamilton one. Taft asks Roosevelt to discuss with Kerr his views on the Philippines and his desire to prevent a “Democratic House now or a Democratic Administration in two years.” Henry Taft has written to J. S. Sherman to introduce Kerr who would like to be useful in the present Congressional campaign.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-01