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Gifford Pinchot sends Theodore Roosevelt the report of Edmond Haggard Madison, the reports of the Democrats, the report of the Ballinger Committee, and a letter from “Uncle Henry” Wallace.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1910-12-27
John C. Sherman ardently admires Theodore Roosevelt and is deeply interested in his future political involvement. He warns that the “tools of the Interests” will try to blame Roosevelt for the Republican defeat even though it resulted from the people’s distrust and lack of confidence in these tools. Democratic success in the 1912 campaign is certain unless Roosevelt or Senator Albert Baird Cummins are nominated. Sherman wants to help Roosevelt and requests data on his policies. Roosevelt is “the only one in public life with backbone.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1910-12-09
Speaker of the House Cannon explains his previous praise for President Roosevelt that Roosevelt “had contributed more to the success of the Republican ticket in the recent campaign than any other agency.” Cannon believes that Roosevelt’s letters to William Jennings Bryan and Senator Philander C. Knox had the effect of exposing the dangers and conflicts in the plan of the Democratic Party, and helped check the “hysterical demagoguery.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-11
Senator Lodge encloses an article from the Boston Globe which gives an account of a speech he gave advocating for the Navy. He also encloses a second article which he says misrepresents his speech. That article reports that Secretary of the Navy Victor Howard Metcalf denounced Lodge’s views. Lodge also complains about the speeches that Comptroller of the Currency Lawrence O. Murray has been making, which are spreading unnecessary fear and helping William Jennings Bryan’s argument about national banks.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-14
William Jennings Bryan responds to President Roosevelt’s letter by defending Governor Charles Nathaniel Haskell’s record as a politician, and by critiquing the past campaign contributions for Governor Charles Evans Hughes. Bryan compares the Democratic and Republican party platforms, the attitudes of trust leaders towards the presidential candidates, and the publicity and funding for the two opposing campaigns. Ethically, Bryan believes it is wrong for Roosevelt to use his position as president to influence the choosing of his successor instead of letting the candidate achieve success on merit.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-26
William Jennings Bryan responds to President Roosevelt’s accusations against Governor Charles Nathaniel Haskell and the Democratic party itself for connection with the trusts, in political support and in campaign donations. Bryan questions Roosevelt’s actions in letting a steel trust absorb a rival and refutes his statements on contributions during the 1896 campaign. Challenging Roosevelt’s opposition to the publication of campaign contributions before the election, Bryan argues that the voters have a right to know if William H. Taft has been supported by financiers.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-29
Robert H. Fuller, Secretary to Governor Charles Evans Hughes, tells William Loeb that the Democrats are promoting the false idea that Hughes supports prohibition. More troubling is the loss of support from labor unions, trainmen in particular. The Democrats are raising large amounts of money, and there is a tough fight ahead, but Fuller believes both Hughes and William H. Taft will be victorious.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-04
Secretary of State Root asks that President Roosevelt briefly redirect his attention from “Hippopotamuses & Anthropophageusses” to the enclosed Saratoga Convention speech, but that he not appoint anyone from it. Root thinks the threat to the campaign comes from the voter’s disappointment with the Republican party’s handling of their concerns, and although the same can be said of the Democrats, the ruling party gets the blame. Root is glad to know Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt has recovered.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-12
William H. Taft has read the New York Times editorial that President Roosevelt sent him, and agrees that some portions of it could be used. He is glad that Roosevelt agrees with his choice of George Rumsey Sheldon for a position with his campaign. Taft has been enjoying his time at Hot Springs, Virginia, and has been golfing and riding horseback frequently, in addition to carrying out the business of the campaign. He is very nervous about his acceptance speech, and expects to begin drafting it in earnest soon, now that both parties have released their political platforms. Taft emphasizes that the Republican Party wants to control the trusts, while the Democratic party seems to want to destroy them.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-12
William H. Taft asks President Roosevelt’s advice regarding his acceptance speech. He is concerned about some of the ideas that William Jennings Bryan adopted in the Democratic Party platform, particularly the government guarantee of bank deposits. Taft feels that such guarantees are wrong in principle, but he does not want to take a stand without consulting with party leaders.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-15
John Burroughs’s trip to Oyster Bay has been put off until September. Burroughs has recently spotted gold finches in an adjoining pasture. Burroughs mentions a few essays and books he is in the process of reading, and also addresses politics. He likes the Democrats’ platform better than the Republican platform. He does not know why he “can’t get up more enthusiasm over Taft.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-27
Although he is a Republican, Charles A. Bradley attended the Democratic National Convention, and tells President Roosevelt about his experience. While historically when the Republican party was mentioned at a gathering of the Democratic party, it would draw shouts, it seemed to Bradley that most of the assembly remained quiet when Roosevelt or the Republican party was mentioned. Bradley says that to have political opponents give this sort of respect is worth as much, if not more, than loud cheers from political allies. He plans to work hard to get William H. Taft elected in November.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-11
Luke E. Wright was surprised and honored to be offered a position in President Roosevelt’s cabinet in the event of Secretary of War William H. Taft’s resignation. He expresses his wish that President Roosevelt would run for a third term, as he would stand a better chance of taking the South against William Jennings Bryan than Taft would. Wright discusses the political situation in the South and whether or not southern states would begin voting along issue lines rather than as a unified sectional block.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-17
Senator Beveridge suggests that President Roosevelt use his upcoming message to Congress to recommend the formation of a tariff commission. Beveridge believes that doing this is not only right, but that it would be politically advantageous in allowing the Republican party to upstage the Democrats in the coming election. Many organizations across the country, including the National Manufacturers’ Association, Stock Raisers, and others, are interested in the question of revising the tariffs.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-12
Representative Williams asks President Roosevelt to act on behalf of Wiliams’ constituent Carl H. Shaifer who is officially part of the Government Printing Office but has been primarily doing work for the Department of the Navy. Williams fears that Shaifer’s membership with the Democratic Party and support of Roosevelt’s political enemies puts his future as a government employee in danger, particularly as his superiors in the Printing Office are not personally familiar with him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-22
Senator Lodge and President Roosevelt share similar opinions on the proposed Oklahoma constitution, with Lodge being particularly concerned about one provision which would “destroy representative government,” should it be allowed to pass. Lodge suggests that putting the constitution before Congress would be enough to change the provision. Lodge is thrilled by Governor Curtis Guild’s massive win in the recent Massachusetts gubernatorial election, but is concerned about how many votes the Independence Party candidate received.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-07
Lafayette B. Gleason asks William Loeb for support in Orlando Hubbs’s campaign as the Republican candidate for assemblyman in the predominantly Democrat Suffolk County second district. Gleason fears a loss in the district would be particularly embarrassing given its proximity to President Theodore Roosevelt’s own.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-28
Alice Lee recommends Learned Hand for appointment to the United States District Court of New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-05-14
Senator Lodge explains the urgency in the matter of appointments in the Atlantic Fleet from his previous letter. Lodge is also very disappointed at the results of the most recent election. While Republicans won some key districts, Democrats, especially in states like New York, had a particularly strong showing that is disheartening and concerning.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-11-07
Bellamy Storer writes to President Roosevelt asking him to consider the facts, which Storer has enclosed as a statement of points, regarding his dismissal from diplomatic service. The dismissal was based on the grounds that both Storer’s conduct, in his capacity as an American ambassador, and his wife Maria Longworth Storer’s conduct in Rome, blurred the lines of public office and personal opinion regarding the promotion of Archbishop John Ireland to Cardinal. Storer defends his actions, including full and partial correspondence between those chiefly involved, to prove that he was acting in his public capacity at the request of President Roosevelt, which Roosevelt now denies. Storer is aggrieved that he was dismissed before his letter of resignation could have reached Washington since he was on leave in Egypt at the time he received Roosevelt’s request for his resignation.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-11-18