Your TR Source
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Charles Richard Van Hise for his letter and is glad Van Hise liked his speech and platform. Roosevelt thinks that the “root of the matter” is not with Woodrow Wilson and that the Democratic Party is impossible.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-08-13
Theodore Roosevelt describes in detail the challenging issue of race in the Progressive Party, as well as the Republican and Democratic Parties. He says, “We have made the Progressive issue a moral, not a racial issue.” Roosevelt concludes that the Progressive Party, as well as Southern black men, will be best served by appealing to Southern white men who support civil rights.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-08-01
Theodore Roosevelt does not support Progressive candidates going before Republican and Democratic primaries, unless in exceptional circumstances. Roosevelt thinks that damaging misunderstandings would arise as a result of the suggestion made by Lindon W. Bates, and that Progressives nominated as a result of those primaries would only be worth something as Progressive party members, rather than Progressive members of the Democratic and Republican parties.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-08-03
Theodore Roosevelt thanks D. Clinton Cole for his letter and recommends that Cole not resign. Roosevelt wants the new party to be kept free of disgruntled office seekers and believes its leadership must include ex-Democrats to be successful in the Southern states.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-07-30
Theodore Roosevelt does not approve of Governor Hadley’s plan to combine the electors of the Republican Party and the Progressive Party in Missouri. Roosevelt affirms his belief that President Taft unfairly won the Republican nomination at the Republican National Convention and asserts his wish that Progressive Party electors be composed of reformed Republicans and Democrats.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-07-23
Theodore Roosevelt writes to Arthur Dehon Hill, reassuring him that Mr. Thompson performed well in Hill’s absence. Regarding a discussion about possible electors, Roosevelt’s guests supported Massachusetts Governor Eugene Foss. Roosevelt supports a plan to elect one ex-Republican and one ex-Democrat for Senator and Governor, such as John Sullivan and Mr. Plunkett. Roosevelt expresses pleasure that ex-Governor of Rhode Island Lucius F. C. Garvin supports the Progressive platform. Roosevelt is also pleased with William Sturgis Bigelow.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-07-23
Theodore Roosevelt agrees with Trinity College President Luther that the Progressive party platform should avoid Republican and Democratic caucuses.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-07-23
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary forwards a telegram from F. Wesley Phelps to Senator Poindexter and discusses Roosevelt’s third party campaign. He mentions stories running in the Tacoma Tribune, edited by William H. Hunter, that predict Roosevelt’s success should he continue running on a third party ticket, while running on a Republican platform would give the race to Woodrow Wilson. The secretary relays that Hunter suggested Poindexter and Hiram Johnson communicate on the matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-07-23
Theodore Roosevelt explains his platform on agricultural taxation, tariffs, and trusts to Dr. Peters, contending that supporting the Democratic campaign will assuredly impede progress in the United States.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-07-09
Theodore Roosevelt agrees with Commissioner Herbert Knox Smith that both political parties are dominated by political bosses with large interests, noting that there is no need to switch Republican Guggenheim-Penrose-Barnes for Democratic Murphy-Taggart-Sullivan. He also criticizes the Democratic platform, which exhibits no progressive vision to meet the needs of the nation.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-07-13
Theodore Roosevelt has heard that Governor Osborn will be supporting Governor Wilson in the presidential election, which is understandable. However, Roosevelt cannot see progressive Republicans supporting Wilson as this would mean giving power to Democratic bosses. Roosevelt would be willing to pass progressive leadership to another man, but no one suitable has emerged.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-07-05
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Henry White for his letters. He assures White he is in this presidential race until the end because the old parties mean nothing, and the Republican party is politically corrupt. Mr. Nicoll’s remark is significant, and all of his Democrats will go for President Taft if necessary.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-07-01
Theodore Roosevelt informs John Foster Bass that he asked Robert R. McCormick to get in touch with Bass regarding the Chicago situation. Woodrow Wilson’s nomination at Baltimore will make things difficult, but perhaps not any more difficult than if William Jennings Bryan had been nominated. In light of the Baltimore Convention and the Democratic Party’s record in Congress, Roosevelt believes nothing good can come out of the old parties.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-07-02
Theodore Roosevelt writes to William Ambrose Prendergast to arrange a meeting Wednesday in Oyster Bay, New York. Roosevelt suggests talking to Governor Woodruff and William Halpin about issuing a call to get all the affiliates of the Progressive Party in touch with them.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-06-25
Theodore Roosevelt writes to George M. Savage to discuss the California political campaign. Roosevelt notes various democratic supporters, including Justice O’Dell, Thomas Hickey, Dr. Gaininni, and Mat Sullivan.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-06-19
Charles H. Thompson advises caution regarding Wallace Batchelder’s proposal to back the Democratic ticket.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-05
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary informs John R. Marine that although Roosevelt found his suggestion interesting, it would be impossible to carry out as Judge Lindsey is a Democrat and Roosevelt is a Republican.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-05-29
Theodore Roosevelt writes to Joseph St. Julien Yates, commenting on the votes Roosevelt received in the Democratic primary. If nominated, Roosevelt will campaign hard in Georgia and North Carolina.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-05-08
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary thanks Robert G. Leidig for his letter and discusses Roosevelt’s position on the recall of judges in California and Arizona. Roosevelt supported the recall in Arizona in support of states’ rights, and the recall in California due to the close association of the judges with the Southern Pacific Railroad.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-05-07
Theodore Roosevelt believes that President Taft “means well feebly,” gets under the influence of the people next to him at any given moment, and is without the power of vision or the gift of sympathetic imagination. Although Roosevelt thinks that electing Taft on the Republican ticket is better than letting the Democrats “come in,” Taft has allowed the Republican party to back-slide into its anti-progressive attitudes and letting skilled political bosses and big financiers manage the party’s interests. Roosevelt believes that he was forced into accepting the Republican nomination for president in order to stand for the “forces of rational progress” and characterizes the break within the party: the “foolish extremists under the rather insincere and… demagogic leadership” of Robert M. La Follette and the “equally foolish and rather more sinister… reactionaries under the flabby leadership” of Taft. Finally, Roosevelt encloses a copy of the speech he made at Carnegie Hall, asking Archie Roosevelt to show it to Judge Kent, Mr. Lowell, Mr. Fernández, and Mr. Andrews.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-03-26