Dick, Charles, 1858-1945

William H. Taft attempts to push a rock labeled “Ohio” with Senators Charles Dick and Joseph Benson Foraker sitting on top of it through the White House gates as he sweats profusely. President Roosevelt looks on with a bomb labeled “popular policies” in his right hand. Caption: The president– “Don’t work so hard, Bill! We can blow it up with this stuff in my hand.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

Republicans dominated Ohio politics for decades after the Civil War. In fact, the state, like Virginia, traditionally supplied many presidents and prominent, powerful politicians; in 1920 the two major party presidential candidates were Ohio newspaper editors, Harding and Cox. The Republican Party at one point was so powerful, with numerous talented leaders, that its factions were as persuasive and contentious as were Democrats and Republicans in other states.

William H. Taft sits on a raft by the presumably safe “White House Landing” on a waterway where “Fort Dick” and “Fort Foraker” fire cannon balls on him from the shores.

Comments and Context

There were few inter-party conflicts on the 1907 political landscape more contentious than the intra-party tensions within Ohio’s Republican Party. Many squabbles were fomented and advanced by the personality and ambitions of Senator Joseph Benson Foraker. A longtime fixture in state and national politics, his disagreements with Theodore Roosevelt commenced when the latter was the corruption-fighting Commissioner of Civil Service in the 1880s; and were rife as ever in 1907, most recently over the Senator’s condemnation of the President’s actions in the Brownsville Affair, the dismissal of black troops after a melee outside a saloon that resulted in a murder and a shooting injury.

Foraker had traditional adherents — and those of recent vintage, like the newly appointed Ohio senator Charles Dick — generally from northern Ohio. In 1907 his party rivals included those centered around Cincinnati, including Secretary of War William H. Taft and Representative Nicholas Longworth (Roosevelt’s son-in-law).

Pictures of the twelve men that will represent the United States Senate at the funeral of Senator R. A. Alger.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-26

The distinctive teddy bears make a visit to Senator Joseph Benson Foraker, who is dressed up in Christmas pajamas. There is a picture on the wall that says, “Yours Truly Dick” along with a toy soldier with the numbers “23 + 2” on it.

comments and context

Comments and Context

When cartoonist Clifford Kennedy Berryman of the Washington Post drew an innocent observational cartoon about President Roosevelt refusing to shoot a captured bear on a Mississippi hunt, the subsequent fame of the drawing resulted in Berryman (and other cartoonists) adopting a little bear as a “mascot” in their drawings, and the creation of the plush-toy Teddy Bear still beloved by thousands of children.

President Roosevelt tells William Dudley Foulke that the statement that he has tried to influence the presidential nomination through appointments to state offices is false and malicious. Roosevelt provides a detailed account of appointments he has made in various states as a rebuttal to this accusation. Because there are so many local offices, Roosevelt frequently relies on input from senators, and tries to put the best people in office. The newspapers that have accused him of showing favoritism have either ignored the facts or chosen to not seek them out. Roosevelt gives a particularly thorough look at the appointments he has made in Ohio, the home state of Secretary of War William H. Taft.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-07

President Roosevelt responds to Secretary of War Taft regarding a recent letter from Charles Phelps Taft. Roosevelt appointed Bernhard Bettmann to the position of Ohio Collector of Internal Revenue, first district, on the suggestions of Charles and Ohio Insurance Commissioner Arthur I. Vorys, against the wishes of Ohio Senators Joseph Benson Foraker and Charles Dick. If the Taft people cannot control Bettmann, then actions against Commissioner of Internal Revenue John G. Capers will not solve it. Roosevelt admired Taft’s speech, even if it could not reach the crowd affiliated with the morning’s editorial in The Sun.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-31

President Roosevelt informs Governor Kibbey that William Spencer Sturges was not present at the last Republican National Committee meeting. Instead, he sent a proxy to Senator Charles Dick, who, along with Senator Joseph Benson Foraker, continues to attack the administration. Roosevelt wants Sturges to explain his position before accepting his recommendations. He asks what Kibbey thinks of William F. Nichols, Secretary of Arizona Territory.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-22

President Roosevelt discusses a variety of judicial appointments with Senator Foraker, who has recently sent a petition to appoint Judge Adams. Roosevelt reports that Senator Charles Dick and Secretary of War William H. Taft presented him with half a dozen candidates and that he will need a few days to give a sure answer. He directs the Monfort and Bosworth appointments to be sent immediately and reports that Amor Smith cannot serve as Surveyor of Customs in Cincinnati.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-21

President Roosevelt explains his reasoning for keeping his speech as it currently is rather than making the change Speaker of the House Cannon suggested, as he feels that the paragraph may help senators whose states wish for a revision of the tariff. Roosevelt believes there is a sentiment against the words “stand pat,” and advises Cannon to avoid them in his speeches, as well as possibly including an explanation of the possibility of tariff reform. Senator Henry Cabot Lodge suggested Roosevelt say something about the immigration bill, but Roosevelt is not sure if doing so is wise. Roosevelt feels the same about Representative Charles E. Littlefield as Cannon does, and will do what he can to assist him in his reelection.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-15

President Roosevelt tells Senator Lodge about his vacation, and comments that “the secret service men are a very small but very necessary thorn in the flesh.” While they would not prevent an assassin, Roosevelt believes, they help keep sightseers away. Roosevelt will try to help the Congressional Committee in the fall, but feels that there will be a number of tough elections coming up.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-06

President Roosevelt tells Freeman L. Dustman, editor of the Toledo Blade, that he wished to appoint Howard D. Manington, but was informed by Senators Charles Dick and Joseph Benson Foraker that they would not support the appointment. Roosevelt has been puzzled about how to proceed, as he does not like to fight with senators, unless he has a clear principle he is fighting for. He appreciates the support he has received from Dustman and his newspaper, and invites him to visit Washington, D.C., sometime in the upcoming winter so that they can speak in person.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-11

President Roosevelt thanks L. V. McKesson for the nice letter he sent to Secretary of War William H. Taft, and was impressed by what he wrote. He reminds McKesson, however, that he as president only controls the nominating portion of the process appointing people to government positions, and that it is the Senate who confirms them. If he is notified by senators that they will reject a candidate, it is a waste of time for him to nominate them. For local positions, this places a great deal of power in the hands of the senators from the state affected, as most of the senate follow their wishes. Much of Roosevelt’s power, therefore, is that he can “refuse to appoint any unworthy man, and to remove any man of proved unworthiness.” While Roosevelt would not now appoint George P. Waldorf, Internal Revenue Collector for Toledo, Ohio, to his position, the Treasury Department investigated him and did not find anything warranting his removal.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-07

President Roosevelt explains that he cannot get any Ohio appointments confirmed for local office without the consent of the Ohio senators. He tells Harry B. Kirtland that he already asked about Howard D. Manington, and was advised that he would not be confirmed. Roosevelt could make a fight for the appointment of Judge Reynolds R. Kinkade on principle, but does not feel that that is possible for Manington, where it is simply a matter of preference. Changing topics, Roosevelt promises to order an investigation into relations between the railroads and the ice trust if Kirtland thinks it would be advisable to do so.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-07

President Roosevelt sends Howard D. Mannington a letter from Senator Charles Dick of Ohio, and mentions that Senator Joseph Benson Foraker of Ohio “spoke as strongly against your appointment as did Senator Dick.” Without the support of either senator, Roosevelt says it is useless to send in Mannington’s name for any appointment.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-04

President Roosevelt thanks Bishop Horstmann for the volume. He assumes Senator Charles Dick will forward Mr. Simon’s papers, and reminds Horstmann that he cannot make any promises regarding making the appointment, as there are too few vacancies for the number of candidates. Roosevelt enjoyed having Horstmann to lunch recently.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-05-11

President Roosevelt encloses for Howard D. Mannington a copy of the letter that he sent to Senator Charles Dick, along with Mannington’s own letter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-01-06

President Roosevelt sends Ohio Senator Foraker several enclosures from fellow Ohio Senator Charles Dick. The enclosures address charges against Charles A. Pearce and the replacement of Collector George P. Waldorf should a vacancy occur. Roosevelt states that Dick is entitled to recommend a replacement for Waldorf. An enclosed memorandum also suggests Foraker has seen more of his recommendations appointed than Dick.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12-13

President Roosevelt asks Senator Foraker for clarification about the number of internal revenue collectors in Ohio. Roosevelt is happy to appoint men that Foraker recommends, but he needs to know how many internal revenue collectors there are in Ohio.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-07

President Roosevelt asks Senator Foraker the percentage of the members of the two committees against Smith. Roosevelt wants to do what Foraker asks, but does not want to go against the sentiment of the locality.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-22

President Roosevelt forwards to George B. Cortelyou a $3,000 check from William Bayard Cutting. Roosevelt hopes that Governor Frank Wayland Higgins “takes the aggressive.” Roosevelt would like Cortelyou’s help in convincing Secretary of State John Hay to speak in New York. He would also like Cortelyou to write to Senator Charles Dick about soliciting contributions from government employees.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-04