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Forgotten fragments (#19): Theodore Roosevelt: Halfhearted fisherman, wholehearted hunter
Tweed Roosevelt explores Theodore Roosevelt’s scant record of fishing and why he preferred hunting. Roosevelt details Theodore Roosevelt’s modest record as a fisherman, and he explains how hunting, with its twin attractions of difficulty and danger, appealed to Theodore Roosevelt’s zeal for the strenuous life while the largely sedentary and placid sport of fishing did not. Roosevelt looks at Theodore Roosevelt’s 1917 trip to Florida to harpoon manta rays which was more akin to hunting than fishing, and he highlights some of Roosevelt’s more dangerous hunts like those he undertook during his African safari.
Five photographs and four illustrations accompany the essay.
Collection
Gifford Pinchot: An Exchange of Views
Gifford B. Pinchot, Gifford Pinchot’s son and only child, challenges assertions made by Stephen R. Fox in an article, “Gifford Pinchot and His Place in the American Conservation Movement,” that appeared in the Summer, 1987 issue of the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Gifford B. Pinchot argues that Fox’s claims that Gifford Pinchot had no original ideas and that his works were written by others does not withstand scrutiny. Gifford B. Pinchot cites his father’s invention of fishing gear and says that he had a secretary and research assistant, but that he did his own writing. Fox responds by writing that Gifford Pinchot did not produce his own writing when he was working as the nation’s chief forester, and he quotes the historian Samuel P. Hays who says that Pinchot did a lot of damage to the conservation movement.
Three photographs of Gifford Pinchot fly fishing illustrate the exchange of letters.
Collection
In the interests of humanity and the American sugar refining combine
Cartoon shows Republican House Majority Leader Sereno Elisha Payne sitting on the Republican side of the U.S. House of Representatives chamber dangling a fishing line over the Democratic side. The fish hook is labeled “Fake Tariff Reduction.” Payne sits on a book with a page protruding, “Dutch Standard [paragraph] 209” which refers to the Tariff Law of 1897.
Collection
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
Creation Date
1902
In the interests of humanity and the American sugar refining combine
Cartoon shows Republican House Majority Leader Sereno Elisha Payne sitting on the Republican side of the U.S. House of Representatives chamber dangling a fishing line over the Democratic side. The fish hook is labeled “Fake Tariff Reduction.” Payne sits on a book with a page protruding, “Dutch Standard [paragraph] 209” which refers to the Tariff Law of 1897.
Collection
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
Creation Date
1902
Standard of honors
A description of the Camp Fire Club of America’s standard of honors program including the class systems, areas of skill, and a list of honors awarded to individuals.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1911-03-10
Fishing for fame
President Roosevelt sits on a small island and holds up a “vice presidency” fishing rod to Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon. Meanwhile, Cannon sits on a “Congress” log using a “speakership” fishing rod made from a stick. Caption: “Come on over, Uncle Joe, and try this rod.” “No, thanks, Theodore, fishin’s good here!”
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1904-05-06
On to the fray
A number of men in the Democratic Party march forward: Grover Cleveland with his fishing rod, William Randolph Hearst with a small bag of money, William Jennings Bryan with a “Lincoln Neb.” drum, Alton B. Parker with the face of a sphinx, David B. Hill, Charles Francis Murphy, and George B. McClellan, who rides a Tammany tiger.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1904-06-30
In Babel
The “Democratic Tower of Babel” features a number of Democratic hopefuls for the presidency. Alton B. Parker, William Jennings Bryan, holding a “commoner 53 cent a year” paper, and David B. Hill who wears a “I am a Democrat” feather are on the left of the tower. Cleveland Mayor Tom Loftin Johnson and Maryland Senator Arthur P. Gorman, who tries to catch a “bee,” are in the center. Grover Cleveland sits at the top of the tower with “lunch” and “bait” and tries to catch a boot that Henry Watterson holds up.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1903-11
Will they bite? Well, perhaps.
William H. Taft fishes near “Put in Bay” as a variety of fish pop out of the water: “popular vote for Senators,” “the tariff question,” “labor,” and “prohibition.” A can labeled “letter of acceptance” sits on top of Taft’s boat.
Comments and Context
The oddly named Put-In-Bay, where William H. Taft took a breath before commencing vigorous campaigning for the presidency — such as he did — is the setting of this cartoon by W. A. Rogers. It presented an opportunity to depict marine life as cartoon symbols for the challenges and dangers of the upcoming campaign. The small town on the small Lake Erie island of South Bass was actually a strategic naval port used by Admiral Oliver Hazard Perry during the War of 1812. From the bay American ships hid to surprise and destroy British naval ships. As the British lost their fleet of six ships, they lost control of Lake Erie, shifting the course of that aspect of the war. Perry’s famous words arose from that battle, “Don’t give up the ship” and “We have met the enemy and they are ours.”
Man with fish
A man (possibly S. B. M Young) stands alongside several fish hanging from a rope with a sailing ship in the background.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1906-07-03
Letter from Russell J. Coles to Theodore Roosevelt
Russell J. Coles tells Theodore Roosevelt his plan for assisting the war effort, since he has not succeeded in getting into the Army or Navy. Coles intends to reduce the high cost of living by increasing the supply of food and leather from sources which are now going to waste. He will identify sharks, rays, or other fish suitable either for eating or for the production of leather. Coles will go to North Carolina to study this question, and he plans to publish an article with his findings. He feels that having a doctorate would lend additional weight to his findings, and he asks Roosevelt if he would be able to help him acquire an honorary degree in order to advance this cause.
Collection
Creation Date
1917-06-04
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Flavel Sweeten Luther
Theodore Roosevelt sends Flavel Sweeten Luther, President of Trinity College, a letter he received from Russell J. Coles. Roosevelt has great respect for Coles, a great naturalist regarding sharks and other fish, and wonders if it would be possible for Trinity College to award him an honorary degree as Doctor of Science.
Collection
Creation Date
1917-06-07
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William S. Cogswell
Theodore Roosevelt calls William S. Cogswell’s attention to Russell J. Coles, whose name has been suggested for an honorary degree by Trinity College. Roosevelt is interested in Coles’s past work in the field of ichthyology, and tells Cogswell about his current investigation into whether sharks and rays can be possible food sources. Roosevelt hopes Cogswell can endorse Coles’s nomination for an honorary degree.
Collection
Creation Date
1917-09-12
Theodore Roosevelt and Russell J. Coles on fishing trip
Theodore Roosevelt and Russell J. Coles stand on floating camp, off southern Captiva Island, Florida. They are dressed for devil-fishing. The photograph is signed by Roosevelt and Coles.
Collection
Creation Date
1917-03-26
Letter from Caspar Whitney to Theodore Roosevelt
Caspar Whitney sends President Roosevelt a copy of the article “Fishing versus Shooting as a Remedy for Brain Fag,” which interviewed several English sportsmen and was published in The Outing Magazine. Whitney thinks doing a similar article in which American sportsmen were interviewed would be interesting, and asks Roosevelt to read the article and send him his thoughts. Whitney has also sent similar requests to several other prominent sportsmen.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-07-01