Foraker, Joseph Benson, 1846-1917

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt thinks it would be a mistake to have Gilchrist Stewart, an African-American lawyer who says he has new evidence in the Brownsville Affair, followed by the Secret Service as Senator Lodge suggests. Roosevelt is concerned that if it is discovered, his political opponents will attack him for it. Roosevelt would prefer to consult with Lodge and the other members of the committee investigating the matter, because congress is already too interested in how he uses the Secret Service.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-22

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Nicholas Longworth

President Roosevelt thanks Representative Longworth for his report on the prospects of Secretary of War Taft’s nomination for the presidency in 1908. In Roosevelt’s opinion Senator Foraker is only damaging relations with African Americans, though after the congressional report is released African Americans will realize that Democrats are not their friends. Roosevelt agrees to see Jackson Smith, Julius Fleischmann, and Fleischmann’s brother.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-26

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt believes that Secretary of War William H. Taft is up to a fight against Senator Joseph Benson Foraker Foraker; Senator Lodge can confidentially send him anything he wants to on the Brownsville Affair. Roosevelt describes the singing one recent night of four African American servants and two white ones. He urges Lodge’s son John to appreciate the work of Martin Luther for saving some countries from the abuses of papal misrule.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-27

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

President Roosevelt tells Secretary of War Taft that he will have Frank H. Hitchcock come to see him about comments he had made against Taft’s candidacy for president. Roosevelt says William Loeb has the same suspicions Taft does, but on the other hand, an enclosed clipping reports Hitchcock being attacked for appearing to promote Taft’s candidacy. Roosevelt will appoint Taft’s selection for Quartermaster General, James Buchanan Aleshire. In a lengthy postscript, Roosevelt says he is annoyed with complaints that the construction of the Panama Canal is being mismanaged, and reminds Taft to send him information about John K. Beach.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edward Kent

President Roosevelt thanks Chief Justice Kent for the letter. He thinks that “the Taft victory in Ohio knocks the Foraker business on the head.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-09

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Nicholas Longworth

President Roosevelt praises Nicholas Longworth’s interview and hoped those in the Taft camp possessed Longworth’s “sanity and judgement.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-11

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt

President Roosevelt reviews for his son Kermit a poem and letter he has received and describes some pictures of Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., and himself. The President describes the recent weather and assesses a political challenge from Senator Joseph Benson Foraker of Ohio and Senator Boies Penrose of Pennsylvania in the wake of the Brownsville Affair.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-11

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Ray Stannard Baker

President Roosevelt was pleased with Baker’s article on the Atlanta riots. He has been depressed over the Brownsville riots–not so much the attitude of the troops involved, but the response of the African American citizens in protecting the perpetrators. Had the troops and citizens involved been white, he does not believe they would have responded the same way. Roosevelt believes Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker has declared his support of the accused troops not because he questions their guilt, but either because he disagrees with Roosevelt on the control of corporations or because he wishes to secure the African American vote.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-30

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

President Roosevelt was greatly amused by a cartoon depicting Secretary of War Taft and sends it to him along with words of support for the handling of the recent events in Cuba. Roosevelt wishes to meet with Taft in person about the nomination of Horace H. Lurton to the Supreme Court, along with Supreme Court Justice William R. Day, Secretary of State Elihu Root,  and Attorney General William Henry Moody. Roosevelt mentions that Philip Battell Stewart will not run for governor in Colorado, and wonders if Taft can make it to Idaho for a campaign speech.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-04

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Grenville M. Dodge

President Roosevelt relays to General Dodge his stance on the recent actions taken by Secretary of War William H. Taft during his visit to Cuba. Roosevelt states he did not send Taft to Cuba until Cuban President Tomás Estrada Palma’s choice to resign was clear. Although Sir William Cornelius Van Horne and Mr. Menduley believe military control of Cuba is possible, Van Horne also states that “the Island is perfectly adapted to guerrilla warfare and…ten men to one would be required to suppress the insurrection and a great many lives would be lost doing it.” Roosevelt agrees that the cost of life is too great for the United States to hold Cuba by military force. Influential members of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Senator Joseph Benson Foraker, Senator Eugene Hale, and Senator Henry Cabot Lodge also believe in resisting more conflict and believe it is in best interest to “let the Cubans govern themselves.” However, Roosevelt believes the possibility of continued unrest in Cuba could sway public opinion and bring congressional support for future intervention from the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt thanks Senator Lodge for the letter informing him and his wife about their son, Ted, who does not write home often enough. Roosevelt wrote to Ted an “earnest and truthful” letter about his “folly.” Roosevelt also informs Lodge of the meeting in Cuba between Secretary of War William H. Taft, First Assistant Secretary of State Robert Bacon, and Cuban President Tomas Estrada Palma. The temporary agreement for a provisional government with military support from the United States will help secure peace while Cuba begins self-government. Roosevelt hopes this will secure Cuba’s liberty, and any future policy will be in the “permanent interests of both Cuba and the United States.” Roosevelt also has acted to “prevent hurt” to the Republican nominees in the upcoming state elections, particularly in New York, and New York City. Wealthy business men, like William Randolph Hearst, and “Bourbon reactionaries” are running for office to gain political power, not for the “have-nots,” but to deflect regulations on their wealth. Roosevelt believes Charles Evans Hughes is the right man to run against Hearst for governor, as he will enact progressive reforms with a fair mind.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Albert J. Beveridge

President Roosevelt received Senator Beveridge’s letter and will see if charges have been made. He cautions that removing Territorial Governor of Arizona Joseph H. Kibbey is the worst action to take, as doing so would harm joint statehood and cause national damage to the Republican party.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-22

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

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

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Freeman L. Dustman

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

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Howard D. Mannington

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

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Harry B. Kirtland

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

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to L. V. McKesson

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

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt sends Senator Lodge a history of the Chandler-Bailey-Tillman matter regarding the passage of the Hepburn Act.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-05-19

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Redfield Proctor

President Roosevelt returns Miss Jackson’s letter to Senator Proctor, and says he believes that her suggestions impact the legislative branch more than the executive branch. Roosevelt encourages Proctor to influence his colleagues to do the things that Jackson requested; he particularly wants there to be no delay in giving Puerto Ricans citizenship.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-01-30

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Walker D. Hines

President Roosevelt tells Walker D. Hines that the more he thinks about the plan for railroad rates that Hines and Victor Morawetz suggested, the less he likes it. It is not as good as Senator Joseph Benson Foraker’s bill, and Roosevelt believes that Foraker’s bill is worse than the existing law.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12-29

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919