Hapgood, Norman, 1868-1937

In a letter to James Ford Rhodes, President Roosevelt asserts that the South was in the wrong on every issue in the American Civil War, and argues for the buildup of the Navy to avert war. Roosevelt also believes that there exists a serious movement to reestablish slavery in the Southern states in the form of peonage, and he criticizes various politicians and intellectuals in the North for either supporting the South or being ineffective in their criticism of it. 

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1904-11-29

The Lincoln Farm Association invites Theodore Roosevelt to attend the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial Hall. Includes a card about special trains, an invitation from Governor Augustus Everett Willson, and a list of officers and trustees of the Lincoln Farm Association.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-11-09

Robert J. Collier suggests an edited list of people to invite to a breakfast in honor of President Roosevelt before he leaves on his safari.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-04

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-12

Creator(s)

Abbott, Lyman, 1835-1922

Recipient

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt writes his son Kermit about how long he thinks Congress will be in session and the status of some of his bills. Roosevelt says that despite attacks from various groups and people, he has done a good job of getting his legislation through. He also adds that his ankle is still preventing him from exercising.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1906-06-17

A large group of politicians and journalists appear as knights on a crusade against graft and corruption. Many carry large pens like a lance. Periodicals mentioned are “Colliers, Harper’s Weekly, Life, Puck, [and] McClure’s” Magazine. Caption: Marching embattled ‘gainst the Saracens of Graft.

Comments and Context

This cartoon by Carl Hassmann, which resembles a poster, could indeed be a historian’s guide to the leading crusading Muckrakers of the day (circa 1906, the high-water mark of reform before the Progressive Era and certainly in journalism and books). The double-page cartoon is a panegyric to the movement, a paean to the personalities.

Hassmann addresses not an issue or controversy of the week, but pulls back to portray the army of reformers and crusaders fighting corruption, exposing corporate scandals, fighting for reform. It is interesting to note that fewer than five years before this cartoon, there was no such crusade sweeping across America, and many of the names were yet unknown to the public. This surely was a period of change.

President Roosevelt and Albert Shaw have an ongoing dispute regarding a letter Shaw circulated in Missouri. Shaw claims that Roosevelt said Cyrus Packard Walbridge was a better man than Joseph Wingate Folk. Roosevelt denies this, claiming that he said only that Walbridge was the candidate he supported. Roosevelt references the chain of correspondence between himself, Robert Collier, and Norman Hapgood, and insists Shaw come see him as soon as possible.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-27

President Roosevelt has an ongoing dispute with Dr. Albert Shaw of the Review of Reviews over whether or not Roosevelt said that Missouri gubernatorial candidate Cyrus Packard Walbridge is a better man than opposing candidate Joseph Wingate Folk. Roosevelt insists he said no such thing, and Shaw insists he did. Roosevelt sends a copy of a letter he received from Shaw to Collier. Roosevelt wishes not to discuss any of this in public, especially concerned about the misrepresentation of his political views.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-27

In an ongoing dispute over a letter written by Albert Shaw and circulating among Missouri politicians, which claims to represent the views of President Roosevelt, Roosevelt seeks to set the record straight. He disputes the authenticity of the letter itself several times, and asks to see it. He claims to have said nothing directly about the merits of either Cyrus Packard Walbridge or Joseph Wingate Folk, only that he was supporting the Republican ticket in every state.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-25

Theodore Roosevelt encourages Mark Sullivan to take a holiday break, and when he returns to New York, Roosevelt proposes that they go out to eat with their wives somewhere.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-08-29

Theodore Roosevelt explains that he is booked for Tommy Hitchcock’s box, but he invites the Colliers, the Hapgoods, and Mark Sullivan for lunch sometime.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-05-16

Theodore Roosevelt has had a long running conflict with Norman Hapgood and George Creel who have told “deliberate falsehoods” about him. Roosevelt states that an examination of any public person will show the “occasional honest and necessary change of mind.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-07-10

President Roosevelt is pleased with Mark Sullivan’s action on the London situation. Roosevelt approves of Sullivan’s suggestions for future publications and enjoyed the recent editorials on farming. He invites Sullivan and Norman Hapgood to visit him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-12

President Roosevelt writes Mark Sullivan, of Collier’s, in response to Jack London’s article recently published in the magazine. London’s article incorrectly quotes Roosevelt on multiple accounts. Although Roosevelt thoroughly disagrees with London, his disappointment lies with Collier’s for publishing such a poorly constructed and argued piece.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-09

President Roosevelt is sorry that he did not connect his presently planned hunting trip with Robert J. Collier’s previous offer. Scribner’s Magazine has handled Roosevelt’s past hunting trips, so he naturally thought of them first. Roosevelt is glad that Collier did not make his present offer when he first visited, as Roosevelt would have had a much harder time making a decision between the two magazines. Roosevelt hopes to be able to give Collier articles in the future, and hopes to meet with him and Mark Sullivan in person soon. In a handwritten postscript, Roosevelt assures Collier that if he were going on a world trip, as Collier initially proposed, he would definitely have turned to him first.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-09

President Roosevelt was told by “various members of the Kansas delegation” that William Allen White supports Senator Robert M. La Follette in the same way that Roosevelt does: they both appreciate the the anti-trust stances that La Follette takes, but think he can go to extremes sometimes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-05

President Roosevelt does not know if he is more proud of what Secretary of State Elihu Root did in New York or what Secretary of War Taft did in Idaho. He describes some of the Democratic competition in New York. He proposes that the Democratic Party should dissolve because it has been shamed in New York and Idaho. Roosevelt sometimes wishes “I was not in the White House and could be on the stage and speak frankly!”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-08

President Roosevelt agrees with Senator Lodge about wanting an appointee who follows the tenants of Alexander Hamilton and John Marshall. He is pleased with the outcome in Maine given the previous harm caused by the issue of temperance and liquor laws. Roosevelt shares how he took “solid satisfaction” in taking a shot at journalist Norman Hapgood. Reading Winston Churchill’s biography of his father, Lord Randolph Henry Spencer Churchill, reaffirmed Roosevelt’s dislike of both father and son.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-12

President Roosevelt sends Finley Peter Dunne a copy of his correspondence with Norman Hapgood for Dunne’s personal use. Roosevelt asks if Dunne prefers to attend the target practice with him or go to Boston with Connolly.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-04

President Roosevelt sends Chief Forester Gifford Pinchot a copy of correspondence he had with reporter Norman Hapgood. In the letters, Roosevelt challenges Hapgood over claims that Roosevelt had not told the truth about the William D’Alton Mann prosecution.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-03