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Theodore Roosevelt writes to his son Kermit to say he is disappointed President Woodrow Wilson did not allow him to raise a volunteer cavalry troop to take to the war in Europe. He talks about prospects in the military for Kermit, Archie and Quentin Roosevelt.
1917-05-26
Governor-General of the Philippines Smith provides his analysis of the upcoming formal establishment of the Philippine Assembly to Secretary of War Taft. This includes a brief description of the history and political affiliations of the country’s governors, the party leanings of each province, and the number of votes for each party from the most recent election. Smith also reflects on how the United States can improve upon Spain to ensure better relations with the Philippines. Smith considers self-government to be the ultimate goal of American involvement in the Philippines, but cautions that granting independence too quickly could leave the country vulnerable to dictatorships or foreign invasion. Smith ends the letter with a report on the status of various government projects across the country.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-07
Thomas A. Hendrick, Roman Catholic Bishop of Cebu, writes to Civil Governor Wright to provide an account of his travels in the Philippines, where he is surprised to find widespread anti-Americanism and a poor reception of Roman Catholicism, especially in areas where the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Aglipayan church) has a strong presence. Services are sparsely attended, parishes lack priests, church buildings are in disrepair, and Catholics are being threatened. Local government officials in several towns are Aglipayan church members, and Hendrick believes they may be intimidating the citizens. Hendrick feels that the Aglipayan effort is actually an attempt to drive out Americans rather than a religious difference and that government intimidation has also slowed economic output of the villages. He suggests an investigation into local government officials.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-15
Joe F. Decker provides a comprehensive bibliography of the various accounts of Theodore Roosevelt’s attempt to form a volunteer division during World War I. Decker begins with Roosevelt’s own first account in 1917 and concludes with John Milton Cooper’s version in The Warrior and the Priest of 1983. Decker examines books, book chapters, and articles on the subject, and finds that the story still has not been “dealt with satisfactorily.” Decker points out the biases and the shortcomings of some of the authors, and notes that many of the accounts strongly favor either Roosevelt or his antagonist President Woodrow Wilson.
A full page-photograph of Roosevelt and General Leonard Wood accompanies the article. A photograph of Harrison Engle and Sidney D. Kirkpatrick who directed documentary films on Roosevelt is featured, along with three photographs of Roosevelt from newsreel footage used in the film The Indomitable Teddy Roosevelt.
A listing of the officers of the Theodore Roosevelt Association as well as the members of its executive, finance, and Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace committees is on page two of the article.
John Campbell Greenway describes the recent labor disputes in the Arizona copper mines. He was hoping that Theodore Roosevelt could work something out whereby Greenway could go with him to the French or Russian fronts. Greenway encloses a letter from a geologist about conditions in Petrograd and writes briefly about the situation on the Mexican border.
1917-07-06