Your TR Source
Theodore Roosevelt informs John P. Whitman that he does not remember if he has heard about the attacks by William Randolph Hearst against him on the Tennessee Steel Company matter and is indifferent to his opinion. Roosevelt would also appreciate to see Whitman and Russell R. Whitman at any time.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-10-19
President Roosevelt understands that the clipping William Allen White sent is funny and meant in jest, but he takes exception to the implication that, along with William Jennings Bryan, Oklahoma governor Charles Nathaniel Haskell, and William Randolph Hearst, he is also a liar and a rascal. Roosevelt writes that certain “conscienceless and unscrupulous” journalists who imply that there is no difference between honest and dishonest men, are worse for public life than the worst businessmen and politicians. He believes that White is a decent journalist who does not want to confuse the public and urges him not to publish such jokes.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-07
President Roosevelt agrees with Eugene F. Ware’s assessments of Sargent and William Randolph Hearst.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-28
President Roosevelt is sure Senator Lodge has seen his statement about Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker and his letter about William Jennings Bryan. Roosevelt thinks Foraker’s situation is distressing, but corruption must be exposed. He is torn about William Randolph Hearst’s recent attitude. The amount of corruption in high places is shocking, but it has been natural for Roosevelt to fight it. Superintendent of Yellowstone National Park S. B. M. Young brought two such examples to Roosevelt’s attention, one regarding appointments tied to William McKinley’s election and one regarding the feelings of John Kean and Hamilton F. Kean about business interests.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-25
President Roosevelt sends William H. Taft a copy of the letter he sent to Treasurer of the Campaign Committee George Rumsey Sheldon regarding campaign contributions, after a complaint from Frank B. Kellogg. Roosevelt asks Taft to take more aggressive action against William Jennings Bryan, perhaps giving a speech like the one recently given by New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes. Many have suggested that T. Coleman DuPont should not be in charge of the Speakers Committee, and if it were up to Roosevelt he would be removed. Roosevelt has given the press a copy of a letter from Taft to Arthur I. Vorys in which Taft’s independence is full display, to counteract the press coverage of the supposed reconciliation with Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker. Roosevelt advises Taft, in his speech, to speak about the connection between William Randolph Hearst and the Democratic National Committee. In a postscript, Roosevelt advises Taft to remove Sheldon if he did in fact solicit the donations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-21
President Roosevelt informs Lyman Abbott of The Outlook about the situation with New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes. Although the major papers covered Hughes as a figure in stark contrast to Roosevelt, he was in fact originally nominated on Roosevelt’s suggestion, and dependent on him for reelection. Politicians such as Hughes have often catered to the press and refused to work beside others in their party, and it has weakened their ability to serve. Even with these misguided acts, Roosevelt investigated the situation thoroughly and felt that Hughes had been a good governor, which is why he intervened for his renomination. Any resentful action Hughes takes to upset Roosevelt does not hold power now, as Roosevelt will never run for office or request anything from Hughes.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-15
Roosevelt despairs of the issues surrounding renominating Governor Charles Evans Hughes, discussing with Lyman Abbott “how the theory that a man in public office should not try to do anything but fulfill the duties of his public office breaks down in practice.” Roosevelt does not want to dictate that Hughes be renominated, but believes he should be and has told Republican party leaders his views.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-21
President Roosevelt agrees with Attorney General Bonaparte on the appointment of Assistant Attorney General Marsden C. Burch in the Idaho land fraud case. On the New Mexico issue, Roosevelt details Attorney General William H. H. Llewellyn’s rise as an attorney. In light of Judge James H. Beatty’s letter, Roosevelt feels there is no need to be involved. Although Roosevelt does not trust rumors, it does seem based on recent behavior that Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis may be suffering a breakdown. In a post script, Roosevelt comments on William Randolph Hearst’s recent supposed sympathy toward Bonaparte after his siding with Wall Street. In Roosevelt’s view, the recurrent rumor about Bonaparte resigning to appease financiers has actually shown the public that Bonaparte alarms those who are corrupt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-31
Vahan Cardashian writes to Andrew D. White expressing his concerns about the persecution Armenians are facing under the Turkish government and his fears the violence will escalate. He hopes White will be one of several other prominent men to form a committee that will weild their power to advocate for Armenian rights.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-10-12
A. Hoebermann shares with Theodore Roosevelt that while he has been a firm Republican in the past, he and others have gotten no recognition and feel that the Republican Party is no longer fit to rule. They want a new party or government that cares about the what the people want, and Hoebermann has created and is pushing a related bill.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-10-09
William Kent informs Theodore Roosevelt that President William H. Taft is unfit for office, citing his veto of the Arizona statehood bill, poor treatment of honorable men, and weak leadership. Kent urges Roosevelt not to support Taft’s reelection, warns against endorsing an unworthy candidate, and calls for Republican Party reform to end special privilege legislation and protective tariffs.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-13
Attorney General Bonaparte updates President Roosevelt on Judge Frank Sigel Dietrich’s statements regarding Marshal Ruel Rounds, and on the situation in Idaho. Bonaparte thinks the lumber men could appeal to the Interstate Commerce Commission about the railroad rates, but he will have to look into the matter further. Many of the employees involved in the land fraud cases think highly of District Attorney N. M. Ruick and feel Senator William Edgar Borah is guilty, but the secret service men dislike Ruick. In Oklahoma, Bonaparte is still waiting for the election and the results of the census, and will give Roosevelt his feedback on the constitution after he has more information. William Randolph Hearst and the financiers have taken up rumors of Bonaparte’s resignation in the press again, perhaps because of Republican National Committee member Frank B. Kellogg’s visit to Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-01
Attorney General Bonaparte shares with President Roosevelt the letter by United States District Attorney Asa P. French regarding the investigation of the merger of Hartford and New Haven Railroad and Boston and Maine Railroad.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-23
Editor of the Ohio State Journal Robert Frederick Wolfe informs President Roosevelt’s secretary that Wolfe met with Charles Phelps Taft, Representative Theodore E. Burton, and Secretary of the Republican National Committee Elmer Dover. Wolfe engaged in these meetings to learn about Taft’s interests and a possible compromise with Senator Joseph B. Foraker, but says that Dover tried to improperly influence Wolfe’s newspaper. Wolfe claims to have uncovered a plot involving William Randolph Hearst to control both the Democratic and Republican national conventions and the presidential election. Wolfe claims that Franklin Rockefeller told him in an off-the-record interview that moneyed interests from New York were planning to create a financial panic to disrupt Roosevelt’s policies. Wolfe says he is coming to Washington, D.C., to discuss this, but asks that Secretary of the Interior James Rudolph Garfield not be told.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-04-08
Surveyor James Sullivan Clarkson tells William Loeb about a secret movement in Tammany Hall to put General Ulysses S. Grant’s son, Jesse Root Grant, on the democratic ticket for 1908. All the states involved in organizing the movement so far are in the West and Northwest, and the idea is to “head off” William Jennings Bryan and William Randolph Hearst. Clarkson thinks it is “a pretty smart game” and emphasizes how important it is to keep it from going public.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-24
This pamphlet provides a history of the conflict between the Los Angeles Times and the Typographical Union, which it says started in 1890 and continued for sixteen years.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-14
The writer reports on the political situation in California, now that Senator Marcus Alonzo Hanna has died. It appears likely that the Republicans will nominate President Roosevelt at their state convention next week. If William Randolph Hearst is nominated for the Democrats, there will be a fight to carry California, but it is likely Roosevelt will win the state. If Alton B. Parker or another conservative Democrat is nominated, it is all but certain that he will win it.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-04
Edward A. Alexander encloses correspondence between himself and a representative of William H. Hearst, and tells President Roosevelt that Hearst is claiming Alexander’s ideas about the freight rate question as his own. Alexander suggests that the members of the railroads’ classification committee be subpoenaed and questioned about their methods for classifying freight. As a private citizen, Alexander offers to furnish information and suggestions.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-20
President Roosevelt addresses William Randolph Hearst as William Jennings Bryan looks at their marbles game, which includes marbles labeled “tariff revision,” “regulation of R.R.,” “popular election of Sen.,” “popular election of judges,” “ship subsidy,” and “public ownership.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-24
President Roosevelt celebrates his forty-ninth birthday with a variety of friends. In the upper left hand corner at the piano are New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes and Thomas Fortune Ryan singing, “Oh let us be joyful.” Booker T. Washington tells Henry Watterson, “Henry, I hope you’ll come down and visit me at Tuskegee.” Senator Joseph Benson Foraker says to Secretary of War William H. Taft, “I heard a good story today, Will.” Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon and Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks look at a picture of George Washington, and Fairbanks says, “That picture makes me sad. It reminds me of cherries.” William Randolph Hearst, James Roscoe Day, and Secretary of State Elihu Root look at a book of “Snapshots in New York.” William Jennings Bryan and Grover Cleveland play a game of checkers, and Bryan says, “After you, Grover.” J. Pierpont Morgan watches over the game with his hand on Bryan’s back. Henry Huttleston Rogers, F. Augustus Heinze, and Thomas William Lawson sit together. Lawson says, “Rogers, my boy, you must come over to Boston and visit me.” John D. Rockefeller points at Kenesaw Mountain Landis’s chest while President Roosevelt presents a bouquet to James J. Hill as William J. Long looks on. Finally, James T. Harahan, Edward Henry Harriman, and Stuyvesant Fish read “Snap Shots Along the Illinois Central.” Harriman remarks, “Very nice album, Stuyvesant, is it not?”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-27