Hill, James J. (James Jerome), 1838-1916

Andrew V. Henry writes in support of subsidies for American shipping. He argues that the United States does not have an adequate merchant marine force and that the economy is losing out on the benefits of reduced freight rates. Other article topics include the banning of indecent theater posters in New York, David J. Brewer’s recent commencement speech, a poem by Minna Irving, and details of the bribery charges against Frank J. Gethro.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-31

Creator(s)

Henry, Andrew V.

President Roosevelt agrees with Owen Wister’s thoughts. Roosevelt is grateful to the American people even though he has had a great deal of work as president. Roosevelt notes his cabinet has been a huge support to him and is glad he owed the election to “Abraham Lincoln’s ‘plain people.'” The president expresses his frustration with certain journalists and newspapers who criticize Roosevelt about having too close of a connection with “the wicked” but who ignored Alton B. Parker’s “hand-in-glove intimacy” with James J. Hill, William F. Sheehan, and Thomas Taggart. Roosevelt acknowledges he has made mistakes, but many of the criticisms leveled at him are due to ignorance.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-19

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt asks Governor Murphy about a quote that states that Roosevelt knows he will win the Northern Securities case and intends to throw J. Pierpont Morgan and James J. Hill into the street. President Roosevelt believes that General Nelson Appleton Miles was lying and asks for a statement from Murphy on the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-10-08

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Commissioner of Corporations Garfield tells President Roosevelt he had an interesting conference with Henry Lee Higginson and James J. Hill pertaining to Roosevelt’s mention of the Interstate Commerce Commission in his message. Garfield recommended they meet with Roosevelt and Attorney General William H. Moody the next week, as he thinks it is important for the president to meet with railroad men.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-10

Creator(s)

Garfield, James Rudolph, 1865-1950

Arthur B. Farquhar believes Theodore Roosevelt’s interest in rural conditions was one of the greatest works of his administration and should have been endorsed by Congress. The Pennsylvania Rural Uplift Society wants to send a committee to Roosevelt to discuss the matter. Farquhar asks Roosevelt if he is available on December 16. The committee also wants to meet with James J. Hill.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-12-05

Creator(s)

Farquhar, Arthur B., 1838-1925

The Jewish Morning Journal states their regretful opinion of the Jewish passport question where Theodore Roosevelt consulted the matter with Oscar S. Straus and believes people who actually understand the matter should have been consulted. The journal recommends the American Jewish Committee as a competent body and individuals such as Louis Marshal, Henry Mayer Goldfogle, William Sulzer, and Elihu Root.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-10-23

Creator(s)

NYC Jewish Morning Journal

Edwin Coman discusses the National Apple Show in Spokane, Washington, which has driven the development of the country’s apple industry and “back to the farm” movement. On behalf of the parties involved, Coman asks Theodore Roosevelt to be the president of the 1911 show.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-08-12

Creator(s)

Coman, Edwin T. (Edwin Truman), 1869-1947

Howard H. Gross writes to Theodore Roosevelt concerning the National Soil Conservation and Welfare League, as he hopes to conduct a ten-year campaign, if necessary, to promote agriculture and raise sentiment to gain funds from the state and national treasury. Gross hopes to get trained agriculturist in all agricultural counties to assist farmers. Gross invites Roosevelt to join the advisory committee of the organization. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-14

Creator(s)

Gross, Howard H., 1853-1920

Due to a severe drought in Austin, Texas, James B. Milam has suffered a pay cut as a Baptist missionary and is struggling to provide for his family. Milam has written to the “rich men” in New York asking for money, but has either been rejected or ignored. He wonders if Theodore Roosevelt will send $500 to help the Milam family. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-05-18

Creator(s)

Milam, James B. (James Brice), 1850-1937

Howard Elliott thanks Theodore Roosevelt for the letter. He regrets Roosevelt cannot attend the upcoming Harvard meeting. Elliott showed Roosevelt’s letter to James J. Hill and Louis C. Hill.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-04-17

Creator(s)

Elliott, Howard, 1860-1928

Paul V. Collins, having learned that Theodore Roosevelt is presently traveling to Chicago, sends him a copy of a message he recently sent to his New York address. Collins discusses the position of Minnesota and Minnesotan farmers regarding the tariff and reciprocity with Canada. Collins believes the current proposed reciprocity deal would be very harmful to farmers, as it would result in free trade of agricultural products–opening farmers up to competition with Canadian farmers–while still protecting everything farmers have to purchase. It seems to Collins that much of the support for the current measure comes from railroads, who would stand to make a great deal of money, and from manufacturers, who incorrectly assume it would benefit them. Collins hopes to speak with Roosevelt about the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-03-06

Creator(s)

Collins, Paul V. (Paul Valorous), 1860-1931

Gifford Pinchot and Sir Horace Curzon Plunkett wonder whether the death of King Edward VII will make it feasible for Theodore Roosevelt to visit Ireland. Amos Pinchot has written that the controversy surrounding Secretary Richard Achilles Ballinger is looking favorable for them and that Gifford Pinchot should not return yet. Pinchot hopes to have the conservation meeting in either Kansas City or St. Louis, Missouri and urges Roosevelt to make his first speech there.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1910-05-09

Creator(s)

Pinchot, Gifford, 1865-1946

Judge Amidon praises President Roosevelt’s speeches on his recent tour, and asks for a copy if they are printed. He discusses the “railroad problem” wherein railroad stocks profit from unearned increases in property values. Amidon believes the railroads should not be able to capitalize on the commercial development of their regions in this way and argues for reform.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-10-05

Creator(s)

Amidon, Charles Fremont, 1856-1937

Secretary of War Taft agrees with President Roosevelt that it is wise to send Charles Edward Magoon to the Philippines, but also that the last thing the Roosevelt administration can afford to do is to let Theodore P. Shonts and John F. Stevens, both involved with the engineering and construction of the Panama Canal, to control relations with the Panamanians. They need a Minister who can prevent trouble in that area, especially in regard to labor organization. Taft informs Roosevelt that he has written to Shonts and asked for a statement concerning the character and history of Walston Brown.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-18

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

William Hutchinson Cowles reports that President Roosevelt is expected to win the election in the state of Washington by at least 20,000 votes. The impression Gifford Pinchot had before coming to Washington is probably due to reports concerning the large defection from the Republican Party on the state ticket, which was the result of an attempt to prevent the passage of a law creating a state railway commission. Cowles discusses the candidates and issues on the state ticket.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-17

Creator(s)

Cowles, William Hutchinson, 1866-1946

Arthur William Merrifield, a friend of President Roosevelt from his days in North Dakota, writes about family matters and the opening of the Flathead Indian Reservation. Merrifield describes how the impending move of the Great Northern Railroad away from his ranch is affecting him personally and mentions James J. Hill and William Randolph Hearst.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-05-21

Creator(s)

Merrifield, Arthur William, 1855-1929

Simon Cordery examines the relationship between Theodore Roosevelt and the nation’s railroads. Cordery highlights some of the significant episodes in Roosevelt’s life made possible by train travel like his trip to the  Dakota Badlands in 1883, his exhausting campaign tour as a vice-presidential candidate in 1900, and his “Great Western Tour” as president in 1903. Cordery notes Roosevelt’s affection for the railroad workers and his disdain for their employers. Roosevelt saw the employees, with their difficult and dangerous jobs, as embodying the strenuous life while he wanted to curb the economic and political powers of their bosses. Cordery highlights the Northern Securities Case which dismantled a combination of railroads on the northern Great Plains and the debate over whether the railroads should provide free travel to the president. 

The article features nine photographs, including three of Roosevelt and trains, and two political cartoons. 

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Max J. Skidmore recounts the establishment of the Theodore Roosevelt International Highway which stretches from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon, and encompasses much of what is known today as U.S. Highway 2. Skidmore focuses much of his attention on the completion of the final stretch of the highway at Marias Pass in Montana in 1930 and the subsequent construction of a granite obelisk monument to Theodore Roosevelt at the Pass. Skidmore highlights the Roosevelt family members in attendance at the monument’s dedication in 1931 and again at its rededication in 1991. A photograph of the obelisk monument supplements the text.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1997

Creator(s)

Skidmore, Max J., 1933-

The June 17,1911 edition of Collier’s. The articles “Coming and Going,” “North Dakota,” “Are They Dead?,” and “Guidance,” are marked in a square shape. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-17

Creator(s)

Unknown

President Roosevelt pets a cat with New York Senator Thomas Collier Platt’s face as he holds a “list of smoothed downers” in his other hand: “Morgan. Hill (J. J.) Gould. Harriman. Addicks. Black. Odell. Payn. Platt.” On the wall is a sign: “Oyster Bay. Notice. Smoothing down done with neatness and despatch. T. R.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-17

Creator(s)

Bush, Charles Green, 1842-1909