Your TR Source
President Roosevelt requests Attorney General Bonaparte review the matter of the investigation of the International Harvester Company with company official George W. Perkins and Commissioner of Corporations Herbert Knox Smith.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-22
President Roosevelt agrees with Attorney General Bonaparte’s conclusions in the Standard Oil and Chicago Alton Railroad case. While he thinks Bonaparte’s letter to Henry Lee Higginson is admirable, Roosevelt thinks it best not to publish it and open himself to further attacks by the press. He cautions against attending the conference of attorney generals. Roosevelt suggests how to respond to United States District Attorney N. M. Ruick and handle the situation in New Mexico.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-22
Attorney General Bonaparte sent President Roosevelt a draft of the telegram to United States District Attorney N. M. Ruick. Bonaparte shares his thoughts about the intentions of the press in attacking him and gives an update on the International Harvester Company trust prosecution. Additionally, Bonaparte comments on Special Assistant Attorney General Ormsby McHarg and the conference of attorneys general.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-26
International Harvester files for re-hearing on charges of violating anti-trust laws in Missouri and uses quotes from Theodore Roosevelt in their brief.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
1911-11-20
Theodore Roosevelt discusses his recollection of the Bureau of Corporation’s investigation into the Harvester matter, and tells Oscar K. Davis that it is comparable to Charles J. Bonaparte’s remembrance. Roosevelt writes that he will not appear in a moving picture with Boy Scouts or anyone else as he feels it would be a cheap thing to do.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-05-11
Theodore Roosevelt offers to make a speech in Chicago at the request of the Lawyers’ Club. Edgar Addison Bancroft should contact Medill McCormick who is arranging speaking engagements for Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1916-01-15
President Roosevelt agrees with Attorney General Moody that individual proceedings should not be brought up against officers of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway unless there is evidence linking them to guilty conduct. Roosevelt compares the Atchison case with the case of the western railroads and the International Harvester Company. Unlawful practices were abandoned in both cases, and no individual proceedings were brought against the officers of the western railroads. The president believes the Atchison railroad officers should be treated the same way. Roosevelt details why there is not “one shadow of testimony” against former Secretary of the Navy Paul Morton and believes how the government handled the Northern Securities case in not prosecuting the principal directors is how the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway case should be handled.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-12
President Roosevelt wishes Senator Knox a happy New Year and asks when Knox can drop by to discuss current issues the Department of Justice is facing regarding anthracite coal, the tobacco trust, and the International Harvester Company.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-28
Senator Dixon encloses a chronology of resolutions regarding the release of the Harvester trust correspondence and a proof of the released correspondence. He found nothing alarming in the correspondence. He also encloses a transcript from the Lorimer case showing that President Taft knew of Mr. Lorimer’s election.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-04-24
Several months ago a petition was prepared alleging that International Harvester was in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act but President Taft prevented the petition from being filed. Taft’s action was supposedly to provide more time for negotiations to voluntary dissolve the company but negotiations have achieved nothing.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-04-24
Senator Dixon reviews the correspondence involving Theodore Roosevelt and the prosecution of International Harvester that will be released per a Senate resolution. Dixon found nothing “sensational or alarming” in the correspondence.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-04-24
News release of a letter from George W. Perkins to William B. McKinley, Director of the National Taft Bureau. Perkins defends himself against attacks from the Taft Bureau, particularly his relationship with the Harvester Company and support for Theodore Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-04-28
John Callan O’Laughlin seeks news from Theodore Roosevelt, as he has seen information in the Chicago Tribune; however, he states this is not enough for him. O’Laughlin discusses the “Lorimer investigating committee”, and how he considers the testimonies to be irrelevant. He states he may be brought to the witness stand, and asks if he communicated with Roosevelt. O’Laughlin is willing to refuse to answer questions. He goes on to discuss the Canadian reciprocity bill, and the presidency of William H. Taft.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-07-22
Herbert Knox Smith encloses to Theodore Roosevelt an “evolved” draft of a federal publicity and registration bill for corporations. Smith admits that the bill is “frankly a publicity bill and nothing else“, as it relies on corporations voluntarily registering, though it will do some good and will “gradually establish a sort of Federal relationship between industrial corporations and the Federal Government.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-06-01
Ralph M. Easely responds to Theodore Roosevelt’s recent article, “The Standard Oil Decision – And After.” finding it relevant and true even if it had been written prior to the decision on the American Tobacco Company case. He remarks that, should the United States compete with foreign countries, “it cannot be hobbled by restrictions like those imposed by the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.” Easely encloses a leaflet issued by the National Civic Federation and has marked paragraphs relevant to his discussion of trust regulation, though he remarks that Seth Low has not yet named the sub-committee it refers to. Easely closes by congratulating Roosevelt on his recent “whack” on those who fight for peace at any price, comparing Roosevelt’s views of international peace and his own on “industrial peace.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-06-02