Iowa

John F. Lacey writes to William Loeb regarding the political situation in Iowa.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-13

George Thompson does not feel Minnesota is being fairly represented in Washington, D.C., due to the actions of Representative J. T. McCleary. Thompson believes McCleary does not speak for President Roosevelt regarding the tariff legislation, and he wishes Roosevelt to send him a statement to that effect.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-30

Leslie M. Shaw urges President Roosevelt to remain silent. Shaw states he will support Roosevelt and asks the same in return.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-12

Charles Jerome Traxler writes on behalf of the Northwestern Retail Lumbermen’s Association and the Northwestern Retail Coal Dealers Association. The two associations have membership over the states of Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota; members consist of chiefly poor men. Traxler asks President Roosevelt to assist in securing legislation to regulate and control railroad rate abuses that are detrimental to the men who pay the freight. The bill has received favorable comments from some of the largest shippers in the country.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-11-15

Senator Allison discusses the question of tariff revision and agrees with President Roosevelt that it is an initiative for the House.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-11-11

Commissioner of Pensions Ware informs President Roosevelt that he will be gone approximately a week in order to “go West to register and vote.” He will leave Deputy Commissioner James L. Davenport in charge while he is gone.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-08

General James Sullivan Clarkson, surveyor of the Port of New York, reports to William Loeb on the progress of the Republican political campaign in the Western states. In his meetings with prominent figures in Colorado, Wyoming, Iowa, and Indiana, he found Republicans to be very enthusiastic about President Roosevelt and the efforts of Republican Chairman George B. Cortelyou. He has heard many reports of Democratic voters who will vote for the Republican national ticket and he believes that through the influence of a few prominent Republicans the success of the campaign will be ensured. Clarkson ranks Roosevelt’s letter of acceptance among the finest political writings of all time.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-15

John J. McCook relates to President Roosevelt the results of his meeting with Thomas H. Hubbard. Hubbard has convinced the publishers of the Globe newspaper that the editorial policy of the paper can no longer remain neutral but must, instead, emphatically endorse the Republican party in the upcoming elections.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-22

Louis T. Michener writes James Sullivan Clarkson that the Roosevelt-Fairbanks ticket is popular everywhere except in some financial circles, and that the Republican Party platform is popular except among southern Democrats. The Democrats object to the Republican party addressing the problem of disfranchisement of African Americans in the South.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-25

Henry Cabot Lodge discusses topics for the Republican Party platform. He discusses politics in Illinois, tariff revisionism, and reciprocity with Canada. The former senator from Colorado Edward Oliver Wolcott has informed him that James Hamilton Peabody will be the Republican nominee for governor of Colorado. Lodge will write after talking to Mr. Hall about what the Boston “reciprocity people” are going to do concerning reciprocity with Canada. New England appears to be showing support for Roosevelt in the upcoming election with support being shown to Charles W. Fairbanks as Roosevelt’s vice-presidential choice.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-06

Summary of the controversy surrounding the pardon of Frank Schercliffe and Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw’s protest against the publication of the story by the Register and Leader.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-05-01

Newspaper article presenting evidence that Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, during his time as governor of Iowa, pardoned Frank Schercliffe because the pardon would be politically helpful to Representative David Henry Mercer of Nebraska.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-05-01

This treaty between the United States, as represented by Commissioner of Indian Affairs Lea and Governor Ramsey of Minnesota, and the Sisseton and Wahpeton Bands of Sioux, cedes native control of a substantial portion of territory in Iowa and Minnesota in exchange for a payment of $1,665,000, to be paid out over several decades, and which will be put toward several purposes, which the treaty enumerates. The Native American bands further agree to remove themselves to reservations designated for them by the United States government.

Collection

White Horse Hill

Creation Date

1851-07-23

Creator(s)

Sisseton Band of Sioux Indians; Wahpeton Band of Sioux Indians; Lea, Luke, 1879-1945; Ramsey, Alexander, 1815-1903

A staff correspondent reports on President William Howard Taft’s recent visit to Iowa. Taft was respectfully received and listened to, but it is not clear that public opinion was affected by his visit. Many farmers and small business owners were interviewed for their opinion and there was not a consensus for or against Taft among Republicans.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-09-30

A staff correspondent writes of the political situations in Kansas and Iowa developing around the potential presidential nominees and senators from each state. Many possibilities and political stances are suggested including the idea that Senator Albert Baird Cummins would be a compromise for Republicans who are split between William H. Taft and Robert M. La Follette, though Cummins is a solid supporter of La Follette and will not run against him. Many believe a third party might arise amongst the division.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-10-02

Iowa Governor Albert Baird Cummins wears a “protection” muzzle as he says, “Tariff revision.” He holds two flags—”They can’t lose ‘A. B.'” and “For governor, A. B. Cummins”—as he is tied to the back of an elephant with a sign on its back that reads, “Standpatters from Standpattersville” The elephant also holds a flag, “We’re all in line.” Senator William B. Allison leads the elephant along.

Comments and Context

The “Iowa Idea” was a controversial tariff-tinkering whose origin was with the new governor, Albert B. Cummins. He had national ambitions — indeed he would soon be appointed to the United States Senate — and his insurgent views blossomed into his leadership of the Progressive movement, even to supporting Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 against the incumbent president, William H. Taft.

In 1903 his promotion of the “Iowa Idea” — to consider tariff revisions with pledges not to preserve or create monopolies — was a sincere reform proposal, but also a gambit to commit the national Republican Party to address the tariff issue… and imply downward rate revisions.

President Roosevelt sits at his desk and holds a paper that reads: “for the uplift of the American farmer—reforms necessary etc. etc.” On the wall is a picture of William H. Taft and on the ground is “Darkest Africa” as well as a variety of papers: “Foraker silent,” “Hughes needs attention in New York,” “Illinois stirred up,” “West Virginia muddle,” “Indiana very uncertain,” and “Iowa situation cloudy.” An American farmer has a “bank account” paper in his pocket and says, “Don’t worry about us. You have other troubles.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

The cartoon by Joseph Harry Cunningham in the Washington Herald addressed several matters that were prominent in the news of the time, only peripherally suggesting by the attitude of the figure representing American farmers that the agricultural section was dissatisfied with President Roosevelt at that time. Beyond normal nuances of support and priorities, such was not the case.

Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw refutes the claim that he recently traveled to Iowa in order to influence the gubernatorial race there on behalf of President Roosevelt. Neither has Shaw himself presented any candidates for consideration, and clarifies that he only went to Iowa to speak on the subject of Republican principles.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-14

William H. Taft shares commentary on William Allen White’s letter with President Roosevelt. In his upcoming speech, Taft does not address the “negro question” but plans to do so later. Taft enjoyed the speeches of Secretary of State Elihu Root and Representative J. S. Sherman. In a postscript, Taft believes in the necessity of renominating Governor Charles Evans Hughes. He shares misgivings about his election prospects and wants to give speeches in several states.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-20

Iowa Governor Albert Baird Cummins will not oppose Senator William B. Allison’s reelection.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-13