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President Roosevelt tells Lyman Abbott that he agrees with his position about the naturalization of the Japanese in Hawaii.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-18
Commissioner General of Immigration Sargent answers William Loeb’s request that a report regarding Japanese movement into and out of the United States be prepared for President Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-27
Attorney General Bonaparte relays to President Roosevelt the language of the immigration law enabling the President to prevent the Japanese government from issuing passports for immigrants to the continental United States who first travel through other countries or United States territories and the draft executive order. Bonaparte suggests changes to the order to make it conform with the immigration law.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-03-14
Lyman Abbott would support offering naturalization to Chinese and Japanese immigrants if the Japanese were not already a majority in Hawaii. Abbott feels that a law which would give the Japanese political control in a territory that is important to the United States for both military and commercial reasons would be “extremely perilous.” Abbott returns the letter from President David Starr Jordan of Stanford University and encloses an editorial on the “Japanese question.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-17
Ambassador Meyer writes President Roosevelt about the Russo-Japanese War. Meyer describes Stanley Washburn’s report of dwindling American sympathies with the Japanese. Washburn does not believe the Japanese army will ever beat the Russian army in Manchuria. Meyer mentions his interactions with Camille Barrère, the French Ambassador, and his indication that French and German banks are beginning to side with Russia. Meyer also relates an interaction he had with the Japanese minister, in which the minister stated he was interested in Roosevelt’s thoughts on Manchuria and Japan’s control of Port Arthur.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-20
A Japanese soldier trains a group of soldiers of various nationalities and ethnicities, including Koreans.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1905-08-16
Field Marshal Oyama Iwao, Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese forces, stands at the top of a hill, holding binoculars, while troops move artillery up the hill behind him. A battle rages in the background.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1905-07-19
Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, salutes a Japanese admiral on a gunboat. In the background are the ruins of a Russian naval fleet.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1904-03-02
Mars, the Roman god of war, waits for the establishment of protocols and the Japanese occupation of “Korea” to be completed before the sands in an hourglass shift from “Peace” to “War.” “China” sits quietly on the left. Caption: Mars–Just a little more, and I’ll give that Peace Congress a jolt!
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1904-02-03
Theodore Roosevelt received Masatake Terauchi’s annual report and thinks it “an excellent piece of work.” Roosevelt is glad that the report is published in English and Japanese.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-01-04
If President Roosevelt had known about it in time, he would have advised against The Outlook publishing Philippe Bunau-Varilla’s article. Now he believes there is no reason at all why they should not publish it. Roosevelt is glad that The Outlook will publish his three lectures, and he will send the one about Leo Tolstoy soon. Perhaps he will send an article about the “Japanese question” to be published first.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-02-16
President Roosevelt has sent John Callan O’Laughlin’s letters to Secretary of State Elihu Root. They are particularly valuable in what they say regarding Japan and Hawaii. He notes that it is impossible for him to get Congress to do what he wants. Roosevelt would like Congress to provide for the building of four new battleships and allow the naturalization of the Japanese.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-13
Theodore Roosevelt asks Secretary of Commerce and Labor Straus for statistics regarding how Japanese immigrants are entering the United States from Mexico and Hawaii, other than directly to American shores.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-13
President Roosevelt thanks Baron Kaneko for his concern about Archibald B. Roosevelt’s illness. He explains why the United States wishes to restrict members of the Japanese working class from migrating to the United States. Roosevelt believes that this will ease tensions between both countries. The new commission on immigration might also consider restricting immigration from Europe.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-05-23
President Roosevelt has read over Lieutenant General Hamilton’s two volumes again and complements Hamilton on his description of the Japanese army. Roosevelt describes a conversation he had with Tamemoto Kuroki about the superiority of guns over bayonets. Roosevelt notes that Kuroki and Kuroki’s aide like Hamilton’s work. He gives his impression of Kuroki. Roosevelt sends pictures of him jumping a horse named Roswell.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-05-15
President Roosevelt comments on General Hamilton’s two-volume publication, A Staff Officer’s Scrap-book during the Russo-Japanese War. Roosevelt wishes he could see Hamilton to discuss the book. He expresses particular interest in Hamilton’s description of a gruesome play performed by Japanese soldiers. He wonders how industrialization in Japan will impact “the qualities which give them such an extraordinary soldierly capacity.” He notes that Kuroki will be visiting and that he will speak to Kuroki Tamemoto about Hamilton’s book. Roosevelt comments that he is pleased that the ships are doing well at target practice and that the fleet is satisfactory.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-05-08
President Roosevelt informs Governor Carter that he is preparing the district attorney matter and is happy with Carter’s handling of the “Japanese business.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-04-08
President Roosevelt explains that potential California legislation on the exclusion of Japanese laborers would hamper his efforts to achieve Japanese exclusion on a national level through cooperation with Japan.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-03-12
President Roosevelt tells Bishop Cranston that it pays to have a bishop who is both a good citizen and also has experience with affairs in Asia. Roosevelt thinks Cranston will like what he says to Congress and the Japanese, but hopes that Cranston will like the entire message as well.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-31
President Roosevelt shares with William Sturgis Bigelow what he plans to say about the Japanese. He states that he will share it with the Japanese Ambassador, Baron Kogoro Takahira, in a few days. Roosevelt also adds that Bigelow alarms him about Gus when he tells Roosevelt that “he sent for Bay to read aloud to him.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-27