Labor unions

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Francis J. Heney

President Roosevelt wishes that he had thought of the point Francis J. Heney made about the right to labor being property before he published his letter to Senator Philander C. Knox. He appreciates the praise from Heney, and is especially glad of his praise regarding his letter dealing with Samuel Gompers and the labor unions. He felt that he needed to attack Gompers, because “the average public man is afraid to do so.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-10-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James S. Henry

President Roosevelt does not think it is wise for him to speak on the matter that James S. Henry has asked his opinion on. He will try to “wake up” the Republican National Committee about labor people, especially railway employees.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-10-20

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frank H. Hitchcock

President Roosevelt forwards to Frank H. Hitchcock, chairman of the Republican National Committee, a letter written by John Williams, labor commissioner of New York. Roosevelt agrees with most of what Williams has written regarding labor organization. Roosevelt believes that rather than sending political literature, which is a waste of money, states need organizations of the sort that New York has been trying to establish. He asks Hitchcock to see Williams about this.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-15

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Lancaster Spaulding, Earl Cranston, and Edward Everett Hale

President Roosevelt calls on prominent men to address corruption and evil in all classes and parts of the community. He believes that people need to be loyal to America as a country, rather than their union, caste, or class. Roosevelt provides an example widespread political corruption in San Francisco and urges the recipients of the letter to combat class consciousness and encourage good citizenship.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-06

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Courtenay De Kalb

President Roosevelt has quoted an article in the Mining and Scientific Press in a letter he sent to men “who are interested in the civic betterment of the country.” Roosevelt believes that the hope for “decent government” lies in the elimination of class consciousness. The rich capitalists and financiers are as much to blame as laborers and unions. Roosevelt feels more contempt for “people of high social position” who stand behind corrupt members of their class than he does for laborers who do the same.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-08

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Francis J. Heney

President Roosevelt has written a letter which he hopes that Rudolph Spreckels will show to Francis J. Heney. He also encloses a letter to Courtenay De Kalb, editor of the Mining and Scientific Press, regarding an editorial which he thinks is “striking.” Roosevelt hopes that Secretary of War William H. Taft will agree about the need for an “aggressive, hard-hitting war” against corruption both among business men and labor leaders.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-08

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Rudolph Spreckels

President Roosevelt offers encouragement to Rudolph Spreckels, Francis J. Heney, and William Henry Langdon in their fight against political corruption. Roosevelt believes it is important for people to relate to each other as people, and not judge people solely by the class they belong to, and that good people representing both labor and capital must stand together against abuses of power by both labor leaders and capitalists.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-08

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lawrence F. Abbott

President Roosevelt encloses for Lawrence F. Abbott an editorial from Labor World which expresses support for him and praises him for being a representative for the working man. Roosevelt does not agree with their advocacy for his renomination and wishes he could transfer the sentiments and support from himself to Secretary of War William H. Taft. He hopes to be remembered as a good representative of the common man.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-20

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Dunbar Pringle

President Roosevelt appreciated both John Dunbar Pringle’s letter and his editorial praising Roosevelt’s actions regarding labor unions. Roosevelt acknowledges that his stance against violence committed by laborers might hurt his reputation among wage earners.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-20

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Jesse Matlock Lee

President Roosevelt received Jesse Matlock Lee’s letter including Judge Thomas Moore Paschal’s paper, and is pleased to find that Lee is as fine a patriot as he is a soldier. He may bring some of Lee’s ideas about strikes and labor that stem from his involvement with the granger movement before Congress.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-16

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Seth Low

President Roosevelt believes that passing the corporations bill along the Stetson-Morawetz line “would be worse than passing nothing.” While granting improper favors to both the corporations and the labor men might be beneficial for the moment, long term it would be politically ruinous and be a huge setback in the movement for corporation control. He asks Seth Low to get Frank B. Kellogg of Minnesota to fight hard for the bill.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-09

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles J. Bonaparte

President Roosevelt asks Attorney General Bonaparte if there is any way that the Government can get involved in injunctions or contempt proceedings by courts that are improper, perhaps bringing them before the Court of Appeals. He is referencing Judge Ashley Mulgrave Gould’s decision in Washington, D.C., and Judge Alston Gordon Dayton’s decision in West Virginia.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-23

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Morgan Davenport

President Roosevelt appreciates Professor Davenport’s article in The Outlook. Roosevelt believes that he has dealt fairly with labor unions, although sometimes he has acted to keep them in check.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-13

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

President Roosevelt tells Secretary of War Taft that he approves of Philippines Governor James Francis Smith’s action regarding the Japanese consul. Roosevelt will talk to Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte about appointing John K. Beach to the federal judgeship in Connecticut. Roosevelt approves of Beach’s knowledge of and sympathy with labor unions. After talking with William Loeb, Roosevelt has instructed Postmaster General George von Lengerke Meyer to follow Taft’s instructions regarding postmaster appointments in Ohio.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-15

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice

President Roosevelt shares his thoughts on various topics with Cecil Spring Rice. Roosevelt is planning to swap foreign assignments between John B. Jackson and Richmond Pearson, mentioning that Pearson had trouble with missionaries in Persia. While Jackson has done well as Minister to Greece, Roosevelt does not approve of his strong pro-Russia feelings. Roosevelt thinks the Russian people are good, and feels badly that they oscillate between despotism and anarchy. Roosevelt is interested in what Spring Rice says about the movement of Islam in Persia toward more tolerance, and gives his opinion about progress in Islamic countries in relation to Buddhism and Shinto. The violent incidents in San Francisco towards Japanese immigrants concerns Roosevelt. Roosevelt thinks everyone should be in favor of peace and temperance, but he feels professional advocates of both talk a lot without ever getting anything done. At home, Roosevelt is trying to keep a balance between plutocrats and labor unions. Roosevelt hopes to see Spring Rice and his wife soon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-01

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Victor Howard Metcalf

President Roosevelt asks Secretary of the Navy Metcalf if there would be some way for representatives of labor organizations to have access to the facts once the wage rates are established. Roosevelt has received word that rates are too low in a number of cities. He asks Metcalf to take up the matter and listen to the arguments of representatives of the workmen and the Wage Boards.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-15

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Henry Jackson

President Roosevelt responds to a letter from William Henry Jackson, sent on behalf of the Cook County Moyer-Haywood-Pettibone Conference. Jackson had taken exception to an earlier letter in which Roosevelt had referred to several people, including Charles H. Moyer and Big Bill Haywood, as “undesirable citizens.” Roosevelt stands by his description of Moyer, Haywood, and Eugene V. Debs as undesirable citizens, although he assures Jackson that his statement was not an attempt to influence the outcome of the trial of Moyer and Haywood for the murder of former Idaho Governor Frank Steunenberg.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-22

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Mulholland

President Roosevelt assures John Mulholland that he is devoted to the cause of labor. Roosevelt asserts the necessity of distinguishing between those working for the good of labor and those who “preach envy and hatred and bloodshed.” This is probably in reference to Roosevelt’s public letter about Charles H. Moyer and Big Bill Haywood.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-24

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Thomas J. Dolan

President Roosevelt thanks Thomas J. Dolan for his letter and states his strong support not only for labor but for labor unions. He is committed to standing against lawlessness and violence, whether the perpetrators represent labor or capital.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Mitchell

President Roosevelt notifies John Mitchell, President of the United Mine Workers of America, that he is appointed a trustee of the Foundation for the Promotion of Industrial Peace, representing labor.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-14