Labor

Collected speeches of Theodore Roosevelt

This tape recording presents the audio from several Edison Amberol cylinders which originally recorded speeches by Theodore Roosevelt given in 1912. Speeches presented here include “The Right of the People to Rule,” “The Farmer and the Businessman,” “Social and Industrial Justice,” and “The Progressive Covenant.” Additionally, there are several iterations of Roosevelt’s address to the Boys Progressive League in 1912, including one prefaced by an introduction by Daniel Carter Beard, the founder of the organization the Sons of Daniel Boone, which later merged with the Boy Scouts of America.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association

Creation Date

1969-05-20

Mayor Blames “Man Higher Up”

John E. Reyburn, mayor of the city of Philadelphia, suggests that President Roosevelt’s rhetoric contributed to the protests and demonstrations that the city saw against rising unemployment. Director of Public Safety Henry Clay says that while the people and magazine articles who speak out against economic inequality may have good intentions, they open the door for people such as anarchist Voltarine De Cleyre to take advantage of the situation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-22

Reyburn and O’Leary blame the President for riot in Broad St.

Both Assistant Superintendent of Police Timothy J. O’Leary and Mayor John E. Reyburn of Philadelphia blame the policies of President Theodore Roosevelt for the recent riots in the city. The riots were due to a recent increase in unemployment, and saw demonstrators marching to City Hall.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-22

Seth Low meets Mr. Gompers

Seth Low, president of the Civic Federation, recently met with a committee from the American Federation of Labor, including President Samuel Gompers, on the subject of amending the Sherman anti-trust act to exclude labor organizers. While they did not reach a definite decision, they made progress on forming a measure to introduce to Congress. Low also recently spoke with President Roosevelt about this issue.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-06

Three more John Browns

Sheet music for “Three More John Browns” written by William Cosgrove. The lyrics compare the activities of labor movements with John Brown’s actions against slavery. A portion of the proceeds will go to support the wives of Big Bill Haywood, George A. Pettibone, and Charles H. Moyer.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907

Unemployed to ask the mayor to give them work or money

The Central Textile Union is planning to organize a demonstration of many unemployed men in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to demand work at fair wages or unemployment relief. Such a demonstration has been delayed several times in the hopes that conditions would improve and it would not be necessary, but this has not come to pass. Many unions are cooperating to bring together demonstrators from different trades, including a number of different unions related to the textile industry. Organizers have stated that this will be a law-abiding demonstration.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-22

Note with edits of a speech

Several changes should be made to a speech, with portions variously needing to be struck out or added. The contents of the speech seem to be about labor conditions, employment, and class relations, most likely related to the recent Supreme Court Ruling in Adair vs. U.S., establishing that it is unconstitutional to forbid interstate officers or inter-state carriers from firing workers who join labor organizations.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-27

Newspaper article on presidential campaign

This newspaper article discusses the political background and potential candidates in the 1908 presidential election. The author believes, “A man is needed,” and suggests that someone of Abraham Lincoln’s caliber would be the best option. However, although American may need another Lincoln, “she has no lack at all of vital personalities,” and the author suggests William H. Taft “would probably make an altogether unexpectedly good President.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-10

War secretary urges equal justice for capital and labor

This article discusses Secretary of War William H. Taft’s visit to Seattle, Washington, and the speech he delivered arguing for equal justice for capital and labor. Taft stated that he was fine with business combinations as long as they did not injure others. The article includes a copy of the entire speech.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-10

Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War Taft responds to President Roosevelt’s letter regarding the candidacies of different Republican Party candidates. Taft thanks Roosevelt for talking to Secretary of the Treasury George B. Cortelyou and believes that Philander C. Knox would be a more independent president than his supporters believe. Taft believes Charles Evans Hughes is likely to be the man in the field against him and observes that he has received many expressions of good will while traveling across the continent. Taft mentions that he will set sail for the Pacific tomorrow and encloses a clipping on his speech in Seattle regarding capital and labor.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-11

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to George von Lengerke Meyer

Theodore Roosevelt reminds George von Lengerke Meyer that the head of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers is “a man of some importance” who has been “a good friend of ours,” although Roosevelt has not always found him “a reasonable man.” Roosevelt advises Meyer to meet with him personally, stating it is at Roosevelt’s request, to discuss the matters concerning the man’s brother and to “quiet his feelings” if necessary.

Collection

Massachusetts Historical Society

Creation Date

1907-08-12

Report on costs, materials, and labor needed for the completion of Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Report on costs, materials, and labor needed for the completion of Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Report includes estimated costs and timeline for completion of each figure, labor costs for each employee, and inventory and costs of new equipment and maintenance.

Collection

Arizona Historical Society

Creation Date

1935

Progressive service documents: First quarterly report of the Progressive national service

A booklet published by the Progressive National Committee. The publication lists the names of people in the Progressive Party’s administration and outlines the party’s ideals and goals. The Table of Contents is as follows: Organization of the National Service; Division of Administration – Organization of State Services, Office Organization; Department Work – Social and Industrial Justice, Conservation, Popular Government, Cost of Living and Corporation Control; Bureau of Education; Bureau of Legislative Reference.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1913-03-31

Social equality

“Social Equality” chapter from Terence Vincent Powderly’s Thirty Years of Labor, 1859-1889. The chapter is wide ranging and deals with labor, race, and the Knights of Labor’s activities.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1890

Remarks of President Roosevelt, at Berenda, California, May 18, 1903

Theodore Roosevelt defines the fundamental virtues of American citizenship. Working hard at a profession makes one a good citizen.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-05-18

Puck’s presidential possibilities – No. 1, The national knife-grinder

Presidential hopeful John Sherman, wearing a tall stove-pipe hat, stands in the middle of a village street, operating a grinding wheel labeled “Nomination” and sharpening a large knife labeled “Law-Breaking Strikers.” Papers in his pocket are labeled “Speeches,” and a sign attached to his wheel states, “Please help a poor perennial aspirant to get to the White House.” Just up the street, leaning against a fence, is a man labeled “Striker.” Along the street are buildings labeled “Silverites, Womans Rights, Populists, [and] Protectionists” with people standing in windows or at the door, holding large knives to be sharpened.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-08-15

Shoulder to shoulder

A diminutive William Jennings Bryan stands on a street before two gigantic men representing labor and business, waving a red flag labeled “Repudiation” and a paper that states, “We demand that the Savings of Labor, Life Insurance Policies, and Business Obligations in general shall be Paid in Fifty Cent Dollars.” Caption: Labor and business must stand together to protect their interests […].

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-08-19

Buncombe and Boodle

William Jennings Bryan is pictured as a puppet being manipulated by a well-dressed man sitting on a large money bag labeled “Silver Mining Syndicate” and listing names and dollar amounts: “Hearst $75,000,000, Fair 40,000,000, Mackay 40,000,000, Wm. Stewart 40,000,000, W. A. Clark 30,000,000, Moffatt 30,000,000 [and] J. P. Jones 25,000,000.” Byran is holding cymbals labeled “Free Silver and Prosperity” and “Promises of Good Wages.” His audience is a laborer with his lunch pail labeled “Labor” and in his back pocket a “Bank Book.” Caption: They can never catch American labor with that combination.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-10-07

The absurdities of the boycott

A stupefied laborer reads a notice that states “You are hereby ordered to Boycott as follows. Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York Tribune, Straiton & Storms’ Cigars, Thalia Theatre, All Fashionable Clothing Stores, All Turkish Baths, All Champagnes, by order of the Labor Union.” All the items, other than the newspaper, are most likely beyond the common laborer’s financial means. Caption: Bewildered Laborer “I guess the Labor Union is trying to make a fool of me!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-12-30

It works both ways

A man labeled “Labor Union” raises a large club labeled “Boycotting” over his head, about to strike a man labeled “Manufacturer” sitting behind a desk. In the process, he strikes a man labeled “Laborer” sitting on a chair behind him. On the wall in the background are two notices that state “Enforced Idleness for the Manufacturer” and “Enforced Idleness for the Laborer.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-11-25