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George Kennan is horrified at the situation with the School Board in San Francisco. He hopes that if President Roosevelt meets them he can see them for who they are as individuals with illicit character. It is creating a San Francisco where men of character are leaving.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-02-02
Lawrence F. Abbott apologizes to President Roosevelt for requesting his estimate of General Robert E. Lee, knowing how busy Roosevelt is. Abbott describes a speech given to the Quoin Club by Commissioner Franklin K. Lane of the Interstate Commerce Commission, in which Lane expressed the belief that the era should be regarded as one of “construction and real conservatism, not of irresponsible radicalism.” Abbott remarks that even in New York City, “fair-minded” businessmen recognize Roosevelt as the leader of a “great democratic industrial movement.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-14
Theodore Roosevelt informs Mrs. M. S. Sargent that she is better off petitioning Secretary of the Interior Franklin K. Lane directly, as Roosevelt is out of favor with the administration.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-10-16
Theodore Roosevelt is terribly disappointed in Franklin K. Lane, but thanks Gifford Pinchot for telling him about Lane.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-08-16
Theodore Roosevelt is surprised Gilson Gardner did not notify him when he was in New York City. Roosevelt is interested in Gardner’s opinion on the Reclamation Service and expresses his disappointment in Secretary of the Interior Franklin K. Lane, who he thought was an admirable man.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-07-07
While Theodore Roosevelt would be happy to see the report George Joseph Scharschug mentions, he wants to make it clear that he supports Frederick Haynes Newell, of whom he has the highest opinion. Roosevelt has stood by Franklin K. Lane but will need very strong proof to convince him Newell was not a good public servant.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-02-13
President Roosevelt criticizes William Dinwiddie for “pointing the way” to an editorial that popularizes false views. Roosevelt says that if Dinwiddie has a criticism about Franklin K. Lane he will look into it, but he will not send Lane an editorial that is based on a lie. Roosevelt says that Joseph Pulitzer’s papers combine, in publishing this editorial, “the yellowest yellow journalism with the further iniquity of low journalism.” Roosevelt maintains that wherever guilt has been proven by the government, it has been punished to the fullest extent.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-01
President Roosevelt informs William Hutchinson Cowles that he has gone over the matter Cowles wrote about with Franklin K. Lane of the Interstate Commerce Commission. Roosevelt also writes that he believes that Oregon will instruct for Secretary of War William H. Taft, and now that Colonel Cecil Andrew Lyon of Texas has gone for Taft, he will be nominated on the first ballot.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-04
President Roosevelt congratulates Francis J. Heney for the work he has been doing prosecuting governmental corruption in San Francisco with Rudolph Spreckels, District Attorney William Henry Langdon, and Mayor Edward Robeson Taylor. Next time they meet in person, Roosevelt hopes to speak with Heney about injuries he has done Supreme Court Justice William H. Moody.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-07
President Roosevelt forwards to Attorney General Bonaparte the Interstate Commerce Commission’s report, letters, and a map on the Edward Henry Harriman matter. He suggests that Bonaparte publish the report at the same time he announces the law suit. In a postscript dated July 11, Roosevelt responds to a letter he received from Bonaparte in the meantime. He expects to be “in an awful row” regarding Ulysses S. Bratton. He discusses the timing of Alexander McDonald McBlair’s and Mary Tayloe Key’s marriage, as it relates to McBlair’s responsibilities in the Oregon land fraud cases. He praises Bonaparte’s handling of the tobacco case. Finally, he alerts Bonaparte that Senator William Peters Hepburn wants to speak with him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-10
President Roosevelt tells Francis J. Heney that he believes William Randolph Hearst is one of the most dangerous men in America, and that if it is true that Hearst paid ballot box stuffers, those facts should be made known to the public. Roosevelt asks Heney for more information about the situation addressed in several telegrams that have been sent to him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-04-30
President Roosevelt can testify in support of William C. Van Fleet. At the Republican National Convention in 1904, rival Edward Harriman’s men attempted to gain control of the Republican delegation from California, and Van Fleet was one of the men who stopped them. Because of this, Roosevelt is interested in what is happening in San Francisco.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-03-25
President Roosevelt must decline the letter for James L. Wells, and tells Representative Parsons that he must decline all such requests, as writing a letter for all Republican congressional candidates would be a “gross absurdity.” Roosevelt sends Franklin Lane to see Parsons and recommends “corking orator” John Irish who is a Democrat against the Democratic candidate for governor of New York William Randolph Hearst.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-13
President Roosevelt tells Senator Patterson that because he appointed Franklin K. Lane of California to the Interstate Commerce Commission, he does not believe that he can appoint another person from the Pacific or Inter-mountain states. If he were able to remake the Commission entirely, he may be able to take Patterson’s advice, but barring that does not believe it will be possible.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-12
President Roosevelt agrees with most of what S. H. Cowan wrote in his letter, and would like for railroad rebates to be stopped and rates reduced. He believes it is wise for the Interstate Commerce Commission to have at least one person who can speak “with full understanding of and sympathy with the interests of the wage-workers,” and feels that the lack of such men in government is a constant problem. He is inclined to reappoint most of the members of the commission, but will try to fill the vacancies with a lawyer like Cowan describes.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-10
President Roosevelt believes that with Frederick K. Lane appointed to the Interstate Commerce Commission from California, it would not be possible to appoint another person from “the Inter-mountain States.” He appreciates what Albert Shaw said about the work of the latest session of Congress, and comments that he himself is pleased about the amount of legislation, as it is somewhat uncommon for so much to have been passed in a President’s second term.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-09
President Roosevelt thanks Benjamin Ide Wheeler for the letter and was comforted by what Wheeler was able to share. He will be having lunch with Franklin K. Lane today.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-04-30
President Roosevelt sent the things that Benjamin Ide Wheeler sent him on to The Outlook. He believes that Franklin K. Lane will eventually be confirmed to the Interstate Commerce Commission. Roosevelt adds that he agrees with Wheeler on the issue of statehood for New Mexico and Arizona. The only reason that he wants them to be admitted as one state is because he believes the alternative is admitting them separately in three or four years.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-01-18
President Roosevelt asks if Benjamin Ide Wheeler saw how The Outlook treated his appointment of Franklin K. Lane to the Interstate Commerce Commission. Roosevelt says he gave editor Lyman Abbott all the facts. He notes that “the pendulum will swing,” and that he cannot expect to have things in the future be as pleasant as they have been in the past.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-01-06
President Roosevelt does not know about the incident mentioned in Allen P. Joy’s note, and says that he always thought Franklin K. Lane was a “strong political opponent” of his.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-12-23