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Millard J. Bloomer thanks Theodore Roosevelt for his letter declining the invitation to the Citizen’s Peace Banquet. Bloomer explains his own beliefs around world peace as well as his understanding of the purpose of the banquet. Bloomer appreciates Roosevelt’s caution and will be wary of any request to act contrary to his convictions
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-12-13
A. T. Mahan thanks Theodore Roosevelt for the copy of Seth Low’s letter. Lower also sent Mahan a copy.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-12-13
President Roosevelt reports on the family animals and how he has been acting as “vice-mother” while Edith is gone for nine days. He has been reading a lot to Archie and Quentin. Roosevelt expresses his disappointment at Seth Low’s recent defeat. William Loeb inquires as to whether Kermit is receiving the Saturday Commercial Advertiser.
1903-11-15
President Roosevelt writes Senator Clark strongly recommending Alford Warriner Cooley for the position of Assistant Attorney General, and he encourages Clark to share this letter with the rest of the Judiciary Committee. Roosevelt writes that Cooley was suggested by Attorney General William H. Moody, and he is also favored by Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte. Roosevelt outlines Cooley’s education and career, which includes time as judge for various courts in New York and Washington DC; positions at the Department of Justice; and a member of New York City’s Corporation Counsel. Roosevelt concludes that he doesn’t believe it “would be possible to obtain a better man for the place.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-07
Vahan Cardashian writes to Andrew D. White expressing his concerns about the persecution Armenians are facing under the Turkish government and his fears the violence will escalate. He hopes White will be one of several other prominent men to form a committee that will weild their power to advocate for Armenian rights.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-10-12
Nicholas Murray Butler updates President Roosevelt on the progress being made to establish the Association for International Conciliation, with funding from Andrew Carnegie. The peace work of the association is to be done as quietly as possible and in accordance with the wishes of Roosevelt and Secretary of State Elihu Root. In addition, Butler offers Roosevelt his support in regard to the Brownsville affair and encourages Roosevelt to keep up a “stiff front” to the “Senate oligarchy.” Butler also shares his observations regarding how railroad officials are trying to make the new railroad rate law unpopular, but concludes that, despite challenges, the law will succeed in the end.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-21
Joseph Bucklin Bishop reports to President Roosevelt that there is very little support for Seth Low for postmaster. Bishop discusses the appointment of Francis E. Leupp as Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Bishop is anxious about Roosevelt’s trip to St. Louis.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-21
Joseph Bucklin Bishop writes to President Roosevelt that he has published a column supporting Roosevelt’s expected appointment of Seth Low. Bishop has also enclosed cartoons.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-15
Seating chart for a lunch held on December 4, 1901.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-12-04
This advertisement for a subscription package for both the New York World and the Citizen announces the impartiality of the World in covering the upcoming elections.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-27
President Roosevelt writes to Joseph Bucklin Bishop to say he stands behind the appointment of Whitelaw Reid as Ambassador to the United Kingdom. He also says Bishop was correct about Seth Low and the appointment for Postmaster.
1904-11-23
New York Governor Benjamin B. Odell has not refused to run for reelection. New York City Mayor Seth Low may run for reelection as an independent.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-08-24
President Roosevelt inquires as to when Joseph Bucklin Bishop is coming after the election. He also comments on editorials about New York City mayoral candidate Seth Low and returns a letter from Philippines Governor-General William H. Taft.
1901-10-29
Joseph Bucklin Bishop writes an editorial supporting the expected nomination of Seth Low for Postmaster of the City of New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-15
New York City mayor Seth Low, as a lion tamer holding a whip, stands next to the Tammany Tiger which is bound in ribbons labeled “Civic Honesty, Fusion, Decent Government, Municipal Reforms, [and] Local Improvements.” Standing in the background is Charles F. Murphy, Tammany Hall boss, holding a large pair of scissors labeled “Election 1903.” Later in the year, Low would lose the election for mayor to George B. McClellan Jr.
Seth Low was identified with reform and efficient administration his whole career, as mayor of Brooklyn, mayor New York City (Brooklyn and the City merged in 1897 as “Greater New York”), and as president of Columbia University. His political activities were allied with the Republican Party and various reform groups like the Fusion Party and the Citizens Union.
It was as Citizens Union / Republican that he was voted into City Hall in 1901, aided in part by corruptions and scandals in the Democrat Tammany Hall machine that were more odious than usual; and the retirement of longtime Tammany leader Richard Croker. Mayor Low immediately set out to proposed, and achieve, significant municipal reforms.
But the inertia of the corrupt Democrat machine was too much to surrender City Hall for more than one election cycle. As this Puck cartoon predicts, despite Low’s hamstringing of the Tammany Tiger, the new Tammany boss, Charles Murphy would sever the restraints. At the end of the year, the resurgent Democrat machine voted Low from office. The new mayor was George McLellan, son of the Civil War general who was defeated by Abraham Lincoln for the presidency in 1864.
Low’s short-lived victories over Tammany mirrored similar reforms effected by Assemblyman Theodore Roosevelt precisely 20 years earlier reforms that were often undone by Democrat politicians and judges, as well.
New York Mayor Seth Low directs the bombardment of a Tammany Hall bunker flying a flag labeled “Tammany Graft.” Several men, among them former President Grover Cleveland, and Charles V. Fornes, pass shells labeled “Clean record, Capable administration, [and] Just return for taxes” for an “Anti-Tammany” howitzer. They are behind a sand-bag bunker labeled “Honest Government” and are flying the flag of “Municipal Reform.” Caption: “That ammunition fits our gun only.”
“Regulars and Irregulars” — cartoonist Keppler illustrated the “fusion” aspect of Mayor Seth Low’s New York City administration.In 1901 Low had been elected as a Reform Republican and Fusion candidate, on the Citizen’s Union ticket.
In fewer than two years Low effected many reforms swiftly and forcefully, taking advantage of his unprecedented victory over Tammany Hall Democrats, who were demoralized and in disarray. And Low kept his coalition together. Public servants of all stripes supported him editorially or politically, as Keppler caricatured various leaders of various backgrounds.
The shining moments of New York City’s clean administrations, however, were exceptions, not the rule. Two weeks after this cartoon appeared, a resurgent Tammany machine took back City Hall in the person of George McClellan, son of the Civil War general. And the new Tammany leader, Charles Murphy, ensconced himself as Boss for a long decade thereafter.
At center, New York City Mayor Seth Low sits in a chair reading from a long list of his “Plans for this Week” to a group of reporters. In the vignettes to the right and left, someone is reading from a similar list of announcements, demands, changes to duties, new automobile laws, or simply stating, as in the case of the “Cuban tariff,” a businessman reads “My policy is greed, deceit, dishonor and broken pledges.” The readings take place in the Police Department, in the home of a henpecked husband, in the boarding house, in a kitchen ruled by a servant, in an automobile stopped before a group of country dwellers, and before a Cuban peasant growing sugarcane.
Seth Low had served two terms as Mayor of Brooklyn before its merger with Greater New York City in 1897, and also as President of Columbia University. In all of his works and writings he was recognized as one of the nation’s prominent reformers. As a Republican and Independent, he was ally of Theodore Roosevelt in municipal politics. In 1902, aided by disorganization and fresh scandals within the Democratic Tammany Hall organization, Low ran for mayor on the Citizens Union and Republican tickets and won an impressive victory. Ehrhart’s cartoon makes light of Low’s top-to-bottom reform of municipal government: open contract bidding, publicity of agencies’ activities, posted salaries of civic employees, bureaucrat accountability, reforms of the Board of Aldermen, and what we today call “transparency.” With two years, Democrats and Tammany Hall reorganized, and Low lost his re-election bid in 1904.
Seth Low, possibly as Odysseus, raises a sword labeled “Nonpartisanship” to strike a sea monster labeled “Misrule,” as a woman labeled “Greater New York,” standing on rocks and chained to a rock labeled “Tammany,” tries to get away from the monster.
For a season the New York City municipal election profiled in this cartoon was a “perfect storm” for reformers. The corrupt Democratic “machine” was in decline, its “boss” Richard Croker foolishly having retired to his native Ireland to run the city from afar. Tammany lost local elections and was enmeshed in more scandals than usual. New York City had recently consolidated with the City of New York (hence the label “Greater New York”) and Seth Low, shown here wielding a sword, had been a reforming mayor of Brooklyn who now sought the mayoralty on a Citizens Union ticket. When the Republicans endorsed the independent candidate, he won handily. Two years later, Tammany, having licked its wounds, defeated him by running George B. McLellan, Jr., son of the Civil War general.
President Roosevelt is “delighted” to hear about the Collectorship from Senator Platt. He should ask Nevada N. Stranahan to see Roosevelt. Roosevelt will see Seth Low on Sunday night; he believes he can get everything about the dinner straight, but points out that he cannot guarantee the actions of others.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-11-13
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-30
Cortelyou, George B. (George Bruce), 1862-1940
English