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William Dudley Foulke writes to Edith Roosevelt that Frederick William MacMonnies wants to sculpt a statue of President Roosevelt. Foulke has enclosed a letter from the artist. Foulke sends his congratulations to the president on the recent election results.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-15
President Roosevelt introduces Andrew Carnegie to Alice Jones, who requests Carnegie commission a monument to be created by sculptor William Frederick MacMonnies. Roosevelt praises MacMonnies and fellow sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens as great artists who the current generation will be most indebted to.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-04-09
President Roosevelt had recently finished Owen Wister’s book Lady Baltimore, and sends Wister his thoughts and criticisms of the work. While he enjoyed the story, Roosevelt believes the book is unfairly critical of northerners and uncritical of southerners. Similarly, Roosevelt points out that while the book lauds the past at the expense of the present, there are many examples of violence, brutality, greed, and other vices in the past. Roosevelt also remarks on the status of African-Americans, and while he agrees with Wister in certain regards, believes the work has gone too far in the racist stereotypes. He hopes that Wister will be able to visit him soon. In a postscript, Roosevelt mentions a number of other books he has read or is reading that similarly make readers “feel that there is no use of trying to reform anything because everything is so rotten that the whole social structure should either be let alone or destroyed.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-04-27
Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt asks Noah Seaman to find President Roosevelt’s uniform, which he wore during the war, and to send the uniform to Frederick William MacMonnies. Edith Roosevelt also tells Seaman if James K. Mailler is too busy to do the carpentry work, Seaman can select another carpenter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-14
President Roosevelt invites William Dudley Foulke and Mary T. R. Foulke to lunch when they visit Washington, D.C. The president agrees with Foulke’s opinions about the New York Times and the New York Post and their treatment of Roosevelt. The president wants to be able to consult with Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt about the proposed statue and will send the khaki if she approves.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-17
Sculptor Frederick William MacMonnies has made several requests for information to help him create a sculpture of President Roosevelt, which are presented in this list. MacMonnies is looking specifically for Roosevelt’s army uniform worn during the Spanish-American War, any photographs that may exist of Roosevelt wearing the uniform, and information regarding the sword and belt Roosevelt wore in uniform.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-01