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Newspaper article discussing the invitations of membership sent out by the Constitution Club to well-known men, including President Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-10
President Roosevelt understands why Joseph Bucklin Bishop could not bring General Hubbard and gives Bishop permission to show Hubbard the letter regarding Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw’s position. Roosevelt is concerned about Edward Henry Harriman having supported New York City Mayor-Elect George McClellan.
1903-11-05
The Democratic Donkey, as a woman, sits in a pew in a church with William Jennings Bryan preaching “Jeffersonian Simplicity” from a pulpit. On Bryan’s left are Alton B. Parker, Henry Watterson, and William Randolph Hearst, and among those on his right are New York City Mayor George B. McClellan Jr., former Representative Tom Watson of Georgia, Representative John Sharp Williams of Mississippi, and Senator “Pitchfork Ben” Tillman. All are preaching except Hearst, who righteously looks up to the heavens. In the background, the sun illuminates a stained glass window labeled “Our Thomas” and showing Thomas Jefferson. In a far corner of the church, Grover Cleveland is asleep. Caption: The Democratic Donkey (drowsily) — He-e-e Haw! What a lot of ways to be saved!
If “politics makes strange bedfellows,” the calendar can make them even stranger. Puck Magazine, generally and justly considered a Democratic journal for most of its life, placed itself in agreement with many of the policies of the new president, Theodore Roosevelt, after the assassination of President William McKinley. That is, until the presidential election year of 1904.
New York City Mayor George B. McClellan and Police Commissioner William McAdoo are pictured washing the Tammany Tiger labeled “Corruption” and “Graft.” In the background, Tammany Hall boss Charles F. Murphy is posting a notice for the “Democratic Convention” on July 6 in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Tammany Hall boss Richard Croker, as a pirate, nails a new figurehead labeled “McClellan” to the bow of a ship labeled “Tammany.” The old figurehead labeled “Van Wyck” lies on the ground.
If there is a historical flaw in Joseph Keppler’s cartoon, it is not that the Tammany ship (of the corrupt Democratic organization typically controlling New York City) found it facile to change the figureheads — mayors who were pliant to the will of the Tammany “boss.” Since Boss Tweed and John Kelly and Richard Croker, it had been so for decades.
President Roosevelt thinks he should write to New York City police commissioner Theodore A. Bingham to ask him if Roosevelt can write to Mayor George B. McClellan on Edward J. Bourke’s behalf.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-02-13
President Roosevelt is upset that the Civil Service Commission of the City of New York has refused to bestow commendation upon Edward J. Bourke on the grounds that there is not sufficient evidence of personal risk. Roosevelt explains that Bourke bravely served in multiple naval battles during the Spanish-American War at great personal risk. Roosevelt asks New York City Police Commissioner Bingham to refer the matter to Mayor George B. McClellan or take other appropriate action.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-02-13
President Roosevelt expresses to Columbia University President Butler his conflicted feelings taking personal action in the New York mayoral election. He does not think it wise to attend a dinner in support of William Travers Jerome, because he does not trust Austen G. Fox. He is also hesitant to write anything in support of Jerome, because he fears Jerome may use it “in some totally different contingency.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-10
President Roosevelt apologizes to British Ambassador Durand for the “bother” about the English fleet. Roosevelt is trying to arrange with New York Mayor George B. McClellan for the fleet to visit in November.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-09-08
President Roosevelt believes that “even such a rabbit” as New York City mayor George B. McClellan will be able to “do the decent and courteous thing” following the election regarding the British squadron. In a postscript, he instructs Secretary of the Navy Bonaparte to tell Admiral R. B. Bradford to stop any revolution on Santo Domingo. He also discusses the problem of “the submarine business,” and endorses Bonaparte’s disagreeing with his superior and expert subordinate. However, Roosevelt is concerned that pay discrepancies may cause qualified and desirable men to leave their positions.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-09-04
President Roosevelt requests a meeting with Senator Platt. He does not believe that the Republicans should nominate a candidate to replace Mayor McClellan in Congress as the contest would be hopeless.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-02-01
President Roosevelt had a satisfactory letter from Nevada N. Stranahan and discussion with Nicholas Murray Butler. He does not want a challenge to the congressional seat vacated by Mayor McClellan as it is a hopeless contest.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-02-01
President Roosevelt describes to Lyman Abbott a recent meeting with Episcopal bishops and clergy, including two African Americans. The two men were received without incident, and Roosevelt finds it odd that he could have these men in the White House without a problem but inspires controversy for dining with Booker T. Washington or appointing an African American in the South. While President, Roosevelt does not recall ever scolding the South, but he feels it would be worse to “let them think that they were blameless.” He also notes that Senator Arthur P. Gorman of Maryland is campaigning “largely on the race issue,” even distributing a campaign button depicting Roosevelt dining with Washington. Gorman has also denounced Roosevelt as “against the business interests,” which leads Roosevelt to believe that the Rockefellers back Gorman as they do mayoral candidate George B. McClellan in New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-10-29
Henry Smith asks Theodore Roosevelt for an interview to discuss the desire of the late Frederic Remington to have one of his paintings in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Smith believes Roosevelt admired Remington and hopes Roosevelt will cooperate in the effort to fulfill Remington’s desire.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-11-23
This report summarizes allegations by Inspector Edward B. Linnen related to the construction of a canal in Wyoming which was fraudulently used to claim desert land as having been reclaimed. A second canal was constructed by the company which acquired title to the lands from the original company. In order to effectively irrigate the lands, the second canal had to be constructed in a materially different manner than the first, proving that the first project was a fraud.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-01
This report details how the Big Horn Ditch Company dug an irrigation canal in Wyoming in the 1880s that was not deep enough to irrigate the surrounding land. Nevertheless, government land surrounding the canal was reclaimed based on its alleged irrigation, which the author of the report appears to consider fraudulent. Stockholders in the company include William A. Richards, Commissioner of the General Land Office under President Roosevelt and a former governor of Wyoming. Based on this report, special agents in 1904 required that Red Banks Cattle Company, which owned the land in question and had the same major shareholders as the Big Horn Ditch Company, to deconstruct their enclosures and relinquish the land.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10
John Carter Rose thanks President Roosevelt for hosting him. Rose shares with Roosevelt some additional thoughts about the graduated income tax, abolition of child labor, and the eight-hour work day. Rose argues that while all of these policies are good things, Roosevelt needs to be careful about how he messages them so that he does not alienate any of his supporters. Rose also urges caution in Roosevelt’s criticism of judges and his promotion of progressive judges, as both those actions will jar the legal profession. Rose closes by congratulating Roosevelt on his “moderate revolution.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-19
Oscar S. Straus updates President Roosevelt on the status of the campaigns in New York. Straus is assisting Timothy L. Woodruff, the Chair of the Republican State Committee in New York. He says that while he and Nathan Bijur have their “hands on the pulses on the Eastside,” he is sure that William Randolph Hearst will mislead the people over there. Straus says it is different this year, as Tammany Hall is behind Hearst rather than George B. McClellan. Straus commends Bijur for his work, and says that the leading newspapers of the Eastside are supporting Charles Evans Hughes for Governor.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-12
Frances M. Wolcott writes to President Roosevelt regarding the shipping of bobwhite quail to the estate of Count Pourtales in Silesia. Wolcott also recounts his attendance at the Democratic State Convention in Buffalo, New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-11
Nicholas Murray Butler thinks Herbert Parsons showed far more power of leadership than he had anticipated, and the Republican party has been saved from making a critical blunder. Butler believes that the Republican party will win, but he recognizes the intensity of the political struggle ahead. Professor Hermann Schumacher gave a successful inaugural address, and Butler finds him personally very agreeable.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-28