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Attorney General Bonaparte shares with President Roosevelt the letter by United States District Attorney Asa P. French regarding the investigation of the merger of Hartford and New Haven Railroad and Boston and Maine Railroad.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-23
Secretary of War Taft reviews the history of a proposed meeting between President Roosevelt and representatives of railroad interests. Banker Harry Bowly Hollins, being “fearful of a financial panic through the country,” believed that public confidence could be restored by President Roosevelt meeting with representatives of the railroads about their adherence to the Rate Bill. At first, it was thought the meeting should be with railroad presidents, but subsequently, a meeting with J. Pierpont Morgan was deemed to be better. Having discussed the proposal with Roosevelt, Taft relayed the latter’s doubts about the usefulness of such a meeting, but that he was willing to meet with Morgan, as long as everyone understood it was not at his request.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-03-11
President Charles S. Mellen of the Northern Pacific Railroad announced to his friends that he is supporting President Roosevelt for the Republican nomination and will contribute $10,000 to the Republican campaign fund. This was surprising to many since Roosevelt was trying to dissolve the Northern Securities Company of which the Northern Pacific Railroad is a part.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-06-11
President Roosevelt is surprised at what Senator Lodge says about Edward Henry Harriman, and notes that he is skeptical of the motives of Charles S. Mellen and T. E. Byrnes in light of their actions against Charlie Morse during a steamboat merger several years ago. Lodge’s letter is so private that Roosevelt does not want to bring it to Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte, and asks Lodge or any other people concerned to send another letter which can be put on file at the Department of Justice. In a handwritten postscript, Roosevelt offers sympathy and concern in light of the news that Lodge’s sister is dying.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-05-28
President Roosevelt has called in Charles Patrick Neill regarding the employers’ liability bill and tells Attorney General Bonaparte that Congress may have to recall the bill to avoid it being ruled unconstitutional. Roosevelt thought that suit was going to be brought regarding “the trolley line business,” as he thought it was a clear violation of the law.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-17
President Roosevelt thanks U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Asa P. French for the letter, and says that French is one of the people who helped him the whole time. Roosevelt asks French to write to Senator Henry Cabot Lodge about some of the details regarding trolley lines in Massachusetts.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-04
President Roosevelt has received George Cabot Lee’s letter and the enclosed magazine, although he takes issue with the fact that the article about trusts and stakeholders in it does not account for the facts as the administration has to face them. The stakeholders of a corporation are responsible for the actions of that corporation, and many corporations are owned in large part by their stakeholders. Thus it is the stakeholders’s responsibility to ensure that the corporation’s officials are behaving properly. The problem currently is that corporate organization shields guilty parties from facing responsibility for their actions, with agents being imprisoned for misconduct and the owners “go scot-free” or the corporation gets fined, even though it is their orders that lead to the wrongdoing. He does not believe in “letting bygones be bygones” and wants to abide by the statute of limitations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-01-13
President Roosevelt writes to Secretary Bonaparte regarding railroad tycoon Charles. S. Mellen’s legal issues. The district courts of Massachusetts are examining the legality of Mellen’s lines, and Roosevelt is closely monitoring this issue.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-06-09
President Roosevelt informs James Speyer that there are individuals who are critical of Speyer’s proposed scholarship, which would require that a Jewish scholar would be appointed by everyone. Roosevelt, George B. Cortelyou, Paul Morton, Elihu Root, and William H. Taft all agree with Speyer’s scholarship stipulations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-05-22
President Roosevelt feels that Interstate Commerce Commissioner Prouty has made a strong case. He remarks that he wishes the Senators from Vermont could be convinced to take a stand for railway rate legislation. Commissioner of Corporations James Rudolph Garfield’s report is complete, and Roosevelt hopes that the Interstate Commerce Commission will go into the case of railroad and oil transportation matters as thoroughly as soon as possible. In the meantime, he asks whether Prouty is going to look up the combinations involved in the anthracite coal business as well as those in bituminous coal.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-04-21
President Roosevelt asks Attorney General Moody to back up Charles S. Mellens’ position on the railroad rates bill if it is “consistent with propriety” for him to do so. Mellen is “a first class fellow.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-20
President Roosevelt believes that Alton B. Parker’s speech is poor and only shows his adroitness in avoiding difficult positions. The wealthy scoundrels are his greatest backers. There is not an ounce of honesty in his position on independence for the Philippines.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-11
President Roosevelt is still not sure if he should go to the meeting of the Grand Army of the Republic. While he is sure it would do some good, he also believes it would do more harm. If he spoke to the group, it would be difficult for him to refuse to talk to people associated with labor issues, which he does not want on Labor Day. Roosevelt is pleased that Lodge likes his speech, and asks if Lodge can come to visit him at Oyster Bay.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-30
President Roosevelt hopes that Thomas E. Byrnes can influence Representative James A. Tawney and Mr. Stevens towards favoring Cuban reciprocity. Roosevelt speaks of a kind letter from Mr. Mellen.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-10-12
Austin B. Fletcher invites Theodore Roosevelt and Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt to dinner on February 2 with many prominent individuals.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-01-11
Frank Knox thanks Theodore Roosevelt for his courtesy and found the luncheon at the Astro Club “most interesting.” He suspects Charles S. Mellen of trying to “put one across” again and feels Edgar J. Rich overly emphasizes the need for immediate legislation regarding the Boston and Maine railroad’s illegal rates. Knox shares further concerns and thoughts about New Hampshire’s fight against the railroads.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1910-12-10
Senator Lodge asserts his views that Edward Henry Harriman’s attempt to gain control of the Boston & Maine railroad is a real threat, verified independently of Charles S. Mellen and T. E. Byrnes. The legislation introduced would allow the state to maintain control of the railroad. Lodge does not want Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte to direct District Attorney Asa P. French to stop the dividends of the railroad until it is possible to pass legislation protecting the state.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-05-30
Senator Lodge discusses legislation and other steps being taken regarding the Boston & Maine Railroad merger to prevent Edward Henry Harriman from gaining control of that railroad and consolidate it with his other holdings. Various other financiers would like to retain their stock in the Boston & Maine. In a handwritten postscript, Lodge says that he may not make it to the Republican National Convention in Chicago because his sister is dying.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-05-27
Fred W. Carpenter, secretary to Secretary of War William H. Taft, returns a letter to President Roosevelt that Taft had borrowed.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-13
Charles S. Mellen acknowledges that the stock of The New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad Company has shrunk tremendously, but notes that all railroad stocks have fallen and all railroad corporations are subject to attacks from the government. Mellen cannot guarantee what is going to happen but there is nothing to “warrant apprehension regarding the dividends.” Connecticut Senator Morgan G. Bulkeley assures Mellen that as long as he is an honest man he is in no danger of going behind bars, though Mellen notes that determining if a man is honest depends on one’s point of view.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-30