Missouri

Letter from Henry Cabot Lodge to Theodore Roosevelt

Senator Lodge writes to President Roosevelt from the Republican National Convention in Chicago to update him on some of the events that have occurred thus far. There was previously some talk of compromise with regard to the Kentucky cases, but after receiving Roosevelt’s telegram people accepted that each case had to be dealt with on its own merit. Lodge thinks that the Louisiana compromise was wise, as the Henry C. Warmoth delegates are the only real organization, but have also made declarations about white supremacy that Lodge thinks would not be good to tie the Republican party to. Secretary of War William H. Taft seems likely to receive most of the votes to nominate him to run for the presidency. Lodge will not have much say over the platform, as he will be presiding, but will do what he can. He is glad that Roosevelt’s fall from a horse was not serious.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-09

Letter from John Callan O’Laughlin to Theodore Roosevelt

John Callan O’Laughlin provides President Roosevelt an overview of his impressions of the political mood of the country. O’Laughlin has concluded that Secretary of War William H. Taft will receive the Republican nomination for president, and recounts the various states that he believes will go for Taft, as well as the political figures who he believes should be watched or contacted in the various states. There is still substantial popular support for Roosevelt in the country, and O’Laughlin believes that if Roosevelt were to run he would win. Roosevelt’s action in ordering an investigation of the wage scale of railroad employees is very popular. Taft draws much of his strength comes from his connection to Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-24

Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War Taft updates President Roosevelt with his thoughts about various topics: who to nominate for postmasterships in New York; Senator Borah’s land fraud case; the proposed constitution for Oklahoma in preparation for admittance to the union; the schedule and itinerary for a series of campaign speeches through the Midwest and West; and the address he is preparing concerning the Brownsville Affair. Taft lays out his thoughts concerning the differences between Roosevelt and the likely Democratic nominee William Jennings Bryan’s political philosophies, in particular how they view the accumulation of wealth by individuals and interstate corporations, especially railroads.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-16

Letter from John Willis to Theodore Roosevelt

John Willis sends President Roosevelt a prospectus of his ranch company to show his progress over the past six years. In recognition of all Roosevelt has done for him, Willis wants to present a small number of stocks in his company. He wants to return to Missouri next year. Willis invites Roosevelt and his sons out to his current Montana ranch for hunting.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-09

Letter from James Sullivan Clarkson to William Loeb

James Sullivan Clarkson explains the political situation in Iowa to William Loeb. Clarkson is concerned that a group of powerful men and various corporations is conspiring to control delegations in Iowa and the surrounding states to the detriment of President Roosevelt and Vice President Taft. In particular General Dodge, a close friend of Governor Cumins, is thought to be behind the operation. Clarkson believes that most people will support Roosevelt’s cause, including capitalists who have criticized him in the past. A handwritten note posits that perhaps Dodge is actually on Roosevelt’s side and is influencing matters in his favor.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-24

Letter from James E. Watson to Theodore Roosevelt

Representative Watson describes for President Roosevelt the stump speaking situation in preparation for the November House of Representatives election and focuses on the need for more strong speakers. Watson asks if Roosevelt can give John Lewis Griffiths a leave of absence from his position as Consul to Liverpool because Griffiths’ speaking abilities make him helpful on the campaign trail. Watson also notes that Roosevelt’s letter dismissing the issues in the controversy is the “most effective campaign weapon.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-19

Letter from Leslie M. Shaw to J. S. Sherman

Leslie M. Shaw informs J. S. Sherman that there is no longer doubt about their victory in the congressional campaign after Speaker Cannon’s speech, President Roosevelt’s letter, and Col. Bryan’s acceptance. Shaw recommends sending Republican speakers through neglected Democratic districts in the South where the margin of victory was small to begin cultivating support that might lead to Republican victories in 1916.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-05

Letter from Joseph Gurney Cannon to James Schoolcraft Sherman

Joseph Gurney Cannon recounts for J. S. Sherman his recent trip through Indiana with local Representative James E. Watson. Watson has recently returned from Missouri where he feels hopeful for the election of Frank B. Fulkerson and Cassius McLean Shartel, and recounts a political fight between Senator William Joel Stone and Governor Joseph Wingate Folk for the same seat. Watson went over the situation in Indiana as well, where demand for free hides like in Massachusetts are fueled by the independent press. Watson would like to take up President Roosevelt on his offer to write a letter on the matter. Cannon hopes the president will address the letter to Watson directly.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-30

Letter from James E. Watson to Theodore Roosevelt

James E. Watson writes to Theodore Roosevelt about the upcoming elections for the House of Representatives. Watson suggests that Roosevelt publicly expresses his hope for a Republican House. Watson also announces his campaign for the upcoming elections.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-23

Letter from S. S. McClure to Theodore Roosevelt

S. S. McClure encloses Pastor Charles Wagner’s article about his visit to the White House and Ida Tarbell’s paper on Rockefeller. McClure wants to publish an article about Roosevelt’s first term in the October issue. McClure would like to publish an article explaining Roosevelt’s “Paul Morton letter.” Morton was Second Vice-President of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway System. McClure discusses his recent trip to Ohio, Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, and Wisconsin, and the time he spent with Missouri Governor Joseph Folk, whose leadership he praises. In the letter’s postscript, McClure asks that Edith Roosevelt look over the “conversation part” of the article concerning Wagner’s visit to the White House.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-18

Letter from William Allen White to Theodore Roosevelt

William Allen White tells President Roosevelt that Governor Folk has been working towards enforcing various laws in Missouri and has gathered the strength to do so from Roosevelt’s essay on enforcing laws in New York City.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-16

Letter from Albert Shaw to Theodore Roosevelt

Dr. Albert Shaw of the Review of Reviews explains the delay in receiving and responding to the latest letter from President Roosevelt is due to it being misaddressed. The correspondence regards to their ongoing dispute over whether or not Roosevelt said that Cyrus Packer Walbridge is a better man than Joseph Wingate Folk (opposing candidates for Missouri governor). Shaw explains that Roosevelt had been quoted frequently in Missouri as favoring Democratic candidate Folk for governor, and that Shaw was attempting to correct this by stating that Roosevelt knew Walbridge to be a man of high character. Shaw recounts that Roosevelt wrote to him explaining that he wished to maintain a position of non-interference in state politics, and Shaw meant by his letter to correct what was being stated by Folk and the Democratic Party. Shaw continues to explain why it is wrong that Folk’s people claim Roosevelt’s endorsement and why it should be corrected.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-27

Letter from Albert Shaw to Theodore Roosevelt

Albert Shaw tells President Roosevelt that he would be glad to do “anything whatsoever in my power that I can do in any way about this Missouri correspondence or anything else” if it would be of service to Roosevelt. Shaw can be available to visit Washington, D.C., at any time, and does not require much notice to come down.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-28

Letter from James Wilson to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of Agriculture Wilson informs President Roosevelt that he has attended to his appointments in Colorado and is now en route to Missouri. Wilson believes that Colorado will turn out for Roosevelt in the impending election. He hopes that the Republican candidates for the House of Representatives in the states that he has visited will help the party keep its dominance in Congress.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-22

Letter to Joseph Wingate Folk

The unknown author describes a letter circulating in St. Louis purporting to be from Albert Shaw, who is claiming to represent the views of President Roosevelt. The letter claims that Roosevelt is not supporting Folk in his gubernatorial campaign, and that Cyrus Packard “Walbridge is a better man than Folk.” Roosevelt has denied the authenticity of the letter. The author believes the letter to be genuine and plans to editorialize on it in Collier’s Weekly.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-24

Letter from William Wenkel to Theodore Roosevelt

William Wenkel, secretary to Albert Shaw, writes to President Roosevelt regarding a previous letter that Roosevelt had sent to Shaw about candidates for governor of Missouri Cyrus Packard Walbridge and Joseph Wingate Folk. In his letter, Roosevelt expressed a preference for Walbridge over Folk, and Wenkel points out that this sentiment should not be taken from the context it was given in, as it did not apply to the personal characters of the men, but only to their candidacy for governor.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-26

Letter from Albert Shaw to Theodore Roosevelt

Albert Shaw attempts to set out, to the best of his understanding, the controversy surrounding President Roosevelt’s letters and the gubernatorial campaign in Missouri.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-26

Letter from Leslie M. Shaw to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of the Treasury Shaw writes to President Roosevelt to express his confidence in the success of the Republican Presidential campaign and to say that Judge Alton B. Parker is not inspiring voters. He expresses his opinion that Missouri’s electoral votes will go to Roosevelt, largely on anti-Wall Street feeling. He also sends his schedule for the coming week and expresses his appreciation for Roosevelt’s letter of acceptance.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-21

Letter from Charles W. Fairbanks to Theodore Roosevelt

Senator Fairbanks believes President Roosevelt will have 100,000 plurality votes in Kansas. The leaders believe there is a chance in Missouri, however, Fairbanks is not as confident. Fairbanks states the Bland and William Jennings Bryan wing have no partiality for Judge Alton B. Parker. Fairbanks has mislaid Roosevelt’s line on Canadian reciprocity and would be glad to hear any suggestions from Roosevelt when he is in New York City.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-06

Letter from J. Henry Smythe to William Loeb

J. Henry Smythe met a man, James H. Norman, in St. Louis, who said that he is a friend of Reverend J. M. Buckley, editor of the Christian Advocate, and that Buckley will do anything for him. Smythe tells President Roosevelt’s secretary William Loeb that Buckley can do big things for the Republican Party if he helps in New York. William A. Quayle, who was Charles W. Fairbanks’s pastor in Indianapolis, will vote for President Roosevelt in Missouri.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-06