Moran, John B., 1859-1909

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt asks Senator Lodge to review his speeches, and states that it is best to attack “Hearstism” and “Moranism” without naming anyone. For Roosevelt is aiming his criticism “more at agitators, at corrupt or sinister or foolish visionaries, at reckless slanders in the newspapers and magazines, and at preachers of social unrest and discontent,” rather than any political movement as a whole, because he sees that all matters, of labor or capital, should be met fairly. Roosevelt also shares his thoughts about Republican candidate Charles Evans Hughes and the upcoming election for governor of New York. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-16

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Theodore Roosevelt

President Roosevelt cannot find his shotguns and asks if his son Theodore Roosevelt if he might know of their whereabouts. Roosevelt updates Ted on his activities and wishes to know how things are for him at Harvard College. Roosevelt mentions that the members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians from Boston disapproved of Boston District Attorney John B. Moran’s conduct toward Ted in the assault charges made against him and Shaun Kelley, a fellow student at Harvard. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-09

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt congratulates Senator Lodge on his speech, as well as one from former Governor of Massachusetts John Lewis Bates. Roosevelt recently gave a speech in Harrisburg, and although he would not denounce his opponents by name, he calls out the “demagogs” and “agitators.” Roosevelt is concerned that the “corporation men” are swayed to vote for the Democratic candidates, believing the Republican party is likely to impose government regulations opposed to their interests. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-08

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt

President Roosevelt updates his son Kermit Roosevelt on his older brother’s well being and visit home to the White House, sharing “that little bird was very, very glad indeed to get back in the nest.” Roosevelt agrees with Dean of Harvard College Bryon S. Hurlbut that his son Theodore Roosevelt, Ted, has been given undue negative attention from Boston District Attorney John B. Moran who merely wants “to make political capital for himself.” Roosevelt has been busy, but tells Kermit he has time to take a ride with his mother, Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-07

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Byron S. Hurlbut

President Roosevelt updates Dean of Harvard College Hurlbut on his son Theodore Roosevelt’s well-being after returning home in need of comfort and rest after his arrest. Roosevelt believes that Ted is defending his friend and fellow Harvard student Shaun Kelly by choosing not to press charges against the policemen who wrongfully held and struck Ted. Roosevelt also wants to forgo any further charges because he wants Ted to remain focused on his schoolwork, and wishes him to remain out of future public scrutiny. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-07

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt thanks Senator Lodge for the letter informing him and his wife about their son, Ted, who does not write home often enough. Roosevelt wrote to Ted an “earnest and truthful” letter about his “folly.” Roosevelt also informs Lodge of the meeting in Cuba between Secretary of War William H. Taft, First Assistant Secretary of State Robert Bacon, and Cuban President Tomas Estrada Palma. The temporary agreement for a provisional government with military support from the United States will help secure peace while Cuba begins self-government. Roosevelt hopes this will secure Cuba’s liberty, and any future policy will be in the “permanent interests of both Cuba and the United States.” Roosevelt also has acted to “prevent hurt” to the Republican nominees in the upcoming state elections, particularly in New York, and New York City. Wealthy business men, like William Randolph Hearst, and “Bourbon reactionaries” are running for office to gain political power, not for the “have-nots,” but to deflect regulations on their wealth. Roosevelt believes Charles Evans Hughes is the right man to run against Hearst for governor, as he will enact progressive reforms with a fair mind.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-01

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt tells Senator Lodge that he plans to “convulse the googoos and mugwumps with horror by taking the chance to write a letter making as strong a plea as I know how for the election of a Republican Congress.” He agrees with Lodge regarding organized labor, and comments on several political candidates. Roosevelt additionally describes some of his recent sailing and rowing adventures he has gone on with his family.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-09

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt thanks Senator Lodge for the letter regarding Assistant Secretary of the Treasury James Burton Reynolds, and promises to not pay any heed to action taken against him. Roosevelt wishes action could be taken against Massachusetts District Attorney John B. Moran, who is undertaking a politically motivated investigation of Reynolds. Roosevelt compares Moran with William Travers Jerome of New York.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt tells Senator Lodge that Mr. Lane could not be appointed to the position Lodge was discussing, as it must go to someone from Maryland or Delaware. He as instead appointed General Felix Agnus. Roosevelt has been concerned about the conviction of Lodge’s private secretary, Robert G. Proctor. Other cases with far more evidence of wrongdoing have resulted in acquittals, and Roosevelt believes the verdict in Proctor’s case was politically motivated. He comments that the present Congress has had a better record than any other Congress he knows of, but that he is wary for a “smash” in the following sessions.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-03

Letter from Henry Cabot Lodge to Theodore Roosevelt

Senator Lodge explains the urgency in the matter of appointments in the Atlantic Fleet from his previous letter. Lodge is also very disappointed at the results of the most recent election. While Republicans won some key districts, Democrats, especially in states like New York, had a particularly strong showing that is disheartening and concerning.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-07

Letter from Henry Cabot Lodge to Theodore Roosevelt

Senator Lodge did not intend to cause an inconvenience for President Roosevelt by sending his previous letter. He agrees with Secretary of State Elihu Root that Roosevelt should not write any more letters about the current campaign, and especially not letters regarding William Randolph Hearst or John B. Moran. Lodge explains his motivation for sending his previous letter. He remarks that much has been said about the dangers of capitalists and corporations, but demagogues will have to be addressed eventually. He does not want Roosevelt to take any action, but simply wanted to let him know his thoughts.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-25

Letter from Henry Cabot Lodge to Theodore Roosevelt

Senator Lodge agrees with President Roosevelt’s decision not to provide a letter of support for Lodge’s son-in-law, Augustus Peabody Gardner. Although Gardner’s campaign to keep his seat in Congress is not going well, others are doing what they can to support him. Lodge is also somewhat concerned about the Republican race for Governor of Massachusetts against John B. Moran. The Panama labor question is being used against many political candidates who voted with the administration. On another matter, it may be worthwhile for Secretary of War Taft to respond to James H. Blount, who has been making speeches about the Philippines which are harmful to the administration of the islands.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-23

Letter from Henry Cabot Lodge to Theodore Roosevelt

Senator Lodge suggests to President Roosevelt that, despite the importance of regulating and controlling corporate capital, there are other, more immediate dangers in the present election, including the candidacies of the Democrats, William Randolph Hearst and John B. Moran, who are running for governorships in New York and Massachusetts, respectively. Lodge also makes a point to tell Roosevelt how much he liked his speech in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Lodge believes the Republican candidate for governor of New York, Charles Evans Hughes, is doing admirably.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-18

Letter from Henry Cabot Lodge to Theodore Roosevelt

Senator Lodge tells President Roosevelt that nothing more is expected of him regarding the bill. Representative Augustus Peabody Gardner is facing a particularly close race, especially with the mounting criticism he faces from Samuel Gompers, but he completely understands Roosevelt’s position. Organized labor is making for difficult races in New York and Massachusetts, and while Lodge believes that the Republican Party will succeed in carrying the House of Representatives, he is nervous about those two states.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-16

Letter from Henry Cabot Lodge to Theodore Roosevelt

Senator Lodge feels that President Roosevelt’s denunciations of demagogues and agitators are often subsumed by his denunciations of trusts, and urges Roosevelt to pay attention to both in the upcoming elections. The question is how to defeat them without making the public feel they are just as dangerous as the demagogues. As an example, Lodge mentions General Stephen Minot Weld, who is the kind of man they depend on for support and who they do not want to frighten into thinking, rightly or wrongly, that they are as extreme as the Hearsts and Morans are.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-13

Letter from Henry Cabot Lodge to Stephen Minot Weld

Senator Lodge writes to Stephen Minot Weld about rumors of an inheritance tax being proposed. Lodge points out that the country has a budget surplus and is not in need of raising money, but says that he finds inheritance tax to be one valid method of raising funds for civilized nations. Lodge thinks rich men should pay tax upon their property to even the burden. Public ownership of property, for which William Jennings Bryan, John B. Moran, and others are calling, verges on socialism and could cause disaster. Lodge is confident in President Roosevelt’s stand against government ownership.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-09

Letter from Henry Cabot Lodge to Theodore Roosevelt

Henry Cabot Lodge discusses the upcoming elections. He thinks the Republican Party will carry the House, but worries about Massachusetts and New York. The Republican National Convention went “without a ripple” thanks to Winthrop Murray Crane, William H. Moody, and others. There are still bad feelings around Representative Charles Curtis, though. Ex-Governor John Lewis Bates, who took his unmerited defeat in “the most manly way,” gave one of the best speeches Lodge has ever heard. Lodge discusses District Attorney John B. Moran’s treatment of Theodore Roosevelt Jr. Moran, who is running for Governor of Massachusetts, supports William Jennings Bryan and William Randolph Hearst and his platform reads like a “manifesto of a Jacobian Club.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-06

Partial page of the Boston Herald

Newspaper clipping featuring various articles from evening edition of The Boston Herald. Notably, an article detailing the activities of District Attorney John B. Moran, who is taking rest after the strain of his duties as both district attorney and his campaign for governor of Massachusetts.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-05

Letter from Byron S. Hurlbut to Theodore Roosevelt

Dean Hurlbut of Harvard College writes to President Roosevelt about the reported troubles and recent arrest of his son, Theodore Roosevelt Jr. Moran is turning it into a political matter, attempting to harm Roosevelt through his son, who was struck by the police when arrested. Francis R. Bangs and John Perkins will look after Theodore’s best interests. Hurlbut hopes the story comes to light and he apologizes for the president’s son’s poor treatment.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-05

Letter from Frederic Jesup Stimson to Theodore Roosevelt

Frederic Jesup Stimson informs President Roosevelt that all the men at Harvard College with whom he has conferred agree that Roosevelt’s son Theodore Roosevelt, has behaved well. Stimson thinks that District Attorney John B. Moran dragging his son before a grand jury is a political stunt. Stimson plans to vote the straight Republican ticket. He also commends Roosevelt, Secretary of War William H. Taft, and Attorney General William H. Moody for the work they have been doing. Stimson regrets missing Moody in Boston, and thinks it is too bad that Moody cannot become a Supreme Court justice.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-04