Murdock, Victor

Gary M. Lavergne provides an introduction to a document written by John Millicent Parker of Louisiana who lobbied President Woodrow Wilson to allow General Leonard Wood and Theodore Roosevelt to form a division for service in World War I. Lavergne edited Parker’s recollection and John A. Gable provides an introduction to the article. Parker discusses his relationships with Wilson and Roosevelt and details his May 1917 White House meeting with Wilson. Parker notes the points he raised with Wilson arguing for a command for both Wood and Roosevelt, and he also details Wilson’s rebuttal and his refusal to allow the formation of a division by the two most famous veterans of the Spanish-American War.

A photograph of Parker and Roosevelt onboard a boat in 1915 accompanies the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

This newspaper article draws a correlation between the Thirty Years’ War in Europe that brought freedom to the people of the German empire and the end of the thirty-year-old custom of calculating postal weights in a way that benefitted railroads and no one else. The author believes getting rid of this custom will bring greater and fairer benefits to both railroads and the public.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-06

Joseph Brognard Wright writes to announce a meeting for October 15, 1913, to prepare Progressive Party leaders who will speak throughout the state in the coming weeks. The letterhead is from the Office of the County Committee representing the Progressive Party of Middlesex County, New Jersey.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1913-10-11

Theodore Roosevelt has written to Victor Murdock as requested.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-01-19

On the left is Theodore Roosevelt, hand resting on a sledgehammer labeled “My Policies,” standing at the entrance to his shop “T. Roosevelt Horseshoer & Wheelwright” with “Dr. Abbott” at his side. A sign on the wall states, “Autos, Air-ships & Bicycles Repaired.” Road signs labeled “Republican Turnpike” are pointing into the background. At center and right is a jumble of ruined vehicles. A small wagon labeled “Direct Primaries” is being pulled in opposite directions by “Gov. Hughes” and “Wadsworth.” “Beveridge” gestures toward a wagon labeled “Indiana Campaign” that has lost a wheel. President Taft is driving a sulky labeled “Aldrich Tariff,” drawn by the Republican elephant, that has lost the rim to one wheel. A woman labeled “Woman’s Suffrage” is holding a bicycle with damaged tires. “La Follette” is pointing to the foot of a horse labeled “Wisconsin Campaign.” “Parsons” and “Woodruff” are in an automobile that has had an accident, while “Murdock” appears to be kicking one of the tires. An airplane labeled “Conservation,” with “Pinchot” and “Garfield” on board, has crashed into a tree labeled “Ballinger.” Also in the mix is a man labeled “Poindexter,” and in the background is “Penrose” walking away from an automobile accident labeled “Pennsylvania.” In the lower left corner is the shadow of the Democratic donkey.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1910-08-03

Minutes of the December 2, 1914, meeting of the Executive Committee of the Progressive National Committee. State reports were delivered and a general discussion was held regarding the future of the national organization. In view of the Progressive Party’s showing in the recent election, with 1,750,000 votes in 37 states, the Committee issued a public statement reaffirming Progressive principles and announcing the date of the party’s next convention. The statement made particular reference to the Progressive Party’s stance on the tariff and called for the creation of a “permanent expert non-partisan tariff commission.” Senator Dixon resigned as chairman of the National Committee and Victor Murdock was recommended as temporary chairman until the National Committee could select a new chair.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-12-02

Minutes of the April 16, 1913, meeting of the Executive Committee of the Progressive National Committee. States had pledged $51,000 for the year, and $12,000 had been collected, supplemented by about $3,000 from other sources. All but a few hundred dollars of the revenue was expended or encumbered. Committee members pledged various levels of income from their respective states for the remainder of the year. Hon. Victor Murdock, floor leader of the Progressives in the House of Representatives, reported there would be a Congressional Committee to help nominate and elect Progressive candidates in the 1914 election. Subcommittees were appointed to direct financial matters and to make decisions related to the Progressive Bulletin.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1913-04-16

Theodore Roosevelt clarifies what his position was during the 1912 Republican Convention. He would not accept the nomination himself nor support anyone else nominated on a “fraudulent roll-call,” but he would have accepted any man nominated by the Convention had they purged the roll.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-12-21

The quote from Victor Murdock stating that Theodore Roosevelt is supporting Mr. Weeks is a fake. Currently, the Progressive Party is not competitive anywhere outside of California but the party’s situation could change. Roosevelt suggests that national defense could be an important issue that the Wilson administration is ignoring.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-04-10

Theodore Roosevelt tells George W. Perkins that he agrees with William Dudley Foulke’s stance on national defense. While it is good to be on record about how they feel about the Tariff Commission, Roosevelt points out people care more about national defense. Roosevelt also agrees that Victor Murdock is right about emphasizing their fidelity to the Progressive Party’s 1912 platform.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-03-05

Theodore Roosevelt is not able to write political letters of the kind that Charles Burdsall requests.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-02-22

Theodore Roosevelt tells Meyer Lissner that Victor Murdock is now the Chairman of the National Committee and the recognized spokesman for the Progressive party. Roosevelt encourages Lissner to write to Murdock directly.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-02-13

Theodore Roosevelt informs Meyer Lissner that Victor Murdock, chairman of the Progressive Party’s national executive committee, had promised to meet with him and George W. Perkins, but the recent death of his mother required that he travel to Kansas. Murdock has since returned, and Roosevelt presumes the “choice” will be made at once, with as little publicity as possible.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-01-27

Theodore Roosevelt expresses his admiration of Chester H. Rowell and says he suggested Rowell as a candidate for chairman of the Progressive Party’s national committee. However, the general feeling favored a candidate from the geographic center of the country. Roosevelt agrees that the reaction against the Progressive Party was temporary, a “stomach vote.” He says there are many opinions on the future of the party and that he has received contradictory advice ranging from continuing the fight to rejoining the Republican Party. He does not want to abandon “forward movement” through the Progressive Party, but admits it is currently impossible in many areas of the country.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-12-17

Theodore Roosevelt comments on the future of the Progressive Party; a party of “sane radicalism, sane progress.” He agrees that Victor Murdock or Raymond Robins should lead the party as they represent the practical politics and western strength of the Progressives. The conservative reaction hurt the party in 1914 as businessmen were not willing to follow George W. Perkins and were “savage” against Amos Pinchot types. Roosevelt believes they should have emphasized the party’s economic program and opposition to President Wilson. He concludes by defending Perkins’s work, funding, and leadership of the party.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-12-11

Theodore Roosevelt tells John Milliken Parker that the Republicans have returned to power with the most extreme reactionaries but it is not possible for them to permanently win with that leadership. The Democrats also cannot be supported under the Wilson regime.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-11-12

Theodore Roosevelt would like Gifford Pinchot to write a few lines about the Roosevelt Dam. Roosevelt disagrees with Kent supporting Mann for Speaker. Business in Congress has shown Roosevelt that their supporters want to have a separate ticket.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1913-03-28

Theodore Roosevelt hopes that his party will run Victor Murdock for Speaker. Roosevelt also hopes the “near-Progressives” will join with them.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1913-03-19

Theodore Roosevelt has written to Governor Stubbs and Representative Murdock regarding the election. He hopes that Senator Bristow will run for reelection as a Progressive. Roosevelt believes that it would be a calamity to try and remove George W. Perkins from the party and encloses a letter he wrote Gifford Pinchot on the subject.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-11-19

President Roosevel thanks Frank P. MacLennan for his letter. He is glad to have seen MacLennan and been able to say to Representative Victor Murdock what “he so rightly deserved.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-05-05