National Civic Federation

President Roosevelt tells former Mayor Low that the idea he has suggested has already been raised by Secretary of Commerce and Labor Oscar S. Straus and National Civic Federation founder John Mitchell. Roosevelt doubts the possibility of applying the semi-official gift from the Nobel Foundation and applying it to a private enterprise like the Civic Federation. He hopes a plan can be worked out, but notes that neither his name nor Alfred Nobel’s name should be “swallowed up in any private movement.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-20

Silas McBee shares his thoughts on truthfulness in public life with President Roosevelt, and asks if Roosevelt is aware that W. H. Mallock is preaching for the National Civic Federation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-16

Seth Low congratulates President Roosevelt on the Nobel Peace Prize and suggests that the National Civic Federation might be useful in the disposition of the award money. Low thinks it preferable to “strengthen what already exists” rather than “build up something entirely new.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-18

August Belmont heard from Douglas Robinson that President Roosevelt would like to speak with him. Belmont is happy to meet with Roosevelt on his way down to South Carolina, where Belmont will spend the holidays. Belmont also congratulates Roosevelt on winning the Nobel Peace Prize, and hopes to speak with Roosevelt about some “permanent method of cooperation” between Roosevelt’s prize fund and the National Civic Federation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-17

Oscar S. Straus was glad to learn President Roosevelt did not accept an honorary position as president of the National Civic Federation, as contingencies could easily arise within that organization to put Roosevelt in a bad light. Straus also asks that he might be permitted to discuss the possible replacements for Ambassador McCormick before that selection is final.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-14

Theodore Roosevelt introduces Ralph M. Easley to Alfred Zimmern, who is interested in the Civic Federation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-11-04

Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary asks Hazel H. Plate if they intend to publish the speech Roosevelt gave at the National Civic Federation’s annual meeting. If so, he would like a copy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02-02

Theodore Roosevelt agrees with Seth Low in the use of the National Civic Federation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1910-12-30

Theodore Roosevelt approves of the work being done by the Women’s Department of the National Civic Federation and discusses women’s rights. He believes the success of the movement to acknowledge women’s equality with men in political rights will be depend on its concrete results. If women do their duty better for having those rights, then they should have them. Their primary duty is in the home. If Roosevelt believed that women would not fulfill those duties well because they gained the right to vote, he would not advocate for them to have that right; just as he would not advocate for men to have political rights if he believed that their having them would take them from their prime duty of providing for their wives and families.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-03-29

President Roosevelt asks Seth Low to thank the Civic Federation, and asks them not to give a dinner in his honor. Roosevelt intends only to act as a private citizen before his trip to Africa and will take no speaking engagements. He also thanks Low for a second letter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-28

President Roosevelt has received public printer John S. Leech’s telegram, and directs him to restore William J. Manning and keep the emergency room as it was. Roosevelt asks Leech to explain his reference to a letter from William L. Mattocks. He does not intend to interfere with the details of Leech’s work, but he expects any direction he gives to be followed. It appears to Roosevelt that Leech has undone work of the National Civic Federation in creating a model emergency room in the Government Printing Office, and Roosevelt does not want the work of former Public Printer Charles A. Stillings undone in this regard.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-11

President Roosevelt will show Seth Low’s letter to Secretary of War William H. Taft, and he is sure Taft will be pleased. Roosevelt expects to read about Low’s work in the campaign after October 1. He is glad that John Mitchell took a position offered by the National Civic Federation to act as a mediator in labor issues.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-27

President Roosevelt tells Senator Beveridge that there seems to be a general sentiment against Beveridge’s child labor law. Roosevelt also comments on the possibility of finding a position for Spencer F. Eddy. The latter will depend on whether there are other people in the service who deserve it more. If Roosevelt does find a place for Eddy, it will likely be in South America.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-07

President Roosevelt informs Ambassador Reid that the National Civic Federation’s committee studying municipal ownership of utilities has largely finished their investigations in the United States and will be traveling to Europe shortly. Because of the importance of the subject, Roosevelt feels the government should support it in any way it can, and he asks Reid to do everything in his power to assist. He includes a list of the members of the committee.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-05-19

President Roosevelt expresses concern over the failure of the convention on joint interstate agreement to agree to a settlement on the scale of wages for bituminous mining. He is concerned that the threatened strike will have a negative affect on industrial peace, business interests, and the general welfare of the country. He believes that as chairmen of the National Civic Federation trade agreement committee, Francis L. Robbins and John Mitchell have a duty to make further efforts to avert a strike.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-02-24

President Roosevelt expresses concern over the failure of the convention on joint interstate agreement to agree to a settlement on the scale of wages for bituminous mining. He is concerned that the threatened strike will have a negative affect on industrial peace, business interests, and the general welfare of the country. He believes that as chairmen of the National Civic Federation trade agreement committee, John Mitchell and Francis L. Robbins have a duty to make further efforts to avert a strike.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-02-24

Ralph M. Easely responds to Theodore Roosevelt’s recent article, “The Standard Oil Decision – And After.” finding it relevant and true even if it had been written prior to the decision on the American Tobacco Company case. He remarks that, should the United States compete with foreign countries, “it cannot be hobbled by restrictions like those imposed by the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.” Easely encloses a leaflet issued by the National Civic Federation and has marked paragraphs relevant to his discussion of trust regulation, though he remarks that Seth Low has not yet named the sub-committee it refers to. Easely closes by congratulating Roosevelt on his recent “whack” on those who fight for peace at any price, comparing Roosevelt’s views of international peace and his own on “industrial peace.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-02

Knowing of Theodore Roosevelt’s interest in industrial safety, John T. Clarke calls his attention to a number of reports detailing rates of accidents in the operation and use of elevators. New York, which lacks appropriate laws, has much higher rates of incidents than several nearby states which have passed legislation on safety measures. Clarke asks if some of Roosevelt’s friends who are member of the National Civic Federation could advocate for the passage of similar safety legislation in all states.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-01-09

Creator(s)

Clarke, John T.

In connection with Theodore Roosevelt’s upcoming address at the annual meeting of the National Civic Federation, John Mitchell will be sending a tentative draft of a bill drawn up by the Federation’s legal committee.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-01-07

Ralph M. Easley informs President Roosevelt that John Mitchell is being encouraged by Democrats and labor unions to run for Governor of Illinois, but that Mitchell is on the fence. Mitchell has also been suggested as a vice-presidential candidate for the Democratic ticket, but will not accept, as it will hurt many of his Republican friends. Easley asks Roosevelt to urge Mitchell to join the National Civic Federation, as that is where he believes he would be of the most use, and which Mitchell has been advised to do by other people as well.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-17