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Theodore Roosevelt hopes that he can appoint Aaron Johns as Justice of the Peace. Roosevelt is fine with any title John Burroughs selects for the book. Roosevelt is glad that Burroughs liked his final word on the “nature faker” controversy.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-03
President Roosevelt sends Ernest Hamlin Abbott, and the Abbott family as a whole, an advanced copy of Caspar Whitney’s upcoming article on nature-fakers for The Outing. Roosevelt wants the family to review it, so they understand “not to lend the weight of names . . . to help a noxious impostor.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-23
President Roosevelt agrees with Caspar Whitney that “it is intensely irritating to be obliged to make a serious argument against a creature” like William J. Long, but says he felt compelled to do so.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-14
President Roosevelt greatly appreciates District Attorney Stimson’s letter. While Roosevelt finds parts of naturalist William J. Long’s book charming, on the whole, he remarks on “what a shame it is that a man who has that charming touch should spoil it by writing such utter nonsense.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-14
President Roosevelt is greatly interested in the symposium Edward William Nelson has organized to discuss “nature fakers.” He invites Nelson, C. Hart Merriam, and Vernon Bailey to lunch to discuss the matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-05
President Roosevelt thanks Robert Williams Wood for the copy of his book, and thanks him for his comment on the work of naturalist William J. Long and other “nature fakers.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-02
John Burroughs read Theodore Roosevelt’s reply to Abbott Thayer in The Outlook, “You cut the ground from under him every time.” Burroughs has not yet seen Thayer’s article in Popular Science Monthly, but plans to get it upon his return home. Burroughs sends Roosevelt the table of contents for his new book. The volume he hopes to put out next year will include Pine Knot. Burroughs suggests that Roosevelt read Henri Bergson’s Creative Evolution.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-29
John Burroughs has not received the issue of The Outlook with Theodore Roosevelt’s reply to Abbott Handerson Thayer. Burroughs requests to have that issue, as well as another containing Roosevelt’s work, sent to him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-25
John M. Phillips appreciates the pamphlet on “Concealing Coloration in Birds and Mammals” sent by Theodore Roosevelt and thinks it is a valuable contribution to the scientific field. He denigrates Abbott Handerson Thayer’s views on camouflage and is glad that Roosevelt will be writing a letter to the editor of The Open. He also appreciated Roosevelt’s words against William J. Long’s fake natural history.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-16
F. B. Conley lauds Henry David Thoreau’s Autumnal Tints and compares the recent Borroughs publication. He wonders if critics can accurately critique modern work.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-16
Author B. S. Osbon sends William Loeb a copy of his book to enjoy during the time away from his “strenuous office life.” He also sends his recently written satire on nature fakers and asks Loeb to give it to President Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-24
Journalist Edward B. Clark forwards to President Roosevelt a copy of naturalist William J. Long’s book Northern Trails. Clark would like Roosevelt’s estimate of the accuracy of Long’s portrayal of the “white wolf tale.” He apologizes for having taken up so much of Roosevelt’s time already. Clark promises to send Roosevelt the magazine article after it is written.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-02-06
Joel Chandler Harris tells President Roosevelt, “You see–It’s this way about a rabbit–” In Harris’s pocket is the “Story of the Dog Flash.” By Roosevelt’s chair is the book, “Nature Faking by T. Roosevelt,” and behind his chair are two men: “fakir” and “nature fakir.” There are mounted animals: a bear, a moose, a raccoon, a deer, and a mouse. They say, “What’s that?” “Gee whiz!” “Did you hear what that man said?” “The biggest one I ever heard” and “You don’t say so!” respectively. In the foreground is a turtle that says, “I’m a nature fakir myself!”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-19
President Roosevelt walks into a clearing of animals with his rifle where a snake, bear, cougar, and rabbit holding signs that read “Immune. I’m a ‘practical’ varmint,” “Immune. Grandfather of the teddy-bear,” “Immune. Testified against fakirs,” and “Immune. A friend of John Burroughs.” Caption: Prepared.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-23
President Roosevelt falls asleep at Oyster Bay, New York, with the book, “Nature and Nature Fakers,” beside him. More than 20 sea gulls look at him. Caption: Dr. John B. Watson of Chicago University says he has discovered that sea gulls have a language. — News Item.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-03
In the first vignette, a man takes notes on animals, which all appreciate his observations and that he isn’t shooting at them. Caption: 1 — After you had studied wild animals for years — In the second vignette, a man takes pictures of animals, which are all willing to look good for the pictures. Caption: 2 — And photographed them — . In the third vignette, the man writes on a paper entitled, “Wild Animals By One Who Has Studied Them,” with two books — How to Observe Wild Creatures Without Killing Them and Nature Study vs. Animal Slaughter — on the ground. Caption: 3 — And written books about them — . In the fourth vignette, President Roosevelt with a “big stick” throws the man into a room with several others and says, “You’re a nature faker” amidst “the Persona Non-Grata Coterie.” Caption: 4 — If you suddenly found yourself disposed of as above? Wouldn’t it jounce you?
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-05-28
Theodore Roosevelt writes to his son Kermit and daughter-in-law Belle about his trip to the West Indies with Edith, specifically about spending time with William Beebe and three other naturalists. Roosevelt gives updates on the family and says he and Edith smile every time they think of Kermit, Belle, and baby Kermit.
1916-03-04
President Roosevelt is glad that Frederick Courteney Selous is going to publish Julius Fleischmann’s observation of a crocodile attacking a rhinoceros. Roosevelt thanks Selous for the books he sent, and looks forward to the receipt of other publications.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-04
President Roosevelt approves the use of a portion of a manuscript by George Shiras about wolves for publication in The Outing Magazine. Roosevelt reminds Caspar Whitney to use the excerpt as a repudiation of William J. Long’s writings.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-16
President Roosevelt provides details about his experience as a hunter and a naturalist for Caspar Whitney, editor of The Outing Magazine, for his upcoming article on the nature fakers controversy.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-04