Your TR Source
Theodore Roosevelt enjoyed the account of L. H. Mosier’s experience with a tiger. He found the account believable and sees nothing supernatural or miraculous about the event.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1916-02-03
President Roosevelt responds to a letter from Douglas W. Clinch, sharing his opinion that Charles G. D. Roberts and William J. Long write fiction in regards to nature matters.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-06
President Roosevelt addresses the entire editorial board of The Outlook, as he is unsure which particular editor “had his mind all turned askew” by the writings of William J. Long. Roosevelt appreciates The Outlook’s coverage of topics such as the Brownsville Incident, race relations in San Francisco, and railroad rate legislation, but he takes strong exception to The Outlook describing his distaste for Long’s writing a “controversy.” Roosevelt condems Long’s writings and describes him as a “cheap imposter” who does not observe nature but fabricates nature stories that could not possibly happen. Roosevelt takes issue with The Oulook’s assertions about his comments on Long’s writing, and discusses in detail the “mechanical”—not “mathematical”—impossibility of a wolf killing a caribou with a single bite as Long describes. Roosevelt suggests several naturalists in New York the editors can consult in matters of “nature fakers,” and offers to go page by page through one of Long’s books with The Outlook special nature editor.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-03
President Roosevelt looks forward to receiving a copy of Egerton Ryerson Young’s book, My Dogs in the Northland. Roosevelt says he has a poor opinion of Jack London. Roosevelt thanks Young for his hard work as a missionary.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-06-20
President Roosevelt agrees with Cephas F. Clapp, both about railroad trusts and nature faker writers. Roosevelt discusses the characteristics of antelope and giraffe horns.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-06-21
Caspar Whitney shares his plan to write about the “naturalist fakirs” in The Outing with President Roosevelt, and asks Roosevelt about his experience as a naturalist for the article. Whitney also asks for information regarding John Burroughs’s experience as a naturalist.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-03
John Burroughs is glad that President Roosevelt has decided that his sighting of a passenger pigeon was correct. Burroughs recently investigated another sighting and concluded that a large flock of passenger pigeons had been seen. He has written to The Outlook regarding the legitimate use of imagination in nature writing. Burroughs directs Roosevelt to several periodicals where he comments on William J. Long and the nature fakers.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-06-13
John Burroughs believes President Roosevelt’s account of seeing passenger pigeons in Virginia. He suggests that a trustworthy local attempt to obtain a specimen or having Dr. Merriam send someone to investigate. Burroughs continues to fight William J. Long and the nature fakers. Several pretend interviews with Burroughs have appeared in the newspapers.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-05-30
John Burroughs is rewriting an article in response to William J. Long regarding animal behavior and nature writing. He enjoyed the day on the presidential yacht.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-30