Your TR Source
President Roosevelt is glad Joseph Bucklin Bishop, Secretary of the Isthmian Canal Commission, approves of his handling of the situation with Grover Cleveland. Privately, he feels that Cleveland and Henry Loomis Nelson both deviated from the truth, but no man has “peeped” on the matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-10
Nicholas Murray Butler writes to President Roosevelt about recent newspaper clippings. He jokes with Roosevelt about Henry Loomis Nelson. Butler sends clippings so Roosevelt can use them as “evidence” of support for his views. Butler agrees with Roosevelt that adjusting the tariff is the best way forward.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-05
President Roosevelt hopes that Joseph Bucklin Bishop will visit him in Oyster Bay. Roosevelt discusses Henry Loomis Nelson’s articles in the press and hopes that William Williams has responded. He encloses one of Nelson’s articles and comments on Nelson’s criticism and lies about Roosevelt’s friends and politics.
1903-08-03
President Roosevelt writes to Joseph Bucklin Bishop regarding “dishonorable and untruthful” articles written by Henry Loomis Nelson in the Boston Herald. He asks for Bishop’s advice on how to best respond to Nelson in the press.
1903-07-21
President Roosevelt writes to Joseph Bucklin Bishop about two articles in Harper’s Weekly, which, according to Roosevelt, are full of lies. He asks Bishop his opinion on the best way to answer and address the lies in the press.
1903-03-12
President Roosevelt encloses a letter for Lyman Abbott of The Outlook, and asks whether it is worth publishing. Roosevelt has doubts about the letter because the incident itself shows how far some in the media, such as the Sun, Harper’s Weekly, and the Evening Post will go to misrepresent matters.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-06
Through a series of excerpts from personal letters, President Roosevelt refutes reports in The New York Sun and Harper’s Weekly that Grover Cleveland had never been offered a position on the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission. President Roosevelt argues that in fact Cleveland was offered the position and accepted it, and describes the details of the incident.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-06
President Roosevelt explains his frustrations with the Boston Herald to Edwin B. Haskell, noting that Otto Carmichael’s story about the “alleged cruelty to the turkey” is a malicious invention. Had the dispatch not attacked Roosevelt’s children, he might not have paid it any more heed than the other false dispatches. However, the dispatch about the turkey was clearly a lie and involved his children. Therefore, Roosevelt will continue to ban Boston Herald reporters to the White House until the newspapers states “authoritatively” the story in question is “absolutely false.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-10
President Roosevelt discusses his frustrations about the tariff revision and reciprocity with Nicholas Murray Butler. The president does not intend to divide the Republican Party, but is going to do his best to amend the present tariff law in order to meet expectations of the people that the government consider the tariff, and show “that the Republican party is not powerless to take up the subject.” He emphasizes that the contents of the letter to Butler are personal and are only for Butler and members of the “kitchen cabinet.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-02
President Roosevelt thanks Eugene Foss for the telegram. The president considers the Boston Herald one of the most dishonest papers editorially, and remarks that if the Herald starts to manufacture news as well, “it will make itself harmonious throughout.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-24
President Roosevelt claims that labor leaders are misrepresenting his statements and provides the facts in the Delaware case. Roosevelt also asks L. Clarke Davis to look to his actions and speeches to get the facts. Roosevelt also gives examples on corruptions that began before he was in office and how he is trying to stop them and remove the responsible people from office.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-10-05
President Roosevelt is especially annoyed with Henry Loomis Nelson because Nelson used “professions of friendship and impartiality” to gain information which he later misrepresented. Roosevelt intends to meet Nelson “once and for all” over the McSweeney case.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-08-05
Henry Loomis Nelson is lying as usual, claiming that President Roosevelt showed regret at the Northern Securities decision. Roosevelt claims he was pleased with the decision and displayed his opinion openly.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-08-03
President Roosevelt hopes that Williams sent the letter to Henry Loomis Nelson. Roosevelt believes that Nelson is a liar and encloses a characteristic article by Nelson.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-08-03
In light of the “scoundrelly article” by Henry Loomis Nelson, President Roosevelt instructs Williams to work with Van Ingen and prepare a statement about McSweeney.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-20
President Roosevelt is upset at Henry Loomis Nelson for his “mendacious articles,” particularly one about the McSweeney case. Roosevelt is considering how to respond.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-21
Harper’s Weekly published two articles, likely from Henry Loomis Nelson, that President Roosevelt describes as “outrageous lies.” Roosevelt suggests answering these articles and offers to provide the facts.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-03-12
John Albert Macy’s editorial in volume 24 of The Bookman. Starting with the current use of the word “yellow” to describe bad newspapers, Macy extends the metaphor to describe other types of journalism according to a chromatic scheme. Includes a handwritten note that says “Dear Cabot, This is good. T. R.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-29
Joseph Bucklin Bishop believes President Roosevelt should answer Henry Loomis Nelson by sending a signed communication from Edward H. Van Ingen to the Boston Herald. Bishop also offers his help to Roosevelt in any possible way.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-23
Secretary of War Taft writes to President Roosevelt about the speech Taft gave in Portland and about the request of two army soldiers to transfer to the cavalry. The Tafts will not return to Washington in time to accept Roosevelt’s invitation to dine with the Archbishop of Canterbury. Taft complains about Henry Loomis Nelson’s column about his speech in the Boston Herald.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-02