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Republican National Committee Chairman Cortelyou writes to President Roosevelt about several potential nominees for consular and government positions.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-05
William Loeb expresses that President Roosevelt would like Secretary of Commerce and Labor Cortelyou to meet with Public Printer Francis Wayland Palmer. The President believes that there is a strong case against Palmer, and Palmer needs to understand that a public official is not to “pay heed to the dictation of any outside organization.” The President would also like Palmer to make a full report on the matter and meet with Attorney General Philander C. Knox to make a full explanation of the charges.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-02
In light of the conclusions made by the Civil Service Commission, President Roosevelt has removed Public Printer Francis Wayland Palmer from office following an investigation into allegations of corruption against the Morgenthaler Company.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-09-09
President Roosevelt is going to try and get Secretary of State Elihu Root and Joseph Hodges Choate to come to Sagamore Hill when Senator Lodge will be there. He tells Lodge about the current situation in the Government Printing Office, where Francis Wayland Palmer was removed from his position and Roosevelt is trying to decide on a replacement. He also discusses the current unrest in Japan and tells Lodge that he has instructed Root to deal with the Newfoundland matter “as soon as possible.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-09-06
President Roosevelt informs New York Senator Platt that Public Printer Francis Wayland Palmer started to remove Oscar J. Ricketts from his position, which made it compulsory for Roosevelt to request Palmer’s resignation. Roosevelt would like to hire “some good men” from outside the Public Printing Office who have no interest in any of the factional conflicts there.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-09-04
Governor General of the Philippines William H. Taft will be replacing Elihu Root as Secretary of War next winter. The investigation into the Government Printing Office under Public Printer Francis Wayland Palmer has shown a “very bad state of things” and poor business methods. President Roosevelt believes Palmer should be removed from office.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-08-22
President Roosevelt asks Secretary of Commerce and Labor Cortelyou to discuss the Jordan sisters with Civil Service Commissioner Alford Warriner Cooley and encloses a letter from James Sullivan Clarkson regarding Mergenthaler Linotype machines.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-08-05
President Roosevelt instructs that William A. Miller be reinstated and kept at work during the investigation of the charges against him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-25
President Roosevelt believes that Public Printer Palmer is “worse than weak” for submitting to the pressure of the labor union and firing William A. Miller. Miller will be reinstated and Roosevelt is determined to prevent discrimination between union and non-union employees.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-16
President Roosevelt supports labor unions and does not want a labor conflict in the year before a presidential election. However, the influence of the union in the Government Printing Office is intolerable. As a civil service office, employees must be hired and retained according to civil service rules. Roosevelt has a low opinion of Public Printer Francis Wayland Palmer and suggests a preliminary investigation into his office.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-13
George B. Cortelyou explains to Vera Trepagnier that Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt has made a rule not to involve herself in government affairs. Trepagnier should communicate with the Public Printer, Francis Wayland Palmer.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-11-18
Florence Bayard Lockwood La Farge references President Roosevelt’s troubles with the “Fads and Fancies” publication and thanks him for sending her a copy of the related correspondence between William Loeb, Francis Wayland Palmer, William D’Alton Mann, Joseph M. Deuel, and William Travers Jerome. La Farge is keeping it because she is having dinner with Jerome soon. She plans to tell him that he was foolish for not working with Roosevelt on the matter, as she believes people credit Roosevelt for calling out the fraudulent behavior.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-02-06
President Roosevelt informs Secretary of Commerce and Labor Cortelyou that Public Printer Francis Wayland Palmer will reinstate William A. Miller. Although it appears on the surface that Miller did anything wrong by joining a union while employed by the Government Printing Office, Roosevelt will wait to make a final decision on the matter until he has received the report on Miller’s second communication.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-13
Secretary of Commerce and Labor Cortelyou has been investigating the Government Printing Office’s labor issues and what should be done regarding William A. Miller’s reinstatement into the office. Miller was dismissed from his position but the Civil Service Commission ordered his reinstatement, which could cause labor unrest. After consultations with Secretary of the Navy Moody, Cortelyou believes that President Roosevelt might best make the announcement of the reinstatement. He also recommends a further investigation into the Government Printing Office and will provide a full report to Roosevelt soon.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-11
President Roosevelt asks Oswald Garrison Villard to send his letter to General Leonard Wood. He discusses promoting Captain John J. Pershing to brigadier general. Roosevelt is interested in what the labor unions will do in the Printing Office, noting that he has instructed Francis Wayland Palmer to reinstate William A. Miller. He intends to “settle the question of the trades unions usurping governmental functions.” Emphasizing that every person is required to follow the law, Roosevelt notes that he will not “tolerate wrongdoing by a union one whit more than [he] would tolerate it from the biggest corporation.”
1903-07-25
George B. Cortelyou discusses the reinstatement of William A. Miller as assistant foreman in the U.S. Government Printing Office, Book Binding Department. The status of the investigation against Miller is also discussed.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-25
George B. Cortelyou discusses the reinstatement of William A. Miller who had been dismissed from the Government Printing Office as a result of pressure from the labor union. He proclaims that the situation is quite satisfactory this evening.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-25
William A. Day writes George B. Cortelyou regarding the suspension of “Miller.” Day believes Miller was suspended at the command of the Union.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-10
Secretary of Commerce and Labor Cortelyou has met with Public Printer Francis Wayland Palmer and urged him to investigate William A. Miller’s case thoroughly. Since Attorney General Philander C. Knox is away, Cortelyou will ask Palmer to take up the case with Acting Attorney General William A. Day.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-05
Public Printer Francis Wayland Palmer’s reasons for dismissing William A. Miller indicate that he was carrying out the orders of an outside organization and did not provide Miller with reasonable time to answer charges in writing.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-05-13