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President Roosevelt asks John F. Stevens, chief engineer of the Panama Canal, to look at the enclosed documents. Roosevelt believes that the United States should maintain the possibility of converting the canal from a lock canal to a sea-level canal in the future.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-02-26
President Roosevelt asks Speaker of the House Cannon if there is a chance of a bill passing that will restructure the Isthmian Canal Commission. Roosevelt believes that it only needs one commissioner, and that the other commissioners can remain in their positions without the title. This would allow the funds to hire consulting engineers as necessary.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-02-28
President Roosevelt asks George Otto Trevelyan to send the copy of Soapy Sponge as suggested. He also discusses the literary tastes of John F. Stevens, the chief engineer of the Panama Canal. Roosevelt is currently having a “rough-and-tumble time” passing legislation through Congress, and says that being able to read is a great comfort to him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-01-22
Lindsay Denison of Everybody’s Magazine is visiting the Panama Isthmus to report on what has been done and is being done on the canal. He asks the Isthmian Canal Commission to give Denison as much information as possible and to tell him the truth, “whether it hurts or not.” As long as the truth is not distorted, Roosevelt will ensure that no one is harmed for telling truth.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-01-11
President Roosevelt encloses a letter from John Lundie, which Lundie wanted to be kept private. He tells Secretary of War Taft that the letter shows Lundie’s unfitness to have any of his assertions considered, and will not answer or pay heed to his letter unless Taft believes it is advisable. Roosevelt would like to stop Lundie’s company’s operations in Panama.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-27
President Roosevelt tells Paul Morton that he clearly laid out the role of Isthmian Canal Commission Chairman Theodore P. Shonts in a May circular. The circular stated that the Chairman would answer to the Secretary of War; Shonts must thus report to William H. Taft, and not directly to Roosevelt. No man can make decisions entirely independently.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-15
President Roosevelt is glad that Secretary of War Taft offered to go to Santo Domingo, but believes that it is not necessary as matters there have died down. He is very interested to hear what Taft thinks of conditions in Panama, especially following reports in the press about friction among members of the Isthmian Canal Commission. Roosevelt hopes Taft and his wife Helen Herron Taft will join Secretary of State Elihu Root at a dinner with historian James Ford Rhodes.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-10
President Roosevelt outlines for Paul Morton what Theodore P. Shonts’s role should be as Chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission. Shonts apparently wants to directly report to Roosevelt, rather than being under a Cabinet officer (in this case Secretary of War William H. Taft). Roosevelt believes that Shonts should model his behavior and conduct after that of Taft when he was Governor General of the Philippines. Taft was then focused more on doing his work than getting credit for his work, and Shonts should do the same in Panama. Roosevelt will speak with Taft about ensuring Shonts gets credit for his work, because it is imperative that Shonts and Taft are able to work together.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-11
President Roosevelt says that there is no need for Secretary of War Taft to go to Santo Domingo, but he would like to meet with him to discuss “the whole canal business.” He also would like Taft and his wife to come to dinner to meet the historian James Ford Rhodes. Roosevelt encloses a letter from Representative John Sharp Williams and asks him to look into “the soldier matter.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-11
President Roosevelt is glad that his son Theodore Roosevelt visited Kermit Roosevelt at Groton School, and is glad that Kermit had a chance to play football this fall. He encourages him to “peg away” at his studies. He is having his “usual number of difficulties” that any President has, and has taken scramble walks in Rock Creek Park and gone riding with Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt. Roosevelt discusses the books that Edith is reading to Archibald B. Roosevelt and Quentin Roosevelt, and the books that he plans to read them in her absence.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-12
President Roosevelt assures former Rough Rider Elijah Pennington he likes to do anything he can for any member of the Rough Riders. However, he is currently trying to get a comrade who was wounded at San Juan a position on the Panama Canal and is unsure if he can take up any other cases until he has done so. He suggests that Pennington ask Colonel Cecil Andrew Lyon if there is a position in Texas that he could be appointed to.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-04
President Roosevelt assures John M. Glenn that “the spirit of fair play and a square deal” was adhered to in connection with John Findley Wallace’s resignation as Chief engineer of the Panama Canal, and there is no need for further investigation. All proceedings in the matter were open to the public, and there is no further information to reveal.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-10-14
President Roosevelt would like Theodore P. Shonts, the chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission, to advise him on what he should say about the Panama Canal in his message. He asks if Joseph Bucklin Bishop has enough information to come up with a summary of statements and suggestions.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-09-23
President Roosevelt speaks to the consulting board of engineers on the Isthmian Canal Commission as they begin to consider the design and construction of the canal. In particular, Roosevelt wants them to consider the costs and benefits of a multi-level, multi-lock canal verses a sea-level canal, as he believes a sea-level canal is most desirable. However, Roosevelt would like the practicality, cost, and feasibility to be considered.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-09-11
The letter from Charles E. Magoon, Governor of the Panama Canal Zone, both impressed President Roosevelt and made him uneasy. Roosevelt is thinking of appointing a commission of experts to visit the Canal Zone to compile a report on what should be done to avoid outbreaks of illness, and asks for Magoon’s opinion on such an action.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-08-03
President Roosevelt congratulates former Rough Rider Arthur G. Duncan heartily, but does not feel that he can personally act on Duncan’s question about being appointed to the Panama Canal. If Duncan assembles papers showing his fitness for the position Roosevelt promises to give them to Theodore P. Shonts, Chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission, but cannot do more.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-24
President Roosevelt requests a meeting with Secretary of War Taft early next week regarding the engineers associated with the Panama Canal.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-03-14
President Roosevelt asks Elihu Root to discreetly find out what people think of Lindon W. Bates.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-03-09
President Roosevelt sends Secretary of War Taft an engineering report by Lindon W. Bates regarding the Panama Canal. Roosevelt is very impressed with the work, and wants to get together the best engineers in the country to evaluate the proposals therein. Payment for Bates’s work is at the judgement of the board of engineers.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-03-10
President Roosevelt tells John Thompson that he informed the Civil Service Commissioners that John Findley Wallace, Chief Engineer of the Isthmian Canal Commission, must be given a free hand.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-03-11