Panama--Panama Canal

Article about a lecture given by author David McCullough in Oyster Bay, New York as part of a series of lectures to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the opening of Sagamore Hill as a historic site. McCullough spoke about Theodore Roosevelt and the Panama Canal. The article notes the other works written by McCullough, discusses the history of Sagamore Hill as a historic site, and previews the other two lectures in the series. 

Two photographs accompany the article. One shows John Gable of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) with David McCullough, Raoul Amador, and Peter Fisher, and the other shows the exterior of Sagamore Hill.  

In this edition of “Notes from the Executive Director…,” John A. Gable reviews and praises an article on President Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policy by historian Frederick W. Marks III that appeared in Diplomatic History. Gable notes that the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) has printed the citation that accompanied Ethel Roosevelt Derby’s TRA Distinguished Service Medal. He notes the publication of a guide book to Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, describes the Roosevelt gallery in the headquarters of the Roosevelt Savings Bank in Garden City, New York, and lists the talks he gave in his capacity as Executive Director of the TRA. He congratulates author David McCullough for winning the National Book Award for his work on the Panama Canal and lists the TRA publications that preceded the publication of the TRA Journal.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1978

Advertisement and order form for eight films about the life and work of Theodore Roosevelt produced by the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) and Agape Productions, Inc. The titles of the films, a brief description of their contents and running times are listed. The films could be either purchased or rented as 16mm films or video cassette tapes. A photograph of William D. Johnston, Vice President of the TRA, with Ted Baehr, President of Agape Productions, Inc., accompanies the advertisement. 

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1976

Michael Caglioti challenges the assumption that President Roosevelt acted immorally in the negotiations and events leading to the Panamanian Revolution of 1903 that ultimately led to the construction of the Panama Canal by the United States in the independent nation of Panama. Caglioti details why Roosevelt wanted the Canal built, and looks at the treaties the United States entered into with various countries to pave the way for United States sovereignty over a future canal. He contends that elements of Colombia’s government, press, and public opinion refused to recognize the reality of the United States’ superior economic, diplomatic and military power when negotiating the canal treaty.

Caglioti further notes that the Colombian government refused to ratify the Hay-Herran Convention authorizing the building of the canal because it wanted more money, and details the benefits that Colombia would have received from the canal’s construction. He argues that Roosevelt’s “guilt” in the Panama affair is usually tied to whether his administration gave an explicit assurance of assistance to the Panamanian rebels. He says that Roosevelt acted, as he should have, in the best interests of the United States in helping the revolution succeed.

A photograph of Roosevelt sitting in one of the steam shovels used in the construction of the canal accompanies the article.

Advertisement and order form for eight films about the life and work of Theodore Roosevelt produced by the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) and Agape Productions, Inc. The titles of the films, a brief description of their contents and running times are listed. The films could be either purchased or rented as 16mm films or video cassette tapes. A photograph of the Roosevelt family accompanies the first page of the advertisement.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1976

Written in response to the debate and controversy surrounding the negotiation of treaties with Panama regarding the United States’ control and defense of the Panama Canal Zone in 1977, P. James Roosevelt, President of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA), writes that most of the stories dealing with the history of the Canal “contain basic errors of fact,” and he offers the services of the TRA to help those writing about the topic. The statement quotes Theodore Roosevelt on the future of Panama.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1977

The article discusses Theodore Roosevelt’s statements on morality and international justice, criticizing his foreign policy actions related to the Panama Canal.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-09-09

President William H. Taft recently corresponded with Grosvenor Dawe of the Southern Commercial Congress regarding the establishment of a steamship company operating to South America, and the possibility of having one of their ships be the first to travel through the Panama Canal. Taft is glad people are taking steps to improve the United States’ merchant marine, and is sure if their efforts are successful they will be afforded all due privileges.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-07-23

The proposal to allow a ship from a recently established steamship company headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, to be the first American ship to pass through the Panama Canal has received widespread support from across the country, including from such prominent figures as Theodore Roosevelt and President William H. Taft.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-07-23

Carter H. Fitz-Hugh asks if Theodore Roosevelt has seen the article “War” in the London Spectator, which confuses him. He mentions A. T. Mahan’s article, making a similar point. Fitz-Hugh wonders if Roosevelt saw the correspondence between Andrew Carnegie and J. M. Dickinson regarding the recommendation to fortify and police the Panama Canal.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-10-27

Poultney Bigelow compares the challenges Ferdinand de Lesseps faced constructing the Suez Canal to those of the Panama Canal. He argues that real-estate ownership among canal officials is responsible for the crowded, unsanitary conditions of Colon and that the government has failed in its administration of the canal zone.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09

Gustav J. Karger reviews and praises President William H. Taft’s various achievements during the two years of his administration. By placing “the cause of the people above all other considers,” Karger finds Taft has reached the “heights of constructive statesmanship.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-03-30

Secretary of War Taft forwards President Roosevelt a document that he received from Representative Richard Wayne Parker on the Panama Canal that Taft believes Roosevelt will be interested in.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-07

Jay E. Stagg shares a humorous answer a student provided on a test regarding the Panama Canal.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-01-22

Assistant Secretary of State Loomis explains how he came to know the French engineer Philippe Bunau-Varilla, who is very interested in the Panama Canal and the state of affairs between Colombia and Panama. He also describes introducing him to President Roosevelt, and the nature of a conversation he and Bunau-Varilla had regarding the possible actions the United States might take in the event of a revolution in Panama.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-01-05

William Crawford Gorgas, chief sanitary officer on the Panama Canal, speaks with an unidentified man.

Collection

Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound

Creation Date

1904-1913

This movie shows various scenes of construction on the Panama Canal, including barges, steam shovels, trains, and workers moving dirt and rubble out of the canal area.

Collection

Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound

Creation Date

Unknown

Second part of a compilation film revealing the story of Panama Canal construction, which Theodore Roosevelt considered one of his most valuable contributions to foreign affairs. This portion of the video focuses on the construction of the canal, as well as the canal in operation.

Collection

Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound

Creation Date

1927

The Indianapolis News defends its previous statements raising the question of payments related to the Panama Canal which President Roosevelt has vigorously denounced. Other newspapers have also raised questions related to this matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-28

Alton B. Parker pushes his head against a large statue labeled “36 years of Republican rule.” A “nomination” paper in his top hat. The statue includes a number of events that have occurred during Republican rule: “established the gold standard,” “prosperity,” “all the anti-trust legislation,” “protection,” “the construction of the Panama Canal a certainty,” “expansion,” and “Sherman law enforced by a Rep. president.” The statue has a woman—”freedom”—at the top which overlooks the United States Capitol building.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07