Partisanship

Henry Francis Ashion, acting Foreman of Binding, responds to accusations that his Democratic partisanship has led him to manufacture material with which to attack the administration of President Roosevelt. Ashion says his “so-called partisanship” has never blinded his eyes to what he honestly believes to be for the good of the country, and he feels Roosevelt’s wishes emanate from a determination to strive for the betterment of the people.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-27

Herbert Parsons expresses disbelief at the Judiciary Nominator’s proposal to nominate nine members of the opposing party and only four Republicans to the ticket. Parsons considers it unwise for their political organization and states that his leadership of the County Committee would be under threat if such a path were followed.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-13

Senator Lodge praises President Roosevelt’s letter. Lodge thinks Speaker Cannon’s speech on the labor issue was courageous, and he deserves to have them stand by him. Lodge has seen indicators that Charles E. Littlefield will win, which he thinks will have a great influence for good throughout the country. Lodge has written to Attorney General Moody that the Republican party ought to draw its platform in exact accord with Roosevelt’s letter. Henry Melville Whitney, Eugene Foss, and the Boston Herald are pressuring Governor Guild to come out for present revision and against Roosevelt, which Lodge thinks would be a foolish thing to do. Lodge feels that the Republicans should all unite on Roosevelt’s letter. John B. Moran is apparently going to carry off the Democratic nomination, and Lodge thinks this will lead to a nasty personal campaign in which Republican union will be all-important.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-28

Chairman Miles submits a report of the Tariff Committee of the Implement Association. The report comes up to the Executive Committee for action on August 18, 1906. Miles believes that action as contemplated in the report would be for the good of the Republican party. Miles further believes that the Stand Pat proposition is pure bluff, as proponents of this policy are inconsistent.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-08

William H. Andrews encloses newspaper clippings related to the meeting of the Democratic and Republican Territorial Committees on joint statehood of Arizona and New Mexico, as well as two letters from O. D. M. Gaddis. He notes that Charles Henry Akers, publisher of the Phoenix Gazette, is anxious to provide his support for joint statehood but is also indebted to his paper. Andrews reports that he has heard nothing from Senator Boies Penrose regarding the matter of President John Mitchell of the United Mine Workers of America.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-07

O. D. M. Gaddis spoke with Charles Henry Akers, editor of the Arizona Gazette, about the matter of joint statehood. Akers is eager to use his paper to support statehood, but fears a loss of advertising business might result. Gaddis asks if a sum of five thousand dollars can be raised for Akers to “start the ball rolling.” Gaddis argues that if they secure Akers’s support, their cause will have a leading daily and the only Republican paper in Phoenix, Arizona.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-06

The Indiana Civil Service Reform Association offers a brief history in the development of rules limiting the public political activities that federal office-holders are able to participate in. Several presidents have made declarations on this subject, including President Roosevelt who, while Civil Service Commissioner, commented on drawing a distinction between public servants within the classified service and those outside the classified service. While the association acknowledges these statements, it believes that political activity by office-holders is an abuse and should be reduced further.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02

President Roosevelt’s speech in Nashville praised some aspects of Andrew Jackson’s presidency. Although Roosevelt had been a critic of Andrew Jackson’s political partisanship as a younger man, the author of the newspaper article suggests it makes sense that Roosevelt would have moderated his position after becoming president himself. Roosevelt has made some controversial appointments himself, and it makes sense that a man of his “robust strenuosity, courage, and daring” would have much in common with Andrew Jackson.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-10-23

President Roosevelt wired Cornelius Newton Bliss and George B. Cortelyou as Charles Gates Dawes suggested. Roosevelt directs Dawes inform “people of the opposition” that if Roosevelt is running for president, Cortelyou will be Chairman of the Republican National Committee and that opposing Cortelyou is hurting the Republican cause.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-17

Theodore Roosevelt asks George W. Perkins to inform William Draper Lewis and Herbert Knox Smith that he will “crib shamelessly” from Smith’s memorandum for the closing part of his Kansas City speech. For the next three weeks William Loeb is going at things exclusively from the Republican side because he thinks Roosevelt and Perkins cannot.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-05-13

Theodore Roosevelt denies that he has engaged in “vigorous denunciations” of Charles Evan Hughes and blames the rumors on partisanship.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-04-17

President Roosevelt thanks the local chairman, presumably a Democrat, for introducing him, saying that political party is of little importance when Americans are unified in the spirit of fairness. He notes the presence of school children in the crowd as well as veterans of the Union Army in the American Civil War, saying that the veterans’ victorious spirit lived on in the American soldiers who fought in the Philippines. He notes how evolving weapons and tactics have not changed the necessary qualities of the soldier. Benedict Arnold was a gallant and talented soldier who helped win major battles but was missing the important “root of righteousness” that eventually led to his reputation as a traitor. Similarly, laws may change, but the need for patriotic citizens with honesty, courage, and common sense remains the same.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

President Roosevelt begins his economic policy speech in Logansport, Indiana, by thanking the Union veterans. He highlights the importance of material prosperity for national development, particularly noting the industrial growth of the Western states. He observes that, while good laws are key, more important are the merits of the average citizen, referring to the strong, individual traits of the average Union soldier. Roosevelt also touches on the issues of maintaining a robust, honest currency and a stable but adjustable tariff policy. He expresses belief in economic policy that favors business considerations over political partisanship and that affords advantage to American industries over foreign ones. Above these considerations, though, Roosevelt asserts that any tariff change must protect the high standard of living of the American worker.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-09-23

President Roosevelt begins his economic policy speech in Logansport, Indiana, by thanking the Union veterans. He highlights the importance of material prosperity for national development, particularly noting the industrial growth of the Western states. He observes that, while good laws are key, more important are the merits of the average citizen, referring to the strong, individual traits of the average Union soldier. Roosevelt also touches on the issues of maintaining a robust, honest currency and a stable but adjustable tariff policy. He expresses belief in economic policy that favors business considerations over political partisanship and that affords advantage to American industries over foreign ones. Above these considerations, though, Roosevelt asserts that any tariff change must protect the high standard of living of the American worker.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

A galley labeled “Government Of, By, and For the People” sails past rocks labeled “Bossism” where other ships have wrecked, drawn by “Party Solidarity” sung by Republican sirens “Connors, Aldrich, Cox, Penrose, Woodruff, [and] Lodge” and “Partisanship” sung by Democratic sirens “Mack, Conners, Murphy, [and] Taggart” sitting on rocks above the crashing seas. Caption: The old stuff doesn’t go any more.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1910-06-01

President Cleveland walks down a path toward a building flying a banner labeled “Non-Partisan Government.” A diminutive Thomas A. Hendricks, Vice President, is tugging on Cleveland’s coattails, trying to steer him down a path labeled “Spoils System.” A small dog labeled “Aquilla Jones” is on a leash that goes around Cleveland’s right leg and is connected to Hendricks. Jones was appointed Postmaster in Indianapolis by Hendricks. Caption: The “tail of the ticket” wants to go backwards.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-08-05

“Evarts, Reid, Robeson, Logan, [and] Blaine” and William W. Phelps stand on the remains of a bridge “washed away by the freshet of Nov. 1884” labeled “Partisan Civil Service” and find it difficult to get to the other side of the river. In the background, on a solid “Civil Service Reform” bridge are President Cleveland, members of his cabinet, Carl Schurz, and others unidentified, one holding a sheet of paper labeled “A Mugwump Engineer” and others holding a board labeled “Tariff Reform.” In the upper left corner is a flag pole with a banner that states “Non-Partisan Civil Service” and a municipal building labeled “Good Government.” Caption: The Democrats have the Mugwump bridge, and a fair chance to reach the goal; but our Republican friends seem to have struck a pretty hard road to travel, just at present.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-06-10

The Roosevelt Non-Partisan Leagues describes their purposes and ideals. If George P. Montague’s views are similar he is invited to join.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1916-04-25

An Asian, possibly Chinese, soldier offers scissors labeled “Enlightenment” to Uncle Sam so that he can cut off his long braid labeled “Partisan Politics.” The soldier’s own severed braid labeled “Servitude” lies on the ground at his feet.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-01-31

President Roosevelt writes journalist Lincoln Steffens that the striking down of the Santo Domingo treaty by the Democratic caucus in the Senate is a betrayal to the American people and done only to serve the interests of a small faction. Roosevelt believes they are more dangerous than politicians beholden to corporations. Roosevelt responds to allegations by Steffens that he did not do enough to get results by saying he has gotten closer to what he wanted than other politicians.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1906-02-06