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Winthrop Chanler critiques the novel Lady Baltimore in a letter to President Roosevelt. He finds the novel to be petty and aggravating. Chanler notes that Woody Kane is the young man who arrives from the north, and he wonders how many copies of the novel would have sold if not for such a figure appearing in it.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-06-21
George Horace Lorimer writes to Theodore Roosevelt on a range of issues including labor, the economy, and his trust of Mr. Phillips.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-05-28
Western writer Owen Wister sends President Roosevelt his congratulations on the upcoming marriage of Alice Roosevelt to Nicholas Longworth, whom Wister has liked since first meeting him at Harvard’s Porcellian Club. Wister apologizes for not having written sooner, as he was laid up with sickness for a few months and is only just recovering at a resort in Browns Mills, New Jersey. Wister hopes to visit the Roosevelts soon, to discuss Russian Ambassador Vitte, matters in Philadelphia where his wife, Mary Channing Wister, has been active, and the unfortunate passing of their friend, former Rough Rider Woodbury Kane. Wister concludes by wishing the Roosevelts a merry Christmas.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-12-17
Dr. Mitchell asks Secretary of State Root to speak with President Roosevelt about presenting the Benjamin Franklin Medal to the representative of the French Republic at the Franklin Bi-Centennial Celebration in Pennsylvania.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-12-07
J. L. Underwood is writing a work on the history of the women of the Confederacy, and he asks President Roosevelt’s permission to include a portion on Roosevelt’s mother’s and grandmother’s involvement with the Confederacy. Another portion of the book will include tributes people have paid, and he will be pleased to include Roosevelt’s own words from a speech he gave at Richmond.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-16
Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw makes recommendations to President Roosevelt regarding the administration of the Panama Canal. The government had bought steamships to use the canal, but Shaw recommends selling them to private companies and taking sealed bids for contracts to operate the canal routes. He also suggests that the government should use private contractors on building and operating the isthmian railroad the government owns as well, as this will prevent red tape and potential scandals. He does recommend hiring many civil and sanitary engineers to oversee the work, however. Shaw uses examples of government projects using private contractors in Albany and New York City, New York, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to strengthen his argument.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-10-17
Lincoln Steffens relays reports of political corruption in Philadelphia with regard to the last election and wishes President Roosevelt would speak publicly against it.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-10-17
A list of the status of American vessels and men available for arrival at Havana, Cuba. Lists the current location of ships, their readiness to sail, and how quickly they would be able to reach Havana, in addition to the number of sailors and marines present on the ships.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09
Secretary of the Navy Bonaparte denies the charge that he is going to participate in the Philadelphia campaign, noting that he will rather devote his energies to the campaign in Massachusetts. He will attend to President Roosevelt’s suggestions regarding revisions to naval regulations as soon as he can discuss the matter with Admiral Converse. He will also request reports on the repairs of various vessels, as requested by Roosevelt. He addresses a concern to Roosevelt about the transition from Charles Hial Darling to Truman Handy Newberry as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Both parties seem anxious to proceed, but the gentleman whom Darling is replacing in Vermont has not announced a definite date for his departure from his post. Bonaparte looks forward to accepting Roosevelt’s invitation to Oyster Bay, on his return from the Berkshires.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-08-30
S. S. McClure wants President Roosevelt to know that Lincoln Steffens is out of town, but will reply to his letter when he returns. McClure and Steffens understand that Roosevelt’s word on Hanna’s interview is final, but Steffens would like a chance to explain how he got it wrong. Steffens has been “taking the measure of men” since the beginning of his articles. Steffens collects facts and “all our articles are understatement.” McClure wants Roosevelt to remember that they are confronted by “one evil, not several evils” and that the important question is “For whom and by whom is this country being governed?” McClure believes Roosevelt will bring about the answer to that question. McClure would like to meet with Roosevelt and Steffens to discuss Steffens’s work in Washington next year.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-07-07
Jacob G. Bunn provides a deposition regarding charges that he solicited money for campaign purposes while employed by the United States Post Office in violation of Civil Service Rules. Bunn denies the allegations that he solicited money, and says that while he had previously served as Chairman of the Finance Committee for the Ward Executive Committee of the Twenty-eighth Ward of Philadelphia, he was unaware that this was a violation of the Civil Service Rules. Once this violation was brought to Bunn’s attention, he immediately resigned from the Ward Executive Committee.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-10-27
Philander C. Knox tells President Roosevelt that he regrets giving his speech at Philadelphia before reading Democratic presidential candidate Alton B. Parker’s letter of acceptance. He sends Roosevelt an enclosed speech that he plans to give later, unless Roosevelt advises him not to. Knox also adds, parenthetically, that he is sending Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt some a bushel of pears.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-10-27
President Roosevelt sends his regrets to Edward Townsend Stotesbury, President of the Union League of Philadelphia, that he cannot make it to the Union League Club dinner this year.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-30
Daniel Keefe writes to President Roosevelt in his capacity as President of the International Longshoremen, Marine, and Transportworkers’ Association to say that he knows there has been a proposal to transfer the dredge in Philadelphia to the Lake Erie Ports. Keefe asks that Roosevelt not approve the proposal since it would hurt the Association’s interests.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-26
Oscar P. Austin discusses arrangements for publishing Pages from the Congressional Record. The Philadelphia firm which created a textbook and postal cards in 1900 is willing to type and print cards for this edition at their own expense, “taking their own chances upon the willingness of the Committee to pay for the composition.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-15
George B. Cortelyou has spoken to the representatives of the Manufacturers’ Club in Philadelphia about the speech that Senator Knox is to deliver there. Cortelyou believes that Knox should deliver the rest of his speeches in New York and plans to talk to Cornelius N. Bliss about arrangements.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-21
Louis N. Hammerling writes to William Loeb about the miners who attempted to visit President Roosevelt in Oyster Bay. Hammerling asserts that the miners were not representing most mine unions and informs Loeb that T. D. Nicholls of the Pittston Convention of Miners were not aware that workers were attempting to see Roosevelt. Hammerling will be writing an article about the incident.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-14
John L. Shepherd shares with National Chairman Cortelyou the work that the Commercial Traveler’s League of America has been doing for President Roosevelt’s re-election campaign and asks for funds from the Republican National Committee to continue working in that capacity.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-06
Senator Lodge reports to President Roosevelt about the Republican National Convention. He discusses possible cabinet appointments, the adoption of the party platform, the various speeches given, and the nomination of Senator Charles W. Fairbanks for vice president.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-06-25
C. F. Heckler informs President Roosevelt that he would prefer to relay the information he has to Roosevelt in person. Heckler mentions Senator Boies Penrose, Congressman Irving Price Wanger, and Assistant Attorney General Henry Martyn Hoyt as people who can attest to his character.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-06-27