Your TR Source
Nicholas Murray Butler commends President Roosevelt for his Arlington speech and has heard a speech from Elihu Root that he believes would have “settled the Philippine question forever.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-06-06
Ansley Wilcox thanks President Roosevelt for his hospitality and commends him on his recent presidential activities. He also compares amnesty for Boer prisoners in the Cape Colony with Filipino insurgents of the Philippine-American War.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-06-07
President Roosevelt has made a public statement supporting eventual independence for the Philippines and Senator Hoar strongly supports the decision.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-06-15
Frank Dwight Baldwin requests a field mortar to be used in the reduction of enemy positions.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-06-17
Brigadier General Baldwin quotes his communication with the Moros at Lake Lanao and requests permission to proceed with war actions as a result of this correspondence.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-06-17
General Davis goes over several incidents between the Moros and United States military personnel in the Philippines.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-05-27
Russell B. Harrison writes primarily on Indiana politics where the Republicans had off year defeats and the Philippine-American War is damaging the Republicans’ image. He also thanks President Roosevelt for naming a military post in Indianapolis after his father, President Benjamin Harrison.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-05-30
Newspaper article supporting the Roosevelt administration’s actions regarding “charges of inhuman conduct” in the Philippines.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-04-16
Edith Andrews Logan thanks President Roosevelt for advocating on behalf of her deceased husband, Major John Alexander Logan, who has been posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Philippine-American War. She points out that this honor will be an inheritance for her children, especially her son.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-05-13
Bishop Lawrence writes on behalf of the Annual Meeting of the Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church which is concerned about the poor treatment of the Filipinos by the US Army. He encloses a portion of a speech given at the annual meeting by the himself, Bishop of Massachusetts, regarding the poor treatment of Filipinos. He encourages an investigation, arguing that it is important for the standing of the army in America and the Philippines. He points out that this treatment is a black mark against the government, in spite of much good that is being done.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-05-01
President Schurman of Cornell University has been nominated by an unnamed volunteer agency to investigate military operations in the Philippines and reports of atrocities against the Filipinos. Schurman declines due to his duties as president of Cornell University, which are especially heavy during the spring, and because he believes the government is investigating adequately on its own. He argues that there is no additional information that an independent commission could uncover in light of all of the outcry in the nation over the situation in the Philippines.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-05-03
A. M. Stevenson expresses concern that the Republican party and the administration of President Roosevelt are losing ground because of the atrocities in the Philippines that have been published in the daily papers. Stevenson fears that the party will lose the fall elections if the Republicans in Congress keep letting the Democrats have their way on this issue. He wants the Republicans to fight back and defend the American military’s actions in the Philippines. He then reminds Roosevelt of the Sand Creek Indian massacre, in which women and children were killed, and notes that Senator Teller (D-CO) was one of the principal backers of Colonel John Chivington, who led the Colorado militia in that fight.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-05-04
President Schurman of Cornell encloses a letter he wrote to Carl Schurz declining an appointment to a committee to investigate alleged atrocities in the Philippines. Schurman believes that with President Roosevelt in control the investigation will receive appropriate treatment.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-05-06
In reference to potential hostilities with the Moros, Henry Clark Corbin tells Adna Romanza Chaffee to “do nothing that will impair our prestige or in any other way imperil the army.” If the demand for the “Moro murderers” is not fulfilled Chaffee is to use his own judgment to “bring about peace and order in the Island of Mindanao.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-04-23
Information on court martial or trials in the Philippines. Of special interest is the court martial of Jacob H. Smith. Lloyd Wheaten and J. Franklin Bell have overwhelming duties keeping up with this trial because they have to get witnesses from Samar, Leyte, and the United States.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-04-26
Governor General Taft encloses a passage from a personal letter to Secretary of War Elihu Root that pertains to the Philippines. Taft sent a letter to several individuals on the Taft Commission stating that the United States had no “dollars interest” in the islands, and the recipients agreed that it was the truth.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-04-26
Grenville M. Dodge is upset at the upcoming court martial of three army officers; Major E. F. Glenn, Lieutenant Arthur L. Conger, and Surgeon Palmer Lyon. They are being charged with torturing an insurgent/traitor with the “water cure” in the Philippines. Dodge seems to believe that almost any action is allowed when the ultimate goal is to catch a traitor or protect American soldiers. He argues that had officers found Quantrill in their lines during the Civil War or had President Roosevelt found someone similar in their lines during the Spanish-American War, they would have killed them on the spot.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-04-16
Lawrence F. Abbott believes that American efforts in the Philippines are beneficial and that the reaction of most journalists to reported abuses by the United States military are “hysterical excitement.” Abbott refers to President Roosevelt’s orders for transparency regarding the Philippine question. Outlook magazine will soon be interviewing Governor Taft on the constructive work accomplished in the Philippines.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-04-17
Oscar S. Straus, who has experience as a United States diplomat to Muslims in Turkey, cautions against an upcoming American military expedition against the Moros, Filipino Muslims, of the southern Philippines. He argues that diplomacy would be a much better option and would cost much less in terms of life. Straus will be in Washington from April 21 to 25 for a meeting of the American Social Science Association and hopes to call on President Roosevelt at the White House.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-04-17
Francis Blackwell Forbes wants Senator Lodge to speak with President Roosevelt about the possible outbreak of hostilities with “Philippine mahematans,” i.e. the Moros. Forbes believes diplomatic action would suffice and fears the consequences of a religious war.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-04-18