Philippines

Democratic party tendencies

Several Democratic leaders pull at ropes tied together. Senator Arthur P. Gorman and Representative William Bourke Cockran pull against each other on the “tariff question,” William Jennings Bryan and Grover Cleveland pull against each other on the “money question,” and August Belmont and William Randolph Hearst pull against each other on the “trust question.” Caption: Think of Gorman agreeing with Cochran on the tariff question. Think of Bryan agreeing with Cleveland on the money question. Think of reconciling the words of their platform and their candidate on the Philippine question. Think of Belmont harmonizing with Hearst on the trust question.—Senator Beveridge’s Tomlinson Hall Speech.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-10

Getting red in the face

Alton B. Parker sweats as he attempts to hoist the flag of “anti-Americanism populism experimental doctrines” up the “Democratic platform” flag pole. He stands on somewhat cracked “Jeffersonian principles,” which is on the “Philippines.” The “N.Y. Sun” glares at him. Below the cartoon is a quote from the New York Sun decrying the Democratic platform of 1904 and endorsing President Roosevelt and Senator Charles W. Fairbanks.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-10

All kinds of advice

A harried-looking Alton B. Parker sits at a desk and tries to write as several megaphones with the titles of various newspapers shout at him. The “Brooklyn Eagle” says, “Hold to the Philippines.” The “N.Y. American” says, “Down with Belmont and trusts.” The “N.Y. Times” says, “Hold the Philippines. Hold everything.” The “N.Y. World” says, “Scuttle. Abandon Philippines. Give up. Scuttle.” The “N.Y. Post” says, “Come out for free trade.” Another megaphone says, “Down with the South.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-11

No new policy wanted

John A. Dix points to a letter that reads, “Treasury Department Jan. 27, 1861—If any one attempts to haul down the American flag, shoot him on the spot. John A. Dix, Secretary of the Treasury.” Meanwhile, Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw writes on paper: “evacuate the Philippines.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-16

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Artie O. Swartwood

President Roosevelt responds to Artie O. Swartwood’s letter about the Appeal to Reason, saying that it is full of false information, and that William H. Taft’s work with Catholics and Protestants has been well documented. Roosevelt will send materials on the topic to Swartwood.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-19

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lyman Abbott

President Roosevelt assures Lyman Abbott that no private corporations will have exclusive rights to such a telegraph cable, but he has his doubts about government ownership of the cable. If Congress does not provide funding for the federal construction of such a cable, then Roosevelt believes private individuals should begin their own construction. He comments that while private individuals can run cables to Hawaii as they can between other states, running cables to the Philippines is a trickier matter, and depends on the Supreme Court.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-10-09

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Leslie M. Shaw

Secretary of War Elihu Root is considering applying to Congress for legislation improving the sale of Philippine bonds, but President Roosevelt would like to avoid that if possible. He would like the bonds to be at four percent and accepted at par without qualification.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-12-24

Calling card of J. J. Harty

Archbishop Harty is sending a copy of a letter which illustrates how tense his position in the Philippines is.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-02

They confer on tariff

President Roosevelt, Secretary of War William H. Taft, Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon, and Senator Henry Cabot Lodge met to discuss the Senate’s refusal to report the Philippine tariff bill. Taft believes that the fight for lower tariff rates has just begun, but Lodge does not think that the bill’s prospects are good.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-03-05

Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War Taft thinks that it would be wise to wait until the report from the Army’s Board on Church Claims in the Philippines is completed before taking any further action.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-03-10

Olney – six corrected proofs tonight to Dean

In a copy of an open letter, Senator Lodge responds to Richard Olney’s recent open letter which urged the election of William Jennings Bryan. Lodge analyses Olney’s arguments against President Roosevelt’s handling of the trusts, his criticism of select judges, and his foreign policy, as well as Olney’s distrust of William H. Taft as Roosevelt’s successor. Lodge defends Taft’s record in the Philippines and as Secretary of War.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-29

Exhibit C

Exhibit C contains correspondence regarding the publication and criticism of Edgar M. Ledyard’s pamphlet “Lessons on Familiar Philippine Animals” which was intended for use by the Bureau of Education in Manila. The pamphlet had a number of grammatical and scientific errors.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12-26

Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War Taft does not believe it is necessary nor desirable to appoint Father Edward J. Vattmann to assist William A. Sutherland in the matter of the Filipino students.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-11

Note about tindalo planks

This note discusses the tindalo planks used in the Philippine exhibit at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. The Board of Commissioners would be pleased to present them to President Roosevelt, and that Colonel Clarence Ransom Edwards should be advised on the matter. An addition notes that Edwards was called on January 30 and told that the planks would not be wanted.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01

Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War Taft will investigate the Japanese labor issues in Hawaii on his way to the Philippines during the summer.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-02-11

Roosevelt’s self-repudiation

This review of President Roosevelt’s work, Life of Benton, alleges that Roosevelt ends up contradicting his own actions by his words as he criticizes the hostile expansion of the earlier United States, while at the same time driving imperialism in the Philippines in the current day. Roosevelt also delves further into hypocrisy through his mention of Benton’s nomination to commanding general during the Mexican American War, which the author of this piece compares to Roosevelt’s own promotion of Leonard Wood to Major General. Such inconsistencies between Roosevelt the author and Roosevelt the president persist through the book.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-29

Address by Dr. Schurman

In excerpts from his speech, Jacob Gould Schurman discusses concerns with large corporations and ways to make competition fairer. He believes the solution is not socialism. Rather, he suggests the public should abolish special privileges to corporations. Schurman is glad President Roosevelt mentioned this issue in his annual message and agrees with his suggestion of giving the Interstate Commerce Commission more power. In addition, Schurman suggests other policies for reform, including an income tax and changes to the tariff and the Philippine policy. Schurman looks forward to when the Philippines will have an independent republican government.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-20

Dr. Schurman favors Filipino independence

In a speech, Jacob Gould Schurman, President of Cornell University, spoke in favor of independence for the Philippines and advocated for the government buying the land owned by the friars and selling it back to the Filipinos.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-12-23

Mr. Schurman sees Philippines Free

Cornell University President Jacob Gould Schurman advocated in a speech for granting the Philippines independence, and buying land from the Spanish friars and reselling it to Filipinos.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-12-23

How our government adjusted the Philippine church problem

A full-page newspaper article about the “church problem” in the Philippines. The problem of anti-church sentiment among Flipinos, particularly against friars, was already existing and inherited by the United States government. Secretary of War William H. Taft, formerly Governor-General of the Philippines, takes a commission to The Holy See to seek solutions to these problems in common interest. Issues of land ownership and the establishment of a school system are negotiated successfully by Taft’s commission in the Philippines.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-22