Your TR Source
A staff correspondent following William H. Taft as he travels through Nebraska writes of the response citizens have after Taft leaves. Many of the accounts shared are favorable, unlike reports from Kansas and Iowa.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-10-04
The results of the presidential poll conducted by the Topeka Capital.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-04-25
Albert Bushnell Hart argues that while Theodore Roosevelt may have lost some friends, he is still the most recognizable public man and has more friends and admirers than anyone else.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-01-19
M. H. Brown feels that President William H. Taft’s friendship with Secretary of the Interior Richard Achilles Ballinger has injured him. He regards Theodore Roosevelt as the idol of honest people.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-01-25
Will Thomas Withrow predicts Theodore Roosevelt will be the 1912 Republican nominee and will be elected by the largest majority ever. Withrow shares his conversations about presidential candidates with the “traveling men” of Texas, who eventually conceded that Roosevelt was the only possible candidate. He discusses how the people “believe in Roosevelt” and “want him.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-01-31
Theodore Roosevelt will visit and speak in fourteen states starting in March. He plans to explain how the Republican fight is “to go on.” While he has informally expressed his belief that President William H. Taft will be the nominee, he will not make an announcement in Taft’s favor.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-01-03
In this letter to the editor of the Boston Transcript, Joseph Bucklin Bishop discusses the unique character of the upcoming Republican Party convention, in which Theodore Roosevelt will be unanimously nominated as the candidate for president of the United States, in opposition to most of the party’s machine politicians. Bishop reflects on Roosevelt’s popularity, which he attributes to his doing what is for the good of the people, independent of party politics.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-06
In one section of the cartoon, President Roosevelt stands beside William H. Taft who wears a sign that says, “Vote for Bryan.” People look on and laugh. Taft asks, “What’s everybody laughing at?” In another section, a donkey and an elephant sit on the tops of two towers. In the middle section, “Willie Hooligan Hoist” holds up a “Standard Oil” scarecrow that scares Roosevelt, Taft, and William Jennings Bryan. Two men run away, leaving their hats: “Foraker” and “Haskell.” In the bottom left section, Roosevelt and Taft attempt to push Bryan’s house with him in it on the ground. In the bottom right section, Bryan shocks Roosevelt who shouts, “Loeb! See if you can locate this malefactor!”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-31
President Roosevelt pulls at John D. Rockefeller’s coattails as he sits on William H. Taft’s shoulder. Rockefeller says, “You can’t lose me!”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-03
William H. Taft, who is dressed like a farmer, stands in front of a group of newspaper reporters. Caption: Mother calls me William, Father calls me Will, Sister calls me Willie, But you folks call me Bill.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-14
In the first cartoon, William H. Taft holds a large sack—”Tafts popularity”—and walks forward. William Jennings Bryan, who follows behind and holds a knife labeled “speeches,” says, “Want any help, Bill? I’ll lighten your load—make it easy for you.” Taft replies, “All right Willie. Just hold it up in the back. In the second cartoon, Bryan says, “You bet I’ll light his load—there won’t be any load when I get through helping! Wow!” as he reaches up with his knife. In the third cartoon, Bryan starts to cut the sack and says, “Gee! But big Bill is easy.” Taft replies, “I’m on!” In the fourth cartoon, Taft watches as votes pour out over Bryan, who says, “Help! I’m buried. Oh, I could slap him!” Taft replies, “Stung!”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-20
President Roosevelt pours a basket of “votes” into the top of “ballot box Taft” in the shape of William H. Taft’s face. His mouth is spewing out votes.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-09
Uncle Sam looks at a small William Jennings Bryan trying to fit into “Roosevelt policies” shoes and says, “You may claim them, but you can never fill them.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-13
President Roosevelt—the “usher”—informs William Jennings Bryan and “Miss Democracy,” who are sitting in “Roosevelt policies” seats, “Pardon me, but you are in the wrong seats!” William H. Taft and a Republican elephant sit behind them. Caption: Gosh blame it! And right in the middle of the play, too.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-15
President Roosevelt holds William H. Taft, who is depicted as a baby and holds a Republican elephant rattle. Uncle Sam, who has a cigar in his mouth, looks on. Caption: Uncle Sam–My, what a big boy! But Bryan says he can’t talk? Papa Teddy–Oh yes, he can! He repeats everything I say.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-16
The editorial columns of Leslie’s Weekly address numerous topics in a number of highlighted columns. These include predicting that enthusiasm for William Jennings Bryan’s 1908 candidacy for the presidential election will wane, reporting on the progress of Secretary of State Elihu Root’s trip to South America, commenting that attacks on President Roosevelt’s veracity in the railway-rate-bill discussion have been mild compared to past presidents, and examining the proposition of global disarmament.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-09
President Roosevelt greatly enjoyed having Representative Kent visit the White House, and hopes that he had a good time. Roosevelt was surprised at Arthur Twining Hadley’s choice of John C. Spooner and J. Pierpont Morgan to receive honorary degrees from Yale University, but does not think that it will do enough damage to William H. Taft to prevent him from winning the presidential election.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-03
William H. Taft has received the letters that President Roosevelt forwarded from United States Representative William Kent, who he thinks is a bit of a crank. Taft was not entirely comfortable with J. Pierpont Morgan being praised at Yale’s commencement speech, but does not attach the same weight to it that Kent does, and does not think there was a conspiracy to make Taft appear as a reactionary.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-11
Draft of an editorial describing a meeting between Frederick Morgan Davenport, a professor at Hamilton College, and Secretary of War William H. Taft. Davenport compares the current political and economic climate with that in 1812, with the patriotic and commercial interests at cross-purposes. The author trusts that the popular interests will prevail over the commercial ones, and goes on to relay Davenport’s thoughts on the election chances of both Taft and New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-01-13
In Leslie’s Weekly, former New York City Mayor Seth Low writes about why he feels Charles Evan Hughes, Governor of New York, would be the best Republican candidate for president on 1908. In his view, Hughes has the best chance of winning New York given his strong record there as governor, and without New York the Republican chances of victory are slim. While Low holds many others in high esteem, he feels that Hughes is the safest choice for Republicans given the challenging election they will face.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-01-23