Press and politics

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Nicholas Murray Butler

President Roosevelt agrees with Columbia University President Nicholas Murray Butler’s ideas about monetary policy, but does not see how they could be implemented at the present. Members of Congress are entirely at odds about what to do, and those who wish to revise the tariff now want to do so simply to hurt the Republican Party. Roosevelt is not concerned about reluctance to support Secretary of War William H. Taft’s bid for the presidency as he believes people are even more reluctant to support other candidates. He is more worried at the suggestion that each party might choose a nominee who had not held high office before, as Roosevelt believes a president must have experience handling the many responsibilities of the government.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-24

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Nicholas Murray Butler

President Roosevelt regrets missing Nicholas Murray Butler, as they have much to discuss. Roosevelt has feared an economic recession because of the recklessness of the financial sector and it is now coming to pass. He is certain that the newspapers entrenched on Wall Street will need to accept that his policies are here to stay, even once he leaves office. The President is concerned that so many of the richest Americans ally themselves with corrupt interests, and himself favors the common people over the dishonest elites. He believes that the Republicans should put off revising the tariff until after the next general election.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-20

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

President Roosevelt tells Secretary of War Taft that he admires his willingness to sacrifice his own interests for a principle, but encourages him to avoid talking about delicate subjects where his words could be twisted. Roosevelt is glad that Taft understands the situation with another potential presidential candidate, Governor Charles Evans Hughes, remarking that he has a “distinct strength with the people.” The president believes that Taft will get the majority of the delegates in the West on the first roll and that the majority of people in New England are for Taft. Finally, Roosevelt notes that the New York papers are “almost insane” in regard to his actions, suggesting that Judas Iscariot and Benedict Arnold were “pretty good citizens by comparison.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-19

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt thanks Senator Lodge for sending the piece from Baron F. A. Channing, which he will quote. It is apparent that Roosevelt’s Provincetown speech did not make matters worse, as the Sun, Times, and Evening Post had said it would. An expert has recently confirmed for Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt that only Grace Wilson Vanderbilt and Senator John Kean have comparable Madeira cellars. Roosevelt also includes a quote from Secretary of War William H. Taft praising Lodge’s speech.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles E. Magoon

President Roosevelt agrees with Provisional Governor of Cuba Magoon, but he can not take any action on the matter. Magoon has been doing a fine job in Cuba, as the press does not say anything negative about him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Albert Shaw

President Roosevelt asks Albert Shaw to reproduce a cartoon from Puck. As Roosevelt has no plans to hold another position in public office, the upset on Wall Street will have no lasting effect on him, but he comments on the related press coverage. The New York Sun has tried to disparage the Great White Fleet, but Roosevelt is certain Shaw understands that the fleet’s journey is necessary. Roosevelt asks Shaw to lunch with Mark Twain and Frank Nelson Doubleday on Friday the 13th.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-03

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles J. Bonaparte

President Roosevelt approves of Attorney General Bonaparte’s letter to United States Attorney Edwin Walter Sims, and feels they are prepared for any attacks. A Missouri correspondent has just sent an attack upon Roosevelt regarding Standard Oil. If the judge fights them, Roosevelt will publish a statement. Along with the publication of Bonaparte’s previous communications, this will prove that the record did not warrant the statements.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-03

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt has forwarded Senator Lodge’s letter to Assistant Secretary of the Navy Truman Handy Newberry. Roosevelt thinks the USS Constitution should be at Annapolis rather than taken out of commission. The media campaign regarding the fleet’s trip to the Pacific will likely have no effect, as Roosevelt feels there is public support for the action. Senator Eugene Hale of the Committee on Naval Affairs has been trying to negatively influence Newberry, but Roosevelt has told Newberry to ignore the sentiments.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-02

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Alfred Henry Lewis

President Roosevelt enjoyed the editorial sent by Alfred Henry Lewis. When he returns to Washington, D.C. he will ask Bat Masterson to bring down Lewis’s brother, William Eugene Lewis. Roosevelt agrees that there is a dangerous possibility that any supposed public support for himself could always turn in favor of someone more radical.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-02

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles J. Bonaparte

President Roosevelt agrees with Attorney General Bonaparte on the appointment of Assistant Attorney General Marsden C. Burch in the Idaho land fraud case. On the New Mexico issue, Roosevelt details Attorney General William H. H. Llewellyn’s rise as an attorney. In light of Judge James H. Beatty’s letter, Roosevelt feels there is no need to be involved. Although Roosevelt does not trust rumors, it does seem based on recent behavior that Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis may be suffering a breakdown. In a post script, Roosevelt comments on William Randolph Hearst’s recent supposed sympathy toward Bonaparte after his siding with Wall Street. In Roosevelt’s view, the recurrent rumor about Bonaparte resigning to appease financiers has actually shown the public that Bonaparte alarms those who are corrupt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-31

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Speyer

President Roosevelt is entertained by the editorial James Speyer sent in which he is accused of lawlessness for his behavior towards the railroads. The Sun is a tool used by Wall Street, and Roosevelt feel that those who run it would rather have chaos than law, and would rather rig the system than get ahead on merit.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-30

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Thomas Goode Jones

President Roosevelt praises Judge Jones for his action. Sadly, the conservative press of New York has failed to express the connection between Jones’s work and the situation. Roosevelt will see if he can “wake it up.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lawrence F. Abbott

President Roosevelt sends Lawrence F. Abbott, editor of The Outlook, his correspondence with Judge Thomas Goode Jones, who he is “glad that I have backed up.” The Sun’s recent turn against the Navy surprised Roosevelt, and he would like to discuss the matter with Abbott and his brother, Ernest Hamlin Abbott. Roosevelt extends an invitation to stay at the White House to Abbott’s father, Lyman Abbott. The Outlook continually provides excellent points, which Roosevelt draws on.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles J. Bonaparte

President Roosevelt finds Attorney General Bonaparte’s letter to United States District Attorney N. M. Ruick admirable. Unfortunately, Francis J. Heney is unable to take the case. Roosevelt encloses a letter from Idaho Governor Frank Robert Gooding. The press has turned its attention to Secretary of State Elihu Root, who has been in poor health.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-27

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Thomas Goode Jones

President Roosevelt praises Judge Jones for his action. Sadly, the conservative press of New York has failed to express the connection between Jones’s work and the situation. Roosevelt will see if he can “wake it up.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Merriman C. Harris

President Roosevelt thanks Bishop Harris for the editorial and his thoughts about the sentiment in Japan. He is disappointed that the Japanese press is “about on par with our own yellow press.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Department of State

President Roosevelt directs the Department of State to refer to the concluding part of his letter of April 10 regarding documentation of the incident with Governor of Jamaica James Alexander Swettenham. Roosevelt instructs that the reports from those involved, including Admiral Robley D. Evans, Rear Admiral C. H. Davis, Father Mathew Carlin Gleeson, the ship surgeon, and all officers, be readied for publication. At some point, the affair “may see the light,” in Great Britain, and Roosevelt wants “immediately to produce our whole case in answer.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-24

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

President Roosevelt agrees with Secretary of War Taft regarding the street paving contract, but will wait for Taft to return before making decisions. The New York papers disparage Taft and Roosevelt’s speeches. Roosevelt admires Senator Henry Cabot Lodge’s Provincetown speech and sends it to Taft.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-22

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt thoroughly commends Senator Lodge for his speech, which he sent a copy of to Secretary of War William H. Taft. Following up from previous correspondence, Roosevelt feels Lodge’s letter to E. T. Colburn is acceptable and informs Lodge that he took up the submarine boat issue with Secretary of the Navy Victor H. Metcalf. The New York newspapers disparage Roosevelt’s speech. He asks for Lodge’s insight on a memorandum about Japan.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-23

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles J. Bonaparte

President Roosevelt agrees with Attorney General Bonaparte’s conclusions in the Standard Oil and Chicago Alton Railroad case. While he thinks Bonaparte’s letter to Henry Lee Higginson is admirable, Roosevelt thinks it best not to publish it and open himself to further attacks by the press. He cautions against attending the conference of attorney generals. Roosevelt suggests how to respond to United States District Attorney N. M. Ruick and handle the situation in New Mexico.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-22