Your TR Source
President Roosevelt informs Colonel Thompson that “the result may yet be good,” if the paper keeps to Thompson’s policy and tries to undo the damage caused by its previous issues.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-21
President Roosevelt strongly objects to Charles Erskine Scott Wood publishing quotations from their personal correspondence and will immediately cease writing if that were to ill-advisedly occur.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-19
President Roosevelt instructs Acting Secretary of the Navy Newberry to ensure there is enough coal for the Great White Fleet’s trip, and says the Bureau of Equipment is “on trial in this matter.” He likes the idea of “having one first-class man. . .represent all the newspapers.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-17
President Roosevelt thanks Thomas T. Fauntleroy for the letter and editorial from the Pasadena Daily News, especially since most letters and press are hostile.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-17
President Roosevelt believes James B. Connolly is the ideal candidate to accompany the Atlantic Fleet as a journalist representing all newspapers. However, before promising anything, he must first consult with Admiral Willard H. Brownson and Admiral Robley D. Evans.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-17
President Roosevelt regards Attorney General Bonaparte’s actions as correct and believes it best he continues to decline interviews by the press, especially since anything he says “is certain to be twisted.” Roosevelt agrees that Special Assistant Attorney General Ormsby McHarg should be kept on.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-17
President Roosevelt instructs Attorney General Bonaparte to stop investigating the matter involving William B. Sheppard, and to fill out his appointment as the judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida. Roosevelt has directed Special Assistant Attorney General Ormsby McHarg to continue the prosecution in New Mexico. While Roosevelt feels that McHarg lacks the experience to handle the case, he understands that halting the prosecution would likely result in the statute of limitations coming into play. He hopes to send Assistant Attorney General Alford Warriner Cooley to new Mexico to help take up the matter. Bonaparte should continue insisting on an immediate separate trial for Senator William Edgar Borah. The press continually attacks Roosevelt and Bonaparte.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-15
Acting Secretary of the Navy Newberry’s letter helped President Roosevelt better understand the situation. Roosevelt believes the best itinerary for the Great White Fleet to follow is through the Straits of Magellan and returning through the Suez Canal, but he seeks advice from the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, Admiral Willard H. Brownson. Roosevelt also believes several reporters should accompany the fleet.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-10
President Roosevelt sends an editorial from the Evening Post to Robert Means Thompson, saying that it shows the damage done by articles appearing in The Navy, a magazine published by the United States Navy. Roosevelt criticizes articles in the magazine, saying it contains statements from disgruntled officers and men who are fighting among themselves, and these articles give newspapers like the Post fodder for attacking the Navy.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-02
President Roosevelt tells Secretary of War Taft that his endorsement by the Republican Party of Ohio is already having an effect on the New York newspapers, which previously had been supporting New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes for president in the upcoming election. Roosevelt advises Taft to not hurry election matters too much, but after his return from the Philippines he should make an attack on Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker. Roosevelt complains about Senator Eugene Hale’s efforts to curtail the navy’s attempts to repair battleships, saying Hale thinks that by keeping the United States unfit for war with Japan, war will therefore be averted. In a handwritten postscript Roosevelt tells Taft to avoid talking about tariff matters for the time being.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-03
President Roosevelt shares his thoughts regarding the upcoming presidential election and the land fraud case against Idaho Senator William Edgar Borah with William Allen White. Roosevelt outlines his personal reasons for supporting Secretary of War William H. Taft for president as well as the political considerations necessary to secure his nomination. In the case of Borah, Roosevelt would like White to come to Oyster Bay to discuss the matter with him and Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte; Roosevelt thinks it would look bad for Borah to come himself, and asks White to bring Borah’s lawyers on August 9.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-30
President Roosevelt compliments Ambassador Reid’s handling of the international arbitration proposal regarding American fishing rights in Newfoundland. Roosevelt says his chief concern in foreign affairs is the potential hostility between the United States and Japan, either due to “mob leaders” and “yellow journals” in California, or to the lack of foresight in men like Maine Senator Eugene Hale with regard to funding the Navy. Roosevelt is surprised that anyone pays attention to recent negative comments in the news about him made by George Brinton McClellan Harvey.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-26
President Roosevelt asks Senator Lodge if the enclosed document is alright and gives him permission to change anything he believes should be changed. He condemns a few newspapers for their invention of disunity among himself, Lodge, Secretary of War William H.Taft, and Senator Winthrop Murray Crane.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-22
President Roosevelt expresses his displeasure with H. E. Miles over recent press coverage regarding a meeting between Miles, Roosevelt, and Illinois Senator Albert J. Hopkins, in which it was reported that the three had reached an agreement about the tariff. Roosevelt points out that Congress must be consulted about the tariff, and therefore Roosevelt thinks it was unwise for Miles to even allude to any conversations he had with Roosevelt on the topic.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-18
President Roosevelt explains to Secretary of the Interior Hitchcock that he is writing again because another issue has been raised in regard to Hitchcock’s earlier letter. Roosevelt questions why an exhibit has been provided to him by the Department of the Interior which appears to have been done without Hitchcock’s knowledge. He would like a report from Inspector Edward B. Linnen as to why he sent in the exhibit and what purpose it served. Also, it appears details have been leaked to the press that falsely hold Roosevelt responsible for ordering the investigation into the matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-24
President Roosevelt defends his description of Thomas Paine, and tells Elbert Hubbard that what he has disclosed is not for publication.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-22
President Roosevelt tells William Dinwiddie that he has misquoted him, and instructs him to not quote private conversations between the two. He may decline to meet with Dinwiddie in the future.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-15
President Roosevelt introduces Ambassador Tower to John St. Loe Strachey, editor of The Spectator, and for whom Roosevelt has great respect.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-14
President Roosevelt thinks that it would be better for James Creelman to quote the letter he sent to Maria Longworth Storer, rather than to write a new quote about the situation.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-06
President Roosevelt appreciates Thurlow Weed Barnes’s article, and will try to deserve his good opinion. He was amused by The Sun‘s attack on him, as it was clearly inspired by “the Wall Street people.” He has tried to be “a real bulwark to the man of means” by fighting against corrupt men of great wealth.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-03