Your TR Source
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
M. E. Perry encloses a copy of The Pass-Book, a magazine designed to teach young people “the importance of thrift.” Perry asks Theodore Roosevelt to write a few words supporting the publication and encouraging young men and women to save. He also offered to send Roosevelt more copies, if he wants.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-10-11
Eight men and one woman are seated or standing around a table. Each is identified with a Cabinet position: J.P. Morgan as “Sec’y Navy,” Thomas W. Lawson as “Sec’y War,” Thomas F. Ryan as “Att’y Gen’l,” James J. Hill as “Sec’y Int,” James H. Hyde as “Sec’y Com. and Lab.”, Russell Sage as “Sec’y Agric,” Henrietta “Hetty” Green as “Post Mistress Gen’l,” Andrew Carnegie as “Sec’y State,” and John D. Rockefeller as “Sec’y Treas.” Setting on the table is a statue labeled “Golden Calf,” and hanging on the wall are portraits of “Midas” and “Croesus.” On the far left is a ticker tape machine. Caption: “There is not in my Cabinet one man to whom it is not a financial disadvantage to stay in the Cabinet.”–President Roosevelt at Asbury Park.
This cartoon by Joseph Keppler, Junior, is more of an ad hominem attack on personalities than Puck was used to make. There is no political or policy subtext, either about the Roosevelt cabinet as the president is quoted describing. Nor were any of the moguls at the table imminent appointees. This is merely having fun (except for the obvious venom in the depictions) with Roosevelt’s statement about the financial status of his department secretaries.
He did, of course, have rich men in his cabinet. But his precise meaning was that his secretaries sacrificed — corporation lawyer Elihu Root surely was one who served for less money than he would have earned outside government; and James Garfield absolutely depended on his government income.
President Roosevelt addressing the crowd at the Jamestown Exposition
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1907-06-06
A full crowd gathered to listen to President Roosevelt
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1903-07-29
President Roosevelt speaking to crowd from a train car.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1903-07-18
President Roosevelt speaking to crowd from the back of train car.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1903-07-18
Theodore Roosevelt will not sign the enclosed translation because there are “little variations for which [he will] not be willing to stand.” Roosevelt says he will sign what he has said that is directly quoted in English, word for word.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-06-04
Theodore Roosevelt remembers parts of that quotation but does not remember where he said it.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-05-31
Theodore Roosevelt is sorry to say no to John Adams Thayer, but if gave permission for one person to quote his private letters in a book, he would have to comply with many other requests.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-10-13
Theodore Roosevelt is outraged by some of the recent actions of the Associated Press in issuing statements about him that are false, and reporting him to have said things that he did not. Roosevelt has also noticed that the Associated Press seems to be suppressing news about him that is true, but this bothers him less.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-06-14
On behalf of Theodore Roosevelt, his secretary admonishes Priscilla Dudley Hackstaff for the way in which she quoted Roosevelt in a recent article she wrote.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-06-12
Theodore Roosevelt demands that developers Burke & Farrar stop misquoting him for advertising and real estate sales transactions.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-05-26
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary sends Edwin T. Earl the proof of a lecture given by Roosevelt with the correct quotations from Huxley, to be used in a book Earl is issuing.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-05-15
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary informs Ralph B. Yewdale that Roosevelt has made it his policy to never give his opinion on issues in letters for quotation. Roosevelt receives so many similar inquiries that to answer them all would prove “simply unbearable.” Yewdale should consult Roosevelt’s published speeches to understand his views on the matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-05-04
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary sends Roosevelt’s regrets to Lee Brown about being unable to comply with his request. Roosevelt never gives his opinion on public affairs in personal letters for quotation. Roosevelt receives so many letters requesting his opinion on various issues that to comply in every case would take up too much of his time. Brown should consult Roosevelt’s published speeches instead.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-05-01
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary sends Roosevelt’s apologies to Clarence A. Smith, as he never gives his opinion on public issues in letters for quotation. Smith should refer to Roosevelt’s published speeches instead.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-05-01
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary must inform Ural A. Rowe that Roosevelt cannot comment upon all of the questions put to him by correspondents and he never gives his opinion on public issues in letters for quotation. Roosevelt is sorry not to be able to reply to Rowe in the way that Rowe had hoped. However, Roosevelt’s views on the matter may be ascertained by consulting his published speeches.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-05-01
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary informs M. V. Rork that Roosevelt never gives his opinion on public issues in letters for quotation, as it would take up too much of his time to answer all of the many similar inquiries he receives. The secretary recommends that Rork consult Roosevelt’s published speeches instead.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-04-27
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary refers Howard H. Ridgaway to Roosevelt’s published speeches in order to ascertain his views on the question about which Ridgaway asked. Roosevelt never gives his thoughts on public issues in letters for quotation.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-04-27