Your TR Source
President Roosevelt is very pleased by both of Senator Knox’s speeches, and comments on them. Knox spoke in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on the topic of putting the interests of the people above that of the railroads, and in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on the topic of waterways and conservation of natural resources.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-11
President Roosevelt does not know what to say about a conversation Senator Lodge had with Governor Curtis Guild about railroad mergers in Massachusetts, but suggests that Lodge tell Guild that Roosevelt acted at Lodge’s request.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-06-17
President Roosevelt responds to William Emlen Roosevelt and is sorry to hear that Roosevelt will not be able to join him on his travels. Roosevelt tells his cousin that he is interested in the prediction of bad crops, as it is contrary to other predictions he had heard several months prior. Roosevelt predicts that if there is not a good harvest this year then farmers will blame the railroads, and railroads will blame the government. Theodore Roosevelt uses this as justification for why government needs to regulate the railroads to protect industry and agriculture in the United States.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-05-27
President Roosevelt has seen the article sent by Paul Tuckerman and believes the writer to be ignorant of some facets of the subject on which he writes. Economic instability is less caused by the administration’s policy toward the railroads and more by the mischief of people like railroad executive Edward Henry Harriman in the financial industry.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-04-16
President Roosevelt assures Frederick W. Whitridge that if he speaks about the railroads it will be in the context of some set speech, such as those he has made in Harrisburg or about the muckrakers. Roosevelt has never believed the value of the railroad companies was relevant in setting rates, though he thinks that the government will end up knowing their values. He believes government regulation of railroads is necessary, in the same way it was needed for banks.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-04-02
President Roosevelt sends Jacob H. Schiff his last annual message to Congress, asking him to read a particular passage. In light of this and other statements he has made, he does not understand why Wall Street believes him to be a “wild-eyed revolutionist.” He will do everything he can to help every honest businessman, provided; he only seeks to punish those who are dishonest. In addition, he does not seek to address wrongs of the past, only to prevent injustice and establish equity for the future.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-03-25
President Theodore Roosevelt thinks John A. Sleicher is “right about my meeting those railroad men.” The railroad men need to announce that they accept and will work with the government regulation. They are being cooperative now, but it would have been better had they thought to do this a year ago.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-03-12
President Roosevelt believes the Interstate Commerce Commission is doing “the most important work of the Government at this time” and asks them to investigate the allegations made by the director and chairman of the Union Pacific Railroad Edward Henry Harriman. Roosevelt sees this as an opportunity for the Commission to profit from criticism by evaluating and improving their methods.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-10
President Roosevelt approves of what Secretary of War Taft has done in the matter of the Philippine railways.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-06-29
President Roosevelt remarks to Philip Battell Stewart that it is difficult for him to tell what actions he takes will cause him trouble. Roosevelt has been subject to much criticism for his action in discontinuing a suit by Attorney General William H. Moody regarding allowing a railroad to travel through Gore Canyon instead of reserving it for the Reclamation Service. Roosevelt asks Stewart to write him a letter of clarification on a number of matters, as Stewart had previously informed Roosevelt that the sentiment in Colorado was that the railroad should be granted the right of passage in order to open northwestern Colorado for settlement. He was also under the impression that the Reclamation Service was not active in Gore Canyon. Roosevelt would like to make a strong statement showing that his action in this instance was proper.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-05-17
President Roosevelt has looked into the matter of Gore Canyon, and he provides William Eleroy Curtis a thorough accounting for the actions of the government in allowing a railroad to go through there instead of reserving the land for the work of the United States Reclamation Service. Roosevelt was told by many people in Colorado of the importance of a railroad through Gore Canyon in opening up more of the state for settlement and development. Furthermore, the Reclamation Service had not taken and was not in the position to take any steps towards developing Gore Canyon as a reservoir. Although the land had been withdrawn, when a judgement was passed in favor of the railroad, Roosevelt agreed and had Attorney General William H. Moody dismiss the government’s follow-up proceedings. Roosevelt asks Curtis to treat the portions of the letter containing quoted correspondence as private but allows him to use the rest of the letter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-05-19
President Roosevelt would like to appoint Franklin K. Lane of California to the Interstate Commerce Commission, and asks Senator Flint for his opinion of Lane.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-06
President Roosevelt would like to appoint Franklin K. Lane of California to the Interstate Commerce Commission, and asks Senator Perkins’s opinion on Lane.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-06
President Roosevelt would like to Frederic Adrian Delano to come to Washington to speak with him and Attorney General William H. Moody about railroads and other businesses. Roosevelt believes that if there is not some kind of government regulation implemented, they will be faced with a movement either for government ownership of the railroads or for legislation of a “drastic and damaging character” against corporations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-10-11
President Roosevelt instructs Benjamin Ide Wheeler to not quote their conversation about Secretary of War William H. Taft, or any other topic, to Edward Henry Harriman. Roosevelt speaks freely with Wheeler, and wants to makes sure that his statements are not repeated unless exactly the same. He has spoken freely to Harriman in the past, and is sure he will do so again, but there is nothing to discuss regarding the present railroad matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-20
President Roosevelt tells Joseph Bucklin Bishop he will speak to Secretary of War William H. Taft at once. He is trying to figure out how to speak with Henry Clay Frick, and Roosevelt is seeing if he can communicate with him through Pennsylvania Senator Philander C. Knox. Roosevelt tells Bishop that William Loeb was told “there is not the slightest chance of the Post being sold at all.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-08
President Roosevelt has received Paul Morton’s letter concerning rebates given to the Colorado Fuel Company when Morton was vice president of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad. As Morton’s letter indicates, he was “ignorant of the existence of such rebates” and had explicitly prohibited rebates. Roosevelt acknowledges that years prior, Morton alone was someone who gave testimony that helped stop “the system of rebates as it then existed,” and this showed Roosevelt he was “a man whose word could be trusted absolutely.” Because of this fact, the president wanted to have Morton enter his cabinet in the Navy Department, which he did serving the past year. Upon accepting Morton’s recent resignation from office, Roosevelt wishes him and former president Grover Cleveland success at the Equitable Life Assurance Society. Roosevelt believes Morton and Cleveland will do an excellent job.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-12
President Roosevelt shares his thoughts about his recent inauguration and the work he hopes to do in his second term with Major General Wood. In particular, Roosevelt is proud of his work building up the United States’s battleship fleet. Roosevelt mentions that Secretary of War William H. Taft will travel to the Philippines the upcoming summer.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-03-09
President Roosevelt understands Harris C. Fahnestock’s frustrations with governmental regulations over railroad rates. However, he maintains that supervision is required on the public’s behalf, especially since he opposes federal possession of the railroads.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-20
In this appendix to a letter to President Roosevelt, Commissioner of Labor Neill and Commissioner of Corporations Garfield report facts and figures that refute the claims made by Charles Stedman Hanks in his January 10 letter to Roosevelt. Hanks explained his view of the corrupt practices of railroad company statisticians, especially in regard to altering the sworn returns of the railroads. The examples in this document, however, fact check Hanks’s claims in regard to the figures reported to the Interstate Commerce Commission. The examples are in relation to the Lake Superior Terminal Company, the Seaboard Air Line, and the duplication of tracks.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-30