Railroads--Freight--Rates--Law and legislation

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

President Roosevelt would not have advised Secretary of War Taft to take the position of refusing to compromise with Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker but, upon reflection, considers it “one of those fine and manly things” he expects from Taft. Roosevelt recommends changing one sentence in his letter, which reads, “It may be quite true that a Senator may act on his own conscience.” Roosevelt believes it would be better to use the specific example of the rate bill where Foraker “acted so as to outrage the consciences of all the best men.” If Taft is not to be the president, Roosevelt hopes he will be Chief Justice or a senator from Ohio.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-26

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Charles J. Bonaparte to Theodore Roosevelt

Attorney General Bonaparte updates President Roosevelt on Judge Frank Sigel Dietrich’s statements regarding Marshal Ruel Rounds, and on the situation in Idaho. Bonaparte thinks the lumber men could appeal to the Interstate Commerce Commission about the railroad rates, but he will have to look into the matter further. Many of the employees involved in the land fraud cases think highly of District Attorney N. M. Ruick and feel Senator William Edgar Borah is guilty, but the secret service men dislike Ruick. In Oklahoma, Bonaparte is still waiting for the election and the results of the census, and will give Roosevelt his feedback on the constitution after he has more information. William Randolph Hearst and the financiers have taken up rumors of Bonaparte’s resignation in the press again, perhaps because of Republican National Committee member Frank B. Kellogg’s visit to Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-01

Creator(s)

Bonaparte, Charles J. (Charles Joseph), 1851-1921

Letter from James Shanklin Harlan to Theodore Roosevelt

James Shanklin Harlan shares some of his suggestions on what President Roosevelt should say in his public announcement concerning railroad regulation. He believes Roosevelt’s statement clearly proposes “progressive legislation in the correction of admitted evils.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-28

Creator(s)

Harlan, James Shanklin, 1861-1927

Letter from R. R. Bowker to Theodore Roosevelt

President Roosevelt’s message to R. R. Bowker confirms to Bowker what he has heard from many in Washington about John F. Stevens’ resignation as Chief Engineer on the Panama Canal. Bowker believes Stevens’, “a man of railroad training and association”, resignation may have been influenced in part by Roosevelt’s policies on railroad regulation. Bowker will send a memorandum or report to Roosevelt in person on the situation to improve the transport of supplies to the canal workers.  

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-28

Creator(s)

Bowker, R. R. (Richard Rogers), 1848-1933

Letter from William Allen White to Theodore Roosevelt

William Allen White assures President Roosevelt that the railroads have fared well this past winter. White believes the slump in railroad stocks is due to anti-railroad sentiment in the middle Western states and the unwanted interference of attorneys hired by railroad executives Edward Henry Harriman, George Jay Gould, and Mr. Marowitz in local politics.  

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-15

Creator(s)

White, William Allen, 1868-1944

Letter from William Allen White to Theodore Roosevelt

William Allen White has heard that Representative Victor Murdock’s bill regarding mail rates will fail, and would like President Roosevelt to assist Murdock if he can, as the postal service is in great need of reform. White would visit Roosevelt himself, but his wife Sallie Moss Lindsay White is ill.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-16

Creator(s)

White, William Allen, 1868-1944

Must get Roosevelt again.–La Follette

Senator Robert M. La Follette of Wisconsin supports the renomination of President Roosevelt and believes the actions of railroad corporations who also support Roosevelt’s renomination as a means to defeat his railroad regulations are going about it in the wrong way. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-10

Creator(s)

Unknown

Letter from Nicholas Murray Butler to Theodore Roosevelt

Nicholas Murray Butler updates President Roosevelt on the progress being made to establish the Association for International Conciliation, with funding from Andrew Carnegie. The peace work of the association is to be done as quietly as possible and in accordance with the wishes of Roosevelt and Secretary of State Elihu Root. In addition, Butler offers Roosevelt his support in regard to the Brownsville affair and encourages Roosevelt to keep up a “stiff front” to the “Senate oligarchy.” Butler also shares his observations regarding how railroad officials are trying to make the new railroad rate law unpopular, but concludes that, despite challenges, the law will succeed in the end.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-21

Creator(s)

Butler, Nicholas Murray, 1862-1947

Letter from Paul Morton to Theodore Roosevelt

Now that he has retired as Secretary of the Navy, Paul Morton makes a statement concerning the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad Company and Colorado Fuel and Iron Company rebate case. Morton outlines the agreement between the parties and his own involvement in securing injunctions against the companies. Morton stresses his long history as a railroad man and his commitment to transparency and fairness.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-05

Creator(s)

Morton, Paul, 1857-1911

Gives answer to Senator Long’s letter

C. L. Davidson responds to a letter published by Kansas Senator Chester I. Long regarding the Dolliver Bill, Hepburn Act, and decisions regarding the Interstate Commerce Commission and railroad rates, and how these decisions will affect Wichita, Kansas.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-01-25

Creator(s)

Unknown

Message to the Senate and House

President Roosevelt advocates for amending the Sherman Anti-Trust Law to better enable it to be enforced. If it cannot be amended, a new law granting the federal government authority to review and regulate corporations should be passed.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-03

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to W. C. Brown

President Roosevelt thanks W. C. Brown for his interesting letter, but would like to reiterate what he told Brown in a recent conversation: that the months presidential election is not the proper time to consider the readjustment of freight rates. It is too important of an issue, and makes otherwise “sober” men too excited, to be considered right before an election. In a postscript, Roosevelt thanks Brown for the inscription in the volume of speeches Brown sent him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-06

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt

President Roosevelt updates his son Kermit Roosevelt on the weather and the family after the Easter holiday. He discusses the railroad situation and the requests for him to speak on the matter but reiterates that he would be repeating what already has been said. In a postscript, Roosevelt updates his son on the grounds and how the trees and flowers are blossoming.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-31

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Jacob H. Schiff

President Roosevelt has taken the initiative to set up a meeting between the Interstate Commerce Commission and various railroad presidents.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-29

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Creelman

President Roosevelt disagrees with what was said about him in The Statist. He tells James Creelman that he has not made threats, but only done what was in the best interest of the honest railroad investor and manager.  

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-29

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Lee Higginson

President Roosevelt is confused by what type of assistance Henry Lee Higginson is asking for concerning the “money market.” He believes it is the responsibility of the “railroad and corporation people”, or those who have exploited stocks, to reassure investors and the American people regarding railroad rate regulation. He also reminds Higginson that he is expanding upon the same regulations that already exist in Higginson’s home state of Massachusetts.  

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-28

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Wingate Sewall

President Roosevelt tells William Wingate Sewall that his son Archibald B. Roosevelt is doing much better.  He is glad to hear that Sewall was able to witness Iowa Senator Jonathan P. Dolliver speech and appreciates that he agrees with him on the railroad issue.  

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-27

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Allen White

Since Congress as failed to act, President Roosevelt has decided that the administration should act in regard to the “railroad mail matter.” Roosevelt believes Secretary of the Treasury George B. Cortelyou will tame the railroad lobby who successfully overcame the efforts of Kansas Representative Victor Murdock and Wisconsin Senator Robert M. La Follette to lower the railroad rates. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-06

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Victor Murdock

President Roosevelt thanks Kansas Representative Murdock for his telegram and believes Secretary of the Treasury Cortelyou was correct about “this railroad mail matter.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-06

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Lee Higginson

President Roosevelt shares his view on railroad rates, currency regulation, and reconstruction with Henry Lee Higginson. He disagrees with Higginson, believing that railroad rates should be further regulated by the federal government, but agrees with him about the need for currency regulation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-11

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919