Shiras, George, 1859-1942

Casper Whitney, editor of Outing Magazine, informs President Roosevelt that he ended up not using any of George Shiras’s material in an upcoming article on the “nature fakers” controversy. Casper has previously avoided the topic as it makes him “mad to have to seriously discuss the perfectly idiotic stuff which Long puts forth as natural history.” He feels Roosevelt and John Burroughs have expressed themselves well in this matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-10

Creator(s)

Whitney, Caspar, 1862-1929

Reporter Edward B. Clark shares with President Roosevelt the issues behind the “symposium” of the nature fakers controversy included in the upcoming publication of Everybody’s Magazine and some scientists’ responses to the editorial process.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-08

Creator(s)

Clark, Edward B. (Edward Brayton), 1860-

John O’Hara Cosgrave, of Everybody’s Magazine, sends proofs of an article about the “nature faker” controversy, which includes a piece by President Roosevelt. Cosgrave details the final form of the article and believes it will be “the last word on the subject.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-03

Creator(s)

Cosgrave, John O'Hara, 1866-1947

John O’Hara Cosgrave of Everybody’s Magazine tells William Loeb that a proof of the issue President Roosevelt and other naturalists compiled addressing the nature fakers controversy should reach Roosevelt soon. Cosgrave has been in contact with Roosevelt’s collaborators Edward B. Clark and Edward William Nelson, and Clark has been in contact with George Shiras regarding their contributions to the issue.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-25

Creator(s)

Cosgrave, John O'Hara, 1866-1947

Caspar Whitney sends President Roosevelt the extracts from George Shiras’s letter to Roosevelt which he proposes to publish in response to William J. Long in the nature fakers controversy. Whitney suggests framing the statement not as coming from a letter to Roosevelt, but merely from someone who has studied animals in the field more carefully than has Long.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-22

Creator(s)

Whitney, Caspar, 1862-1929

Caspar Whitney, editor of The Outing Magazine, thanks President Roosevelt for the galley proofs by George Shiras, but wants to clarify that he can only use the parts of the text which relate to Shiras’ knowledge of wolves, which is a small portion of the full article. Whitney mentions that William J. Long is “making another effort for additional advertising.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-15

Creator(s)

Whitney, Caspar, 1862-1929

C. Hart Merriam thanks Theodore Roosevelt for the letter that came just as he was leaving Washington, D.C., for the west. He appreciated the information about the pigeons and the context for Shiras’ letter. Merriam also describes work that Nelson is doing to collect opinions from well known naturalists.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-04

Creator(s)

Merriam, C. Hart (Clinton Hart), 1855-1942

Caspar Whitney shares his plan to write about the “naturalist fakirs” in The Outing with President Roosevelt, and asks Roosevelt about his experience as a naturalist for the article. Whitney also asks for information regarding John Burroughs’s experience as a naturalist.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-03

Creator(s)

Whitney, Caspar, 1862-1929

The text of a bill, H.R. 19181, presented by Representative Shiras to the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. The bill proposes establishing an executive-level Department of Sanitary Science, as there are no Federal level protections for American citizens’ health even though animals have similar protection at the Federal level. Federal protection is needed because American citizens travel between states.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-03-01

Creator(s)

Unknown

The libel suit is over and Theodore Roosevelt won. The trial was in Marquette, Michigan, and Roosevelt stayed with George Shiras. Roosevelt’s witnesses were “good fellows” and he was touched by their devotional zeal. The trial lasted six days and the evidence was so overwhelming that George A. Newett retracted his charge and Roosevelt requested no damages. Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt has been visiting Archie and Quentin Roosevelt at Groton. Kermit Roosevelt has joined a “big contracting company in South Brazil.” In a postscript, Roosevelt has arrived home and received Ethel Roosevelt Derby’s telegram. He knows that Richard Derby will fit in with the family.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1913-06-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt describes the end of a lawsuit in which an editor who libeled him eventually gave in. Roosevelt believes he succeeded in putting the matter behind him and he is pleased with the way his friends supported him through the ordeal.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1913-05-31

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919