Social conflict

President Roosevelt has been reading the works of former President Thomas Jefferson and concludes that the Constitution is meant to adapt to the country through the decisions of the Supreme Court. As he spends more time with the wealthy, he is convinced of their “entire unfitness” for government. Despite their good intentions, Roosevelt believes that these elites are out of touch with the common people. Roosevelt has a low opinion of Jefferson’s presidency, but notes that he was popular in his time.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-21

Sereno E. Payne, in the role of British Major John Pitcairn, commander of an occupying troop of British soldiers in Massachusetts in 1775, stands before a group of Patriots under the banner “Mass. Tariff Revisionists.” Caption: Major Sereno Payne Pitcairn (of the Stand Pat Lobsterbacks) — Disperse, ye villains! Ye rebels, disperse! Damn you, why don’t you disperse?

comments and context

Comments and Context

The cartoon of Udo J. Keppler on Puck‘s cover addresses an intra-party dispute among Republicans.

President Roosevelt defends hosting miners and labors leaders from Butte, Montana to lunch at the White House. They were all decent men and Roosevelt does not believe that any of them were involved with strike “outrages.” Some labor unions encourage rioting and violence but that is not sufficient grounds to discriminate against every member of any labor union.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-11-26

Theodore Roosevelt greatly wishes he could have been president during the Mexican Revolution and the First World War. Roosevelt also wishes that the documents sent to him by Jean Jules Jusserand could be widely circulated. Roosevelt further states that he hopes the English and French governments will treat the Wilson administration the same way Abraham Lincoln’s administration treated the English and French governments during the American Civil War, when the official classes were hostile to the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-02-06

Theodore Roosevelt writes to Archbishop Riordan to thank him for the letter and explain his thoughts. Charles J. Bonaparte was the only other person Roosevelt knew who felt as strongly and had a chance to appeal to the public, but as Bonaparte was a Catholic Roosevelt thought it should come from him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-12-22

President Roosevelt describes the “Wall Street crew” and The Sun as savage. Roosevelt believes that the course of action advocated by The Sun will “precipitate the bitterest class feeling.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-08-20

Parker H. Sercombe responds to Theodore Roosevelt’s article “Murder is Murder.” He reminds Roosevelt that in the context of class war, the working class has a right to fight back.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-05-06

Creator(s)

Sercombe, Parker H. (Parker Holmes), 1860-1944

Ambassador Meyer writes to President Roosevelt describing a crisis situation in Russia and a need for reform. Meyer mentions that he is sending Roosevelt a report and other documents concerning the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-05-01

Several changes should be made to a speech, with portions variously needing to be struck out or added. The contents of the speech seem to be about labor conditions, employment, and class relations, most likely related to the recent Supreme Court Ruling in Adair vs. U.S., establishing that it is unconstitutional to forbid interstate officers or inter-state carriers from firing workers who join labor organizations.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-27

President Roosevelt speaks of the importance of national unity, saying that dividing the nation by caste, creed, or locality is the surest path to destruction. He believes the government should not devolve either to government by a moneyed elite or by the masses of the poor who want to destroy the wealthy. He says that the character of a person is more important than their possessions when determining their worth.

Collection

Massachusetts Historical Society

Creation Date

1903-05-23

President Roosevelt speaks in Butte, Montana, on the character of the United States, and denounces sectionalism and factionalism that seek to divide the country. He particularly emphasizes this point regarding the tension between different social classes, and says that the law must apply fairly to everyone, regardless of section, creed, or class. He says that the government must never be a plutocracy or one that has been given over to mob rule. He denounces millenarianism, and says that the United States must work through its problems in practical ways, rather than hoping for miracles to solve everything.

Collection

Massachusetts Historical Society

Creation Date

1903-05-27

President Roosevelt addresses the citizens of Kansas City, thanking them for their greeting. He discusses his command during the Spanish-American war and compares it to the Civil War. Roosevelt discusses the lessons learned from soldiers on character, brotherhood, and citizenship. He also discusses current problems facing the country after industrial development, including labor relations, class relations, and law.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-05-01