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William Loeb asks Fred W. Carpenter to send an enclosed message via cipher-encoded telegram to chief engineer of the Panama Canal project John F. Stevens.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-04
President Roosevelt describes his trip to Panama to his son Kermit Roosevelt. They have been extremely busy during their stay. He describes the feeling of coming to Panama and his thoughts about several rebellions that have happened in the area when he first became president. He explains the begins of the canal by the French and how now that the Americans have taken over, the process will be longer than planned. He describes the progress of the canal’s construction as well as the environment of Panama. Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt did not tramp through the mud like Roosevelt did, but she enjoyed herself and the beautiful area.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-11-20
President Roosevelt describes his trip to Panama and Puerto Rico. He comments on the uniqueness of Panama and the canal project. He praises William Crawford Gorgas’s work regarding the health of the Americans working on the canal. Black workers from Jamaica have not been as healthy, and Roosevelt feels as though they may need to get Chinese laborers as Jamaican Governor James Alexander Swettenham has been disagreeable to work with. He describes the trip and some reading he has done, saying about John Milton, “What a radical republican, and what a stanch partisan, and what an intense protestant the fine old fellow was!” He plans to read more Greek and Roman literature.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-11-23
President Roosevelt details and debunks several complaints by machinists about working conditions, wages, and food at the Panama Canal.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-11-27
President Roosevelt encloses a letter from John F. Stevens. Roosevelt worked closely with Jackson Smith while in Panama and believes he should be put on the commission as his engineering skills are similar to Stevens’s.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-11-27
William Loeb sends Jospeh Bucklin Bishop, Secretary of the Isthmian Canal Commission, a cable that President Roosevelt wants sent to John F. Stevens, the chief engineer of the canal.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-23
President Roosevelt thinks Secretary of War Taft should send the letter from former Panamanian president Tomás Arias to Secretary of State Elihu Root for review. While canal engineer John F. Stevens is admirable man, Roosevelt believes he can render himself valueless by thinking himself indispensable. Roosevelt wants to keep the party traveling to Panama a small one. He requests Taft communicate with the acting Secretary of War, as he is not pleased with the War Department’s lack of initiative concerning Cuba’s request for cartridges.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-27
President Roosevelt has recently spoken with a number of people regarding the Panama Canal Zone, and while he feels that Chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission Theodore P. Shonts and Chief Engineer John F. Stevens are too hard on Governor Charles E. Magoon, it may still be best for Magoon to be reassigned elsewhere. He tells Secretary of War Taft that he is inclined for Shonts to take the role of administrator himself, as long as Taft deems such a thing wise. That being said, he also would like William Franklin Sands to be appointed minister in spite of opposition from Shonts and Stevens, as he would better be able to work with foreign governments. In a postscript, Roosevelt also refers Taft to some letters he received from Francis B. Loomis he would like him to look into, as well as an editorial he would like Stevens to comment on.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-14
President Roosevelt authorizes Secretary of War Taft to use funds to stable the cavalry at Boise, Idaho as General Fred C. Ainsworth mentioned. Roosevelt additionally comments on several appointments, saying he believes that Walston H. Brown should be allowed to carry out his proposal, that he has decided to appoint James Shanklin Harlan to the Interstate Commerce Commission, and that he is inclined to appoint Horace H. Lurton, which will necessitate appointing a new Circuit Court Judge. Roosevelt also writes at length about some recent articles by Poultney Bigelow which contain some “slanderous falsehood,” but about which he believes some response should be made.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-17
President Roosevelt has received the letters from both Secretary of War Taft and W. Leon Pepperman of the Office of Administration of Isthmian Canal Affairs regarding the use of Chinese labor for the construction of the canal. Roosevelt emphasizes that his primary belief is that the canal must be constructed, and that therefore that means getting whatever laborers necessary, limited only by “the law of the land and the requirements of morality.” Roosevelt believes this first contract for Chinese laborers does not need to be bid on, as it is only for a small number of laborers and is “in the nature of an experiment,” but if there need to be further contracts then such contracts should be advertised for bids.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-27
President Roosevelt forwards Secretary of War Taft a telegram he received from Chairman Theodore P. Shonts of the Isthmian Canal Commission and Chief Engineer of the Panama Canal John F. Stevens. Construction on the Panama Canal has already been delayed because of investigations in Washington, and Roosevelt believes the object of proposed investigations in Panama is to delay the construction further. Roosevelt thinks that if people have reasons the canal should not be built they should simply say that, which would lead to a frank debate. Conducting these sorts of investigations to delay construction, however, is underhanded and has no point. Roosevelt is willing to say all of this in a message to Congress if Taft thinks this would be proper.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-06-27
President Roosevelt was pleased to hear from Frederick B. Miles and hopes that Miles will understand that, as John F. Stevens is to continue as the Chief Engineer of the Panama Canal project, Roosevelt wants to pay attention to his wishes.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-05-10
President Roosevelt tells Lindsay Denison that he is getting annoyed by both Theodore P. Shonts and John F. Stevens. Regardless whether there is a single point that Denison got wrong in his article about the Panama Canal, both Shonts and Stevens should see that the article is very good, and the effect it has had is admirable.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-03-28
President Roosevelt praises Lindsay Denison for his upcoming article, which Roosevelt has received a proof of. He believes that Denision’s writing will show the situation as it really is, which in turn will help the government make improvements.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-03-23
President Roosevelt would like the administration to respond to statements made in the Star by L. W. Ferguson, a locomotive engineer in Panama. Secretary of War Taft should get Chief Engineer John F. Stevens and Isthmian Canal Commission President Theodore P. Shonts to answer the statements in detail.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-03-05
President Roosevelt asks Speaker of the House Cannon if there is a chance of a bill passing that will restructure the Isthmian Canal Commission. Roosevelt believes that it only needs one commissioner, and that the other commissioners can remain in their positions without the title. This would allow the funds to hire consulting engineers as necessary.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-02-28
President Roosevelt asks George Otto Trevelyan to send the copy of Soapy Sponge as suggested. He also discusses the literary tastes of John F. Stevens, the chief engineer of the Panama Canal. Roosevelt is currently having a “rough-and-tumble time” passing legislation through Congress, and says that being able to read is a great comfort to him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-01-22
President Roosevelt tells Paul Morton that Theodore P. Shonts did understand that the circular in question applied to the new Isthmian Canal Commission just as much as it did to the old. However, he foresees any conflict as being between Shonts and John F. Stevens, the chief engineer of the Panama Canal project, rather than between Shonts and Secretary of War William H. Taft.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-18
President Roosevelt asks Isthmian Canal Commission Chairman Shonts to read the enclosed letter from Commissioner West. Roosevelt wants to give “young colored men who do their duty” a chance and would like Shonts to allow some Black engineers to go work on the Isthmus. He asks if Shonts would object to Roosevelt writing Chief Engineer John F. Stevens about the matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-22
William H. Taft encloses communication from the Department of State and expresses concerns about Theodore P. Shonts and John F. Stevens in Panama.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-23