Your TR Source
President Roosevelt has agreed to appoint Oscar S. Straus as the United States representative to the Permanent Court of Arbitration and is sending J. L. M. Curry as special ambassador to the coronation of King Alfonso XIII of Spain.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-01-11
President Roosevelt responds to Adolph S. Ochs’s letter recommending Oscar S. Straus for appointment to the Hague tribunal. Roosevelt agrees that Straus would be ideal but for the political representation on the tribunal, which would then include three Democrats and one Republican.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-12-28
William Allen White requests Theodore Roosevelt’s help in securing Oscar S. Straus, Governor Robert P. Bass, or Gifford Pinchot.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-12-27
The Progressive National Committee requests that Theodore Roosevelt attend a meeting on November 18 for the purpose of organizing a social club for members of the Progressive Party.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-11-12
The Jewish Morning Journal states their regretful opinion of the Jewish passport question where Theodore Roosevelt consulted the matter with Oscar S. Straus and believes people who actually understand the matter should have been consulted. The journal recommends the American Jewish Committee as a competent body and individuals such as Louis Marshal, Henry Mayer Goldfogle, William Sulzer, and Elihu Root.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-10-23
N. Taylor Phillips discusses the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue’s upcoming charity event. As Theodore Roosevelt has previously supported Jews, Phillips asks him to attend the event and express his sympathy with the endeavor to educate and uplift the Jews of New York City. Phillips fondly remembers serving in the state legislature during Roosevelt’s term as governor.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-10-25
President-elect Taft describes his pleasant journey to Colón to inspect the construction of the Panama Canal. He informs President Roosevelt that changes among the engineering staff have resulted in clear improvements. The committee is not inclined to change the plans for the canal’s locks and dams. They worry that too much money is being spent on safety precautions, but Taft disagrees. He approves of Roosevelt’s decision to widen the canal, and is optimistic that it will be finished before the projected completion date. Additionally, Taft discusses cabinet and diplomatic appointments he is considering.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-02-01
Senator Lodge returns some letters from Prescott F. Hall to President Roosevelt and reports on his findings regarding Hall’s allegations. Lodge’s Commision on Immigration found that appeal reversals did not increase under Secretary of Commerce and Labor Oscar S. Straus. Lodge has found no proof that Leslie M. Shaw’s personal views have affected governmental operations. Lodge has visited Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston, and can find no evidence of what Hall alleges. Lodge found evidence of immigration enforcement corruption in California, but believes it has been remedied. In Chicago, Lodge found evidence of police corruption in enforcing laws against prostitution. In the southern states, Lodge has found problems with nepotism. Lodge emphasizes that it will take a great deal of time to collect evidence and create reports of his investigations. Lodge is pleased to hear of President Roosevelt’s African safari plans, but warns him to be careful of flies carrying sleeping sickness. He writes about the impressive dike engineering in the Netherlands, and of a book by Maurice Maeterlinck he believes the Roosevelts will enjoy.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-26
Secretary of War Taft updates President Roosevelt on a matter to which Roosevelt had called his attention. Taft contacted Arthur I. Vorys about the article that had appeared in the Sun and the Herald, and says that Vorys was not aware of the article and repudiated it. Vorys investigated the matter, and found that one of his subordinates had sent out the articles from a Columbus newspaper, and that the employee had been fired.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-09
Stanford University President David Starr Jordan supports the removal of traps from streams in Alaska and Washington. He notes that artificial fish propagation is difficult in the northern fisheries because of the climate. Secretary of the United Fishermen of the Pacific Edward Rosenberg will find good reasons why Wood River should be closed to fishing in a 1904 report. Jordan encloses a copy of his letter to Secretary of Commerce and Labor Oscar S. Straus about the matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-12-09
Former Territorial Governor of Hawaii Carter reports to President Roosevelt that Walter Francis Frear’s inauguration as new governor went well. Carter writes Roosevelt personally about the application of the coastwise laws as it affects Hawaii differently than the United States mainland.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-16
Jacob A. Riis thanks President Roosevelt for clarifying and thinks Roosevelt is entirely right. Riis asks if Roosevelt has seen that Nathan Straus has come out publicly in support of William Randolph Hearst. Riis believes that Straus’s brother, Oscar S. Straus, is all right. Riis tells Roosevelt that the word cat is not spelled with a K but thinks Roosevelt should spell it that way for consistency.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-11-01
Richard Watson Gilder thanks President Roosevelt for his kind words about Gilder’s anti-Hearst letter. Gilder notes that Jacob Riis has procured the printing of his own fierce letter in the New York East Side Jewish papers on a daily basis until the election. Gilders says the Republicans have the millionaire back roads well-beaten.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-27
New York Republican State Committee Chairman Woodruff informs President Roosevelt that he has received his letter and talked with New York Congressman Herbert Parsons and Republican National Committee Member William L. Ward. They are all in agreement regarding the “Oscar Straus matter,” which is likely a reference to Roosevelt’s possible appointment of New York City politician Oscar S. Straus as Secretary of Commerce and Labor. This would be the first appointment of a Jewish-American to a cabinet position, and could win Jewish votes for the Republicans in the gubernatorial race between Charles Evans Hughes and Democrat William Randolph Hearst.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-22
This memorandum states that Nathan Bijur telephoned from New York saying he wanted to discuss several things about the New York campaign with President Roosevelt. Bijur mentioned a letter by Oscar S. Straus published in the New York Times and the Herald. Bijur asks whether Roosevelt would like to speak in person or if he would prefer a letter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-19
William L. Ward reports to President Roosevelt that he is at the Republican National Committee headquarters helping Timothy L. Woodruff in preparation for the upcoming House of Representative elections in New York, and he expects a majority to go for Charles Evans Hughes. He asks Roosevelt to make a definite announcement in relation to the appointment of Oscar S. Straus as United States Secretary of Commerce and Labor, to arrange for the Catholic clergy of New York to take action in relation to Hughes, and for Roosevelt to write a letter to a prominent person in New York in relation to Hughes. Ward makes the point that the working class who are for William Randolph Hearst could be swayed to voting for Hughes if they hear that Roosevelt supports Hughes above Hearst. Ward also notes that both James Bronson Reynolds and George B. Cortelyou will be discussing these issues with Roosevelt in Washington.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-19
Timothy L. Woodruff, chairman of New York’s Republican state committee, assures President Roosevelt that he will see Oscar S. Straus at once. The labor vote will be with them more than they thought.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-10
Max J. Kohler expresses his concern that the Jewish Press is making fraudulent statements and collecting large sums of money. Kohler states the paper expects to receive an endorsement letter from President Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-10-25
Jacob H. Schiff thanks William Loeb for sending him a dispatch concerning the Russian passport issue and promises to keep it confidential with the exception of Oscar S. Straus.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-09-26
Isaac Seligman reports on a productive conference with Sergei Vitte, wherein they discussed the mistreatment of Jews in Russia. The conference demanded immediate freedom from persecution for Russian Jews, and Vitte will discuss this with the government assembly.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-08-17