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President-Elect Taft thanks President Roosevelt for the kind New Year wishes that he sent. Taft is somewhat anxious about the future, but hopes to give an honest and sincere effort to follow the path Roosevelt has begun and fulfill the promises he has made.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-01-03
William H. Taft sends President Roosevelt and his family holiday wishes from himself and his wife, and hopes that “the lions in your path be all of [Roosevelt’s] own seeking” and that “they be promptly added to the stuffed variety.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-25
William H. Taft has just returned from an extensive speaking tour in the West and reports to President Roosevelt that on the whole he thinks it went over very well. He is intending not to campaign, but mostly to drum up enthusiasm and excitement. Taft also discusses at length the political situation in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. He intends to travel next through the South, stopping in Washington, D.C. before returning to Ohio. Taft is optimistic about the campaign and feels that Roosevelt’s letters to William Jennings Bryan have helped immensely.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-09
William H. Taft encloses a letter that is being sent out widely by General Solicitor of the Burlington Railroad James Blythe. Taft discusses the stops on his trip and writes that, based on the reception thus far, he feels the campaign will be a success even if there are still worries about the labor vote. Support for William Jennings Bryan appears to be waning after President Roosevelt’s swift attack. Taft has written to Treasurer of the Republican National Committee George Rumsey Sheldon about avoiding contributions from trust affiliates and instead soliciting businessmen across the country. The election is four weeks away, and Taft is anxious for the speeches and events that precede it.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-03
President Roosevelt confidentially shares with William H. Taft his feelings on the Republican National Committee’s lack of accomplishment. He believes Taft’s idea for making speeches is wise and counsels Taft to actively put himself in the campaign.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-05
William H. Taft describes the reception of his acceptance speech in Cincinnati to President Roosevelt, which was well attended and generally met with great approval. Taft mentions that he is having trouble with Frank H. Hitchcock, who is headstrong and has appointed his executive committee without any of Taft’s input. Taft was pleased that Frederick Dent and Ida Grant attended the speech. William Jennings Bryan has taunted Taft in the press.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-31
President Roosevelt’s sister, Anna Roosevelt Cowles, writes to him expressing her wish that she were at Chicago in person, rather than trying to get news of what was going on from newspapers. She thinks that a stampede for Roosevelt is close. Her visit to Groton has been pleasant, and she enjoyed seeing Kermit Roosevelt while she was there. She thanks Theodore Roosevelt for being good to her “very much better better half,” William S. Cowles, as Roosevelt is making it possible for him to fly his flag again before he retires. Cowles also comments on other political events, including the appointment of someone to the Senate, and mentions upcoming travel plans.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-06-16
Governor-General of the Philippines Smith provides his analysis of the upcoming formal establishment of the Philippine Assembly to Secretary of War Taft. This includes a brief description of the history and political affiliations of the country’s governors, the party leanings of each province, and the number of votes for each party from the most recent election. Smith also reflects on how the United States can improve upon Spain to ensure better relations with the Philippines. Smith considers self-government to be the ultimate goal of American involvement in the Philippines, but cautions that granting independence too quickly could leave the country vulnerable to dictatorships or foreign invasion. Smith ends the letter with a report on the status of various government projects across the country.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-07
State senator Metcalf discusses senatorial candidates and Washington state politics with President of the University of California Wheeler. At Wheeler’s recommendation, Metcalf has been working to build sentiment for Secretary of War William H. Taft as a presidential candidate.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-17
Secretary of War Taft reports on his progress and assessment of conditions on the campaign trail. He is traveling to Omaha, Nebraska, and from there to Idaho. He has had success in Ohio, but the state elections there may be in jeopardy because of disputes between two factions of Republicans. The situation in Illinois is good. Although Taft thinks his trip may do some good, it is more from his presence than his speeches, as he does not feel comfortable with the short talks he has to give. Taft also writes about the possibility of receiving the Republican presidential nomination in 1908, and thinks that the people would prefer to nominate Roosevelt again, with Taft a very distant second. He believes the Democratic party is rather apathetic about the election.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-31
Secretary of War Taft is happy to be the first to receive a letter from President Roosevelt using the new simplified spelling standards, although he does not notice much difference between the standards. Mrs. Taft does not want to join the party going to Panama, mostly because she does not want to travel on a naval vessel and the Taft children are busy with school. However, if two ships leave and Mrs. Roosevelt is on another ship, Mrs. Taft would reconsider, since there would be room on the battleships for one lady each. Taft comments on Theodore P. Shonts and the Isthmian Committee, William Jennings Bryan’s arrival in New York City, the attempt to nullify the 14th and 15th amendments in Georgia, and other domestic matters. He has also ordered Charles Edward Magoon to stay in Panama until the arrive of Elihu Root.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-31
Secretary of War Taft tells President Roosevelt that he has edited his speech so that it is shorter and moved the trust prosecution material from the introduction to the end of the section containing the trust discussion. Taft comments that his wife was very helpful to the process.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-29
Secretary of War Taft responds to President Roosevelt’s offer to appoint him to the Supreme Court as a replacement for Justice Henry Billings Brown. While Taft sincerely wishes to accept, he believes he should stay as the head of the War Department for the time being, given the situation in Panama and in the Philippines. He addresses several issues, including an ongoing investigation into possible misconduct in the War Department. He summarizes the great progress that has been made in the Philippines, as well as some of the challenges that remain. Taft feels responsible for these issues and thinks he would be able to help push through measures in the next session of Congress that would benefit the Filipinos. Given his reluctance, Taft proceeds to give his opinion on other potential candidates to the Supreme Court. He favors the appointment of Horace H. Lurton over William H. Moody.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-30
Secretary of War Taft informs President Roosevelt that his wife Helen would like to see him before he makes his final decision about whether to appoint Taft to the Supreme Court. In advance of a meeting between them, Taft reviews for Roosevelt both of their positions on the matter. Taft aspires to a judicial position and would like to one day be Chief Justice, although he is reluctant to leave his current position as Secretary of War. However, if Roosevelt believes that putting him on the Supreme Court better serves the public, Taft will accept. Helen “feels deeply on the subject” and Taft asks Roosevelt to “bear with her in any exaggerated ideas” and ambitions she may have for him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-03-14
Gregory A. Wynn describes the set of china ordered by Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt for the White House during President Theodore Roosevelt’s administration. Wynn traces the history of White House china, and he highlights the selection of Wedgwood china from England as the supplier for the Roosevelt White House. Wynn writes that Edith Roosevelt ordered all of the chipped and broken pieces be destroyed rather than sold at the end of her husband’s term. The Roosevelt china, the first to employ the seal of the United States, was kept and used during President William Howard Taft’s administration.
Four photographs of examples of the china from Wynn’s collection supplement the article. A text box with the mission statement of the Theodore Roosevelt Association appears at the end of the column.
Following William H. Taft’s election as president, President Roosevelt responds to James C. Martin’s letter stating that many voters would not support Taft because of his Unitarian religion and perceived sympathy with Catholics. Roosevelt takes the opportunity to broadly state that he believes that the faith of political candidates is a personal matter that voters should not take into account. He believes that voting for candidates based on their religion violates the principles of religious freedom that America is founded upon.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-06
This newspaper article details the social aspects of Secretary of War William H. Taft’s trip to Seattle, Washington. Taft and his wife Helen Herron Taft were the guests of honor at a dinner hosted by former Senator John Lockwood Wilson and his wife. Judge Thomas Burke and his wife as well as Manson Franklin Backus and his wife were also part of the party.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-10
Secretary of War Taft responds to President Roosevelt’s letter regarding the candidacies of different Republican Party candidates. Taft thanks Roosevelt for talking to Secretary of the Treasury George B. Cortelyou and believes that Philander C. Knox would be a more independent president than his supporters believe. Taft believes Charles Evans Hughes is likely to be the man in the field against him and observes that he has received many expressions of good will while traveling across the continent. Taft mentions that he will set sail for the Pacific tomorrow and encloses a clipping on his speech in Seattle regarding capital and labor.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-11
On one of many visits to Panama, President Taft inspects canal construction and visits ruins in the jungle.
Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound
1910
Theodore Roosevelt is happy that the safari has been a success, although he is homesick and will not listen to those who tell him he should wait to travel home until after the fall elections. Roosevelt is eager to see his articles published in book form, and hopes that it will be received as well as the recent publications were.
1909-12-17