Your TR Source
William Loeb sends James Alexander Scrymser, of the Central & South American Telegraph Company, a letter from President Roosevelt about the opening of a telegraph cable connection between New York, Guantánamo, and Colón, Cuba. Loeb requests Scrymser to leave out a certain phrase from his original telegram if he should publish the leters.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-31
President Roosevelt congratulates James Alexander Scrymser, of the Central and South American Telegraph Company, on the completion of the telegraph cable connecting New York with Guantánamo and Colón in Cuba.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-30
Robert Charles Clowry assures H. F. Taff that the local telegraph facilities will be ready for an event to be held in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-30
Theodore Roosevelt informs Henry Beach Needham that he cannot send the information Needham requests via telegraph as it is not secure.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-03-05
President Roosevelt asks George W. Goethals of the Isthmian Canal Commision about his opinion regarding the location of telegraph lines in the Panama Canal Zone. Roosevelt believes it would be best to have the cables entirely in American Territory so as to avoid the constant friction arising from parts of the cable being controlled by the Panamanian government.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-05
President Roosevelt notifies Assistant Secretary of the Navy Newberry that the Central and South American Telegraph Company is conducting work that the United States government wants done, and that government agents should not interfere without cause. Roosevelt thinks the best location for the spare cable in Guantanamo is beside the old cable, and instructs Newberry to report to him if that plan needs to be changed.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-09
President Roosevelt would like a report from Secretary of War Taft on the cost of the maintenance of the ship and crew working with the Alaskan cable, in comparison with the costs connected with similar work done by a ship for the Central and South American Cable Company.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-02-03
President Roosevelt writes to Senator Henry Cabot Lodge about a complicated issue the State Department is facing, regarding whether or not it should arbitrate a contract dispute between two American telegraph companies in Panama. Roosevelt does not believe that diplomatic intervention from the Department of State is appropriate in this situation, because the dispute is between two American companies.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-06-16
Addison C. Thomas asks Theodore Roosevelt, on behalf of his publishers, about his recollections of the occasion in which he sent a telegraph around the world after the completion of the Postal Telegraph Cable lines to Manila. Thomas was formerly superintendent of the central division of the Associated Press, and has written a book containing his recollections of the occasion.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-03-23
Ambassador Reid explains a dispatch he sent to President Roosevelt several days ago, regarding J. Henniker Heaton’s wish for Roosevelt or Postmaster General George von Lengerke Meyer to issue a statement in favor of a government-owned telegraph cable between Great Britain and Canada. Reid felt that he was obligated to forward the message, but was sure that neither Roosevelt nor Meyer would respond. Reid thinks that Roosevelt might nevertheless be interested in the discussion surrounding the issue, and sends some further news on the matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-14
William Emlen Roosevelt returns letters from George W. Goethals to President Roosevelt. He is sorry for the sentiment that seems to be against James Alexander Scrymser, and does not think that there is any right in the demand of the railroad to have access to thousands of miles of cable in return for laying only a few miles of cable across Panama. William Emlen Roosevelt is sorry he only caught a short glimpse of President Roosevelt while he was in Washington, and wishes that he could have spoken with him to better understand his views on some subjects. He was very pleased about what Roosevelt said about Philip J. Roosevelt’s poem. William Emlen Roosevelt has not focused on the poem at great length, as Philip is somewhat ashamed of the amount of notice it has attracted, but Roosevelt would be pleased if Philip developed his writing ability.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-25
William Emlen Roosevelt informs President Roosevelt that per Secretary of State Elihu Root’s request, they have removed their cable at both sides of the Panama Isthmus to get landings in the Canal Zone. He believes they have fulfilled all the government’s requirements, but they are still held up by Panama Railroad officials who will not make any agreement unless they get free telegraph service over their cable. This would be on better terms and at better rates than the government asked for. William asks his cousin to give orders to lay the cable under the conditions that Colonel George W. Goethals will prescribe, and not refer to Panama Railroad officials.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-08
William Emlen Roosevelt does not think the fault is purely to be placed on the Panama Railway Company, as the officials in Panama have not been able to closely follow all correspondence to which he has been privy due to a large change in the heads of the company. Roosevelt believes that the root of the problem comes from an honest desire to make an all-American cable, making the American government obliged to the company. He also updates President Roosevelt on the difficulties in the banking field this winter. The depression has hurt business. While Roosevelt supports some regulation, he urges his cousin to impose more moderate fines on corporations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-01-29
Upon reading a memorandum from George W. Goethals, William Emlen Roosevelt updates President Roosevelt on issues that have arisen regarding telegraph cables to be set up along the Panama Canal. The heart of the problem is that although the company is setting the cable, it is at the request of the American government, which is not providing any support. Further, there have been arguments between the company and the government of Panama regarding jurisdiction in the construction of the poles and laying of the cable. The troubles largely come from officials in Panama.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-01-13
William Emlen Roosevelt follows a letter he had written President Roosevelt exclusively about the current financial situation with a personal note about his family, although he does ask about placing telecommunications in Panama exclusively under American control and hopes that the president is keeping his planned comments regarding the financial crisis simple.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-22
Alvey A. Adee encloses a letter from the Minister of Denmark, in which the king thanks President Roosevelt for his congratulations on the opening of the cable in Iceland.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-04
Minister of Denmark Constantin Brun writes on behalf of Frederik VIII, King of Denmark, to the Acting Secretary of State to thank President Roosevelt for his congratulations on opening a telegraph cable to Iceland.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-31
E. A. Drake tells William Loeb that Joseph Bucklin Bishop is delayed in Culebra on account of unfinished business. Bishop will cable when he is able to sail.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-27
President Roosevelt assures Lyman Abbott that no private corporations will have exclusive rights to such a telegraph cable, but he has his doubts about government ownership of the cable. If Congress does not provide funding for the federal construction of such a cable, then Roosevelt believes private individuals should begin their own construction. He comments that while private individuals can run cables to Hawaii as they can between other states, running cables to the Philippines is a trickier matter, and depends on the Supreme Court.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-10-09
In a foreign policy speech given in Detroit, Michigan, President Roosevelt first praises the veterans in the crowd, giving special praise to the Michigan naval militia who served with distinction during the Spanish-American War, a conflict that pointed out the “fundamental unity of our country.” On behalf of all who served there, Roosevelt expresses the hope that they shared the spirit of those who fought in the Civil War and notes that “a good deed done by any American is put down to the credit of all Americans.” Turning to post-war challenges, Roosevelt says Puerto Rico prospers and that the Filipinos are happier and freer than ever before; he praises the United States for the amount of “self-government and personal freedom” that it has already given to the Filipino people. He discusses Congressional plans to undertake a census, create a legislative assembly, and install telegraph cables in the Philippines. He also explains how matters in Cuba are different than in the Philippines. With Cuban independence, Roosevelt sees a need for economic reciprocity between the island nation and the United States. He concludes by delivering what he calls “the gospel of hope”: the belief that with optimism and hard work the United States will become the greatest nation in world history.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-09-22