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Sir Tollemache Sinclair discusses the circumstances surrounding the Russo-Japanese War and whether the Russians won a diplomatic victory in the peace treaty negotiations at Portsmouth. In a supplement to his letter, he addresses what is currently wrong in Russia, quoting Leo Tolstoy.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-09
Theodore Roosevelt relates the chase and capture of three thieves that had stolen his boat. The thieves were captured along the river and then Roosevelt took them overland to the sheriff in Dickinson, Dakota Territory. He read Anna Karenina during the trip and has mixed feelings about the quality of the book but enjoyed Leo Tolstoy’s writing style. Roosevelt requests that Corinne Roosevelt Robinson deliver some flowers to Edith Kermit Carow before Carow travels abroad. Typed copy of original handwritten letter.
1886-04-12
Theodore Roosevelt tells his sister Anna that he is not sure when he will be back home. He is glad to hear that Mrs. Lee came to visit her. He discusses Leo Tolstoy’s La Guerre et la Paix (War and Peace), and is enjoying reading it very much. The roundup was great fun.
1886-06-19
Theodore Roosevelt writes to his sister Anna about being on the round-up. He also recounts Bill Sewall’s reaction to visiting Anna’s home. She treated him very well.
1886-06-07
Theodore Roosevelt writes to Anna Roosevelt about a recent encounter with a band of thieves. He, Bill Sewall, and Wilmot Dow hunted them down and turned them over to the sheriff. Roosevelt also discusses Leo Tolstoy’s book, Anna Karenina.
1886-04-12
President Roosevelt sends Lawrence F. Abbott his editorial on the “Japanese question” and his revised article on Leo Tolstoy. Roosevelt also requests that Abbott print the articles in a certain order and that both be published after he leaves office.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-02-23
President Roosevelt thanks Flora H. Wilson, daughter of Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, for sharing an interview by Leo Tolstoy and expresses that he enjoyed sitting next to her at a previous function.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-02-20
If President Roosevelt had known about it in time, he would have advised against The Outlook publishing Philippe Bunau-Varilla’s article. Now he believes there is no reason at all why they should not publish it. Roosevelt is glad that The Outlook will publish his three lectures, and he will send the one about Leo Tolstoy soon. Perhaps he will send an article about the “Japanese question” to be published first.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-02-16
President Roosevelt sends Lyman Abbott, editor-in-chief of The Outlook, two more articles on which he would like feedback, and which he expects will be the last ones he sends. Roosevelt will do his best to have criminal libel suits brought against the New York World and the Indianapolis News. While Douglas Robinson or Charles P. Taft had clear cases for libel suits, it is difficult for private individuals to proceed against newspapers, which is why he is taking the lead.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-15
President Roosevelt writes his son, Ted, about a variety of matters. He discusses the trouble that Emperor William II of Germany is in with both conservatives and socialists. Last year, he gave a damaging interview to American journalist William Bayard Hale, which Roosevelt intervened to prevent the New York Times from publishing. A portion was published in Century and suppressed by the Germans. Roosevelt reflects on the current state of the liberal and democratic movement, and believes that the situation is not as dire as in the French Revolution, or in 1840s America. He also explains his lukewarm support of women’s suffrage. Finally, Roosevelt offers his son advice on working with the people around him when it is natural, but not pursuing relationships that are merely social in nature.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-20
President Roosevelt agrees with Cecil Spring Rice that the love of ease and luxury in the upper classes of the English-speaking world and France is dangerous. Germany does not suffer this problem, but instead is in danger from the vices of industrialism, as is Japan. Roosevelt hopes that Russia may steer a middle course between bureaucracy and anarchy. Roosevelt thinks Spring Rice may idealize the past too much, and says that “it is our business to do everything we can to be both decent and efficient under conditions as we actually find them.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-21
President Roosevelt explains his thoughts related to socialism, saying that socialists do some good in waking some people up to the evils of modern life and the great disparities of wealth, but that for the most part they “merely add to the mass of aimless discontent.” Roosevelt discusses several instances in which socialism praises people who he believes do not deserve it, such as Eugene V. Debs. He believes that socialism also is frequently associated with an “only partially concealed crusade against domestic morality.” For Roosevelt, trending too far towards the ideas of socialism is just as bad as going too far towards the actions of swindling financiers or corrupt politicians.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-06-17
President Roosevelt writes to Florence Bayard Lockwood La Farge about Jane Addams’s book. He criticizes her stance against militarism. Roosevelt compares Addams to Leo Tolstoy in their similar actions in speaking out against war and industrialism, but being ultimately misguided in their argument that because there are hardships that result from these, they should be entirely abandoned, rather than acknowledging the positives and working to alleviate the negatives. It is just as bad, Roosevelt says, to preach unrighteous peace as to preach unrighteous war, and even more foolish.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-13
President Roosevelt would like to have Cecil Spring Rice visit him, but advises him to not leave a run in diplomatic service unless necessary. Roosevelt has fundamentally the same philosophy as Spring Rice, and hopes to avoid a race conflict such as Spring Rice worries about in the Pacific. Australia’s population is growing slowly, which worries Roosevelt, but the United States and Canadian populations are growing quickly enough that Roosevelt does not fear the threat of Asian dominance in North America. He does worry, however, about ongoing racial tensions and the weakening of the United States’ navy, which could threaten peace. While European civilization has spread over the globe in the past, it is impossible to say what will happen in the future. Domestically, Roosevelt is having a difficult time with the panic and the resulting depression and stagnation. Roosevelt believes that while the movement against corruption will ultimately succeed, even while those who lead it may seem to fail at present. He sends a copy of his message so Spring Rice might read his thoughts on the army and navy. Roosevelt feels it is abhorrent that many in Spring Rice’s country, and his own, have internalized an idea of peace in which good men should not make war, and in which advancement means a weakening of the fighting spirit.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-12-21
President Roosevelt thanks James Bronson Reynolds for everything he has written, and has sent Reynolds’s memorandum to the Bureau of Animal industry for comment. There is no committee on immigration, and does not believe that if there were one he would appoint Jane Addams to it. Roosevelt asks Reynolds to show this letter to Robert Watchorn, commissioner of immigration at Ellis Island, and tell him that Roosevelt wishes for Reynolds to be given a free hand to look into any matter there. Reynolds can start the work there any time after September 1.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-11
President Roosevelt disagrees with the contents of a letter that a preacher sent to Upton Sinclair in which he compared him to Leo Tolstoy, Émile Zola, and Maksim Gorky. Roosevelt believes that if the type of socialism advocated in Sinclair’s book were implemented, one of the first efforts made would be to eliminate starvation. He sites a work by Walter A. Wyckoff in which Wyckoff traveled the country doing physical labor and found that in many cases, it is possible to quickly gain a position with steady work that allowed him to save. He agrees with Sinclair that radical action must be taken to end the “arrogant and selfish greed” of capitalists. However, he thinks that it is more important to develop the hearts and minds of the working class.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-03-15
President Roosevelt is flattered that William De Witt Hyde wants to dedicate his next book to him, although he feels he does not deserve the praise. Roosevelt praises Hyde’s book From Epicurus to Christ.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-15
President Roosevelt reflects on the terms of the peace between Russia and Japan. He believes that each country did the right thing in giving certain concessions to the other side to end the war. Roosevelt ponders the implications of peace for both Russia and Japan, believing Russia will have to move toward self-government, while Japan must deal with riots by its people. In despite of this, Roosevelt admires and respects Japan and sees her entrance into “the circle of great civilized powers” as a good thing overall.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-09-11
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt enjoyed Arlo Bates’s recent volume of essays recommended to him by Senator Henry Cabot Lodge. He is pleased to say that he is doing just as Bates advises regarding reading material for his children. Roosevelt appreciates Bates’s discussions on various “decadent” authors. However, he always feels like “putting in a plea” for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1897-09-29
Lawrence F. Abbott encloses a proof of President Roosevelt’s editorial article on Leo Tolstoy. The Outlook will print Roosevelt’s lectures at Sorbonne University, the University of Oxford, and Humboldt University of Berlin unless they hear from him otherwise. While Abbott originally had no qualms about printing Philippe Bunau-Varilla’s article on the Panama Canal, he would rather suppress it now than to print something that would be personally offensive to Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-02-15