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William H. Taft and others address New England Street Railways Club’s “Federal Night” dinner. Major topics included judicial review and anti-trust legislation.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
1912-03-19
President Roosevelt responds to William Jennings Bryan’s public letter by comparing Bryan’s platform with those of the current administration and of William H. Taft’s campaign. Roosevelt lists the cases that have been brought against the trusts, the railroads, and the shippers under his administration. He explains his actions in relation to the panic of 1907, outlines the reasons the trust magnates will support Bryan, and defends his actions related to campaign funding. Roosevelt critiques Bryan’s defense of Oklahoma Governor Charles Nathan Haskell by reiterating the extent of his corruption, and determines that it reflects directly on Bryan.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-27
President Roosevelt writes to Chairman of the Republican National Committee Frank H. Hitchcock demanding that Chairman of the Speakers Committee T. Coleman Du Pont resign due to his connection with a trust that is currently under investigation. Roosevelt understands that Du Pont is willing to step down, and says that if that is the case, then it must happen immediately in order to partially undo the damage that was already done by his appointment
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-23
President Roosevelt responds to William Jennings Bryan’s telegram regarding Democratic National Committee Treasurer and Oklahoma Governor Charles Nathaniel Haskell’s actions in Ohio, by discussing Haskell’s actions in Oklahoma, where he allowed the Prairie Oil and Gas Company to build against an attempted injunction by Oklahoma Attorney General Charles West. Roosevelt asks Bryan to contrast his actions towards Haskell with William H. Taft’s actions toward Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker, and lists the reasons Haskell is unfit for any office. Such reasons include his actions on the child labor bill, land fraud cases, and educational taxes, all of which have been covered in the press. Roosevelt offers an analysis and criticism of Bryan’s “radical” propositions and plans for breaking up corruption, and concludes that it is Taft whose actions prove his ability to deliver for the American people.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-23
President Roosevelt writes to Republican National Committee Treasurer George Rumsey Sheldon regarding campaign funds solicited from John D. Archbold and Edward Henry Harriman. As the head of the Republican Administration, Roosevelt expresses his disagreement with collecting money from anyone currently being prosecuted. He sends two letters that he wrote four years ago to Secretary of the Treasury George B. Cortelyou, who was then chairman of the Republican National Committee, when money was contributed by Standard Oil. The first outlines the reasons that no contributions should be accepted which could be viewed as creating obligation to corporations. The second reiterates that the money should be returned especially in light of the public statements from Standard Oil about the company’s “political attitude.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-21
President Roosevelt assures Attorney General Bonaparte not to worry about press generated from the “Electric Combine” (presumably General Electric) situation and agrees with Bonaparte’s ideas for managing the effects from the distribution of the Appeal to Reason. Roosevelt is not surprised that Leslie M. Shaw, former secretary of the treasury, is acrimonious, and thinks the conservative party he describes would gain very little support.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-21
President Roosevelt approves of Attorney General Bonaparte’s letter to United States Attorney Edwin Walter Sims, and feels they are prepared for any attacks. A Missouri correspondent has just sent an attack upon Roosevelt regarding Standard Oil. If the judge fights them, Roosevelt will publish a statement. Along with the publication of Bonaparte’s previous communications, this will prove that the record did not warrant the statements.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-03
President Roosevelt wishes he could have incorporated Nathan Bijur’s summary of the Roosevelt administration’s policy regarding the regulation of corporations into his speech.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-18
President Roosevelt rebukes Edgar Williams for the criticisms of his administration, particularly William’s ignorance in blaming the recent economic fluctuations on Roosevelt’s policy of enforcing laws against the wealthy and corporations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-16
President Roosevelt rebukes David Scull, a trustee of Bryn Mawr College, for his ignorance in blaming the recent economic fluctuations on Roosevelt’s “action in enforcing the law against wealthy wrong-doers.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-16
President Roosevelt comments on the potential economic panic and other issues. He sends Senator Lodge a copy of his Provincetown speech.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-14
President Roosevelt encloses a letter to Samuel Harden Church noting that Church knows Pennsylvania Senator Philander C. Knox “is not an anarchist or a truckler to mobs.” Roosevelt says speculators, rather than government cases against trusts, are responsible for financial panics.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-14
President Roosevelt thinks that Allen W. Thurman’s letter is “more than enough” to offset the speeches of Ingalls and Peck. He is amused by financiers suddenly supporting state’s rights when the national government attempts to regulate their businesses.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-06
President Roosevelt was told by “various members of the Kansas delegation” that William Allen White supports Senator Robert M. La Follette in the same way that Roosevelt does: they both appreciate the the anti-trust stances that La Follette takes, but think he can go to extremes sometimes.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-05
President Roosevelt explains to Paul Morton that E. P. Ripley’s accusations regarding his “assault on the railroads” are untrue. Roosevelt has done nothing to intentionally turn public opinion against the railroads, and the prosecution of the Standard Oil Company is warranted. He asks Morton which specific act Ripley takes issue with.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-02
President Roosevelt lays out the facts as he understands them relating to the assets and relationship of the Southern Pacific Company and California Development Company. He requests that Edward Henry Harriman send him details of the situation so that he can report to Congress.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-03
Attorney Otto Gresham sends President Roosevelt a letter from Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis. Gresham shares his views, as well as the views of various local lawyers and judges, on Landis’s actions and the proceedings of the Standard Oil case. Gresham also summarizes the conversations he had with Landis regarding the potential reversal of the case and the imposition of the fine. After discussing the history of law in Britain, Gresham concludes that the people support Roosevelt in his actions to control the corporations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-04
Senator Lodge acknowledges E. T. Colburn and his friend’s concerns over the decline in the stock market. However, this decline results from many causes affecting not only the United States but the world. Therefore, Lodge argues that blaming President Roosevelt’s administration and investigations of corporations is unreasonable and unjust.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-19
President Roosevelt holds a vicious-looking dog labeled “federal law” as men labeled “corporation,” “business,” “combination,” “wealth,” and “enterprise” run away or hide. Caption: President Roosevelt — “Don’t be afraid, gentlemen; he will hurt only the crooks.”
The second term of Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency represents a period of reform that was unprecedented in American history, and arguably matched by not exceeded by the flurry of executive and legislative activity of the New Deal (1934-1938) and Great Society (1964-1965) in subsequent decades.
Article discusses Theodore Roosevelt’s article “The Trusts, the People, and the Square Deal” in The Outlook, regarding the Steel trust, government control of business, Tennessee Coal, and U.S. Steel. Article is incomplete.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
1911-11-16