Will he round them up?
Cartoon depicts President Roosevelt in cowboy garb trying to round up a cow labeled Beef Trust and a pig labeled Pork.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1902-04-15
Your TR Source
Trusts, Industrial
Ursus faces the bull–“Quo Vadis” up to date
Cartoon depicts Attorney General Philander C. Knox butting heads with a large bull labeled “Beef Trust.” A damsel in distress labeled “The Public” is tied to the back of the bull.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1902-04-26
The blind leading the blind
A blindfolded and policy-laden Republican elephant is being led by two blindfolded men towards the edge of a cliff labeled “Beef Trust,” as Theodore Roosevelt dressed as a Rough Rider runs after them.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1902-04-28
Uncle Sam-“Why not be consistent, Teddy?”
Uncle Sam questions President Roosevelt’s statements on the beef monopoly versus oleomargarine.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1902-04-30
There will be a drop in beef
Theodore Roosevelt with his hunting rifle looks up at a treed raccoon labeled “Beef Trust.” Caption: Coon (to David Crockett Roosevelt): “Don’t shoot, I’ll come down.”
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1902-04-28
Unkind cut for the land-stealing industry…The President learned wire-cutting at San Juan Hill
President Roosevelt in Rough Rider garb is cutting through barbed wire with scissors labeled “Exclusion.” A large rider marked “Land Thief” is pointing a gun at him while a sign proclaims the fenced public land belongs to the beef trust.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1902-05-02
Roosevelt: Gentleman, lend me a hand.
President Roosevelt stands next to a giant “Sugar Beet” which is labeled “Do Not Move.” A small man who has lost his hat labeled “Cuba” lies crushed under the beet. “Congress” is arguing behind the beet.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1902-06-26
Pointing the way
President Roosevelt is pointing out the “Path of Duty and Honor to Cuban Relief” to the Republican elephant, but the animal is pointing to the “Sugar Beet Trust” instead.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1902-06-23
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles J. Bonaparte
President Roosevelt congratulates Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte for his speech at Chicago, which showed his fair enforcement of the law. His attackers use the press and their wealth to recruit powerful people, like college presidents and corrupt judges, to their side at the cost of the “plain people.” These attackers know that developments like the Hepburn Rate Law, the Sherman Anti-Trust Law, the Pure Food and Drug Act, and protections for workers have been effective against moneyed interests and criminals, but they are often lawyers or editors who answer to the corporations. The individual men to whom he refers are, however, merely puppets, and the true issue should be taken with the offenders who stand behind them and control enormous wealth. He and Bonaparte are not responsible for the economic panic, but are striving for the right “in the spirit of Abraham Lincoln.”
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1907-12-23
Letter from Albert A. Wray to Theodore Roosevelt
Former New York Senator Albert A. Wray shares some of his thoughts regarding trusts and corporations with President Roosevelt. Wray believes the establishment of a Bureau of Corporations, or an expansion of the Interstate Commerce Commission would be an effective way of licensing corporations to do international and interstate business, and would prevent them from watering down their stock. Wray believes this watering of stock “is the root of all the trust evils,” and presents evidence to support his proposal.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1902-10-22
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Jennings Bryan
Theodore Roosevelt accuses William Jennings Bryan of misquoting a statement Roosevelt made regarding the Steel Trust. Roosevelt provides evidence of his actual statement and requests that Bryan issue a public retraction.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1912-10-22
Letter from Secretary of Theodore Roosevelt to Clifford Ward
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary directs Clifford Ward to consult the books of Roosevelt’s messages to Congress for Roosevelt’s opinion on federal supervision of trusts.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1911-12-07
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Theodore B. Blakey
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Theodore B. Blakey for his comments on his editorial. However, he does not want to be nominated for president and invites Blakey to discuss the full reason why. Roosevelt is glad Blakey liked his editorial on the trust question.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1911-11-25
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Alpheus Geer
Theodore Roosevelt appreciates Alpheus Geer’s letter and is grateful that he understands what he is trying to do. He agrees with Geer regarding the inefficient handling of the trust question. The senseless attack on corporations and refusal to do them justice is “iniquitous.” Roosevelt does not want the presidential nomination.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1911-11-24
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frank C. Saughlin
Frank C. Saughlin’s letter helped Theodore Roosevelt settle his mind on the trust question. He shares that President William H. Taft approved what was done regarding the United States Steel Corporation when he was Secretary of War.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1911-11-21
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edwin A. Van Valkenburg
Theodore Roosevelt cannot give any speeches but invites Edwin A. Van Valkenburg and the governor to have lunch with him. He appreciates Van Valkenburg’s comments on his article about trusts. Roosevelt finds it comic that big business denounces him as an anarchist, even though it is the same thing he spoke on as president.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1911-11-21
Letter from Secretary of Theodore Roosevelt to Anthony Dixon
On behalf of Theodore Roosevelt, his secretary thanks Anthony Dixon for the letter and informs him that an article by Roosevelt on the trust question will run in an upcoming issue of The Outlook.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1911-11-13
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Rudolph Garfield
Theodore Roosevelt is concerned that James Rudolph Garfield is not part of the Ohio Constitutional Convention as it makes a great difference in “the cause of decency.” He comments that the insolence of the reactionary plutocracy has started a revulsion that helps the Socialist cause and gives the progressive leadership to the radicals.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1911-11-10
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Rudolph Garfield
Theodore Roosevelt agrees with James Rudolph Garfield concerning the United States Steel Corporation. He finds President William H. Taft’s behavior in the matter unbecoming since he reviewed the issue several times as part of Roosevelt’s cabinet and had no concerns. Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt is slowly recovering.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1911-10-31
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Arthur B. Farquhar
Theodore Roosevelt enjoyed Arthur B. Farquhar’s letter and thoroughly agrees with his view on the issue of trusts. He does not believe it beneficial to dissolve the Standard Oil Company into many separate companies. Instead, he feels there should be stricter governmental supervision.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1911-08-11