Your TR Source
Theodore Roosevelt thinks that Pennsylvania and New York are strange states. The bulk of working class men in Pennsylvania voted for Senator Boies Penrose, and in New York they voted for William Barnes’s candidates, “without caring for positive proof of their attitudes in such matters as the Workers’ Compensation Act and the like.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1914-11-07
Theodore Roosevelt congratulates James Rudolph Garfield on putting up a great fight, despite the fact that people are fed up with reformers, simultaneously welcoming corruption and all sorts of misdoing. However, no matter what happens, in the end they will succeed.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1914-11-09
Theodore Roosevelt tells Henry F. Cochems that he has no regrets concerning his actions, especially in the case with Francis E. McGovern. Roosevelt offers to support Cochems no matter what position he will take. In a postscript, Roosevelt says that when he gets a chance, he will write to Cochems about the Haskell book.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1914-11-14
Theodore Roosevelt reassures Halbert Paine Gardner that despite the fact that he did not succeed, he was fighting for the right cause and thus deserves respect and gratitude for the effort he has made.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1914-09-17
President Roosevelt congratulates Governor Gillett and all who have aided him. Roosevelt feels that because California did what was right for the nation, the nation is obligated to safeguard the interests of California. Roosevelt will do anything he can, in public or in private, to support this endeavor.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-02-10
President Roosevelt does not think it would be wise for him to interfere in a State matter as Eugene A. Philbin requests, especially as he is going out of office.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-01-20
Although President Roosevelt will never misunderstand Frank Moss, and hates to say no to any request from him, he thinks it is impossible for him to say yes to Moss’s suggestion. Roosevelt believes that a former president whose residence is New York City would likely be less fit than many others to render the service Moss suggests. Such service would require knowledge of the problems involved, and the person rendering it would have to have spent years focusing on it.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-20
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 writes Richard Watson Gilder a lengthy refutation of an article in the Evening Post in which William Garrott Brown misconstrues his actions in the Republican Party. Namely, Brown accuses Roosevelt of neglecting Republicans in the South and of doing a poor job of making nominations to local offices and positions. Roosevelt asserts that where the Republican party is not strong in the South, he has had to appoint Democrats who were quality men, rather than incapable men who are Republicans. Where he believes the party has a chance to compete with Democrats, he does all he can to support it. Roosevelt also writes that he did not use his influence on officers to get William H. Taft the nomination, but rather Taft was nominated because Roosevelt’s policies were popular, and Taft is the man who will continue those policies. Roosevelt believes that Brown is either ignorant or willfully ignorant of a number of facts.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-16
President Roosevelt’s information suggests that the charges against John A. Merritt and Archie Dovell Sanders do not warrant their removal, but he will let James Wolcott Wadsworth know if anything suggests otherwise. He congratulates Wadsworth on his work in the last election. He also assures Wadsworth that he does not take the charges and insinuations against him seriously, but that he cannot appear that he is championing people who oppose Governor Charles Evans Hughes.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-09
Attorney General Bonaparte updates President Roosevelt on the political and electoral situation in Maryland, where he believes that William H. Taft will win by a slim majority. In some districts and counties, the Congressional candidates may outperform Taft, while in others, the reverse may be true. Of particular concern is the possibility that illiterate African Americans may inadvertently spoil ballots which have deliberately been made confusing.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-30
President Roosevelt believes that the statement that John A. Sleicher suggested would be better coming from William H. Taft than from himself. However, he has privately been saying it to people who see him, and gives Sleicher permission to print that he has “repeatedly made the statement to callers who came in to see him.” A letter from John Appleton Stewart of the League of Republican Clubs has made Roosevelt think that the tide is turning in favor of Charles Evans Hughes.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-14
President Roosevelt agrees with Secretary of War William H. Taft’s telegram to Chairman of the National Republican Committee Frank H. Hitchcock. He tells Senator Lodge that in regards to seating delegates, each case should be considered on its merits, rather than whether or not the man in question supports Taft.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-06-07
President Roosevelt is pleased that his sister Anna Roosevelt Cowles has joined the Grange. He was also interested in her letter, and sends his regards to Judge Marcus H. Holcomb. He is unsure what to do about Representative George L. Lilley, and is not sure he trusts him. Roosevelt wishes that he could be in Farmington, Connecticut, with his sister, as he is sure it is beautiful this spring. He also reflects on the end of the session of Congress.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-05-31
President Roosevelt received Senator Bradley’s letter from Senator Jonathan Bourne. He expresses dismay at the fighting between Republicans in Kentucky. Roosevelt says that he believes that Secretary of War William H. Taft is the strongest candidate and will be nominated on the first ballot.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-05-12
President Roosevelt tells Assistant Treasurer Fish that it is impossible for him to interfere with politics in New York. The last time he helped Governor Charles Evans Hughes, Hughes’s friends took an attitude that would make it “a good deal worse than folly” for Roosevelt to do so again.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-27
President Roosevelt tells Luke E. Wright that he would be happy to lose any northern state, including his home state of New York, if he could break the solidarity of the South and win some of those states. He is pleased that he and William McKinley have carried some of them.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-20
President Roosevelt assures William Barnes that he understands his position and has stated that he will not interfere in any way with the legislation in Albany. He trusts that the course Barnes takes will be wise.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-22
President Roosevelt informs William Hutchinson Cowles that he has gone over the matter Cowles wrote about with Franklin K. Lane of the Interstate Commerce Commission. Roosevelt also writes that he believes that Oregon will instruct for Secretary of War William H. Taft, and now that Colonel Cecil Andrew Lyon of Texas has gone for Taft, he will be nominated on the first ballot.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-04
A letter sent “by direction of President Roosevelt” provides Senator Lodge the text of a telegram the president sent to Augustus Peabody Gardner. In the telegram, Roosevelt stated that bringing about the resolution could cause damage to both Lodge and Secretary of War William H. Taft if it is beaten. Even the introduction of the resolution would damage Lodge on a state and national level. As such, Roosevelt advised that the resolution be abandoned and said Gardner can quote him on that.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-09