United States. Congress. Senate

Presidential Snapshot (#40): Excerpt of a letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

In a letter to Governor General Taft, President Roosevelt expresses his admiration for certain members of the Senate with whom he has been able to work to pass legislation through Congress, but he also makes clear his frustration with others, including those from his home state of New York. Roosevelt concedes that the administration failed to pass tariff relief for the Philippines, and he hopes that Taft will take up the post of Secretary of War when Elihu Root leaves the position.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1903-03-19

Letter from Pear Wight to J. R. Thornton

Pearl Wight encourages J. R. Thornton to amend the Arbitration Treaty Bill with Senator Elihu Root’s amendment and then pass it because it will be able to prevent many wars in the future. Wight compares international arbitration to businessmen settling their disputes with compromise rather than long lawsuits.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-12-15

Letter from Albert H. Walker to Theodore Roosevelt

Albert H. Walker tells Theodore Roosevelt that two powerful men hired him to draw up a bill regarding their ideas around the Sherman Act. Walker believes Roosevelt has similar views and therefore asks Roosevelt’s opinion and attaches the bill. The bill calls for the creation of the Sherman Law Commission with nine commissioners who will oversee the licensure of those engaging in trade and commerce worth over $10,000 in a day and ensure such organizations are not participating in restraint of trade. The commission will also set prices of goods bought and sold by licensees.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-12-16

Letter from Bela Tokaji to Theodore Rooosevelt

Bela Tokaji informs Theodore Roosevelt that the people have no confidence in William H. Taft and Robert M. La Follette will be unable to secure enough delegates to be nominated for president. Tokaji does believe Roosevelt would have enough delegates to become the presidential nominee and will win. Tokaji is a “Magyar” by birth and he is determined to agitate for Roosevelt’s nomination, no matter what Roosevelt says.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-11-25

Letter from Donald Livingston to Theodore Roosevelt

Donald Livingston informs Theodore Roosevelt of the political situation in South Dakota, as Livingston sees it. William H. Taft is disliked and many are indifferent to Robert M. La Follette, though Livingston believes he is to radical, but thousands hope Roosevelt will be nominated their lives would be restored. Livingston also believes a new Senator could enter the race if Roosevelt was the presidential candidate.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-12-15

Letter from Paul V. Collins to Theodore Roosevelt

Paul V. Collins gives Theodore Roosevelt the names of the men who submitted an article on reciprocity to be published in The Outlook and confirms that Roosevelt gave the men a word limit for the article. Collins writes of his experience trying to get the editor of the Saturday Evening Post to print an article contrary to the line the magazine had already taken on reciprocity and says most publications have only printed one side of the story. Collins thinks there is likely to be a “stampede” at the Republican National Convention and Roosevelt will be nominated.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-12-14

Letter from John O. Yeiser to Isaac T. A. Reneau

John O. Yeiser thanks Isaac T. A. Reneau for volunteering to support this work of bringing Roosevelt’s men together in his city in order to get Roosevelt nominated for President. They are not asking Roosevelt what he thinks, but Yeiser does not believe Roosevelt would refuse the nomination and allow Taft to win again. Yeiser encourages Reneau to get the “real rough Roosevelt men” to sign the petition, and the rest will follow and Roosevelt will be elected President.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-11-29

Less La Follette talk

Senator Robert M. La Follette will be leaving Washington soon to campaign aggressively in Ohio, William H. Taft’s home state. Public opinion has changed, indicating La Follette is not in the running for the nomination, instead Theodore Roosevelt and Taft will be the ones to fight to lead the Republican Party.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-12-14

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Allison

Theodore Roosevelt tells Chancellor Allison that he will require more time to think over the Chancellor’s request. Roosevelt is hesitant to intervene in the matter, as he would then have to intervene in many other cases. Roosevelt also expresses his happiness that Allison will represent Tennessee in the Senate.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1912-11-16

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Samuel S. Piles

President Roosevelt informs Senator Piles that he told Representative Wesley Livsey Jones he made no comment supporting any candidate for senator, and that Roosevelt knows the allegation that Piles said this was an error.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-13

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Wesley Livsey Jones

President Roosevelt informs Representative Jones that he will express no opinion in any Senate race.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-13

Telegram from Theodore Roosevelt to Joseph R. Knowland

President Roosevelt tells Representative Knowland that he intends to give Clarence S. Merrill a recess appointment as postmaster and will confer with the Senate when Congress convenes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-10

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Jonathan Bourne

President Roosevelt enjoyed Senator Bourne’s letter and the quotations from his wife, Lillian Elizabeth Wyatt Bourne. He appreciates Bourne’s support of sending the fleet to the Pacific, which will happen regardless of the approval of Senator Eugene Hale.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-13

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Bartlett S. Johnston

President Roosevelt invites Bartlett S. Johnston to visit the White House and is glad his brother, Joseph Forney Johnston, is a senator.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-10

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

President Roosevelt would not have advised Secretary of War Taft to take the position of refusing to compromise with Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker but, upon reflection, considers it “one of those fine and manly things” he expects from Taft. Roosevelt recommends changing one sentence in his letter, which reads, “It may be quite true that a Senator may act on his own conscience.” Roosevelt believes it would be better to use the specific example of the rate bill where Foraker “acted so as to outrage the consciences of all the best men.” If Taft is not to be the president, Roosevelt hopes he will be Chief Justice or a senator from Ohio.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

President Roosevelt sends reactions to three letters from Secretary of War Taft. Roosevelt approves of an address Taft is preparing concerning the Brownsville Affair. The president is also pleased by what Taft tells him of the proposed Constitution for Oklahoma in preparation for admittance to the union. Roosevelt believes Jackson Smith will have to be let go from his position as Head of the Department of Labor, Quarters, and Subsistence in the Panama Canal. Finally, the president approves of Taft’s letter to Clarence Ransom Edwards regarding opium and believes Lebbeus R. Wilfley has “made good.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-19

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Philander C. Knox

President Roosevelt wants to know when Senator Knox hears from Francis J. Heney. Roosevelt understands that there is no agreement that he will not send in William C. Bristol’s name next time. He has concluded from his talk with Knox that Charles W. Fulton will have withdrawn any opposition to Bristol next fall, but for now the proposal is to not take action on the nomination until next fall when two republican senators are in.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elihu Root

Secretary of Commerce and Labor Oscar S. Straus and Secretary of the Interior Ethan Allen Hitchcock both agree that some of the proposed changes to the bill mentioned will result in serious trouble. President Roosevelt would like for Secretary of State Root to meet with Straus and report back to him the outcome of the conversation. Roosevelt has asked for the bill to be held up in the senate, or he will have to veto it if it gets passed in its present form.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-25

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Nicholas Murray Butler

President Roosevelt would like to talk to Nicholas Murray Butler about the peace matter before he offers his help. He agrees with Butler on his stance about the fight with the senate, and thinks what he said about the railroads is interesting.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-23

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt

President Roosevelt asks Kermit Roosevelt if William Loeb sent him “the matter” about the Brownsville incident for his debate. Roosevelt then proceeds to tell his son about an amusing interaction with Ellen C. Bonaparte who declared she had been taking people who lead “gray and hundrum lives [sic]” to the White House to bring them pleasure. He trusts Kermit will not tell anyone, and shares another story about the daughter of Emperor of Austria Franz Joseph I. Roosevelt also tells Kermit about Archibald B. Roosevelt’s pet guinea pigs, Mr. and Mrs. Longworth.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-19