United States. Dept. of the Treasury

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to George B. Cortelyou

President Roosevelt has heard that some officers of Department of the Treasury plan to renominate Roosevelt for a third term during the Republican National Convention. Roosevelt impresses upon Secretary of the Treasury Cortelyou how important it is that this is avoided and requests that Cortelyou inform any members of his department who plan to do so that such an action will be seen as violating their professional obligations and will be treated accordingly.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-19

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Walter W. Warwick

President Roosevelt appoints Walter W. Warwick to a special committee to study the contracts used in the various departments and bureaus of the government in order to “remedy any defects” found. The recommendations of the committee will be approved by the legal officers of each department, and ultimately by the Attorney General of the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-18

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles J. Bonaparte

President Roosevelt has received data from the National Advisory Board for Fuels and Structural Materials on the coal supplied to the government. He requests Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte set up a conference with a representative from that advisory board, the departments dealing with coal purchasing, and larger coal operators. Roosevelt wants a better deal on government coal and higher efficiency for its use in heating government buildings. This meeting is to be held in the office of the Chief Clerk of the Treasury Department at a given time.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-06

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles J. Bonaparte

President Roosevelt informs Attorney General Bonaparte that he wishes to appoint African American Ralph W. Tyler to an auditor position at the Treasury for the Navy Department. Roosevelt wishes to promote the current auditor, William W. Brown, to the position Brown wants as special counsel in the Department of Justice, with equal or more pay.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-09

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to C. Grant La Farge

President Roosevelt explains to architect C. Grant La Farge that it is difficult to keep his private life and public acts separate. To avoid impropriety, Roosevelt will give La Farge’s letter to Secretary of the Treasury George B. Cortelyou and let him decide if the project will be open to competition or to give it to La Farge.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-08

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Leslie M. Shaw

President Roosevelt requests a thorough investigation of the recent loses in the sub-treasury offices in St. Louis and Chicago. He directs that if there is a defect in the system, the system is to be changed.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Leslie M. Shaw

President Roosevelt accepts the resignation of Secretary of the Treasury, Leslie M. Shaw, and thanks him for his work.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-01

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to United States Justice Department

President Roosevelt orders the United States Justice Department to make any government documents requested available to Mark Goode of the Bureau of Indian Affairs to aid his investigation of the corrupt practices of Martin J. Bentley.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-16

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Thomas Collier Platt

President Roosevelt complies with New York Senator Platt’s request to renominate Assistant Treasurer Hamilton Fish II for his current position.  Roosevelt also extends sympathy to Platt’s son, Frank Hinchman Platt, who is mourning the death of his daughter, Ellen Barstow Platt.  

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-19

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William W. Cocks

President Roosevelt introduces Representative Cocks to John R. Arbuckle, who is interested in starting a charitable enterprise, but requires legislation which Roosevelt hopes Cocks can secure.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-14

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles Hallam Keep

President Roosevelt appoints Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Keep to the Central Committee of the American Red Cross as a representative of the Department of the Treasury.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-30

Letter from William Loeb to Cortez F. Cox

William Loeb acknowledges the letter Cortez F. Cox addressed to Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt and says that his request cannot be granted due to tariff acts according to the Department of the Treasury. President Roosevelt also has no power to change the existing laws.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-02

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Victor Howard Metcalf

President Roosevelt has read the report from Solicitor of the Department of Commerce and Labor Edwin Walter Sims and instructs Secretary of Commerce and Labor Metcalf to carry out his recommendations without involving Congress. Roosevelt directs the Treasury Department to investigate the “dereliction of duty” of the Revenue Cutter Services and believes that more protection from the United States Marines might be necessary to safeguard the Alaskan seal fur fisheries from seal pirates. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-09

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Augustus Saint-Gaudens

President Roosevelt asks Augustus Saint-Gaudens if he could send a design for the twenty dollar gold piece before Congress meets, as he is receiving pressure from Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw on the progress of the project. Roosevelt compliments Saint-Gaudens on his work and looks forward to the finished design.  

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-01

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Eugene Hale

President Roosevelt has superficially reviewed the case of George A. Curran, Collector of the Port of Calais. If the reported facts prove true, Curran will be removed. He asks Senator Hale if he or Senator William P. Frye can meet to review the matter with him, as well as Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, and Assistant Secretary of the Treasury James Burton Reynolds.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-12

Report upon the organization of the Department of the Interior

Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Keep, Comptroller of Currency Murray, and Chief Forester Pinchot provide President Roosevelt with a detailed report of the organization and operations of the Department of the Interior. The report highlights “grave defects” in the structure of the Department such as redundant job functions, an “abuse of letter writing” that impedes public business, and rampant inefficiency. The report recommends the dissolution of several divisions.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-22

Telegram from Theodore Roosevelt to Robert Bacon

President Roosevelt tells Acting Secretary of State Bacon that because the position of Governor of the territory of Arizona is an appointed position, Bacon should direct Territorial Governor Joseph H. Kibbey to make sure the practice is stopped immediately, rather than request it of him. United States Marshals and Collectors should also be instructed to use any extra force necessary to stop the practice. Roosevelt asks Bacon to communicate with the Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury to make sure this is done.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-20

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Leslie M. Shaw

President Roosevelt objects to Secretary of the Treasury Shaw about areas of public service being taken away from the Civil Service Commission, as has been done in the case of the Revenue Cutter Service. According to the bill, examinations will be done under regulations set out by the Secretary of the Treasury, and Roosevelt suggests that Shaw direct that the board of officers grading examinations should do so in conjunction with the Civil Service Commission, and following their rules.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-25

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Leslie M. Shaw

President Roosevelt asks Secretary of the Treasury Shaw for his opinion regarding whether the offices of the Treasury Department in Ohio are being managed well.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to L. V. McKesson

President Roosevelt thanks L. V. McKesson for the nice letter he sent to Secretary of War William H. Taft, and was impressed by what he wrote. He reminds McKesson, however, that he as president only controls the nominating portion of the process appointing people to government positions, and that it is the Senate who confirms them. If he is notified by senators that they will reject a candidate, it is a waste of time for him to nominate them. For local positions, this places a great deal of power in the hands of the senators from the state affected, as most of the senate follow their wishes. Much of Roosevelt’s power, therefore, is that he can “refuse to appoint any unworthy man, and to remove any man of proved unworthiness.” While Roosevelt would not now appoint George P. Waldorf, Internal Revenue Collector for Toledo, Ohio, to his position, the Treasury Department investigated him and did not find anything warranting his removal.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-07