United States. Interstate Commerce Commission

H. S. Jeffery has applied to be Chief Inspector and received recommendations from congressmen and professional societies. It appears that Mr. Deans, a prominent railroad official, received the applications from the Interstate Commerce Commission and decided that Jeffery is not a suitable candidate due to his support of the Locomotive Boiler Inspection Bill. Jeffery believes that he has been wronged and requests that President Taft take up the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02-14

Creator(s)

Jeffery, H. S.

Eben Weaver Martin discusses Theodore Roosevelt’s idea of giving the Bureau of Corporations power to fix commodity prices and control output when unlawful monopolies control them. He believes there needs to be a thorough system of national control preventing monopolies from organizing while removing the “powers of evil” of existing ones.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-01-31

Creator(s)

Martin, Eben Weaver, 1855-1932

Max H. C. Brombacher requests Theodore Roosevelt review his article in the enclosed magazine regarding rail road shop efficiencies. He discusses the “immoral economies” of the shops and asks Roosevelt to press the Interstate Commerce Commission for information.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-01-10

Creator(s)

Brombacher, Max H. C. (Max Herman Constantine), 1853-1918

Robert G. Hogan urges Theodore Roosevelt to use his influence to force the “speedy adoption” of devices meant to prevent railroad accidents. He encloses a clipping on the subject.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-01-03

Creator(s)

Hogan, Robert G., 1856-1928

Attorney General Bonaparte submits suggestions to President Roosevelt regarding the Interstate Commerce Commission. Legislation will be recommended to Congress because of the recent Supreme Court decision in Harriman vs. the Interstate Commerce Commission. Bonaparte compares a number of judicial opinions from the Supreme Court Justices, and provides a recommendation to amend a portion of the law establishing the Interstate Commerce Commission so that it has more explicit legal authority to conduct investigations.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-30

Creator(s)

Bonaparte, Charles J. (Charles Joseph), 1851-1921

This act seeks to amend a previous act dealing with the restraint of trade through monopolies by adding several sections detailing procedures for filing contracts with the Interstate Commerce Commission in order that they might be investigated by the commission. Additionally, this act proscribes that the Interstate Commerce Commission be enlarged to nine members, with additional members to be appointed by the president.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-01

Creator(s)

Silliman, Reuben D., 1871-1961

Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte critiques a bill draft submitted to President Roosevelt by Seth Low. Bonaparte believes the bill, which deals with the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, would not provide the benefits that Low hopes for. He thinks it would instead introduce complications to the interpretation and execution of the law.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-02

Creator(s)

Bonaparte, Charles J. (Charles Joseph), 1851-1921

John Allison describes his military career to President Roosevelt and concludes that he cannot accept the Vicksburg Park Commission, as he did not serve there. However, he would like to be appointed to a commission he can legally accept. Allison also offers his view on how Secretary of War William H. Taft might unite the Tennessee Republican Party after he secures the nomination for president.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-05

Creator(s)

Allison, John, 1845-1920

President Roosevelt sent Booker T. Washington a draft of his letter to the Interstate Commerce Commission, which Washington now returns with some suggestions. He would like Roosevelt to emphasize that he wants the same justice done regarding humans as to freight. Roosevelt writes that several roads in the South do right by African Americans, but Washington would like him to work the sentence into the letter in such a way that newspapers cannot cut it out.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-28

Creator(s)

Washington, Booker T., 1856-1915

Attorney General Bonaparte writes to President Roosevelt to follow up with him on recent conversations regarding interstate commerce and anti-trust legislation, and to put some of his positions in writing so that Roosevelt may reflect upon them more thoroughly. Bonaparte discusses a proposed change in anti-trust legislation altering the language to read “in unfair or unreasonable restraint of trade,” saying that such a change would produce major complications as it would essentially delegate a judicial duty to an executive officer or board. He also describes how the proposed changes to the law would alter the government’s ability to enforce certain parts of the law, and comments on the idea of the government giving amnesty to corporations who had previously violated anti-trust legislation in minor ways.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-12

Creator(s)

Bonaparte, Charles J. (Charles Joseph), 1851-1921

Martin A. Knapp, of the Interstate Commerce Commission, thanks President Roosevelt for the note he sent yesterday, and gives him some updates on several conversations he has had recently. He has asked Henry Walters of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company to meet with him tomorrow, and hopes to have a productive discussion. Knapp’s recent talk with P. H. Morrissey was satisfactory. He also has a suspicion that Milton H. Smith, head of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, will visit him on Tuesday. The trouble that the Chicago Great Western Railroad Company is not as serious as was feared, and he is confident that there can be an amicable arrangement. He explains the areas in which a proposed reduction of wages will take effect. Roosevelt’s letter to the Interstate Commerce Commission has had a good effect.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-23

Creator(s)

Knapp, Martin A., 1843-1923

Paul Morton has heard rumors of Senator Francis Marion Cockrell’s retirement from the Interstate Commerce Commission. If they are true, Morton recommends James A. Peabody as a potential successor and can attest to his qualifications.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-09

Creator(s)

Morton, Paul, 1857-1911

Paul Morton thanks William Loeb for the letter. He is disappointed the bankers disagree on plans of currency reform and believes a central bank in New York with branches in other major cities is the solution. Reform needs to happen. Morton believes James A. Peabody is uniquely qualified to be a member of the Interstate Commerce Commission.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-12

Creator(s)

Morton, Paul, 1857-1911

John Allison alerts President Roosevelt to several corrupt railroad practices recently uncovered by Silas L. Lupton of the Interstate Commerce Commision. Allison urges Roosevelt to speak with Lupton on the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-06

Creator(s)

Allison, John, 1845-1920

Secretary of War Taft explains why he partially disagrees with President Roosevelt regarding the tariff. Taft also requests the privilege to differ from Roosevelt regarding the Interstate Commerce Commission and “the issue of bonds and stocks of interstate railways.” Taft hopes to return from his trip to Berlin via the Siberian Railway and wants Roosevelt’s advice before making arrangements.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-06

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-22

Creator(s)

North, S. N. D. (Simon Newton Dexter), 1849-1924

Recipient

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Language

English

Grenville M. Dodge is happy to hear that President Roosevelt was well-received in the South, and he expresses appreciation for the quick, decisive action that Roosevelt took during the yellow fever scare in New Orleans. Dodge believes that the success of the Interstate Commerce Commission will be dependent upon Congress granting Roosevelt the authority to appoint its members and to provide a salary sufficient to command the ablest experts.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-11-03

Creator(s)

Dodge, Grenville M., 1831-1916

Paul Morton returns the letter from Chairman Martin A. Knapp of the Interstate Commerce Commission and informs William Loeb that he has nothing to say on the matter Knapp refers to in the letter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-05

Creator(s)

Morton, Paul, 1857-1911

Secretary of the Interstate Commerce Commission Moseley informs Attorney General William H. Moody that Judge Horace A. Lurton has, with one exception, decided against the government in every case under the interstate commerce law. Lurton was involved with the Geddes case, along with Judges Henry Franklin Severens and John K. Richards.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-22

Creator(s)

Moseley, Edward A. (Edward Augustus), 1846-1911

Judson C. Clements, acting chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission, reports to President Roosevelt the principal facts established in its investigation of the Union Pacific Railroad. Upon interviewing competitors of the Union Pacific Coal Company, “every dollar of whose stock is owned by the Union Pacific Railroad Company,” the Commission finds that a monopoly on coal production and transport has been established in the area. Further, the Commission recommends remedial legislation as a result of its investigation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-13

Creator(s)

Clements, Judson C. (Judson Claudius), 1846-1917