Wealth

Harrison D. Boyer tells Theodore Roosevelt that the common people can only see Roosevelt as the next president because Roosevelt is the only one they can trust. Boyer believes the government needs to regulate business, social, educational, and political life to provide equal rights, justice, and liberty to the people and future generations. Roosevelt is the only man who might do this and Boyer hopes he will come out as a candidate for the presidency because it is his duty.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-12-14

Paul Morton believes President Roosevelt’s position is that neither labor nor capital should dominate the White House, but both should be treated with “exact justice.” Morton assures E. P. Ripley that Roosevelt is not against anyone who happens to be rich, but he does believe that many large fortunes in the country have been achieved in unfair ways and that a rich man should not be able to dodge responsibilities or be given special privileges because of his wealth.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-31

Judge Robert Grant writes to President Theodore Roosevelt congratulating him on continuously advocating for progressive tax reform. Grant knows that progressive taxes are very unpopular amongst the upper class, who prefer to maintain control over their wealth and dole it out to their inheritors as they wish. Grant maintains that progressive tax reform is more reliable in assisting society’s needs than relying on the upper class to voluntarily donate their money to useful causes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-16

President Roosevelt fires a “rapid-firing message gun” from the White House at Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon as a “third term” animal looks over Roosevelt’s shoulder. Cannon bends over as he is hit with “forest reserves,” “postal bank law,” “anti-injunction,” “executive control,” “power over securities,” and “control of wealth.” The United States Capitol building is in the distance and a “big maul” gavel and “former messages” are on the ground.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

President Roosevelt holds his big stick and looks at the men he has killed with it: “confidence,” “prosperity,” “good wages,” “capital,” “business,” “industry,” and “labor.” In the background is a bird labeled “hard times.”

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

President Roosevelt holds a vicious-looking dog labeled “federal law” as men labeled “corporation,” “business,” “combination,” “wealth,” and “enterprise” run away or hide. Caption: President Roosevelt — “Don’t be afraid, gentlemen; he will hurt only the crooks.”

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

President Roosevelt participates in a variety of events at the circus, including taming “political lions” to riding “trust” bulls to flying on a trapeze to juggling to directing the Republican elephant.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12

President Roosevelt and Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks ride on an elephant that carries a “protection and prosperity” flag and wears a sign that reads, “‘The National Republican’: The organ of the G.O.P.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-03-04

President Roosevelt rides a Republican elephant over Alton B. Parker and a Democratic donkey. The “prosperity” sun can be seen in the background.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-09

A man, woman, and infant wearing ragged clothing labeled “The American Middle Class” sit on a rock labeled “Opportunity” above the rising waters of “Centralized Wealth” in which sharks are circling. In the background, only the head and shoulders of the Statue of Liberty are visible above the water.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

An “Absentee Millionaire” stands on land labeled “Europe” spraying money from a hose connected to an “American Hydrant source of income,” suggesting that wealthy Americans spend more money in Europe than in their own country.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1901-08-28

Theodore Roosevelt confirms to Walter A. Black that when he is fighting for the poor man, the work is in the interests of the rich man, as well, because “this country will not permanently be a good place for any man to live in unless it is a good place for all men to live in.” The policies he is advocating must be adopted, in order for democracy to flourish.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-06-03

Although Theodore Roosevelt is sympathetic to the circumstances of the matter, his secretary politely informs J. B. Milam that Roosevelt is unable to help.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-05-25

Theodore Roosevelt agrees with most of Henry Lee Higginson’s letter. He particularly believes in the movement’s effort to protect the shareholders’ widows and orphans. Roosevelt comments on Edward Henry Harriman’s fortune. While he does not want to hurt Harriman’s small securities holders, there should be supervision to prevent future Harrimans from getting disproportionate rewards. It is easy to handle corrupt small businessmen by refusing their service, but the same is not possible with large businessmen. Roosevelt agrees with Higginson on the overall increase in commercial honesty, the effect of certain unions, and the classification of rebates. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-03-02

Theodore Roosevelt explains to Miss S. S. Hunt that it is impossible for him to make a request on her behalf to Andrew Carnegie.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02-17

President Roosevelt wishes that Cecil Spring Rice and his wife were there to visit with him and Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt. He reflects on the growing German materialism in light of the controversy surrounding the appointment of David Jayne Hill as new ambassador there. The previous ambassador, Charlemagne Tower, was wealthy, and Roosevelt believes that the Germans dislike Hill because he is not wealthy. Roosevelt reflects on the merits of being rich and concludes that while it is good to have the things that money can buy, “from the standpoint of real pleasure [he] should selfishly prefer [his] oldtime ranch on the Little Missouri to anything in Newport.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-11

President Roosevelt thanks Outlook publisher Lawrence F. Abbott for the letter, and reiterates that in working to produce reform and reduce the size of the largest fortunes, he wants to set out explicit steps and avoid vague language. He also wants to make sure that it is clear that he does not encourage “what is wicked among the labor people,” referencing “the hundreds of murders perpetrated under the foulest and most infamous circumstances by the members of the Western Federation of Miners,” which he considers Big Bill Haywood and Charles H. Moyer guilty of. While it is possible to go too far in the enforcement of order, Roosevelt considers it worse to encourage crime.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-28

President Roosevelt expresses admiration and thanks to Frederick W. Whitridge for a pamphlet he had written. The pamphlet featured fair but sharp criticisms of someone who had misled others. Roosevelt additionally appreciates Whitridge’s writing on wealth, which Roosevelt believes puts into words his own views.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-09

This newspaper article discusses Germany’s increasing prosperity and rapid population growth, including statistics for birth and death rates. A comparison is made to England and/or the United Kingdom.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-01

H. Rider Haggard shares with Roosevelt his critiques of the Anglosphere, particularly their love of pleasure and wealth. He then discusses his investments in the African continent, how insider trading is tampering with said investments, and how he believes that the love of nature “seems to be the privilege of the highly educated.” Haggard also predicts that the “white people” living in Africa will be removed within the coming generations, and that overall the “white races” are in noticeable decline.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-09-05