Letter from William T. Hornaday to Theodore Roosevelt
William T. Hornaday is distressed and disgusted at the abundance of litter and vandalism encountered at parks, zoos, and other public places. At the New York Zoological Park, they have removed 100 park benches because of littering, and Hornaday places the blame on neighborhood women and “low class Jews.” Hornaday believes that American society has become too focused on personal liberty and has grown tolerant of the “disorderly element.” In a handwritten postscript, Hornaday describes the “worst case” of park vandalism encountered at the National Zoological Park, and the disappointing response from Charles D. Walcott, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1917-08-17
