Your TR Source
President Roosevelt received Stanford President Jordan’s letter about the plan to transfer control of the seal herd to the Bureau of Fisheries. He will do everything he can to help.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-26
President Roosevelt was very interested in Harry Johnston’s letter, and hopes that he can visit the United States while Roosevelt is still president. Roosevelt has a slight disagreement with Johnston, saying that there is no objection to a reasonable amount of hunting, and believing that conservation can be best done through the efforts of sportsmen. More than hunting, however, Roosevelt wishes to hear from Johnston about the “many complex problems, which we mean when we speak of the Negro question.” Roosevelt would like to hear about Johnston’s observations of Liberia, and touches on conditions in Haiti and South Africa as well. He says that he knows of no one better to assess the treatment and condition of African Americans in the United States than Johnston. Roosevelt says that, “on the one hand I very firmly believe in granting to Negroes and to all other races the largest amount of self-government which they can exercise,” but he also thinks that some races are not yet ready for full self-government. He looks forward to reading Johnston’s book on the Congo.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-11
Theodore Roosevelt is pleased to learn of the partnership between the Biological Survey and the National Conservation Commission. The Commission has already conferred with C. Hart Merriam regarding details.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-02
President Roosevelt agrees with George L. Carter’s desire to “reduce the killing of nature’s creatures and not reduce the skill of American marksmanship.” However, he wishes that Carter will not send him the trap mentioned in his letter, because of the monetary value.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-06-05
President Roosevelt is very interested in the Flathead Bison Range Bill, which Senator Joseph M. Dixon of Montana has done a lot to advance. It has been made an amendment to the agricultural bill, and Roosevelt hopes that Representative Scott can help it pass. He invites Scott to stop in and see him if he has any doubts.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-05-04
President Roosevelt is very interested in the Flathead Bison Range Bill, which Senator Joseph M. Dixon of Montana has done a lot to advance. It has been made an amendment to the agricultural bill, and Roosevelt hopes that Representative Haugen can help it pass. He invites Haugen to stop in and see him if he has any doubts.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-05-04
President Roosevelt congratulates the New York State legislature on having a State official address them, and thanks James S. Whipple for sending him a copy of his speech. Roosevelt agrees with Whipple regarding the importance of a good forest policy and the need to protect birds and wildlife.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-11
President Roosevelt agrees with John H. Bowles about the importance of stopping spring shooting, and says that he wishes to see game preserved for everyone in the United States, and not only those who are rich enough to own game preserves. The best way to make sure that there will continue to be animals to hunt is the enactment of good game laws. He also wishes public schools would teach children to protect bird life. Such actions would be economically advantageous to many people.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-07
President Roosevelt regrets that he will not be able to attend the Honest Anglers convention, but praises the work of the organization to its chairman, Henry Van Dyke. Roosevelt finds it particularly praiseworthy that the organization works on behalf of the conservation of fish populations and against “the noxious craze for record-breaking.” Roosevelt think the excessive catching and killing of large amounts of animals is nothing to boast about.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-24
President Roosevelt writes to Ernest Harold Baynes, secretary of the American Bison Society, to express his admiration for the work of the society and his interest in the preservation of the buffalo.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-24
President Roosevelt asks Frank Ross McCoy to relay his regards to Yosemite park rangers John D. Alger and Archibald C. Leonard, remembering “the two bully camps we had” on a recent camping trip. While Roosevelt sympathizes with McCoy about the bears, he views it as good that they found refuge in Yosemite and Yellowstone National Parks. He agrees with McCoy regarding the Japanese.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-19
President Roosevelt forwards a letter from George Bird Grinnell, telling Earl Grey that Grinnell is concerned with saving animals from extinction and asking if anything can be done about Grinnell’s request. Roosevelt believes Secretary of State Elihu Root’s visit to South America was productive of much good, and he is pleased that James Bryce is going to Canada.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-02-28
President Roosevelt does not feel able to speak on the subject that Dwight W. Huntington wrote to him about, but he heartily endorses C. Hart Merriam’s position and the principles set forth in the circular that Huntington enclosed. Roosevelt believes that in order to conserve wildlife, the men who sell game and hunt for a living must be on the side of conservation.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-13
President Roosevelt tells Audubon Society president William Dutcher that he and First Lady Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt support the work of the Audubon society both in general, and specifically in the effort to stop the sale of white heron feathers.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-18
President Roosevelt tells Audubon Society president William Dutcher that he and First Lady Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt support the work of the Audubon society both in general, and specifically in the effort to stop the sale of white heron feathers.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-18
Men interested in the preservation of the forests and wildlife of the U.S. have been in touch with Theodore Roosevelt and told him how important the work of Representative Lacey has been. Roosevelt agrees that a memorial to Lacey may be created.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-16
President Roosevelt regrets that he cannot write about the topic that Edward North Buxton mentioned, as he does not know enough about the subject. Roosevelt comments that people protesting against big game hunting do not know all the facts, and compares them to people he has had to combat in the United States regarding hunting and protection of game. He congratulates Buxton on the work he and the society for the preservation of the wild fauna of the Empire are doing, and gives Buxton permission to publish this congratulations if it would help him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-06-11
President Roosevelt chastises G. O. Shields for directly quoting him in an article after Roosevelt explicitly told him not to. To make matters worse, Shields misquoted, added, eliminated, and made up things that Roosevelt said to mischaracterize some of his opinions on the preservation of wildlife.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-02-19
President Roosevelt wants Henry B. F. Macfarland, President of the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia, to bring to the board’s attention the necessity of recommending that Congress enact a law prohibiting the hunting of birds and small game within the city limits. Existing laws limit the seasons in which game can be shot, but Roosevelt believes it is now time to prohibit the practice all year round. He feels doing so would benefit both wildlife and the public.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-12-21
President Roosevelt tells Superintendent Pitcher, of Yellowstone National Park, that he thinks it best to kill off mountain lions only where they interfere with deer and sheep wintering and to leave them alone in the rest of the park.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-02-27