Your TR Source
J. Sloat Fassett informs William Loeb about the trouble caused by a letter written by Leigh S. J. Hunt, which was intended for Secretary of State John Hay but was mistakenly delivered to Horace Newton Allen, U.S. Minister to Korea.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-02
John Graham Brooks reports to Commissioner of Labor Wright about the labor dispute in Colorado. He discusses the history of conflict between labor unions and employers going back nearly ten years. Brooks describes the conflict from both the workers’ and employers’ perspectives. Brooks recommends that the government let it be known that he has investigated the dispute, but thinks there is little else that can be done to fix the situation.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-04
Timothy L. Woodruff seems to have been ousted from his position of leadership in the Kings County Republican organization, with Frederick J. H. Kracke having taken the lead at a recent meeting. This change comes as part of a plan to redirect the organization towards President William H. Taft’s reelection in 1912.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-07-21
President Roosevelt pushes off the “big stick” and says, “Don’t flinch; don’t foul” as he leans on Timothy L. Woodruff who leans on George Rumsey Sheldon who leans on Secretary of State Elihu Root who leans on J. S. Sherman who leans on Frank H. Hitchcock who ultimately leans on William H. Taft who is fighting against William Jennings Bryan. On the other side William Randolph Hearst pours a “Standard Oil” can and says, “I’ll make ’em slip.” Meanwhile, Norman Edward Mack leans against Herman Ridder who leans against William James Conners who leans against Charles Francis Murphy who leans against John Worth Kern who leans against Bryan. Uncle Sam referees.
It was impressive cartoon that readers of the Brooklyn Eagle beheld in the Election Day edition of the paper. It was, properly, not partisan or biased toward a candidate or party, published as it was on Election Day when political argumentation traditionally ceased.
President Roosevelt holds a “toga” and a copy of The Outlook magazine in his back pocket with the caption: “Now is the time to subscribe.” Meanwhile, a man says, “I can remember when legislatures used to elect senators.”
During the waning days of Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency, speculation had been rife, especially in the political class and among cartoonists and writers, just what the man would do with himself after the White House. More pointed was speculation about what the nation would in effect do with the young (fifty-year-old) Roosevelt.
President Roosevelt and William Jennings Bryan use “the big stick” to hit both Timothy L. Woodruff and Charles Francis Murphy on their backsides.
In the Democratic Brooklyn Eagle, cartoonist Nelson Harding pictured William Jennings Bryan, the presidential candidate, and President Roosevelt as ideological and political partners. It should be noted that he did not show William H. Taft, the Republican nominee, who was by implication an afterthought. Republican cartoonists and newspapers seldom did this, indicating a desire on the part of Democrats to identify with Roosevelt. On the stump, Bryan himself was eager to identify himself with major points of Roosevelt’s policies.
A number of Republican and Democratic politicians play a game of baseball while large crowds look on. President Roosevelt is the pitcher while Charles W. Fairbanks is the catcher. The “voter” stands at the “White House” home base while Alton B. Parker tries to run to home base. Thomas Taggart tells Parker, “Get ready to slide, Judge.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-11
An article in the Albany Evening Journal speculates on three potential candidates to replace Thomas Collier Platt as Senator for New York. They are current Secretary of State Elihu Root, chairman of the Republican state committee Timothy L. Woodruff, and former governor Frank Swett Black.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-20
The writer of the memorandum discusses the current political situation in the state of New York surrounding who will be chosen to succeed the outgoing Senator Thomas Collier Platt. Current Secretary of State Elihu Root is the favored candidate, but several Republican members of the state legislature oppose Root. However, the support is spread between several candidates, and the writer complains that “bosslets” like Timothy L. Woodruff could defeat Root if only they could decide on a single opposition candidate rather than focusing on “petty jealousy” and bickering.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908
Representative Parsons informs President Roosevelt that Senator Thomas Collier Platt intends to resign after the election, complicating succession matters. Parsons discusses his three candidates, Timothy L. Woodruff, Frank Swett Black, and Representative J. Sloat Fassett, to fill the vacancy.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-22
This newspaper article mentions a speech that Chairman of the New York Republican Committee Timothy L. Woodruff was going to deliver if individuals supporting New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes for the presidency showed up at the Kings County Republican Committee. The speech was not delivered because no Hughes supporters disrupted the meeting.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-01-18
Timothy L. Woodruff and Patrick Henry McCarren, leaders of the Republican and Democratic parties of Brooklyn respectively, will debate the question “Resolved, That Theodore Roosevelt and his administration are responsible for the present disturbance in the financial world” at a date to be determined. Both men challenged each other at seemingly the same time. Woodruff left it to McCarren to set the date of the debate, and suggested Prospect Hall in Brooklyn, as the venue. Woodruff is known as a strong debater, in particular for his controversial debate with then-district attorney John Proctor Clarke in 1899.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-24
An article describes the acrimonious negotiations which took place ahead of the planned debate between Timothy L. Woodruff and Senator Patrick Henry McCarren. The key issues included the exact topic to be debated and how it should be presented, the speaking time to be allotted to each participant, who would open and close the debate, and the political makeup of the audience. Woodruff agreed to allow McCarren both the opening and closing statements after his representative in the negotiations threatened to cancel the debate.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-28
A newspaper clipping from the The Brooklyn Eagle discusses the entry of both President Roosevelt and Governor Charles Evans Hughes into the canvass. At present, New York State Republican Committee Chairman Timothy L. Woodruff’s candidates have an advantage over Senator Patrick Henry McCarren’s candidates, but voters should focus on the issues rather than theatrics.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10
Edward M. Shepard made a speech in support of the local democratic ticket in Brooklyn, New York, in which he denounced President Roosevelt for making speeches that create fear about future business conditions and sow discontent between the classes.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-04
An article in the New-York Tribune reprints a portion of an interview with New York Republican State Committee Chairman Timothy L. Woodruff. Topics of discussion include the successful Republican showing in the recent election, Woodruff’s support of President Roosevelt’s financial policies, the likelihood of Roosevelt’s renomination for a third presidential term, and the future of the Republican Party and Independence League fusion.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-07
Charles J. Bonaparte discusses his report concerning withdrawal of rations from Indian children attending religious schools.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-02-24
Walter Butler Atterbury denounces Republican political leader Timothy L. Woodruff as “the most tyrannical of all bosses.” He cites evidence for this accusation in a speech to citizens of the Seventeenth Assembly District of Kings County. Atterbury asks citizens to support him and oppose any ticket with Woodruff’s name or those owing allegiance to him in the upcoming primary elections.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-11
Roosevelt and Taft stand at the head of an elephant (representing the G.O.P) saddled with two chairs. While the president’s chair has a sign on it noting that it is reserved, the vice president’s chair is vacant. Roosevelt pulls on the elephant’s trunk attempting to move it while Taft looks on. Charles Evans Hughes sits in the window of a building labeled “Governor’s Office, Albany.” Timothy L. Woodruff holds a ladder through a street floor window with a sign on it reading “It might taper down to Tim.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1908-01-30
President Roosevelt, as a hurdy-gurdy player, grinds an organ labeled “Party Harmony” among a group of bears labeled “Elkins, Parsons, Dick, Platt, Penrose, Woodruff, Foraker, Barnes, [and] Odell,” each holding a large club across their shoulders.
“The Boss Bear Trainer” is a rare cartoon from the career of President Roosevelt wherein bears are cartooned characters, but related to teddy bears, either as hunting trophies or as children’s plush toys.