Your TR Source
Theodore Roosevelt has written previously about the book Mother and will look for The Call of the Carpenter. He appreciates William Allen White’s criticism of his recent writing and Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt was in agreement with White.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-01-22
Theodore Roosevelt sends copies of his articles for publication in Metropolitan Magazine. Roosevelt discusses the best order for content in the upcoming issues.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-01-07
William Allen White admires Theodore Roosevelt’s interpretation of books and sees in him a strong intellectual leader of the country. He recommends two books to Roosevelt. White also warns Roosevelt about using lengthy sentences in his writing, describing his recent writing as nervous rather than lucid.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-01-16
President Roosevelt has read most of the articles in Lincoln Steffens’s book, but not the dedication. After he reads it carefully he will tell him his views on it. Roosevelt wants to know when he will see Steffens again and closes with “many thanks.”
1906-06-27
Police Commissioner Roosevelt tells writer Edward Sandford Martin that he and Mrs. Roosevelt never miss Martin’s column in Harper’s Weekly. Roosevelt says Martin is right about Stephen Crane, who has been making allegations of wrong-doing against the police. Roosevelt invites Crane to produce evidence to this effect. Martin’s diagnosis of Ms. Dora Clark was correct.
1896-10-26
President Roosevelt tells the writer Edward Sandford Martin that he and Mrs. Roosevelt were struck by a point in Sanford’s last article that it is a wise choice to select home life instead of some alternative. Roosevelt feels the life of the “Four Hundred,” the social elite in New York, is “flat as stale champagne.” He found their companionship intolerable and does not feel one can permanently live that way. Roosevelt closes by describing an “all-night’s expedition” with his cousins and sons.
1903-07-30
President Roosevelt thanks writer Edward Sandford Martin for the book and says he will read it for amusement or consolation if he loses the presidential election in a week. Roosevelt’s son Kermit wrote that George is getting along all right and Roosevelt enjoyed Martin’s “Opportunity” piece in the Metropolitan.
1904-10-27
Theodore Roosevelt agrees with writer Edward Sandford Martin’s letter and says how much George Martin’s letters touched him and Mrs. Roosevelt. It is the same kind of attitude Kermit Roosevelt had and must make Martin very proud of his son George. Roosevelt enjoyed Martin’s editorial on “the Broker Type.”
1911-11-21
Theodore Roosevelt asks writer Edward Sandford Martin about making a change on his proposal and having Taylor, Creswell, Bridges, Hapgood, and Cochrane meet too. Roosevelt’s article on progressive scholarship will be out in January and then he will make the arrangements. He likes Acton’s History of Freedom, Bob Grant’s piece in Scribner’s, and Martin’s Christmas piece.
1911-12-19
Theodore Roosevelt writes Thomas Barbour, the curator of reptiles and amphibians at the Museum of Comparative Zoology, to compliment his article and say he will remember that quotation from the Chilean government. He says it is exasperating to have to answer “a poor creature” like Allen who does not know anything about any subject. Roosevelt may be referring to Barbour’s colleague Glover M. Allen.
1913-01-15
Theodore Roosevelt thanks ornithologist William Brewster for the suggestions on editing the article about birds. Roosevelt goes on to explain some of the changes he intends to make. Letter is dated April 6 but year is unknown.
Unknown
Theodore Roosevelt asks ornithologist William Brewster to send him a copy of The Birds of the Cambridge Region. He is pleased at what Brewster said about his African Game Trails. Roosevelt has been so busy the past few years he has not been able to focus on natural history but now he is free and working on a pamphlet about bird and mammal coloration. He criticizes Abbott Handerson Thayer’s book and invites Brewster to lunch.
1911-05-08
Theodore Roosevelt informs the author H. Rider Haggard that he wishes he could have made his article about Haggard’s book ten times as long. Roosevelt viewed the article as a small effort to help the work Haggard is doing. When Roosevelt receives Haggard’s book on rural Denmark he will read it.
1911-07-31
Theodore Roosevelt compliments the author H. Rider Haggard on his book Rural Denmark and draws comparisons to the movement of Americans to towns instead of the country. He also ties in the Boers and English settling East Africa. Roosevelt says he tried as President and still tries to teach “lessons that ought to be learned by my fellow countrymen” and he is horrified at the amount of “dull and uninteresting” writings out there.
1911-08-22
Civil Service Commissioner Roosevelt answers journalist Edward Porritt’s letter by sending him copies of reports dealing with the Civil Service Act and Rules, addressing the abuses and consequences of the spoils system. Roosevelt responds to a paper written by Porritt by saying there is no basis for a charge of favoritism in the working of the Civil Service Law at Washington. He adds that the belief appointments and removals are based on favor and influence was perpetuated by the spoils system that prevailed for sixty years.
1895-01-11
Theodore Roosevelt has the book Mother and will look into reading The Call of the Carpenter. He appreciates William Allen White’s criticism of his writing. Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt has had similar suggestions.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-01-22