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Elihu Root argues that Theodore Roosevelt was one of the greatest teachers about the exercise of democracy. He stresses that Roosevelt did not teach original ideas, but instead stressed fundamental truths.

Five quotations about Theodore Roosevelt from friends and associates.

Senator Root updates Theodore Roosevelt on political and legislative matters that he has missed while he has been on safari in Africa. He believes that in time President William H. Taft will be seen as a good president in the eyes of the public, and lists some legislature currently before Congress. The Republicans have now been in power for a long time, and Root reports that some people are getting tired of the leaders. Root leaves to argue the Atlantic Fisheries case before the Hague, and Andrew Carnegie would like him to meet with Roosevelt and work on bringing about disarmament in Europe. Root believes this is a bad idea. He discusses news of Roosevelt's family, including the engagement of his son Ted and reports that Kermit has shot a female warthog.

An envelope addressed to the President, inscribed with "P. P. P" and the words "Per Pithecaid [sic] Politeness."

Elihu Root writes to William Loeb regarding a dispatch from the Legation at Copenhagen, reporting on bills impacting the Danish West Indies.

Secretary of War Root encloses a copy of the instructions sent by cipher to General George Morton Randall, Commander of the Department of Columbia, which includes Alaska.

Secretary of State Root reports that some American vessels have been forbidden to fish off the treaty coast and details the expectations of the treaty between Newfoundland and the United States. Root also discusses a Newfoundland act that may be the source of the confusion: "An Act respecting foreign fishing vessels," which makes it a crime for American vessels to have Canadian bait fish and other items necessary to fishing on them, but which also says that if these things are on the ship then they must be assumed to have come from Newfoundland, and the ship can be seized, thus abrogating the 1818 Treaty.

xxiv, 502 p., 1 l. 24 1/2cm., United States and Its Territories, 1898-1930: The Age of Imperialism, (dlps) AGU4133.0001.001, (lccallno) UA 23 .R78, http://quod.lib.umich.edu/t/text/accesspolicy.html

Secretary of State Root speaks to the Third Conference of the American Republics about popular self government and democracy, praising especially the progress that Latin American countries have made. Root emphasizes that this progress has come and must continue to come as a result of international interaction and assistance between the various nations, and that the conference he is now speaking at has further cooperation as its goal. He affirms the United States's commitment to peace and independence of the various nations, and presents a wish for all the nations of the Americas to work together.

Secretary of State Root, Secretary of War Taft, and Attorney General Moody report that after discussing it among themselves, they believe President Roosevelt should appoint Charles M. Hough to the United States District Judgeship in New York.

Secretary of State Root encloses for President Roosevelt a copy of a dispatch from Minister to China William Woodville Rockhill reporting on the status of the boycott in Canton, China.

Secretary of State Root lists points that should be addressed in discussions with Germany regarding changes to United States tariff and customs laws.

Secretary of State Root informs President Roosevelt that he has found no letters written to anyone about papal chamberlain Francis Augustus MacNutt, except for the enclosed one to David B. Ogden.

Elihu Root sends President Roosevelt some tongue-in-cheek birthday wishes, telling Roosevelt that he has "made a very good start in life and your friends have great hopes for you when you grow up." Root comments on the political campaigns, which are in their final days, and believes that they are going as well as possible. Democratic candidate Alton B. Parker's change of strategy to give speeches himself has come too late to affect the outcome. Root plans to be in Washington, D.C., on Monday, and will stop by to chat with Roosevelt if he is free.

Secretary of State Root submits his letter of resignation to President Roosevelt.

Secretary of State Root informs President Roosevelt that he has been in contact with the Russian Government regarding "relations between the proposed Red Cross convention and Hague conference." Root feels it is best to let Czar Nicholas II take the initiative in order to avoid any potential personal conflicts.

Elihu Root would like President Roosevelt's opinion on a draft containing what Root plans to say to Charles W. Fairbanks. Root particularly wants Roosevelt's and George B. Cortelyou's opinion on whether his statement concerning Democratic vice-presidential candidate Henry G. Davis is "brutal." He feels it must be said and thinks this the best time to say it.

Secretary of State Root wants to impress upon the Japanese Foreign Office that the next session of Congress will likely have a strong contingent pushing for exclusion legislation barring all Japanese foreign workers from entering the country. The only way to prevent such legislation from passing is by effectively enforcing the current restrictive immigration policy, which up until now has not been done.

Assistant Secretary of State Robert Bacon has informed Secretary of State Root that James E. Sullivan was made an official representative of the United States at the Olympics because of Caspar Whitney's appeal to President Roosevelt. This could potentially put the United States into the difficult position of either apologizing to England or justifying Sullivan's "undoubted misbehavior."

Secretary of State Root sends President Roosevelt a letter and emphatically asks him not to appoint the person named in the letter to an office, but simply to read the letter and let Root know whether he objects to him sending it.

Secretary of State Root would not remove a single mile from President Roosevelt's exploits.

Secretary of State Root informs Arizona Chief Justice Kent that President Roosevelt would like him to accept an appointment as judge of the United States Court for China at Shanghai. The court is in charge of American interests in China, and Kent would have an instrumental role in securing its prestige.

Secretary of State Root encloses an invitation for the United States to participate in the proposed national exposition to be held in Tokyo in 1912. Root recommends Congress accept the invitation and begin appropriating money at once, recalling that the four and a half years the United States had to prepare for the French Exposition in 1900 had only barely been enough time.

Secretary of State Root sees no objection to passing a law that treats all aliens alike in acquiring and transferring real property. Root tells California Governor Norris that in order to prevent conflict with the Constitution of the United States, the statute should include a provision providing for exceptions relating to rights secured by treaties with foreign nations. Root references several Supreme Court cases with relevant decisions.

Secretary of State Root records an interview he conducted with Special Envoy Tang Shaoyi of China. Much of what was discussed involved the indemnity payments that China had been forced to pay following the Boxer Rebellion, and the return of these payments by the United States to China to be used for educational purposes. Additional subjects include adjustments to the tariff, the situation in Manchuria, and the Chinese Eastern Railway.

Secretary of War Root sends the draft of a dispatch regarding American naval stations and their garrisons in Cuba.

Secretary of State Root asks President Roosevelt to look at a letter to see if he knows the meaning of a particular phrase. Root is not sure if it is meant to be an insult, if it has something to do with his election to the United States Senate, or something else.

Secretary of State Root sends President Roosevelt a poem joking about Roosevelt's activities, which concludes, "can't you stop for ten minutes?"

Secretary of State Root returns President Roosevelt’s write-up on the Navy with some edits suggesting the postponement of war until they obtain the four battleships. Root says that it is "a bully spiel."

Secretary of State Root informs President Roosevelt that he has agreed to preside over the Republican State Convention in Saratoga, New York, and asks for campaign literature to bring himself up to date about what to say in his remarks and to the people. Root has heard from Assistant Secretary of State Robert Bacon that children in Central America are dying of childhood diseases. Root is reassured by Japanese Ambassador Kogoro Takahira's letter, but is cautious in his expectations concerning Japanese cooperation in limiting Japanese workers from entering the United States.

Secretary of State Root feels President Roosevelt's Provincetown speech is strong and presents Roosevelt's view "with great force." He offers some points of revision, in particular removing the reference to receivership. Root believes they can better discuss the Japanese situation in person than in letters. Overall, Root thinks the tendency leans towards a war occurring several years in the future.

In a short note, Secretary of State Root tells President Roosevelt that he likes Roosevelt's Thanksgiving proclamation very much.

Secretary of State Root believes that the report made by Representative William S. Bennet could provide the basis on which to approach the Greek government to restrict the number of Greek foreign workers coming to the United States. Such an agreement with a European nation, according to President Roosevelt, could alleviate tensions with Japan.

Secretary of State Root tells John Jackson Brinkerhoff, Minister to Persia, to continue quarreling with the missionaries.

General Alfred E. Bates has been suggested for appointment as West Point Visitor. In Secretary of War William H. Taft's absence, Secretary of State Root will instead discuss the matter with the recipient.

Secretary of State Root instructs Ambassador Reid to thank King Edward VII for his birthday congratulations on behalf of President Roosevelt.

In light of the most recent report by Secretary of the Navy Victor Howard Metcalf, Secretary of State Root recommends that no further action be taken by Congress in regard to setting up a system of government for American Samoa. The natives there already have a "just conception" of the type of government that best suits them and interference from Congress would make a mess of it.

In a note between Secretary of State Root and Charles Ray Dean, Root inquires if Senator George Gray, John William Griggs, and Judge Melville Weston Fuller have been made aware of their appointment to the Hague Tribunal. When Dean replies that they were notified in November 1906, Root replies, "No! We are not so pithecoid as we look."

A poem about an international incident, possibly by Secretary of State Root, reads: "This Tower of silence / Has suffered violence / For everyone talked / When the Kaiser balked / Except this home of the dead."

Secretary of State Root is troubled by a comment that Secretary of War Taft made about friendship and past service having weight in the selection of a Chairman. Root tells Taft that such considerations should not come into play, and that he should select the most efficient and effective people in carrying out the presidential campaign. Root thinks that Taft should not make a selection for several weeks, as it can be useful to pay people compliments by getting their opinions, and Taft should consider all the options that are available to him.

Secretary of State Root describes the measures American immigration officials want the Imperial Japanese Government to undertake. Such measures would limit the immigration of Japanese and Korean laborers to the mainland United States and Hawaii with particular emphasis on stricter control over passports provided for Japanese and Korean laborers along with harsher punishments for immigrants who violate said policies. Root concludes that the Imperial Government has not been successful in curbing the number of immigrants and that this report should be sent to the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Tadasu Hayashi.

Secretary of State Elihu Root accepts President Roosevelt's invitation to attend the upcoming Conference of Governors.

Secretary of State Root tells Ambassador to Germany Tower that the department is surprised to hear that Emperor William II disapproves of the appointment of David Jayne Hill as Tower's successor. Emperor William had agreed to Hill's appointment before it was publicly announced. Root does not see how anything can be changed at this stage. They await Tower's letter to President Roosevelt.

Secretary of State Root has enclosed a sealed letter for President Roosevelt from the Japanese Ambassador in Rome, Baron Kogoro Takahira.

Secretary of State Root forwards to President Roosevelt a memorandum originally for Senator Julius C. Burrows about the foreign affairs accomplishments of the administration. In a handwritten note, Root says that he had forgotten half of it when he began dictating the memorandum.

Secretary of State Root teases President Roosevelt for his tardiness for by writing, "It is hereby ordered that $2.50 be deducted from the President's salary for his being late at the office Saturday April 11th, 1908," and signs the note from Supreme Court Justice David J. Brewer.

Secretary of State Root believes that some of the current awkwardness and unpleasant feelings in Germany could be relieved if Ambassador Tower takes a leave of absence and leaves Berlin quietly, rather than waiting until June when his resignation takes effect.

Portrait of Elihu Root. handwritten message below reads, "For General James A. Drain with kind regards of his friend, Elihu Root."