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191
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ROOSEVELT,THEODORE. Brief Autograph Letter Signed,“T.R.,” to Edwin A.
Van Valkenburg (“Dear Van”): “Mrs. Roosevelt and I were equally, and deeply, touched by
your editorial on Quentin’s death.” With the original envelope, addressed in his hand. 1
page, oblong 12mo; some fading to “T” of signature. (TFC)
Dark Harbor [Islesboro, ME], 4 August 1918
[400/600]
On July 14, 1918, Roosevelt’s youngest son, Quentin, was flying a U.S. Army Air Service
plane in France when he was shot down by a German fighter plane.
WOODROW“WILSON IS . . . INCAPABLE OF JUDICIAL HISTORICALWORK”
192
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TAFT,WILLIAM HOWARD. Typed Letter Signed, “WmHTaft,” as Secretary of
War, to George R. Bishop, with two holograph corrections, praising Bishop’s critical article
regarding Woodrow Wilson’s allegedly biased publication. 1 page, 8vo, “War Department”
stationery, with integral blank; faint halo to typed text, horizontal fold. (TFC)
Washington, 12 October 1905
[300/400]
“
I have read your criticism of Mr. Wilson’s
book with a great deal of interest and pleasure.
Mr.Wilson is a man who is incapable of judi-
cial historical work; his bias is so strong that it
is doubtful whether anything that he could
write would be of benefit from the standpoint of
the real historian. I have read your article with
interest because it demonstrates how little
adapted he is to paint a fair picture of the situ-
ation. . . .”
Apparently, one need not be a judicious acade-
mic in order to excel in politics. In the 1912
contest for U.S. President, Wilson received
nearly 20% more electoral votes than the
incumbent Taft.
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