Exploring the Government
Assigned by Samuel McClure, Steffens was sent to to write an article on the everyday life of business of the Presidency. In the letter, Steffens requests permission to interview the president.
Previously, Steffens wrote an article which made allegations that Roosevelt wanted to give back money to those that contributed to his campaign. Roosevelt responded by saying that it would be impossible for him to find the motive of every company or person that contributed and that anybody or any company that had thought they would receive special legislation were mistaken.
Bracketed Portion which is Roosevelts response to the allegations:
But if they contributed under the impression that thereby they could secure any improper favor, or immunity for wrongdoing, all I can say is that they entirely misread me, and if I had known what their motives were and that they had contributed I should have had their contributions returned. [2] |
Although he wrote the article "Is 'Our' Government Ours," he noted that he was doing this out of personal desire to understand and comprehend what his national government actually did. [3] After writing "The Shame of the Cities," Steffens came to a conclusion: state and municipal governments are corrupt; however, he questioned the national government. Steffens believed that many citizens thought "The government is sound," but Steffens would respond "Is it?" [3]
When Steffens followed the trail of corruption, it always led to federal corruption [3]. Steffens recalled when the president- before he was the president-, Theodore Roosevelt, said, "the character of the house of representatives, for example, was high, very high: and that there were in that body a surprisingly large number of able, courageous men. Good." Steffens wondered since corruption was everywhere, what did these men actually do. Steffens vowed to discover the truth behind these "good" men and to tell the citizens of the United States who was really controlling their government.
Roosevelt responded by allowing telling Steffens that he ordered all the officers and employees to tell Steffens anything "about the running of the government by or under officers of the Executive, that you know," but that Roosevelt could not allow them to give information on Senators and Congressmen. [4] Roosevelt could only permit the employees telling things that happened in the executive branch.
Works Cited
1. Steffens, Lincoln. Letter from Lincoln Steffens to Theodore Roosevelt. 1 Mar. 1902. Letter. Theodore Roosevelt Papers, Manuscripts division. The Library of Congress. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. 3 June 2012.
2. Roosevelt, Theodore. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lincoln Steffens. 25 Sept. 1905. Letter. Theodore Roosevelt Collection. Houghton Library, Harvard University. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. 3 June 2012.
3. Steffens, Lincoln. "Is "Our" Government Ours." McClure's Magazine Jan. 1906: n. pag. Newsbank/Readex. Web. 4 June 2012.
4. Roosevelt, Theodore. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lincoln Steffens. 3 Dec. 1907. Letter. Theodore Roosevelt Collection. Houghton Library, Harvard University. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. 3 June 2012 .
2. Roosevelt, Theodore. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lincoln Steffens. 25 Sept. 1905. Letter. Theodore Roosevelt Collection. Houghton Library, Harvard University. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. 3 June 2012.
3. Steffens, Lincoln. "Is "Our" Government Ours." McClure's Magazine Jan. 1906: n. pag. Newsbank/Readex. Web. 4 June 2012.
4. Roosevelt, Theodore. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lincoln Steffens. 3 Dec. 1907. Letter. Theodore Roosevelt Collection. Houghton Library, Harvard University. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. 3 June 2012 .