Joseph L. Bristow Papers
KSHS Collection no. 6
Introduction
This collection of the correspondence and papers of Kansas Progressive
Joseph Little Bristow (1861-1944), farmer, newspaper publisher, civil
servant and politician, consists of 171 document boxes (71 linear feet)
and three oversize volumes. It was given to the Kansas State Historical
Society by a son, Frank B. Bristow. The first part of the collection
(boxes 1-101) was given on July 15, 1942, while Bristow was still alive,
and was subsequently microfilmed in 1967 as part of a grant from the
National Historical Publication Commission in Washington, DC. It contains
correspondence and papers from October 1, 1894 to June 20, 1925 (bulk
dates: 1897-1918), dealing first with his years as Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General (1897-1905); then his appointment as Special Commissioner
of the Panama Railway Company investigation (1905); his one term as
United States Senator from Kansas (1909-1915); and finally his work
as Chairman of the Kansas Public Utilities Commission (1915-1918).
The second part of the collection (boxes 102-171 and three oversize
volumes) was given on August 20, 1944 and November 3, 1952, the former
occurring soon after Bristow’s death July 14, 1944, and consisting
of records stored in Salina, while the latter gift some eight years
later consisted of material found at his home, Ossian Hall, in Virginia.
These two parts of the collection were processed in 1985. These papers
relate primarily to Bristow’s tenure as Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General, including not only correspondence but materials related to
Bristow’s investigation of Cuban postal frauds 1900-1902 and the
United States post office department in 1903; his work as a Special
Senator 1909-1915; his newspaper, “The Salina Journal”;
the Grand Army of the Republic, Post 7; the Topeka Post Office; his
work with Kansas pensioners while a Senator; and the election campaigns
of 1908 and 1914. In essence this second half of the collection supplies
much of the material missing from the first half. Initially access to
the second half, given in 1944 and 1952, was to be restricted until
1975, but by the time of the 1952 donation, the release date was advanced
ten years to 1965. The entire collection has been unrestricted since
that time.
Biographical Sketch
Joseph Little Bristow was born July 22, near Hazel Green, Wolfe County,
Kentucky, the son of William (an abolitionist) and Savanah (Little)
Bristow. After his mother died in 1868, he went to live with his paternal
grandparents and then in 1873 moved to Fredonia, Kansas, to be with
his father, who had remarried (Ellen Longwell) in 1871. In addition
to his older sister, Sarah Ann, Bristow had two half-sisters and half-brothers
(John, William, Bertha and Hattie). In 1875, Bristow returned to Kentucky
and in 1879 on November 11 he married Margaret H. Hendrix of Flemingsburg,
Kentucky. They then moved to a farm in the Flint Hills, about 10 miles
from Howard City. A year and a half later they sold the farm and moved
to Baldwin, their first son, William H., having been born in 1880. A
daughter, Bertha M., was born at the end of 1881. Both of these children
died in infancy. Joseph Q. was born March 5, 1884; Frank B. December
13, 1885; and Edwin M. February 18, 1888.
In 1886 Bristow graduated from Baker, earning an AB degree with honors.
In college, he was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. While
at Baker, he had become involved in the Biblical Society, the oldest
of the four main literary societies. Bristow’s public career thus
had its beginnings in college politics and public speaking activities.
In that setting he became close friends with William A. Quayle who later
became a bishop in the Methodist church. Bristow’s journalistic
experiences also began while he was at Baker, and even before he graduated
he owned and edited two weekly papers, the “Visitor” and
the “Criterion”, subsequently combining them into the Baldwin
“Ledger.” He received an MA from Baker in 1889 and an honorary
LLD in 1909
In 1886 Bristow won his first electoral office as clerk of the district
court in Douglas County. The Bristows moved to Lawrence, where he read
and studied law. He was easily reelected in 1888; during these four
years in office he became involved in Republican party politics, taking
advantage of the short distance from Lawrence to Topeka to become well
acquainted with party leaders in the capital. In the fall of 1890, he
purchased the Salina “Daily Republican” and in 1893 purchased
the Salina “Journal” and combined the two papers. The following
year he started the “Irrigation Farmer” in response to economic
conditions. In 1895 he also purchased the Ottawa “Herald”
in partnership with Henry J. Allen, keeping his financial interest in
it for the following decade. (In 1903 they purchased the Salina “Daily
Republican Journal” with Bristow becoming sole owner in 1907,
keeping the “Journal” under his control until 1925.) Bristow
was thus an active newspaper editor and a close colleague of William
Allen White’s in the early 1890’s (quite a few letters from
White appear throughout the collection). White came to describe Bristow
as having an awkward manner, a raucous voice with halting speech and
being disagreeable and tactless.
He became a member of the Republican League when it was organized in
1892. His anti-Populist editorials and support of Republican party activities
were regarded by being named secretary for the Republican state central
committee, of which Cyrus Leland, Jr., of Troy was president at the
time. He met William McKinley in October of 1894 when he came to Kansas
to campaign for the Republicans; this meeting was the basis for McKinley’s
appointment of Bristow as Fourth Assistant Postmaster General after
McKinley was elected president in 1896. For the two-year period prior
to that, Bristow served as Kansas governor Edmund N. Morrill’s
private secretary. In 1895 Bristow was best described as a “moderate”;
by 1903 he was more properly classified as a “radical” or
“insurgent” by his contemporaries, the result of seasoning
in Washington, DC.
During this tenure as Fourth Assistant Postmaster General he successfully
carried out two major investigations into postal fraud, first in Cuba
and then in the United States. Feeling he no longer had the support
of President Theodore Roosevelt by 1905, he resigned his position and
was subsequently appointed special commissioner of the investigation
of the Panama Railroad Company. The following year he made an unsuccessful
bid for election to the United States Senate, but in the following election
in 1908 he was succeeded as a Progressive. He served for one term only,
yielding the Republican party nomination in the 1914 primary to Charles
Curtis. After Arthur Capper’s election as governor of Kansas,
Bristow was appointed Chairman of the Kansas Public Utilities Commission.
During this period the Kansas commission attempted to make a scientific
evaluation of all public utilities for tax purposes. The consolidation
of telephone companies also took up a large part of the commission’s
time. Bristow was the author of the “Third Biennial Report”
of the Kansas Public Utilities Commission but resigned in 1918 before
the fourth report was completed to make a second unsuccessful bid for
reelection to the United States Senate.
For a time, Bristow and his family remained in Kansas, but in 1922
returned for good to Ossian Hall, his farm in Virginia. His wife died
on April 23, 1932 and his youngest son died on March 30, 1935, leaving
Bristow to help rear seven orphaned grandchildren. He died July 14,
1944, having suffered a fall in the street a month earlier.
Scope and Content
The first half of this collection (boxes 1 through 101) was microfilmed
in 1967 under a grant from the National Historical Publications Commission,
Washington, DC. It consists of the correspondence and papers, in chronological
order, of Bristow and includes letters received and carbon copies of
letters sent. A few miscellaneous business papers, not in the form of
correspondence, are interfiled according to date. The collection reflects
Bristow’s intensive involvement with the midwestern Progressive
movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The correspondence
also delineates the development of Bristow’s political and journalistic
careers. With reference to the former, the correspondence shows Bristow’s
progression from clerk of the district court in Douglas County to secretary
of the Republican State Central Committee to secretary to Governor Edmund
N. Morrill (at the same time that he became editor and publisher of
the Ottawa “Herald”) to his first national appointment as
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General, a position he held from 1897-1905.
The correspondence offers insights into the issues of the day as well
as an introduction to the problems confronting the editor of a newspaper.
It highlights especially well the formation and financing of the Progressive
movement, inasmuch as it contains significant communication of considerable
candor between Bristow and key figures in the Progressive movement such
as Cummins, Beveridge, Dolliver, Clapp, Bourne, LaFollette and Norris.
Included in the correspondence are letters from nearly every prominent
Progressive Republican of the period and almost every state and national
issue that arose prior to World War I. There are also several letters
from Theodore Roosevelt during this period. In fact, Bristow and Roosevelt
corresponded periodically with each other until Bristow left the public
arena.
Conflicts within the Kansas Republican Party from 1894 to 1915 are
in evidence in the correspondence with such Kansas politicians as White,
Allen, Harrison, Morgan, Leland, and Murdoch as well as various governors
and other public officials of the state of Kansas. Personal evaluations
of contemporary senators by Bristow and his fellow correspondents also
surface continually.
Specific issues dealt with in this first half of the collection include:
the Payne-Aldrich tariff bill (especially in reference to the Dutch
standard used in sugar schedules) in 1909; the 16th (income tax), 17th
(direct election of senators), and 19th (women’s suffrage) amendments
to the United States constitution; railway and trade problems on both
national and state levels; the postal savings bank act of 1910; the
parcel post law of 1912; the federal reserve system act of 1913; and
more general issues having to do with conservation, Panama, difficulties
with Mexico, and World War I. Evaluations of both Presidents Taft and
Wilson are contained in the correspondence. Bristow’s appointment
to the Kansas Public Utilities Commission after finishing his term as
United States senator provides for a fair amount of information regarding
Bristow’s participation in this activity until he resigned to
run (again unsuccessfully) for United States Senator. Patronage and
pension problems also surface in the correspondence of the United States
Senate years 1909-1915.
The second half of the collection fills in with much of what is missing
in the first half: the Cuban postal scandal investigation of 1900 and
the U.S. postal scandal investigation of 1903 (including exhibit material),
both of which were conducted by Bristow in his capacity as Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General; additional correspondence of a personal nature during
Bristow’s term in the United States Senate (including a fair amount
of correspondence from Bristow family members and relatives); Bristow’s
role as a special commissioner to investigate the Panama Railroad Company
in 1905; miscellaneous correspondence from 1890-1910; various items
such as press clippings 1903-1905, campaign and other speeches, “resurgency”
correspondence, and the operations of Bristow’s newspaper, “The
Salina Journal”. Bristow’s son Frank, working in Salina
on his father’s newspaper, corresponded frequently with his father
in an effort to keep him up-to-date on the state of the business. There
is also a fairly complete file of the correspondence between Bristow
and Henry J. Allen, the editor of Bristow’s “Ottawa Herald”
from 1897-1904, as well as correspondence from his manager of “The
Salina Journal” 1903-1904, P. B. Stone. Then there are several
boxes of “official correspondence” (incoming) from 1897-1905
as well as letter press books containing outgoing correspondence for
the same period. There is one box of G.A.R. journals, containing material
relating to Post No. 7 (Wadsworth) at Council Grove, Kansas (minutes
of monthly meetings as well as a ledger book and a cash book). There
is a letter press book of W. O. Rigby, postmaster at Topeka, 1914-1915
and a 1905 diary kept by Bristow as well as several cash account diaries
between 1905 and 1908 and a 1896 Kansas voting record by county.
Three oversize volumes are in the collection—one deals with pension
matters, and two deal with payments to rural letter carriers in Topeka.
Finally, there are several boxes of pension papers, containing pension
related correspondence 1910-1916 (primarily during Bristow’s Senate
term) from his Kansas constituents—these are arranged alphabetically
by last name of veteran, whether or not the letter is written by the
actual veteran or his survivor.
Amongst the newspaper clippings in the collection are several political
cartoons, and scattered throughout the collection are several photographs.
(See separate listing for photographs.)
Joseph L. Bristow Papers
KSHS Collection no. 6, Container List
Box and Folder Description
Arrangement is by date of original letter with enclosures or endorsements
immediately following. Undated material follows dated and has been arranged
alphabetically by author. Corresponding replies to some of the letters
may be found in Bristow II, letter press books in boxes 146-153. Included
in the correspondence are a fair number of newspaper clippings.
Only a few of the 1897 letters are dated prior to March. Most are from
Kansas constituents seeking some kind of favor from Bristow in his new
position (effective March 20, 1897) as Fourth Assistant Postmaster General.
In addition, much of the correspondence in 1897 is of a congratulatory
nature. Most of the correspondence is typewritten, with some handwritten;
there are quite a few telegrams.
Most of the correspondence is to Bristow, but a few pieces are from
Bristow, either handwritten or in the form of carbon copies. A good
bit of the correspondence is from fellow publishers in Kansas. Most
of the incoming correspondence is stamped with two stamps: one indicating
when the letter was received, and other when it was answered. While
the congratulatory notes are primarily from fellow Kansans, correspondence
from parts of the country other than Kansas quickly develops as the
year progresses. A good portion of the correspondence refers to the
state of the populist movement. Some of the correspondence is marked
“private”, “confidential” or “personal.”
There is also quite a bit of mail to and from various Representatives
and Senators in the United States Congress, as well as various officials
in the U.S. Postal System. There is a good deal of correspondence from
Kansas politicians of all sorts. Finally, a major portion of the correspondence
has to do with the appointment of postmasters in fourth-class offices,
under the patronage system.
Frequent correspondents 1897-1901: Frank L. Brown, clerk of the district
court of the United States, district of Kansas; Cyrus Leland, Jr., U.S.
Pension Agency, Dept. of the Interior, in Topeka; C.S. Jobes; Morton
Albaugh, Chairman of the Kansas Republican State Central Committee;
John D. King, Postal Inspector in Charge, New York Division; H. Clay
Evans, Commissioner, Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions; Charles
G. Dawes, Comptroller, Treasury Dept.; William A. Johnston, Kansas Supreme
Court Justice; W.E. Cochran, Chief Post Office Inspector; J.P. Harris,
Pres., Peoples National Bank, Ottawa, KS.
Box 1
October 1, 1894 – May 31, 1897
Correspondence concerns: two letters from Bristow as secretary of the
Republican State Central Committee (1894); “Old Nicodemus and
His Coon Dogs”—18 verse poem in Negro dialect with final
moral stanza, written by Wm R. Moore of Memphis, TN, and included in
his letter urging appointment of Republicans to postmaster positions
in the South (April 12, 1897).
Correspondents include: Brig. Gen. R.N. Batchelder, Quartermaster General,
U.S. Army, re S.808 (1896); Charles Curtis, (March 26, 1897); John E.
Frost, Land Commissioner, ATSFRY (March 29, 1897); Rev W.W. Quayle,
(Apr 12, 1897); President McKinley, (May 1, 1897); John Addison Porter,
secretary to Pres. McKinley (1897).
Box 2
June – August 1897
Correspondents include: H.C. Lodge, U.S. Senator (June 5); Chas. M.
Sheldon (June 17); William A. Johnston, Assoc. Justice, Supreme Court
of Kansas; Perry Heath, 1st Asst PMG (June 24); Chester I. Long, attorney;
W.S. Shallenberger, 2nd Asst PMG; James A. Gary, PMG (July 18); Lee
Patrick of the Sac & Fox Agency of the Dept of Interior, OK Territory;
Dr. C.F. Menninger (Aug 11 & 21); Cyrus Leland, Jr.
Box 3
September – November 1897
Correspondents include William Allen White (October).
Box 4
December 1897 – February 1898
Correspondence concerns include: list of Mississippi postmasters identifying
same as to race and involvement in the “lynch” faction associated
with the last campaign for delegates to the Republican National Convention,
compiled by two committeemen of Mississippi (1897).
Correspondents include: Henry J. Allen (December); Henry Cabot Lodge;
J.B. Lynch, Warden, Kansas State Penitentiary (Jan 3); Elbert F. Longwell
of Norman, OK, a cousin (Jan 14); E.S. Caldwell, Pres., Kansas Republican
League (Jan 25); Charles G. Dawes, comptroller of the currencies, Treasury
Dept (Jan); Arthur Capper (Feb 3); John Addison Porter, Secy to the
President of the United States; W.Y. Morgan, Hutchinson, KS (Feb 7);
G. B Cortelyou, Secy to the President of the United States; Cyrus Leland,
Jr.; Frank L. Brown, Secy, Kansas Republican State Central Comm. (Feb
19).
Box 5
March – May 1898
Correspondents include: John P. Clum, former Chief Postoffice Inspector,
who goes to Alaska at this time to improve the mail service (March);
J.G. LaSarre, Gen Mgr, Int’l Bureau of Claims (Mar 21); Russell
A. Alger, Secy of War (Apr 20); William Allen White (May 2); Jeremiah
B. Remington, Osawatomie (husband of John Brown’s niece), (May
3).
Box 6
June – September 1898
Correspondents include: W.A. Johnston, KS Supreme Ct Justice; Binger
Hermann, Commissioner, Dept of the Interior (Sept 3); C.M. Barnes, Gov
of Oklahoma Territory: Charles Curtis (Sept 12); Morton Albaugh, Chairman
of the Kansas State Republican Committee.
Box 7
October – December 1898
Correspondents include: J.B. Remington of Osawatomie (schoolmate of
PMG C.L. Smith) (Dec 1).
Box 8
January – April 1899
Correspondents include: Frank Doster, Chief Justice, Kansas Supreme
Court (Jan 17); Jeremiah B. Remington of Osawatomie, now a member of
the House of Representatives in Kansas (Jan 25); G.P. Grimsley, Prof.
of Geology & Natural History, Washburn College (Apr 6); P. H. Bristow
in Cuba (Apr 10 & 15 – second letter urges Bristow to read
an article in the Brooklyn (NY) “Eagle” of April 7 “Improving
the Cuban Postal System”).
Box 9
May – July 1899
Correspondents include: Sallie E. Bock, cousin on Bristow’s mother’s
side, from
Wolf Co, KY, (May 10); Gov. W.E. Stanley of KS (June 17, 26); John W.
Griggs, US Atty Gen (June 17); William Allen White (July 5); M.C. Fosnes,
Inspector in Charge, Office of Post Office Inspectors, Philadelphia
Division (July 7); R. B. Bristow (July 10).
Box 10
August – December 1899
Correspondence concerns include: reference to a photograph illustrating
the expansion policy of Kansas wherein the size of Kansas corn is exaggerated;
these were sent by Bristow to New England congressmen to persuade them
to look with more favor on the expansion policy (folder 7).
Correspondents include: Geo. W. Crane of Topeka (Aug 14); Elihu Root,
Secy of War (Aug 26); C.S. Jobes, office of Comptroller of the Currency,
Treas. Dept (Sep 23); Glen Miller, US Marshals, Salt Lake City, Utah,
(many dates) – letters from him update doings of Bristow’s
son Will.
Box 11
January – August 1900
Correspondence concerns: McKinley’s reelection; letters from Cyrus
Leland’s political opponent, J.K. Hudson, Editor of the Topeka
Daily Capital, begin to appear; as of May 19th Bristow is in Cuba, “endeavoring
to unravel the tangled condition of postal affairs” there (May
26 letter). Correspondence regarding the Cuban investigation is at a
minimum; however, with Bristow’s absence from Washington, the
correspondence now contains carbons of Bristow’s outgoing letters.
By the middle of June the extent of the fraud in the Cuban postal system
is apparent to Bristow. He returns from Cuba towards the end of June.
Correspondents include: M.A. Hanna, US Senator (Feb 6); James Allison
(President of Blackwell Cement Co, Wichita) thanks Bristow for his appointment
as commissioner to Paris Exposition (Feb 16); Noah L. Bristow (son of
John Bristow of Indiana), a relative from Scirclevill, Indiana (June
26); C.C. Garland, Manager of Debsconeag Fish & Game Club, Mt Katahdin,
Maine and C.B. Keene of Penobscot Exchange in Bangor, ME. (Aug 10).
Box 12
September 1900 – August 1901
Only a half-dozen items of correspondence remain after March.
***************SeeBristow II:
Boxes 134 & 135 for April – December, 1901 correspondence.
Boxes 136 & 137 for 1902
Boxes 138 & 139 for 1903
Boxes 140 – 142 for 1904
Box 143 for additional correspondence from 1897-1904
Box 144 for 1905
Box 145 for 1906
Box 13
1905, 1906, 1907, Jan – Aug 7, 1908
Bristow is now in Salina, Kansas (by March 1908 he has announced as
a candidate for the U.S. Senate) and much of the correspondence now
concerns Bristow’s work as Special Panama Railroad Commissioner
investigating the steamship service on the Pacific – a good bit
of it is from California businesses with shipping interests on the West
Coast. Correspondence during this period includes carbons of Bristow’s
outgoing correspondence. There is also some correspondence to William
Allen White which he has handed over to Bristow. In 1908 much of the
correspondence centers on Bristow’s efforts to round up support
from a wide variety of businessmen, doctors, lawyers and politicians
across the state for his Senatorial candidacy. His three sons (Joseph
Q., Frank and Ed) help with the campaign.
Correspondents include: William Howard Taft, Secretary of War re Bristow’s
work as Special Panama Railroad Commissioner; J.P. Williams, Agent,
Panama Railroad Co; Rufus P. Jennings, The California Promotion Committee;
various West Coast port city Chambers of Commerce to whom Bristow writes
for information; T.H. Rossbottom, Secretary, Panama Rail Road Company;
E.A. Drake, Vice-Pres, Panama Railroad Company.
Note: there are three entire folders (13.9-13.11) of congratulatory
correspondence (including many telegrams) dated August 5-7, 1908, to
Bristow after his successful bid in the primary for the Republican senatorial
nomination. Folders include carbons of replies for each date.
Box 14
August 8 – November 4, 1908
This box covers the period between the primary and the general. After
the initial spate of congratulatory letters to Bristow, the remainder
of the correspondence, including carbons of Bristow’s replies,
is of course concerned with what was to be Bristow’s only successful
national political campaign.
Correspondents include: William A. Johnston is now Chief Justice, Kansas
Supreme Court; J.N. Dolley, chairman of the Republican State Committee;
William Allen White; Arthur Capper; Henry J. Allen; J.R. Harrison, Post
Office Inspector, Wash, DC; J.B. Remington in Osawatomie, state legislature
candidate.
Box 15
Nov 5, 1908 – Jan 21, 1909
In addition to the correspondence in this box, there is a certificate
for a P.C. Sears indicating he served with the Northern Border Brigade
of the Iowa Militia for Mar – Sept, 1863.
Correspondents include: William Bristow, Joseph’s father who is
still living in Baldwin; H.L. Scott, Commander of West Point?; L.H.
Murlin, Pres of Baker Univ.; William Howard Taft (12/9); Charles Curtis
(12/13); W.R. Spilman, Fourth Asst PMG; B.H. Bristow, cousin from Newport,
KY; Charles Evans Hughes, Gov of NY; Esther L. Stone, cousin in Paris,
KY; Ben H. Bristow, Cincinnati cousin; Jonathan P. Dolliver, US Senator;
John W. Radford, Chairman of Wyandotte County Republican Central Comm;
A.M. Drew, Rep. 61st District, California State Legislature (1/13);
W.R. Stubbs, Gov of Kansas.
Box 16
January 22 – March 17, 1909
With the commencement of Bristow’s Senate term, there are carbons
of Bristow’s outgoing replies to correspondents; these are located
behind incoming correspondence for a given date.
Correspondents include: B.A. McAllaster, Land Commissioner, Southern
Pacific Company; William Allen White; Wm R. Wheeler, Asst Secy, Dept
of Commerce & Labor; O.V. DeGraw, 4th Asst PMG; W.R. Stubbs, Gov
of Kansas; various Kansas milling companies (16.6) re tariffs (urging
passage of the Henry bill, prompted by wheat speculation); A.X. Xanthe,
3rd Asst PMG; Charles Curtis, US Senator, KS & Chairman of Comm
on Indian Depredations; Order of Elks, supporting Wyoming reserve for
American elks; Joseph Stewart, 2nd Asst PMG; Frank Strong, Chancellor
of KU re S 8819; C.P. Grandfield, 1st Asst PMG; Frank Bristow (son).
Box 17
March 18 – April 16, 1909
Some of the correspondence in this box refers to the zinc tariff issue
(Payne tariff bill).
Correspondents include: James Wilson, Secy of Agriculture; William Allen
White; Lucy Bristow Parker, cousin in Falmouth, KY; F.H. Hitchcock,
PMG; Milton S. Florsheim, of Florsheim Shoes; George W. Wickersham,
US Atty Gen; Fred S. Jackson, KS Atty Gen.
Box 18
April 17 – May 14, 1909
Bristow is already caught up in the great tariff debate. While the Payne
bill was to modify Dingley tariff rates, the Aldrich bill was designed
to restore most of them. Bristow aligned himself with the hard core
of progressive opposition (insurgents) to high tariff; President Taft
ultimately sided with Aldrich conservatives. Bristow is also concerned
with the proposed Customs Court. Concerns re sugar and hides tariffs
are expressed.
Correspondents include: Ben H. Bristow, cousin/PO Inspector; Frank P.
Flint, USS & Chairman, Comm on Interoceanic Canals; George ? Smith,
Director of USGS; Francis M. Bristow, of Covington, KY; E.A. Moseley,
Secy, ICC; S.?.?. North, Dir, Census Bureau; Erasmus Haworth, State
Geologist; B.D. Eastman, former Supt Topeka State Insane Asylum.
Box 19
May 15 – June 17, 1909
Bristow focuses on the sugar aspect of the tariff issue, urging defeat
of the use of the Dutch standard. His speech on the sugar problem in
late spring is referred to by many of the correspondents.
Correspondents include: Henry T. Wise, US Attornery, NY; J.A. Blanchard,
NY railroad man who refers to J.J. Hill 5/14 interview urging Congress
to immediately pass tariff bill (5/17); George A. Huron, Topeka attorney
& Civil War veteran, who writes of his recollection of the First
Battle of Winchester (or Kernstown) in March 1862, wherein Stonewall
Jackson’s army was defeated by General James Shields’ army.
He encloses affidavit urging support of Kansas congressmen for a monument
marking his grave in St Mary’s cemetery at Carrolton, MO (5/22);
Franklin MacNeagh, Secy of the Treasury; James Wilson, Secy of Agriculture;
Frank Bristow, who continues his weekly (at least) communiqué
to his father about the newspaper back in Salina; William Bristow, father;
Frank Strong, Chancellor, KU; L.H. Murlin, Pres, Baker Univ., informing
Bristow of his nomination for Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws; George
Curry, Governor, Terr. NM; William E. Connelley of KS who shares Bristow’s
Kentucky heritage; Charles M Sheldon, Central Church, Topeka.
Box 20
June 18 – July 27, 1909
Correspondents include: William E. Borah, US Sentate; various Postmaster
Generals; W. R. Stubbs, Gov, KS; U.S. Guyer, Mayor, KC, KS; Frank B.
Brandegee, US Senate.
Box 21
July 28 – Sept 7, 1909
By the end of the summer, wherein a special session of Congress had
been called, Bristow had spent four months opposing, along with other
liberals, the Payne-Aldrich tariff proposal. Taft upheld the tariff,
labeling the insurgent Republicans as “assistant Democrats.)”
At the close of the special session, Bristow returned to Salina.
Correspondents include: George von L. Meyer, Secy of Navy; William Howard
Taft, President (8/18 & 23—written from Beverly, MA) re appointment
of supervisors in Kansas; K. L. Russell, Washington cartoonist.
Box 22
September 8 – October 31, 1909
Correspondents include: Arthur MacDonald of Wash, DC, criminologist
(10/4); T.B. Gray of Quindaro, KS who writes (10/4) about Charles Curtis
and refers to the address made by Bristow a short time previously at
a “B.T. Washington Party” (8 pp); W. Bristow, Joseph’s
father; U.S. Guyer, Mayor, Kansas City, KS; Victor Murdoch, US Rep,
KS (Wichita); William J. Adair of Sterling, KS (10/20); Francis G. Newlands,
USS – Nevada.
Box 23
November 1 – December 19, 1909
Note: Jonathan Bourne, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Post Office
and Post Roads is a frequent correspondent. Various staff members of
The Salina Journal also address Bristow frequently (weekly). Various
of the assistant postmaster generals write to Bristow fairly frequently
also.
Correspondents include: William Allen White; W.R. Spilman, Supt of Rural
Delivery, US Post Office; John Mason Brown, Washington, DC, attornery-11/29/09
letter re claim of heirs of Robert Lee Randolph (S-1726, 1909); Huntington
Wilson, Asst Secy of State.
Box 24
December 20, 1909 January 12, 1910
Correspondence includes letters of response to Bristow’s secretary
Seaton soliciting opinions from each of the several states concerning
any official expression concerning the selection of US Senators by popular
vote.
Correspondents include: William Allen White; Will Bristow; Ed Bristow
(undated); Joe Bristow (undated); T.L. Lewis, President, United Mine
Workers of America (Jan 6).
Box 25
January 13 – February 7, 1910
Correspondents include: President Taft (Jan 14); Geo. W. Wickersham,
Attrny Gen (Jan 15); William Allen White; F. H. Hitchcock, PMG; Joseph
Stewart, 2nd Asst PMG.
Box 26
February 8 – March 10, 1910
Correspondence includes Feb 14 letter from Navy Secy listing midshipmen
then in attendance at the Naval Academy who were appointed from Kansas,
with date and Kansas congressional district for each one. Feb 24 letter
from Navy Secy outlines proposed expenditures for Naval Establishment
for fiscal year ending June 20, 1911. Feb 25 letter from James Bryce
of the British Embassy refers to Bristow’s son being named a Rhodes
scholar.
Box 27
March 11 – April 20, 1910
Correspondents include: William Allen White; President Taft (Feb 17);
Dr. C. F. Menninger, President of the Shawnee County Medical Society,
supporting S-6049 calling for the establishment of a federal department
of health under a secretary of health who would be a member of the cabinet,
Mar 23. (Bristow is a member of the Public Health Committee in the Senate);
J.A. Fowler, Att Gen; Franklin Pierce (Apr 16) re Payne-Aldrich tariff.
Box 28
April 21 – May 24, 1910
Correspondents include: Franklin McDeagh, Secy of Treasury; various
doctors of osteopathy writing in opposition to S 6049 (Owens bill) and
doctors of medicine writing in support of the question (see especially
folder dated May 18, 1910); those concerned with railway rate question;
J.L. Davenport, Commissioner of Dept of Interior, Bureau of Pensions;
Joseph Stewart, Second Asst PMG.
Box 29
May 25 – June 26, 1910
Correspondence re Postal Savings Bank law; site of Wellington, KS, post
office; 5/30 note from Thos. E. Thompson in Howard (Elk Co) re having
put flowers on grave of Bristow’s baby (must be son William, born
in 1880 and died in infancy prior to Bristow’s move to Baldwin
with his family); the “Railroad Bill”, in which there is
a provision placing telephone & telegraph companies under jurisdiction
of ICC; the Mann bill re white slave traffic; HR 22239 (Dodd’s
bill); Dolliver’s speech on insurgency (middle of June); Shirley
bill amending the bankruptcy law; HR 25552, Sundry Civil Bill.
Correspondents include: Carrie M Watson, librarian, KU; C.P. Grandfield,
1st Asst PMG; William Allen White; P.R. DeGraw, 4th Asst PMG; Theodore
Roosevelt (June 25).
Box 30
June 27 – August 9, 1910
Correspondence includes news of Abram W. Smith being appointed pension
agent in Topeka, KS (from R. A. Ballinger, Secretary of the Interior);
Carey Act re disposal of lands; and in early August the primary results
wherein it appears that Kansas is to have six insurgent congressmen
instead of two.
Correspondents include: Arthur Capper; US Senator Albert J Beveridge
of Indiana.
Box 31
August 10 – September 30, 1910
Correspondence concerns include: Bristow’s charges against Senator
Nelson W. Aldrich re Nelson’s interest in a rubber company and
increase in duties on certain rubber products; Bristow’s fight
against the “Standpat” element on the tariff; election law
of Alaska; improvement of Missouri River above mouth of Kaw River; insurgency;
Ballinger-Pinchot congressional investigation committee; site of International
Exhibition celebrating completion of Panama Canal (San Francisco or
New Orleans).
Correspondents include: Mary V. Rice, a cousin from Lawrence, KS; W.R.
Stubbs, Governor of Kansas; Jonathan Bourne, USS; J.N. Dolley of Maple
Hill; Charles Curtis, USS; F.M. Simmons, USS; J.K. Codding, warden,
KS State Pen.; Dwight D. Eisenhower (Aug 20, Sept 3) re West Point or
Annapolis appointment; Albert B. Cummins, USS; Franklin MacVeagh, Secy
of Treasury; S.J. Crumbine, MD, Secretary of State Board of Health,
KS; Stuart Daggett, historian/economist; Albert J. Beveridge, USS (Indiana);
William Allen White; Robert M. LaFollette.
Box 32
October 1 – November 25, 1910
Correspondence concerns the new tariff bill the Dutch Parliament is
considering (establishing a duty on flour but leaving wheat on the free
list); the results of the competition for West Point and Annapolis,
one entrant being Dwight David Eisenhower (Oct 22, Oct 25) – there
is a letter from Bristow to Eisenhower Oct 24 wherein the latter is
informed of Bristow’s intention to nominate him for the vacancy
at West Point; increasing amounts of expression from California companies
and residents in support of holding the International Exposition in
1915 celebrating the completion of the Panama Canal in San Francisco.
Correspondents include: Gifford Pinchot; B.N. Baker of Baltimore, MD,
who in October is authorized by President Taft to go to Panama to take
up the question of steamship connections; various millers re proposed
Dutch tariff; William Allen White; Albert J. Beveridge (discussing his
defeat in reelection bid); George von L Meyer, Secy of Navy; Adrian
Boole—10 page statement of trade conditions in Central & South
America within trans-shipping distance of the Panama Canal zones to
Bernard N Baker of Baltimore, MD.
Box 33
November 26 – December 23, 1910
Correspondence concerns HR 3075, the Tou Velle bill, forbidding the
government to furnish stamped envelopes return address printed thereon
(mostly negative mail against the bill); so-called Dodds bill—HR
22239; Judge Pollock’s appointment to the Supreme Court; Federal
Pay Bill; French Spoliation claims; S 1130, Heyburn Formula Paint Bill
(providing for formula labels on paints); construction of Winnipeg,
Salina & Gulf Railway line.
Correspondents include: William Allen White; L.L. Bristow, a relative
from Georgetown, KY (Dec 8 & 9); Rex Smith Aeroplane Company, manufacturers
of lighter than air flying machine (Dec 15); Henry J. Allen; Will Bristow,
father (still in Baldwin)—explains that L.L. (Larkin) Bristow
was the half-brother of Joseph’s grandfather (Dec 17 letter relates
some genealogical information); Theodore Roosevelt.
Box 34
December 24, 1910 – January 17, 1911
Correspondence concerns parcel post laws being proposed; continuing
fight between New Orleans and San Francisco to be chosen site for World’s
Panama Exposition in 1915.
Correspondents include: George W. Wickersham, Attorney General; William
Allen White; Wm H Taft, President (Jan 2).
Box 35
January 18 – February 2, 1911
Correspondence concerns include: Canadian grain shippers; HR 22239.
Correspondents include: Henry J. Allen; William Allen White; Leonard
Wood; Robert P. Bass, Governor of New Hampshire; Lawrence O. Murray,
Comptroller of the Currency; J.R. Harrison; Adrian H. Boole, Wash, DC;
John E. Frost; Gifford Pinchot; Boise Penrose, USS; Will Bristow (father),
Feb 2.
Box 36
February 3 – 17, 1911
Correspondence concerns the Canadian reciprocity treaty; Sulloway pension
bill; locomotive boiler inspection bill; economic struggles of Bristow’s
Salina Journal newspaper; Foster Anti-Narcotic Bill (HR 25241); HR 32318
granting time extension for further construction of the Valdez, Marshall
Pass and Northern Railroad in Alaska.
Correspondents include: William Allen White; Gen Leonard Wood.
Box 37
February 18 – March 13, 1911
Correspondence concerns proposed increase in postal rate for magazines;
local postal matters, including appointment of local postmasters (Bristow
is chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in Post Office Department);
the popular election of US Senators.
Correspondents include: Ben H. Bristow; Frank H. Hitchcock, Postmaster
General; William Allen White.
Box 38
March 14 – April 12, 1911
Correspondence concerns include: financial status of Bristow’s
paper, The Salina Journal—it appears to be getting back on its
feet again; Heyburn Cold Storage Bill (S 7649—limiting such storage
to six months).
Correspondents include: Will Bristow, JLB’s father, who is concerned
about Hatttie Bristow’s health) JLB’s half-sister); Walter
P. Hendrix, nephew in Danville, Indiana; Dwight D. Eisenhower (Mar 25)
thanking Bristow for his appointment to West Point. Of special interest
in folder 3 is 44 page report of February 17, 1911 by Edgar A. Allen
of the Kiowa Agency in Oklahoma re the claim of a C.W. McDonald against
Indians of the Kiowa Agency. There is also a series of documents, 35
pages in all, relating to the charges made by W.A. Pease against Special
Agent Raymond H.
Satterwhite in connection with the Imperial Valley investigations being
conducted by him under direction of the General Land Office of the Department
of the Interior. (Apr 10, folder 8)
Box 39
April 13 – May 16, 1911
Correspondence concerns include selection of new president for Baker
University (Rev. Wilbur N. Mason); the Pueblo Indian Defense Committee
(formerly the Juan Cruz Defense Committee); the stamp tax bill (HR 8887);
HR 4662 re the creation of grade of warrant officer in lieu of post
non-commissioned staff officer; the return of Bristow’s scrapbooks
to his secretary Fay Seaton is noted in a letter from Richard L. Jones
of the editorial staff on Collier’s magazine; S 1996 & HR
8141, bill for pay for National Guard; Foster Anti-Narcotic Bill; statehood
for Arizona and New Mexico.
Correspondents include: Will Bristow, JLB’s father; William Allen
White; Arthur Capper; Will Bristow (Apr 20); Frank H. Hitchcock, PMG;
John C. Black, President of the US Civic Service Commission; Theodore
Roosevelt; H.U. Mudge, President, Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific
Railway Co; Booker T. Washington, Tuskegee Institute; James Wilson,
Secy of Agriculture; F.A. Fowler, Attorney General.
Box 40
May 17 – June 20, 1911
Correspondence concerns include: S 2234 re District of Columbia residents
being allowed to vote; HR 4662 (S 10164 previous session), creating
grade of Warrant officer in lieu of Post non-commissioned staff officer;
replacement of Burton bill limiting use of water by power companies
in Niagara Falls; reciprocity; parcel post bill; appointment of A.W.
Smith as Pension Agent in Topeka; stamp tax bill (HR 8887); Farmers
Free List Bill; appeal argument to Board of Engineers for Rivers and
Harbors made by citizens of Apalachicola for harbor improvement there
and Carrabelle, Florida; Lorimer case; Gallinger affair; Heyburn Cold
Storage Bill; Foster Anti-Narcotic Bill; President Taft’s upcoming
fall tour.
Correspondents include; Jonathan Bourne, President, The National Progressive
Republican League; Geo. W. Franklin, Editor of “Farm Sense”,
Des Moines, Iowa; H.U. Mudge, President, The Chicago, Rock Island &
Pacific Railway Co; E.C. Manning, President, Kansas State Historical
Society (Winfield); Arthur Capper; S.S. Longley, Chairman, Republican
County Central Committee, Washington Co; U.S. Guyer, KC, KS attorney;
Booker T. Washington, Tuskegee Institute, Alabama; Lucy B. Johnston,
historian of the Woman’s Kansas Day Club.
Box 41
June 21 – July 26, 1911
Correspondence concerns include: failure of firms making less than $5000
a year to report to IRS; HR 8887 (stamp tax on proprietary medicines);
Canadian reciprocity; passage of parcels post measure; flood resolution;
Payne-Aldrich tariff bill.
Correspondents include: H.N. Jewett, lumber dealer in Omaha, NE, offering
some new ideas to Bristow (in a 27-page letter) to enable him to serve
the people more intelligently and better; Thomas Raftery of Republican
Hdqtrs in NYC (July 11); Henry Allen; J.R. Harrison, U.S. Marshal.
Box 42
July 27 – September 12, 1911
Correspondence concerns include: protection of beet sugar industry;
Santa Fe vs Rock Island shipping of Vermont marble for Memorial Building
(Aug 14)—42.4; the President’s proposed western trip (early
fall 1911).
Correspondents include: Franklin MacDeagh, Secy of Treasury; George
H. Lorimer, Sat. Eve. Post editor re Bristow’s article on resolution
for direct election of Senators for which he was paid $250; Will Bristow,
father.
Box 43
September 13 – November 8, 1911
Correspondence concerns include: State Reunion of the Soldiers and Sailors
of Kansas Sept 26-28, highlighted by the laying of the cornerstone of
the GAR Memorial Building on the 27th, with an oration by President
Taft (Sept 19 & Oct 6); installation of Wilbur N. Mason as President
of Baker University on Sept 26th; promotion of airship travel by a H.D.
Booge (Sept 25); reference to Bristow’s having spent the last
third of September making speeches and accompanying Taft’s train
(Sept 29); Bristow’s plans to go to Panama Oct 14-Nov 9; S 1996,
“The Military Pay Bill” (JLB member of Senate Military Comm).
Correspondents include a relative from Frozen Creek, KY, Mrs E.L. Stone.
Box 44
November 9 – December 7, 1911
Correspondence concerns include possibility of progressive Democrats
joining forces with progressive Republicans to nominate third ticket
if Taft nominated by Republicans and Harmon by Democrats (Seaton denies
Bristow ever stated the foregoing as a possibility); oleomargarine tax.
Correspondents include: E.P. Ripley, Pres of AT&SFRR System re corporate
tax returns; William Allen White; M.O. Chance, working with the President’s
Commission on Economy and Efficiency at the White House.
Box 45
December 8 – 29, 1911
Correspondence concerns include: Sherwood pension bill; S 1996; arbitration
treaties between US & Great Britain and between US and France; S
282 relating to size of berry fruit boxes; parcel post bill; S 18 (to
incorporate GAR); HR 8143; appointment of postmaster for Kansas City,
KS; Federal Pay for the National Guard Bill.
Correspondents include: Charles Curtis; William Allen White.
Box 46
December 30, 1911 – January 18, 1912
Bristow is now at midpoint of his Senate career.
Correspondence concerns include: Sugar tariff reduction; Republican
National Convention; West Coast shipping involving use of Panama Canal;
Chesntut tree blight disease; clearing house associations; S 4118; S
4119; Kenyon-Sheppard Interstate Commerce Bill; HR 16802 (re an appropriation
to carry out the sixth article of the 1868 treaty between the US and
the Navaho Indians to provide as school house for every thirty children
of the tribe).
Folder 46.1 includes undated 1911 material, including three handwritten
letters from William Allen White, and a statement of Bristow’s
farm, home, Journal and personal taxes 1910-1911.
Correspondents include: Theodore Roosevelt.
Box 47
January 19 – February 6, 1912
Correspondence concerns include: HR 22593 to amend Act to Regulate Commerce;
Jan 24 letter from W.R. Childs re lease for Kansas City, KS, post office
quarters is accompanied by plat drawing indicating value of surrounding
properties in terms of assessed valuation and annual rent; proposed
change in anti-pass law to permit issuance of free transportation to
families of surgeons employed by railroads; S 4756 re Philippine Islands
silver certificates; lengthy statement by Dept of Navy relative to shipments
of coal to various Naval Stations (13 oversize pages); S Resolution
163 requesting information from each state for governmental expenditures
for each river and harbor; memorandum to accompany S 2905; preferential
tolls for Panama Canal shipping.
Correspondents include: William Allen White with a proposed plan for
a voluntary primary; A.E. Stilwell, President of the Kansas City, Mexico
and Orient Railway Co.
Box 48
February 7 – 29, 1912
There is an unusual amount of mail from the farming constituency in
Kansas regarding the bill that is anti-gambling in farm products; there
is also correspondence about the Sherwood pension bill; parcel post
legislation; one-cent postage bill.
Correspondents include Theodore Roosevelt; Charles Curtis.
Box 49
March 1 – 14, 1912
Correspondence concerns include: the Owens Bill to keep treaty stipulations
with the Navajo Indians; HR 19129 governing the withdrawal of alcohol,
tax free, for the use of colleges and scientific institutions (medical
schools) of learning; HR 16844 regarding labeling by wholesale grocers;
Lever bill and Haugen (HR 19338) bills which relate to the coloring
of oleomargarine (latter prohibits it whereas the former does not);
free sugar issue; Blue Sky law.
Correspondents include: Charles Curtis.
Box 50
March 15 – 29, 1912
Correspondence issues still include mail supporting HR 21225 (Haugen
bill); S 290; independence for the Philippines.
Correspondents include JLB’s father, Will Bristow (Mar 21); William
Allen White.
Box 51
March 30 – April 20, 1912
Correspondence concerns include: S 4308 & HR 17736 (the One Cent
postage bill); HR 21225 (Haugen Bill); HR 18493 (Lever Bill); HR 16571
(and Report 501 of Senate Calendar 446) re preservation and protection
of fur seals; HR 18899 re civil war volunteer officers’ retired
list; S 5382 & HR 20487 (Employees Compensation Act); Owen bill
providing for a department of public health; S 5792 &HR 16843, a
bill to consolidate the veterinary service in the US Army; the “Lorimer
escapade”; bill providing for the construction of a railroad in
Alaska; Stevens-Burton Bill; new ruling in post office requiring publishers
of periodicals to make up their mails according t routes; S 5725, an
act to promote the efficiency of the medical department of the US Army;
the National Roosevelt Committee; insufficiency of life boats aboard
the Titanic; Immigration Bill S 3175; HR 14070, for the relief of veterans
with defective hearing; military service records of James B. Aleshire,
James Allen, Ernest A. Garlington, John J. Pershing & Henry G. Sharpe.
Correspondents include: J.R. Harrison, United States Marshall for the
District of Kansas continues to write to Bristow at least once a month;
Henry Allen; Franklin MacVeagh, Secretary of the Treasury; Charles Curtis;
W.R. Stubbs, Gov of KS; Wm. English Nalling, author of “Socialism
As It Is”.
Box 52
April 21 – May 12, 1912
Correspondence concerns include: the Owen bill (S #1) (numerous petitions
by citizens of Kansas urging Bristow’s opposition to passage of
bill); HR 22339 and S 6172, anti-Taylor System Bills; Crago bill, HR
1747; HR 22340 to stop the importation of low grade and adulterated
field seeds; HR 21969 (Report 423) for the regulation of the Panama
Canal; HR 22263 & S 5725; the “Brown bill’ re fixed
prices on standard goods; the Bourne bill; HR 14925, providing for releasing
“lifers” from Federal penitentiary after serving 15 years).
Correspondents include: S.W. Moore, general solicitor of the Kansas
City Southern Railway Co regarding the raising and lengthening of its
Ohio Avenue bridge across the Kaw River at Kansas City (Apr 21); William
Allen White; Franklin MacVeagh, Treasury Secy; Gifford Pinchot, Pres
National Conservation Association; William Allen White, writing on “State
Wide Roosevelt-For-President Club of Kansas”; cousin Ben Bristow;
J.R. Harrison; Henry J. Allen; son Frank B. Bristow, who writes from
Oxford, England (Apr 18); Theodore Roosevelt (May 11).
Box 53
May 13 – June 3, 1912
Correspondence concerns include upcoming political conventions; S 6587
& HR 16689; HR 23417 re patent laws; government post road appropriation;
election of US Senators by direct vote of the people; the UPRR Title
Bill (to increase its right of way through Kansas from 100 feet to 200
feet); Police & Firemen’s Pension Bill; Workmen’s Compensation
Bill; Immigration Bill; Anti-Injunction Bill; S 3750 Technical Error
Bill; Page Bill (S 3); HR 24673 re sale and disposition of surplus lands
of the Chilocco Indian Reservation, OK; a bill to reorganize banking
& currency system.
Correspondents include: Louis D. Brandeis (May 13) re Smith Alaska Railroad
bill; Dr. E.C. Eisenhower, veterinarian in Gypsum; H.L. Stimson, Secy
of War, responding to Bristow’s request for the number of vehicles
of the Army field service used in District of Columbia (May 14); William
Allen White; Dr. J.M. Eisenhower, veterinarian of Schell City, MO; Charles
Curtis.
Box 54
June 4 – July 5, 1912
Correspondence concerns include: Banking & Currency Bill; HR 21279;
HR 21969 re Panama Canal operation; repair & rebuilding of levees
along the Mississippi River; S 3558 re express rates; HR 20182; HR 23417
& S 6273 re revision and codification of patent statutes.
Correspondents include: Theodore Roosevelt.
Box 55
July 6 – 28, 1912
Correspondence concerns include: S 2006, Volunteer Retired List Bill;
HR 38 to create an elective legislative body in Alaska; HR 18033, amending
placer mining laws in relation to the territory of Alaska; HR 23635,
Clayton Injunction Limitation Bill; S 6580, “Bourne Parcels Post
Bill”; HR 17483; military records of William W. Wotherspoon (DC);
Clarence R. Edwards (Ohio) and Edward J. McClernand (Illinois).
Correspondents include: S.W. Hook, composer of a new song about Roosevelt:
“Roosevelt a Magical Name”—wants Bristow to promote
it, copy enclosed; William Allen White; Theodore Roosevelt; James Wilson,
Secy of Agriculture; Cousin Ben Bristow in Cincinnati, Ohio; J.R. Harrison,
US Marshal, Topeka.
Box 56
July 29 – August 31, 1912
Correspondence concerns still include Bourne Parcels Post Bill S 6580;
HR 16571 for preservation of fur-seal herds of the North Pacific; HR
21213, Sugar Bill; HR 22340; HR 17260, amended organic act for Bureau
of Mines; military service record of William Crozier, Tasker H. Bliss,
Albert L. Mills; proposal by attorney Wm Armstrong of Chicago for an
act providing for appointment of special US District Attorneys in certain
cases.
Correspondents include: Theodore Roosevelt; Frederick Funston (8/10
& 30).
Box 57
September 1 – November 10, 1912
Correspondence concerns include: Will Bristow (JLB’s father);
possible equine spinal meningitis epidemic in central and western Kansas
(JLB responds that investigation by government veterinarian relates
cause to ingestion of stunted vegetation which is thereby indigestible—but
Bristow subsequently points out horses in town and not out to pasture
are also affected—12 veterinarians then assigned by Dept Agriculture
to investigate); HR 25280 re leasing of water rights by the govt. by
a D. Long Miller of Louisville, KY; proposed Deep Water Way from Great
Lakes to Gulf; the election.
Correspondents include: William Allen White; Bertha Bristow (JLB response
to her 9/10 to Las Cruces, NM); Sallie Lindsay White; Frederick Funston
(writing from the Philippines 9/28 & 10/24 re distress at not being
appointed major-general—had been appointed colonel of Kansas 20th
volunteer regiment in 1898, then brigadier general of volunteers by
Pres. McKinley and in 1906 was in command of Dept of California); Emerson
Carey, Pres. Of Carey Salt Co. and candidate for reelection as state
senator from Hutchinson; Esther Stone, a relative in Paris, KY; cousin
Ben Bristow in /Cincinnati, OH.
Box 58
November 11 – December 11, 1912
Correspondence concerns include: Lever Agricultural Extension Bill;
S 4043, Amended Kenyon Bill (prevention of interstate shipments of liquor)
which elicits a great deal of mail from Kansas constituents; the Winnipeg,
Salina and Gulf RR Co and its president, H. Leone Miller; Postal Pneumatic
Tube Co; Railway Mail Pay; adequate appropriation for aerial corps;
JLB’s introduction of bill providing for application of principle
of recall of judicial decisions to the action of Federal courts; militia
pay bill.
Correspondents include: Frederick Funston (11/14 & 16); Theodore
Roosevelt, looking to JLB to lead the Progressives in the Senate and
again supporting advancement of Gen. Wotherspoon in rank ahead of Frederick
Funston; Arthur Capper; Joseph N. Teal of Portland, OR, a Progressive
and exponent of American waterway transportation; William Allen White
re Progressive conference to be held in Chicago Dec 10-11; William A.
Johnston, Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice.
Box 59
December 12 – 31, 1912
Correspondence concerns include: Amended Kenyon Bill S 4043 (prevention
of interstate shipment of liquor); Oldfield Bill, HR 23417, abolishing
fixed prices; Lever Bill; Page Bill; Industrial Commission bill; Owen
Bill; Haugen Bill.
Correspondents include: Albert J. Beveridge, writing of the Chicago
Progressive Conference earlier in December; Theodore Roosevelt; Will
Bristow, JLB’s father, in Baldwin.
Note: William Allen White was in California December through early May
of 1913, hence there is no correspondence from him to Bristow in these
files. There is relatively little correspondence from White thereafter,
especially after Bristow’s announcement in January of 1914 that
he will stand for reelection as a Republican.
Box 60
January 1 – 18, 1913
Correspondence concerns include: Oldfield Bill (patent laws); Industrial
Commission Bill; Bristow’s decision to run for reelection to the
US Senate as a Republican; Kenyon-Sheppard Bill; organization of the
national Progressive Party; a bill to control trusts; S 5660 re sale
of lands on north side of Pike’s Peak; Lever Bill; Page Bill;
Federal Migratory Bird Bill (S 6497); Murdock Bill (HR 26680 or HR 25685)
re labeling and tagging of all fabrics and articles of clothing for
sale; Interstate Liquor Shipment Bill; S 5792 to improve US Army veterinary
service; S 7782 for reduction of letter postage to 1 cent from 2 cents.
Correspondents include: Theodore Roosevelt.
Box 61
January 19 – February 3, 1913
Correspondence concerns include: HR 21532 re incorporation of Rockefeller
Foundation; Windsor Locks Dam Bill (S 8033); Page-Wilson Bill providing
for Federal aid for industrial and agricultural education; Naval Appropriation
Bill; Owen Bill.
Correspondents include: Gifford Pinchot; Joseph M. Carey, Gov. of Wyoming.
Box 62
February 4 – 20, 1913
Correspondence concerns include: One Cent Postage Bill (S 7782 &
HR 27567); the ratification of the proposed amendment to the Constitution
of the US whereby senators are to be elected by popular vote received;
bill providing for national highway; immigration bill (which president
vetoed); River and Harbor Bill (map of Harbor Island).
Correspondents include: Gifford Pinchot; H.L. Stimson, Secy of War;
Lawrence O. Murray, Comptroller of the Currency.
Box 63
February 21 – March 21, 1913
Correspondence concerns include: S 8382 re interstate shipment of seeds;
HR 16843 re Army veterinary service; continuing letters from states
re ratifying amendment providing for direct election of US Senators;
Webb Bill (vetoed by President); Kenyon-Webb Bill (passed over the President’s
veto).
Correspondents include: Henry L. Stimson, Secy of War; Adda Margaret
Bristow, a distant relative; Henry Cabot Lodge, chairman of the USS
Committee on Immigration; William G. McAdoo, Secy of Treasury.
Box 64
March 22 – April 24, 1913
Correspondence concerns include: beginnings of mobilization of military
units; removal of Potawatomie Agency; Sundry Civil Bill HR 2441.
Correspondents include: Will Bristow, JLB’s father; Lucy B. Johnston,
President of the Kansas Equal Suffrage Association; Lindley M. Garrison,
Secretary of War.
Box 65
April 25 – May 25, 1913
Correspondence concerns include: construction of Post Office building
at Ottawa (4/26); Sundry Civil Appropriation Bill, HR 2441; ceding of
3400 acres of coal land to US govt. by Colorado Fuel & Iron Co.
(keeping 2400 acres reportedly 6 times the value of the larger acreage);
relations between US and Mexico (copy of 23 page letter 5/5 to President
Wilson from Emetrio de la Garza, Jr. in Mexico); Kern Bill (S 738);
improvements in Railway Arbitration law.
Correspondents include: R. S. Bristow in Urbanna, VA
Box 66
May 26 – June 27, 1913
Correspondence concerns include: Underwood Tariff Bill; sugar tariff;
failure of “harmony meeting” of Progressives in spring;
proposed amendment to Indian Senate Appropriation Act; Hetch Hetchy
Valley/reservoir controversy; Bristow’s opposition to President
Wilson’s currency reform.
Correspondents include: William Jennings Bryan, Secretary of State;
James A. Troutman, state senator; William Allen White (6/6 & 6/9,
the latter including copy of his letter to Theodore Roosevelt re state
of the Progressives); Gov. George H. Hodges of Kansas; Congressman I.S.
Pepper, 2nd District, Iowa; Theodore Roosevelt; Will Bristow, JLB’s
father; John Muir, President of the Sierra Club.
Box 67
June 28 – July 28, 1913
Correspondence concerns include: sugar tariff (Cuban sugar cane vs domestic
sugar beet); work of the Commerce Court; proposed Panaryan Association
to promote the Union of the White Race; Indian Appropriation Act; Currency
Bill (Federal Reserve Act); District of Columbia Association Opposed
to Woman Suffrage (7/7/13); Pomeraine Bill (relating to the signing
of bills of lading by Railroad Companies); William Jennings Bryan’s
neglection of Secretary of State duties.
Correspondents include: Lucy B. Johnston, President of Kansas Equal
Suffrage Association; Woodrow Wilson.
Box 68
July 29 – September 9, 1913
Special note: sometime around the middle of August, Bristow’s
stenographer was shot and possibly fatally wounded.
Correspondence concerns include: Mormon Mission Church on the Salt River
Indian Reservation in Arizona (8/7); Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in California
(HR 7207); HR 6282 re preventing certain drugs from being sent through
the mails; Nebraska National Forest; severe drouth in the western states.
Correspondents include: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Acting Secy of Navy (8/1);
a D.J. Eisenhower of Abilene, KS, who wants job of custodian at new
Post Office.
Box 69
September 10 – October 21, 1913
Correspondence concerns include: Tariff Bill (which Bristow voted against
in early September); Harrison Narcotic Bill (HR 28277); monopoly conditions
in tobacco industry; currency reform; Hetch Hetchy Valley reservoir
proposal; legislation restricting foreign immigration; nomination for
chief inspector of locomotive boilers.
Correspondents include: Robert L. Owen, Chairman of Committee on Banking
and Currency; Woodrow Wilson (9/17); Dr. Immanuel Pfeiffer, President
of Postal Reform League; Rudolph Spreckels of San Francisco; Bertha
Bristow from Santa Fe, NM.
Box 70
October 22 – November 17, 1913
Correspondence concerns include: banking and currency reform (Bristow
sent a coy of the currency act to a good many of his banking constituents
Oct 20 asking for their input); Vanderbilt bill proposing a Central
Bank; Federal Reserve Act; need to improve southern shipping ports;
harmony plan among Progressives; administration’s attitude toward
Mexico; Hetch Hetchy reservoir; good roads; Columbus Day Bill (HR 8814);
Lever Bill; Postal Savings Bank Law.
Correspondents include: numerous bankers; Will Bristow, JLB’s
father; William Allen White (copy of 10/28 letter to Jack Harrison re
future of Progressive Party and role Bristow should play, urging that
Bristow declare his position before the coming elections) as well as
10/29, 11/1 letters to Bristow; copy of 11/17 letter from J.R. Harrison
to William Allen White.
Box 71
November 18 – December 21, 1913
Correspondence concerns include: Hetch Hetchy reservoir; whether Bristow
will stand for re-election as a Republican or Progressive; immigration
policy; Mexican situation; S Resolution 216 (investigation of merits
of telepost); report of ICC investigation into causes for receivership
of St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad Co.; S 7970; banking &
currency reform (Glass-Owen Currency Bill); farmers in distress wanting
rural credit bill; approaching valuatin of the railroads; Bartlett-Bacon
bills (HR 1874 & S 927) in support of union labor; the Lafollette
Seaman Bill.
Correspondents include: Woodrow Wilson (11/21).
Box 72
December 22, 1913 – January 16, 1914
Correspondence concerns include: S 3063; Lever Bill; passage of Glass-Owen
Bill (currency reform); locating of a Regional Reserve Bank at Kansas
City, MO; William Allen White (telegram Dec. 26); appointment of E.E.
Clark on ICC; Lobeck Bill (HR 9292); HR 9837; whether Bristow should
run as a Progressive or a Republican; Dillingham-Smith Immigration Bill;
Bristow’s announcement Jan. 3 that he would seek re-election on
the Republican ticket followed by Victor Murdock announcing he would
seek same seat on the Progressive ticket (engineered by William Allen
White); Post Office Appropriation Bill; HR 8832 (bill to reclassify
supervisory post-office employees); prohibition measures (HJR 168, SJR
88, SJR 50).
Box 73
January 17 – 31, 1914
Correspondence concerns include: workmen’s compensation; HR 10080,
Pure Fabric and Leather Bill; Sheppard-Hobson Resolution; bills to amend
Postal Savings Act; Lever Bill (HR 7951); Dillingham-Burnett Bill (HR
6060) concerning immigration.
Correspondents include: Woodrow Wilson (Jan. 20); son Frank B. Bristow.
Box 74
February 1 – 17, 1914
Correspondence concerns include: S 2232 amending the Postal Savings
Act; HR 10310 amending the Kahn Act so that American inventors and producers
will not be prohibited from selling their own lines; “challenge
to debate, Negro vs Senators”—lengthy document by Henry
Lawrence Underwood. “Ulysses the Black” (Feb 6); various
“Sunday” bills (S 752, HR 7826, HR 9674); irrigation bill
(S 4281) introduced by Bristow early February calling for $21 million
appropriation to promote irrigation on eastern slope of Rocky Mountains;
proposed amendment of income tax law; bills re prohibition—SJR
88, HJR 168, SJR 50; Burnett-Dillingham Anti-Immigration Bill (HR 6060);
HR 11321 & S 3920; concern by railroads that there be no restrictions
preventing Mexican labor from coming into the country; Hetch Hetchy
Valley reservoir; Kenyon’s bill (S 4925) to prevent manufacture
and sale of adulterated linseed oil; one-cent postage; HR 10080, Pure
Fabric and Leather Bill; Hughes-Bacon Bill (S 929) re pharmaceuticals;
Administration Bill (S 4246); female vote (Feb. 17).
Correspondents include: Kansas Daughters of the American Revolution;
Arthur Capper, who in a 2/17 letter declares his intention of announcing
as gubernatorial candidate the first of the following week.
Box 75
February 18 – March 9, 1914
Correspondence concerns: Hadley Report of the Railroad Securities Commission;
Hughes –Bacon Bill, S 929 (Pharmaceuticals); Immigration Bill;
Bristow’s opposition to the views of President Wilson on the Panama
Canal tolls question (repealing the Free Toll Provision); women’s
suffrage; International Dry Farming Congress; Bristow’s Republican
candidacy; bill to prevent interlocking directorates among banks, railroads
and railroad material manufacturing companies; sale of surplus lands
belonging to the Prairie Band of Potawatomies in Kansas; Arthur Capper;s
entry into the race for governor of Kansas; Shackleford Good Roads Bill;
retention of illiteracy test in the immigration bill.
Box 76
March 10 – 26, 1914
Correspondence concerns include: Immigration Bill; Bathrick Bill (HR
11897); Irrigation Bill; Prohibition (S 50, S 88, HJR 168); Stock Exchange;
HR 1933 re convict labor.
Correspondents include: R. S. Bristow in Urbanna, VA; William Allen
White; Frank B. Bristow, JLB’s son.
Box 77
March 27 – April 10, 1914
Correspondence concerns include: S 2321, Booher-Hughes Bill re prison
labor; HR 6060, Burnett Immigration Bill; Irrigation Bill; HR 2865 re
increased pensions for Civil War widows; HR 11897, Bathrick Bill; Bristow’s
political affiliation; Indian Appropriation Bill; HR 6282, Harrison
Anti-narcotic Bill; S 3466, re free homesteading for South Dakota; Stevens
Bill; Bristow-Mondell Resolution proposing amendment to US Constitution
enfranchising women; S 4444; federal censorship of motion pictures in
interstate commerce; HR 13457, providing for distribution of appropriations
for topographical and hydrographic work by US Geological Survey.
Correspondents include: Bertha Bristow in Santa Fe, NM; John S. Dawson,
Attorney General, Kansas; Frank B. Bristow, JLB’s son; Elias M.
Ammons, Governor of Colorado; Lindley M. Garrison, Secretary of War;
S 5530, re Union Pacific land.
Box 78
April 11 – 30, 1914
Correspondence concerns include: Panama Canal Bill; SB 4161; Bristow’s
bid for re-election; suffrage; prohibition; Burnett Immigration Bill
(HR 6060); Stevens HB 13305; Underwood Anti-Coupon Bill.
Correspondents include: son Frank Bristow; J. R. Harrison; U.S. Guyer.
Box 79
May 1 - 22, 1914
Correspondence concerns include: election issue of Standpatters vs Progressives;
proposed repeal of law exempting American ships from tolls at Panama;
SB 5093; B.B. Ray case; prohibition; suffrage; Goeke Bill (HR 2979);
Stevens Bill (HR 13305); Dutch standard re sugar; Carnegie Foundation;
Hobson Prohibition Amendment; upcoming election.
Correspondents include: W.Y. Morgan of Hutchinson; John Walter Smith,
USS, MD; G.W. Norris, USS; J.R. Harrison; Henry F. Hollis, USS; Lindley
M. Garrison, Secretary of War.
Box 80
May 23 – June 9, 1914
Correspondence concerns include: S 5530 and HR 16511 pertaining Union
Pacific right of way; bill authorizing purchase of battlefields of Bull
Run; Panama Canal tolls; Hay-Pauncefote treaty; farming problems; Clayton
Anti-Trust Bill; S 4503 enabling state banks to retain postal savings
deposits; J.R. Harrison’s non-reinstatement as US Marshal in Topeka;
Bristow’s speech on Canal Tolls May 7 in which he argued against
repeal.
Correspondents include: Will Bristow, JLB’s father; Earl Akers,
state (Kansas) treasurer (correspondence from Akers appears in previous
boxes fairly regularly); Woodrow Wilson (requesting Bristow’s
input on an intended appointment).
Box 81
June 10 – 21, 1914
Correspondence concerns include: HR 6282 (Harrison Anti-Narcotic Bill);
Owens-Goeke Bill (HR 2972, S 1556); Bristow’s filing for primary
race by petition (officially acknowledged June 16); Rural Credit Bill.
Correspondents include: James S. Harlan, chairman, Interstate Commerce
Commission.
Box 82
June 22 – July 2, 1914
Correspondence concerns include: Sheppard-Hobson Resolution for National
Prohibition; prohibition; Hollis bill for organization of land credit
banks.
Box 83
July 3 – 18, 1914
Correspondence concerns include: Clayton Anti-Trust Bill (HR 15657);
prohibition; Rem-Foster Mining Bill; a sample Curtis campaign letter
(July 11); S 4841, proposed national censorship of motion pictures;
Stevens Bill (HR 13305), re price standardization.
Correspondents include: William Jennings Bryan (July 14, 15, 16); Olin
Templin, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Box 84
July 19 – 30, 1914
Correspondence concerns include: Kern-Forester Bill; Clayton Bill; upcoming
primary election; Curtis mail appeal to each woman voter in state to
support him—Bristow urged to do likewise; Stevens Bill (HR 13305
re price discrimination).
Box 85
July 31 – August 26, 1914
Correspondence concerns include: Bristow’s primary fight; first
mention of WW I approaching; Bristow’s loss in primary first indicated
by telegrams; Seamans’ Bill S 136; banking and currency committee
hearings re Warburg’s appointment to the Federal Reserve Board;
International Dry-Farming Congress; Moon Postal Bill (HR 17042); many
letters of regret at Bristow’s primary defeat; Federal Bankruptcy
Law.
Correspondents include: Frank B. Bristow, JLB’s attorney son re
possible incorporation of the Salina Journal (Aug. 21).
Box 86
August 27 – October 12, 1914
Correspondence concerns include: Rivers and Harbors Bill; Sheppard Bill
re prohibition; Harrison Narcotic Bill (HR 28277); proposed War Tax
Bill; possibility of Capper appointing Bristow to chairmanship of Kansas
Public Utilities Commission; McCoy Bill (HR 18201).
Correspondents include: Will Bristow, JLB’s father (Sep. 21, Oct.
2) re his son having met with an accident and having to use crutches;
William Allen White (reports Sep. 21 on his wife’s surgery performed
by Dr. Will Mayo); constituents who are concerned about getting in touch
with relatives in Germany; Frederick Funston (Oct. 22); sister Hattie
(Nov. 14).
Box 87
October 13 – December 15, 1914
Correspondence concerns include: proposed tax on proprietary medicines
and cosmetics; Bristow-Mondell suffragette measure; possibility of Bristow
being appointed chairman of Public Utilities Commission in Kansas by
Governor Capper; opposition by railroads to Moon Bill (HR 17042) &
Bourner Bill (S 6405); HR 18683; McCoy Bill (HR 18201); S 392, volunteer
officers retirement bill; Hobson Resolution (HJR 158).
Correspondents include: J.C. Gafford, Chairman, Republican State Committee;
Fred C. Trigg, KC, MO; W.W. Russell, Field Secretary of Western Baptist
Convention; Hattie Bristow in Baldwin, KS; Arthur Capper; I.C. McDowell,
Chairman, Republican County Central Committee, Phillips Co; Wm. J. Stone,
US Senator, MO.
Box 88
December 16, 1914 – January 21, 1915
Correspondence concerns include: S 6688; Hitchcock War Exports Resolution;
Moss Grain Grades Bill.
Correspondents include: Arthur Capper, now Governor of Kansas.
Box 89
January 22 – February 15, 1915
Correspondence concerns include: Goeke Bill (HR 17894); German Irish
Alliance of Passaic Co, NJ (Feb. 17); Army Appropriation Bill—an
amendment to prevent time studies.
Correspondents include: William Howard Taft (Feb. 1 & 2) re Philippines.
Note: Bristow completes his only term as US Senator in March of 1915,
and as of April 1, 1915, he is chairman of the Kansas Public Utilities
Commission, having been appointed to that position by Governor Arthur
Capper. Inasmuch as he as quite ill with the grip during the last half
of March, there is not much correspondence for this time period.
Box 90
February 16 – May 11, 1915
Correspondence concerns through March include: Bristow’s inserting
an amendment into the Agricultural Bill for $500,000 to construct lakes
and reservoirs between the 98th meridian and the Rocky Mountain foothills;
Kansas railroads wanting higher passenger rates. After April 1st, correspondence
concerns include: Kansas public utilities; Panama Canal sovereignty
issue—“a railroad fight”; Bristow’s statement
re the sinking of the Lusitania, declaring it an “act of war”
(May 10).
Correspondents include: Bristow’s former secretary Fay Seaton,
who leaves Bristow’s employ to work for the Manhattan Daily Mercury
in Kansas; William Allen White; J.R. Harrison, now with the Beloit Gazette;
Chester I. Long.
Box 91
May 12 – October 16, 1915
Correspondence concerns include: “Oklahoma Formula” similar
to ICC accounting and classification methods; Kansas Natural Gas Co
case; railroad evaluation.
Correspondents include: attorney son Frank B. Bristow; cousin Ben Bristow;
Theodore Rooselvelt; Cyrus Leland, Jr; other Kansas Public Utilities
commissioners John M. Kinkel and C.F. Foley; Senator George P. McLean
of Connecticut; Chas. A. Prouty, Director of ICC Office of Valuation;
Senator John Weeks of Massachusetts, member of the committee on valuation.
Box 92
October 17, 1915 – February 29, 1916
There is only minimal reference to the war.
Correspondents include father Will Bristow; Thomas R. Marshall, Vice-President;
Senator William S. Kenyon of Iowa; Senator William E. Borah of Idaho;
Senator Moses E. Clapp of Minnesota; Senator James K. Vadaman of Mississippi;
Senator Asle J. Gronna of North Dakota; Senator James A. O’Gorman
of New York; Senator Morris Sheppard of Texas.
Box 93
March 1 – September 30, 1916
Correspondence concerns include: Shields Bill re waterpower on navigable
streams; Valuation Committee of the National Association of Railway
Commissioners; Bristow’s involvement with local rate hearings;
“the gas question” (lawsuit); the 1916 election. There is
only minimal reference to the war.
Correspondents include: William Allen White; Gifford Pinchot, President,
National Conservation Association; Governor Arthur Capper; Attorney
General of Kansas S. M. Brewster; caretaker at Bristow’s farm
in Virginia (Ossian Hall).
Box 94
October 1, 1916 – May 31, 1917
Correspondence concerns include: “long and short haul; railroad
issue.
Correspondents include: M.E. Bristow, an attorney from Gloucester Point,
Virginia.
Box 95
June 1, 1917 – November 17, 1919
November 1, 1924 & June 20, 1925
Correspondence concerns include: Perry Potato story (AT&SF official);
Water Power Bill; Railway Bill; immigration re Pennsylvania Railroad.
Correspondents include: sister Bertha B. Wickham (mentions war work);
Senator Robert LaFollette (war profits and incomes of rich as potential
tax sources to finance war); Gifford Pinchot re Water Power Bill; Senator
Charles Curtis. Photocopy of Nov. 1, 1924 letter from Bristow to LaFollette
and June 20, 1925 letter from Bristow to LaFollette’s widow.
Box 96
Undated Correspondence, A-Z Alphabetically by last name.
Correspondents include various Bristow relatives (folder #1), including
cartoonist Ed Bristow; Charles Gleed; Samuel Gompers, AFL; William Allen
White. Folder 8 includes Braille map showing location of the Titanic.
Box 97
Miscellaneous Material
Folder 1 Biographical.
Bristow genealogy.
Biographical sketches of JLB.
Clarence H. Matson, “Joseph L. Bristow: The Argus of the Post
Office Department,” American Monthly Review of Reviews, New York,
January, 1904 excerpt).
Editorial from LaFollette’s Weekly, Madison, Wisconsin,
July 18, 1914.
Folder 2 Civil Service charged to Kansas, 1910.
Folder 3 Biography of J.R. Harrison.
Folder 4 “Eulogy on Edmond M. Madison.”
“Eulogy on Alexander Clark Mitchell.”
Folder 5 Banking and Currency.
Annotated copy of HR 7837, 63rd Congress, 1st Session, “An
act to provide for the establishment of Federal Reserve
Banks…”
Miscellaneous material.
Folder 6 Foreign Affairs
Articles, notes, press releases.
Folder 7 Civil Service
“Memorandum of the National Civil Service Reform League in re
HR 18459 re autonomous government for the Philippine
Islands, December 23, 1914.
Folder 8 National Association of Newspaper Correspondents,
Constitution (March 10,1914).
Folder 9 Interstate Commerce
Articles, notes, press releases, resolutions.
Folder 10 Navy Department
Statement re instruction at U.S. Naval Academy.
Statement re pay and duties of electrical expert aids…in
classified service of Navy.
Statement re quantity of coal shipper per annum to US Naval
Stations.
Folder 11 Politics
“Progressive Republican League”, August 11, 1910.
“Suggested Instruction for Holding a Presidential Primary.”
Howard H. Grass, “The Page Bill and the Lever Bill Compared.”
Kansas Republican Party Platform, 1912.
“An Appeal to the Senators and Representatives of Georgia in
the Interest of Women Citizens to Vote…”, Apr. 7, 1913.
Resolutions of the District of Columbia Association Opposed
to Woman Suffrage.
“Citizenship” (article on woman suffrage).
Folders 12-15 Postal Service
12 “Statement of Mr. E.G. Rathbone” (in charge of Cuban
postal
service, 1899).
13 “Exhibits to Statement of Mr. E.G. Rathbone.”
14 Enclosures, exhibits and statement re Cuban postal service.
“Reply of General [Leonard] Wood to statement of Mr. E.G.
Rathbone.”
15 Miscellaneous items re postal salaries, appointments, parcel
post.
Box 98
Public Utilities; Race and Religion, Reporting in the Senate; Reports;
Resolutions; Bristow Speeches; Sugar Legislation
Folder 1 Public Utilities
9 items, mostly dealing with railroads (1915-1917).
Folder 2 Race and Religion.
Folder 3 Reporting in the Senate.
Folder 4 Milton W. Blumenberg, “The Reporting of the Senate,”
1913.
Folder 5 Miscellaneous reports/sundry claims to the senate committee
on claims.
Folder 6 Reports on:
Pacific Mail Steamship Company, 1908 (2 items).
Postal frauds, 1913.
Appointing postmasters.
Improvement of Missouri river, 1913.
Parcel post.
Folder 7 Reports on:
Election of Isaac Stephenson of Wisconsin to the Senate.
Folder 8 Reports on:
Validating certain New Mexico bonds.
Folder 9 Reposts on:
Chester I. Long’s congressional voting record toward
railroads.
Folder 10 Miscellaneous reports, memoranda, interviews, and testimony.
Folder 11 Resolutions and articles on miscellaneous Kansas subjects.
Folder 12 Speeches of Joseph L. Bristow (mostly without title).
Folder 13 (cont) Speeches of Joseph L. Bristow (mostly without title).
Folder 14 Miscellaneous material on sugar legislation.
Box 99
Folders 1-7 Miscellaneous cards, invitations, etc.
Folder 8 Issue of anti-Catholic publication.
Folder 9 Form letters.
Box 100
List of Voters
Box 101
List of Voters
Correspondence and papers of Joseph L. Bristow, Collection 6, Part II.
This completes the Kansas State Historical Society’s holdings
of the Joseph Little Bristow Papers. At the time these papers (which
include letter press books as well as several miscellaneous bound volumes)
were given to the KSHS by Bristow’s son, Frank B. Bristow, this
part of the collection was restricted (not open to examination by the
public) until 1975 (70 years from the time Bristow left office as Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General). Subsequently the release date was advanced
ten years to 1965 and this second half of the collection was finally
processed in 1985. Ths first half of the collection was microfilmed
in 1967 (see printed guide).
This second half of the collection consists of 70 boxes and three oversize
volumes and includes the following files:
Boxes 1-6 Bristow’s personal correspondence while in the U.S.
Senate, 1909-1915.
Boxes 7-11 Cuban Postal Investigation, 1900-1902.
Boxes 12-20 U. S. Postal Investigation, 1903.
Boxes 21&22 Bristow’s activities as Special Commissioner
to Investigate the
Panama Railroad Company, 1905.
Boxes 23&24 Miscellaneous correspondence, 1890-1944.
Box 25 Miscellaneous material relating to Bristow’s political
activities
and duties as Fourth Assistant Postmaster General, 1896-1939.
Box 26 Material relating to Bristow’s newspaper (The Salina Journal)
in
Kansas.
Boxes 27-44 Various correspondence files from 1897-1906, containing
primarily letters to Bristow.
Boxes 45-52 24 letter press books of Bristow’s outgoing correspondence
from
1897-1905.
Box 53 G.A.R. journals (4 vol.) relating to activities of Post No.
7
(Wadsworth) in Council Grove, Kansas.
Box 54 Letter press book of outgoing correspondence of W. O. Rigby,
Topeka postmaster, 1914-1915; Bristow diary for 1905
(incomplete—only parts of Feb-Apr) & cash account diaries
for
1905, 1908, 1910. 1912; 1896 Kansas voting record by county.
Boxes 55-70 Correspondence regarding pensions of Civil War (a few Spanish
War) veterans, 1910-1916.
Oversize Volumes “
Pension Roll, St. Louis, MO. Agency for Acts July 29, 1848; Feb.
3, 1853; June 3, 1858. Survivors War 1812 and Navy”, one volume.
Abstracts of Payments to Rural Letter Carriers in Topeka,
Kansas, 1902-1907, two volumes.
Boxes 102-107
Personal correspondence, U.S. Senate, 1909-1915
(Arranged alphabetically by last name of correspondent with folders
for individuals alphabetically arranged at the end of each letter.)
Box 102
A - C
Folder 1 A
2 Advertising
3 Austin Building
4 Automobiles
5 B
6 Bookkeepers
7 Bailey, Roy F. May 1914 – Mar 1915
8 “ “ Jan-Apr 1914
9 “ “ 1913
10 “ “ 1912
11 “ “ 1911
12 C
13 Capper, Arthur
14 Central Lyceum Bureau
15 Central Press Association
16 Chautauquas & Lyceums Miscellaneous
17 Coit Lyceum Bureau
Box 103
D – F
Folder 1 D
2 E
3 F
4 Farms & Ranches, Pt. I
5 “ “ , Pt. II
6 “ “ , Pt. III
7 Filson, Lester K.
Box 104
G – P
Folder 1 G
2 Graham, Theodore F.
3 H
4 Hageman, Frank
5 Harper, C.H.
6 Hedges, Mrs. Hattie & others
7 Hendrix Estate
8 Houses to Rent & Sell
9 Hull, George M.
10 I – J
11 K
12 L
13 Launches
14 Lecture
15 M
16 McNeill, C.A. for Internal Revenue Collector
17 N
18 National Bank of America, Salina
19 0
Box 105
Panama
Folder 1 Joseph J. O’Brien
2 Panama Canal Bill, 1912 (HR 21969)
3 Defense of Panama Canal, 1911 (HR 7271)
4 Tolls for Panama Canal, 1912 (S 4861)
5 Panama Canal Chief Engineer’s Report, 1911
6 Panama Railroad Company
7 Annual Reports 1907-1910
Box 106
Parmenter – Saw Mill
Folder 1 Parmenter, C.S.
2 Positions, Census (Misc.)
3 Positions, Miscellaneous
4 Post Office Matters (Misc.)
5 R
6 Raleigh Hotel
7 Rankin, Paul C.
8 Redpath, Lyceum Bureau
9 Reporters, Etc.
10 S
11 Salina Journal
12 Salina Northern Railroad Co
13 Salina Journal Strike
14 Saw Mill
Box 107
Schnee – Y; Miscellaneous
Folder 1 Schnee, Hazel
2 Skillman, J.J.
3 T – V
4 W
5 “World Today”
6 Y
7 Lead
8 Lime
9 Data Used in Primary Campaign, 1908-1910, Part I
10 “ “ “ , Part II, including Long’s Voting
Record
11 “ “ “ , Part III
12 “ “ “ , Part IV
13 Renomination Efforts
14 Rubber Merger
15 Tariffs
Boxes 108 – 112
A Numbered Correspondence File Relating to the Cuban Postal Investigation
of 1900-1902. (Fourth Assistant Postmaster General Period.)
While the file originally went from Number 1 to Number 117, the following
numbers are missing as of this processing: #1-6 inclusive and #8. Two
other numbers refer to documents not clearly identified.
Box 108
File #7 Re C.F. Neely-E.G. Rathbone-W.H. Reeves Trial, Jan-Feb, 1902
Folder 1 Sessions 1-5
2 “ 6, 7
3 “ 8, 9
4 “ 10, 11
5 “ 12, 13
6 “ 14, 15
7 “ 16, 17
8 “ 18, 19
9 “ 20, 21
10 “ 22, 23
11 “ 24-27
Box 109
Files #9 – 43
Folder 1 #9 Rough Copy of Cuban Rpt 1900.
2 #10 Carbon Copy of Abstract Given to Press.
3 #11 Bills of J.W. Mason & Co of N.Y. vs Dept. of Posts,
and Report of Inspector Wm. B. Smith, thereon.
4 #12 Miscellaneous Bills vs Dept. of Posts.
5 #13 Memorandum of Deposition of Gen. Bristow in Neely-
Rathbone Case.
#14 Two Copies of Weekly Bulletin, Dept. of Posts, Showing
Officials, Post Offices, etc.
#15 Summary of Account, Bureau of Finance, Jan. 1, 1899-
May 19, 1900. Inspectors Hamilton, Keys, Gregory Waters.
#16 Summary of Cash Received & Accounted for by Bureau of
Finance, Jan. 11, 1891-Apr. 28, 1900.
#17 Daily Cash Receipts, Bureau of Finance, May & June, 1900.
#18 Copy of Report of Seybolt & Neal, April 23, 1900, Bureau
of Finance.
#19 Daily Memo from Bureau of Finance Concerning Requisitions
for Stamps Filled, Cash Received on Postal Account and
Amount Deposited with Treasurer, June 12-22, 1900.
#20 Summary of Stock of Postage Stamps & Stamped Paper Found
on Hand in Bureau of Finance May 20-22, 1900.
6 #21 Memo by Martin C. Fosnes as to date of Burton Inspection.
#22 Memo Made in Fourth Asst’s Office (1900) re Neely’s
Building of Two Lighters for Handling Coconuts.
#23 Cuban Account – Debits & Credits.
#24 Memorandum Concerning Cuban Postal Code and in Defense
of Estes G. Rathbone.
#25 Expenditures in Cuban Postal Service, Authorized by First
Asst PMG & Paid by Postmaster at N.Y.
#26 Contracts with Cuban & Pan American Express Co.
#27 Letter from Rathbone to PMG, Apr. 18, 1899, re Appointment
of D. F. Dolan.
#28 Statement Showing Employees of the Dept. of Posts and
Salaries, for year 1899 (see oversize folder).
7 #29 Memo by Gen. Bristow preparatory to getting up report;
Employees appointed by Dept. at Washington prior to
Apr. 1, 1899; Employees appointed by Dir-Gen prior to
Apr. 1, 1899; Rough Draft of First Part of Report, as
Dictated by Gen. Bristow in Havana (Not used).
#30 Roster of Employees, Dept. of Posts, Apr. 1, 1900; Roster
of Employees, Dept. of Posts, July 1, 1900.
8 #31 Personnel of Dept. of Posts, May 1900. Roster of
Employees appointed by the Dir.-Gen. Of Posts; Roster of
Employees appointed by the PMG; roster of employees
detailed from the U. S. Service.
9 #32 List of experienced employees, average salary and states
from which appointed; List of inexperienced employees,
average salary and states from which appointed.
#33 List of Blank Forms, Dept. of Posts.
#34 Copies of Form 01 in blank; Estimate of Funds Required.
10 #35 Memorandum of gold bullion deposited at U.S. Assay
Office, New York, on Oct. 3, 1899.
#36 Testimony of E.P. Hamlin (Copy is Exhibit 50).
#37 Copy of letter of Dir.-Gen. To postmasters re expiration
of contract with Herrera Steamship Lines (June 14, 1901);
also copy of letter to Herrera on same subject, June 13, 1901.
#38 Statement of L.E. Hinshaw, clerk, Havana P. O.
11 #39-43 re Madame Jorrin of Cuba.
Box 110
Files #44 – 81
Folder 1 #44 Concerning Louis Kempner
#45 Letter from G.H. Meiklejohn, Acting Sec’y of War,
transmitting copy of list of exceptions noted by W.T.
Kent in his examination of Rathbone’s accounts; copy
of June 19, 1899 letter from PMG to Rathbone; two
Statements of W.H. Reeves.
#46 Report of Inspectors Fletcher & Owen on financial
condition of D. Marfield.
#47 D. Marfield’s statement re burning of surcharged stamps;
Report of Inspectors Homes & Owen (Exhibit 21).
#48 Letter from George W. Marshall, clerk, Bureau of Finance,
re Neely’s being offered position in International Banking
and Trust Co., Havana.
#49 Memo given to press by Gen. Bristow at Havana.
2 #50 Mem. Receipt, Maj. Lord for M.O. funds, $50,000; Lawshe
letter acknowledging receipt of check for $50,000; Statement
of acc’t of Gen. Bristow as Acting Dir.-Gen. With N.A.T.
Co., June 23, 1900, transfer to M.C. Fosnes.
#51 Statements of M.O. funds deposited with N.A.T. Co.
#52 Testimony of W.T.G. Neal (Exhibit 52).
#52 ½ Neely’s banking business, etc.
#53 Copies of certificates covering payments made to Neely
for miscellaneous expenditures (Exhibit 48-A).
#54 Original and photographs of letter from Heath to Rathbone
recommending Neely; Card from Heath to Rathbone concern-
ing Gen. O’Brien.
3 #55 Items re Neely’s salary, application for leaves, letters
to
Reeves and letters from Rathbone.
#56 Letter from P.H. Bristow, C.C. Dept. of Posts, to Gen.
Bristow re departure of Neely from Havana Apr. 28, 1900.
#57 Letters from Neely to various persons, business concerns.
#58 Statement of John P. Newman, Supt. Mails, Havana.
#59 Certificate of Deposit, N.A.T. Co. of remittance from
Puerto Rico.
#60 Copy of Order #534 of PMG appointing Rathbone Dir. Of
Posts.
4 #61 Copies of Orders made by Gen. Bristow while Acting
Dir.-Gen. Of Posts.
#62 Orders made by Rathbone establishing bureaus, etc.
#63 Memo showing postal receipts for May, 1900.
#64 Statement of printing, binding and cost thereof, furnished
by Govt. Printing Office for Cuban Postal Service Jan. 1,
1899-June 9, 1900.
5 #65 Correspondence between George M. Allen & Rathbone.
#66 Correspondence between Beavers & Rathbone.
#67 Copy of letter from PMG to Rathbone, June 10, 1899,
as furnished Col. Burton by Rathbone with cable and
letter re official residence.
#68 Telegrams between PMG and Rathbone re Neely.
#69 Copies of letters & cables from PMG to Rathbone re
salary, per diem, residence.
6 #70 Letter from PMG to Rathbone, Apr. 4, 1900 re attitude of
Gov-Gen Wood toward Dept. of Posts.
#71 Rathbone letter to PMG, Sept. 13, 1899, re burning of
surcharged stamps.
#72 Rathbone letter to PMG re Rich’s confession to Gen. Wood
and Rich’s statement to Special Agent Williams.
7 #73 Letters from Perry S. Heath to Rathbone (inventory);
letters from Rathbone to Heath (inventory).
8 #74 Letters of Lawshe & Reeves concerning salary & per diem
payments to Rathbone.
#75 Letters of Lawshe, Auditor for the Dept. of Posts, to
Dir.-Gen. Concerning disallowances of Rathbone’s
Expenses.
#76 Statement of disbursements, Jan. 1, 1899, to Feb. 28, 1900,
made by E.G. Rathbone, Dir.-Gen. of Posts.
#77 Letter Apr. 11, 1900 from Rathbone to PMG transmitting
receipts & disbursements Jan. 1, 1899 to Feb. 28, 1900.
#78 Copy of Report of Dir.-Gen. to Gov. Wood on Collective
Appeal of Rathbone from Sundry disallowances made by
Auditor for Cuba.
9 #79 Itemized expenses of Rathbone & secretary on trips around
the Island, to the U.S., the Isle of Pines & other bills;
itemized expense of Neely on two trips to U.S.
#80 Correspondence between Heath & Rathbone re various
appointments; Heath letter to Rathbone re Sen. Gear
requesting Fred L. Barnett be notified his leave of
absence has expired.
#81 Correspondence of PMG, Rathbone, George M. Allen and
others re various appointments, retentions, debts.
Box 111
Files #82 – 95
Folder 1 #82 Copy of itemized statement of Receipts & Disbursements,
Dept. of Posts, for Feb. 1900, by A.C. Reynolds, Acting
Asst. Auditor for Cuba.
2 #83 Statement showing annual receipts & expenditures at
each post office in Cuba from Jan. 1, 1899.
3 #84 Papers relating to appointment of W.H. Reeves; letter of
A.L. Lawshe recommending Reeves.
#85 Cuban Exchange received at New York Post Office;
Remittances from Cuba.
4 #86 Rough draft of second report of Gen. Bristow (on reorgani-
zation) together with Exhibits A-L. Part I.
5 #86 Part II.
6 #86 Part III.
7 #87 Statement of C.M. Rich (Exhibit 29).
#88 Papers re Ben Macke; Correspondence re appointment/
suspension of C.M. Rich, Bureau of Finance; G.W. Weavers
correspondence to Rathbone re re-adjustment of salaries,
trip to Cuba, per diem, personnel transfer; appointments
of Allen, Xanten, Hunt & Kempner.
#89 Re appointment of H.L. Richey as Superintendent, Supply
Division.
#90 Schedule for adjustment of salaries & allowances for
postmasters.
#91 Testimony of Geo. L. Seybolt (Exhibit 51).
#92 Telephone message from Inspector-in-Charge King, NY,
re Snevily, Dunham & West Indies Trading Co.
#93 Letter of W.T. Sullivan, PO Inspector, re premium on
Spanish silver, profit of Neely.
#94 Statement of kinds, quantities & values of postal
equipment furnished Cuban Postal Service, Dec, 17, 1898
to Aug. 5, 1900.
#95 Statement of items ordered by the Supply Division
(Washington) for the Department of Posts.
Box 112
Files #96 – 117
Folder 1 #96 Correspondence re requisitions for canceling and rubber
stamps for Dept. of Posts.
2 #97 Correspondence re supplies for Dept. of Posts, printing,
scales, twine, etc.
3 #98 Report of Inspector Boyle re sale of surcharged stamps.
#99 Report of Inspector Sullivan on Taylor, alias Troutfetter.
#100 Copy of letter from A.P. Taylor to W.H. Jones.
#101 Chief Clerk Bristow advises Appt. Clerk of suspension of
E.P. Thompson, P.M. Havana, Moya & Mascaro (Stamp
Clerks).
#102 Statement of A.C. Townsend.
#103 Abstracts of disbursements made by C.VanCott, PM, NY,
on Military Postal Account, by quarters, from Dec. 30,
1898 to Dec. 31, 1899.
4 #104 Report of Inspector Boyle in re Wanamaker Bill.
#105 Account of Washington, D.C., post office with the Cuban
Postal Service.
#106 Testimony of W.E. Wilmot (Exhibit 39).
#107 Appointment Bureau. Weekly reports of Changes, June 30,
1900 to Aub. 4, 1900.
5 #108 Small Paper Box (unidentified—not in file).
#109 Census of Cuba, 1900.
#110 Postal Code for Dept. of Posts of Cuba.
#111 Report of the U.S. Postal Commission.
#112 Rules & Instructions relating to military government of
U.S. in Cuba.
6 #113 Summary of Report of Gen. Bristow. Copy as printed for the
Press.
#114 Rathbone’s criticisms of Gen. Bristow’s Report.
#115 Money order convention with the U.S. Pamphlet.
#116 Dept. of Posts. Confidential pamphlet giving itemized
statement of receipts & disbursements – by A.C. Reynolds,
Acting Asst. Auditor for Island of Cuba.
#117 “Book” – not found in file.
7 Rathbone & Martin C. Fosnes Correspondence; Fosnes Report
for 1902.
8 Bristow Report July 19, 1900.
Boxes 113-121
1903 United States Postal Investigation:
Boxes 113-118,
Exhibit Material;
Boxes 119 & 120,
4 Letter Press Volumes;
Boxes 121,
Miscellaneous Material.
Box 113
List of Exhibits; Exhibits A - E
Folder 1 List of Exhibits
2 Exhibits A-A.9
3 “ B-B.18
4 “ B.19
5 “ B.20-31
6 " C-C.14
D-D.8
7 “ E-E.1
Boxes 114
Exhibits F – J
Folder 1 Exhibits F
2 “ F.1-F.10
3 “ F.11-F.15
4 “ F.16-F.27
5 “ F.28-F.31
6 “ F.32-F.40
7 “ G
8 “ H-J.5
9 “ J.6-J.12
Box 115
Exhibits K – L
Folder 1 Exhibits K-I.11
2 “ L
3 “ L.1-L.6
4 “ L.7-L.25
5 “ L.26-L.38
6 “ L.39-L.49
7 “ L.50-L.63
8 “ L.64-L.75
Box 116
Exhibits M - R
Folder 1 Exhibits M-M.11
2 “ N-N.13
3 “ O-O.13
4 “ O.14-O.31
5 “ P-P.12
6 “ Q-Q.11
7 “ R-R.21
Box 117
Exhibits S – V
Folder 1 Exhibits S-S.6
2 “ S.7-S.18
3 “ T-T.12
4 “ U-U.10
5 “ U.11-U.25
6 “ U.26-U.37
7 “ V-V.10
8 “ V.11-V.26
9 “ V.27-V.36
Box 118
Exhibits W – X
Folder 1 Exhibits W-W.12
2 “ W.13-W.21
3 “ W.22-W.35
4 “ W.36-W.48
5 “ W.49-W.58
6 “ W.59-W.63
7 “ W.64-W.73
8 “ W.74-W.79
9 “ W.80-W.87
10 “ W.88-W.89
11 “ X-X.1; Miscellaneous
Box 119
Letter Press Volumes (2)
One Volume containing:
1. Report by JLB Subcommittee dated October 24, 1903 (376 pp).
2. Index to list of Exhibits (15 pp).
3. Brief of Report of the 4th Assistant Postmaster General,
Supply Division (51 pp).
4. White House Statement by President Theodore Roosevelt.
One Volume containing various Exhibit Reports.
Box 120
Letter Press Volumes (2)
One volume (smaller one) containing personal letters Aug. 28, 1903-
Jan. 17, 1905 (223 pp).
One volume re Investigation of the Free Delivery Service: September
1903 report submitted by M.C. Fosnes (295 pp); copies of various
exhibits (see boxes 12-17 for clearer copies of same), reports, letters
relating to same.
Box 121
Miscellaneous Items Relating to 1903 U.S. Postal Investigation; A Few
Items Relating to Fourth Assistant Postmaster General.
Folder 1 Exhibit A—Papers |