Theodore Roosevelt Seeks to Hold Together the Progressive Party, Meeting With Congressmen and Senators of the Party in the Wake of their 1912 defeat

This letter was obtained by us directly from the recipient’s family and has never before been offered for sale

During his campaign for the presidency in 1904, Theodore Roosevelt publicly resolved not to run in 1908; instead, he supported his secretary of war, William Howard Taft, as the Republican nominee. Taft was elected president in 1908, but his conservative politics led to a falling out with Roosevelt, who decided to return to the political arena in order to oppose his former ally. In the 1912 election, therefore, it was Roosevelt who accepted the nomination of the newly formed Progressive Party. Progressives held a convention in Chicago that was populated by dedicated reformers who wanted to radically remake America. Their numbers included suffragettes, social workers, urban planners, conservationists, labor activists, political reformers, and idealists of all strains. Neither the candidate nor the platform let them down. The platform and Roosevelt also called for the reform of political parties to make them more accountable to the people and less beholden to special interests.

The Progressive Party platform stated, “This country belongs to the people who inhabit it. Its resources, its business, its institutions and its laws should be utilized, maintained or altered in whatever manner will best promote the general interest…Instead of instruments to promote the general welfare, they have become the tools of corrupt interests which use them impartially to serve their selfish purposes. Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government, owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people…To destroy this invisible government, to dissolve the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of the day.”

The platform declared for direct primaries for the nomination of state and national officers, for nation-wide preferential primaries for candidates for the presidency, for the direct election of United States senators by the people, and initiative, referendum and recall of officeholders. Further, it called for legislation looking to the prevention of industrial accidents, occupational diseases, overwork, involuntary unemployment, and other injurious effects incident to modern industry; the fixing of minimum safety and health standards for the various occupations, and the exercise of the public authority of state and nation including the federal control over interstate commerce and the taxing power; the prohibition of child labor; minimum wage standards for working women, to provide a living scale in all industrial occupations; the protection of home life against the hazards of sickness, irregular employment and old age through the adoption of a system of social insurance adapted to American use; and establishing continuation schools for industrial education under public control and encouraging agricultural education and demonstration in rural schools. It was in favor the organization of the workers, men and women, as a means of protecting their interests and of promoting their progress, thus favoring unions. It demanded equal suffrage for women, and under TR’s influence, contained trust-busting provisions.

In the end, Roosevelt fell far of winning, drawing 27%, of the vote to Wilson’s 42%, but ahead of Taft’s 23%. Roosevelt received 88 electoral votes compared to 435 for Wilson and 8 for Taft. This was nonetheless the best showing by any third party since the modern two-party system was established in 1864. Roosevelt was the only third-party candidate to out poll a candidate of an established party. This mainly positive showing led Progressive Party leaders to look to the future, and they hoped to do well in the 1914 Congressional elections. It also led TR to exert efforts to retain the unity of the party, and continue building it, in the wake of what was still a defeat. The Progressives would contest 138 Congressional districts, candidates being women as well as men. However, just 5 were elected, and almost half the candidates failed to get more than 10% of the vote. The Progressive Party disappeared into history, and when in 1916 the Republicans nominated the progressive-leaning Charles Evans Hughes, TR supported him. Roosevelt never renounced his progressive credentials, but then turned his attention to advocating American involvement in World War I.

William Hinebaugh was chairman of the Republican Party in Illinois, but switched to the [Progressive] Bull Moose Party in 1912 when his friend, Theodore Roosevelt, split with the Republican Party. It was on the Progressive Party ticket that Hinebaugh was elected to the 63rd U.S. Congress from the 12th Illinois District, where he served one term, 1913-1915. Victor Murdock was a Representative from Kansas. He was a loyal Progressive and would be elected as chairman of the Progressive Party in 1914 and 1916. In 1916, when Theodore Roosevelt refused to run, the Progressive Party nominated Murdock for president, but he did not appear on the ballot. Irvine Lenroot, William Kent, and Ira Copley were Republicans supportive of the Progressive agenda.

Autograph letter signed, on his Outlook letterhead, no date or place but likely 1913 when TR was trying to hold together the Progressive Party after its 1912 defeat, to Hinebaugh, inviting him to meet with Progressive members of Congress. “At ten Tuesday evening after lecture, will you take me to National Headquarters to meet Progressive Senators and Congressmen for a couple of hours? Tell Davis this is instead of our plan as it will give me more time with them.” The Davis referred to was Oscar King Davis, Secretary of the Progressive Party.

This is a rare ALS of TR as head of the Progressive Party, being just the second we have had.

Of this letter, Edward F. O’Keefe, CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation wrote, “Denied the Republican nomination he rightfully won, Theodore Roosevelt bolted the party and ran as the Progressive Party candidate in 1912. The Bull Moose was — and to this day is — the most successful third party independent candidate in U.S. presidential election history. Ahead of the ill-fated but historic race, I write in The Loves of Theodore Roosevelt about how Edith, TR’s beloved second wife, leveled him with a hard truth: ‘Put it out of your mind, Theodore. You will never be President of the United States again.’ She was right (as she often was). The loss was devastating. TR wrote his autobiography, explored the River of Doubt, and tried, as evidenced in this letter, to keep his dimmed electoral prospects alive. He refused to stand as the Progressive Party nominee in 1916, and the Republican Party refused to have him back. By 1920, the year in which TR was favored once again as the Republican nominee, he would be dead long before Election Day.”

This letter was obtained by us directly from Congressman Hinebaugh’s descendants and has never before been offered for sale.