ROOSEVELT, THEODORE. 1858-1919.

ROOSEVELT, THEODORE. 1858-1919.
22 Typed Letters and Notes Signed, and one Autograph Letter Signed (all "Theodore Roosevelt" and "T. Roosevelt"), mostly to Cleveland H. Dodge ("Dear Cleve"), but also to William E. Dodge ("Mr. Dodge"), 24 pp total, holograph amendments to many letters, various sizes on various papers, 7 from The White House, but also Vice President's Chamber, Republican State Committee, Police Department City of New York, Oyster Bay, Outlook and Second Street letterheads, January 16th, 1897, to July 25th, 1918, various conditions.

FASCINATING COLLECTION OF LETTERS FROM ROOSEVELT IN MANY CAPACITIES. Roosevelt's father Theodore served in the Civil War with William E. Dodge, and the two men help create and fund the allotment system for soldier's families. The two families not only lived near each other, but each had four children of similar ages, and Teddy's younger brother Elliott served as the best man in Cleveland Dodge's wedding (to one of Alice Roosevelt's best friends). The family friendship would last a lifetime, even though they often found themselves politically on different sides of the issues. The letters begin with two letters to William E. Dodge, who Roosevelt addresses respectfully as "Mr. Dodge," and discuss the arbitration treaty of 1897, which the Dodge's strongly supported and Roosevelt felt was too binding to American interests. The bulk of the rest are addressed "Dear Cleve," and cover a range of issues, including literature, politics and family. Many of the letters evince a briefness that comes with comfort of a long friendship, for instance he writes to Cleve in 1910: "Dear Cleve, Fine ! Your nephew Earl was an under-officer in the fight, and he did very well indeed. Faithfully yours...."