Roosevelt thanks to the Governor of California for his support of The Panama Canal, Tariffs and his work in the 63rd Congress.

Important Theodore Roosevelt TLS  dated New York City, September 1, 1914 to William Dennison Stephens thanking him for his help in the 63rd Congress, in his work with the panama Canal, Tariffs and” hoping to see him on the firing line for the 64th Congress” and . Stephens (December 26, 1859 – April 25, 1944) was an American federal and state politician. A three-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1911 to 1916, Stephens was the 24th governor of California from 1917 to 1923.The letter reads in full:

“My Dear Mr. Stephens: I take this opportunity of expressing to you my sincere appreciation of your course in the 63rd Congress. I have more particu1arly in mind championship of an efficient navy and your efforts to hold intact all American rights at the Panama Canal. 

In this connection, I desire also to congratulate you upon your staunch support of the Progressive plan for a Tariff' Commission, real currency legislation and the effective solution of the Trust problem, offered by Mr. Murdock in fulfillment of the Progressive platform of 1912. 

In these measures and the others introduced, you and your associates kept faith with the people. You deserve no less credit because they were rejected. You have seen aggressively and effectively part of' the only sanely constructive force at the Capital. You have stood against the secret caucus, for open committee meetings and against gag rules. 

I cannot put too much emphases upon the value of such a service as you have rendered to the people and it is my earnest hope and belief that the endorsement at the polls in .November will attest the approval' of every good citizen regardless of party. 

Hoping  that you will again be on the firing 

line when the 64th Congress meets to continue this battle to put the public warfare in first place, a battle which cannot be won without men of your type and courage, lam, 

Faith fully yours ,

Theodore Roosevelt

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