/ / kxK] ' I 5 ■ :<5" V 9 1 ■§ 1 * ttxt THEODORE ROOSEVELT BY NORMAN HAPGOOD THEODORE ROOSEVELT - st NORMAN HAPGOOD ISSUED 1905 BY THE ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT OF Colliers The National Weekly A\b West 13th Street New York C.'y I, IQOJ i — ■ Norman Hapgood \JORMAN HAPGOODS editorials fit The * ™ National Weekly. They are national, international, human, suggestive. They do not preach, they vivify the world's event* with their suggestions. If you disagree with them - and you musl sometimes — you disagree good-naturedly. But you will read them : and you will not read them without having some new light thrown on some subject that will interest you as a thinking man or woman. THEODORE ROOSEVELT TH E Roosevelt Legend is rapidly taking shape. The President is a complex but not myslerious appearance. When he concludes his present work in 1908, his out- lines will be distinct for a "Statesman so young and so fertile in inconsistency. No clearer folly was ever perpetrated than the attempt of a few conspicuous organs of the silk locking and Wall Street ingredients in the las! campaign to befuddle voters into the belief that Mr. Roosevelt was an autocrat menacing free institutions and pointing the way to Roman autocracy. The people knew that Mr. Roose- velt was a democrat in every way except in- herited party affiliation, and that Mr. Parker was a democrat mainly in appellation. The people know a democrat when they see one. Cynics may observe that the masses, if unre- stricted, would choose leaders who look like the maionty and smell like the majority. That snobbery is no better than any other. The masses have a good deal more political sense than anybody else. Hi: MiOLLD BE m [ At. Roosevelt \s as paintctl as a t 1. The ■ ■ . vub. ..as humor, orusls \ . mjIc lik'- t: .•■ I Mr. \ lyde only made fooll of their newspapers. Those \% h< > i inging on a bel. •••n the ..?, grin;, firing 1 ' r. llir [x-< ; .oOC :hing is more exasp< .-xce ooq Mr I\n\ l-u! I ' t - t'. ::i br, knowing thry ■ ! of nut • as a I once ft placard reading. " Lrx n in I '.• idlwesi air (uv-d ui Rooaevelt. } I Mr. GnoAone, thou, 1 \s drfhi mind, i its democr.v •. in . ' I . : Om - I i f m ( if it Hi it .un. M I . • "•I. \%!i;« }> ts paaing in a {talesman. Bod OtMl trappings ;ln ; for n I no 1 1 hut now u 1 then bul v#e I R level ■ maftef <>f die democratic 1 Ifl giws any n A lot o( I : '"' "" Broad wiy. "iDpOM 0000 the P ■'■ lb" ts a peal band to t ilk. A little will NNTitc an inspired letter wnjaaninf \%h.it the inipuLsr of t -on venation has thcr hand, when be tbinli ■••mly id he is not so badly in Alt moo< ! Jy, M Ki ; rivate Be. 1 1 Roowrh h ibt Be. 1 le ■ < < •n>t.intl>' g around in hi are becoriu:! • h in DM I . but which give some persons a sh< Hie people like p.ij IB Thoy are : good DUth. I U too, like t!. near!) •!u-t linn, <>r W DO D H not. 1 are in h IMJ and truth which . it-- nil motl un I 1 le him. I :.< v shape his ends It ome one \ in nil prrsmce il 10 hts l.trrarv sense, he seizes t: | by tlinr sound ; but I uting for a path. "A square d a it crossed his ear, gave* him acuteit satis- So, when he WM Police Commis- sioner, did " Enforce the law because it is the law." W ithi modulation he can be swung by suih welcome phrase, but in his larger I- s he g( iutindt, as a car- n< r pigeon or a woman goes, and thei t f n( ; with public spirit in Al ica. 1 ootwo Reoteveks, and I never been, any more than there are two women in the lady who overrule* to-d I with passion ye fte r d iy. L< of int- 1!: - nee, and a small' worth of human life. Mr. Rootevell li and needs none. He is hear and hard for certain nd he will reach them. He does not I ■•'• thinking about - of consi-t' m \ or order in the r< ! of deed planabons or oV as, He DOl he aw. ike at llighl from ar • 1 le neept, And 1 t functioning is the couniry*i gam. 1 le wi h and well, and it takei B person of many artiMties to represent this land. In re.ifiirming the j ■ cele- hr.it mmonplace volume ike Simple I .it " ; n attacking race nncid bimnf , win beaters, weaklings, of i in preaching at ■ hem»| in talking about i Kun, IikIi in. i . in all tl greasiw living ind P i'-nt I. not l»v intention, l>ut : .:i Ins <\i I fundbon css- ful ! ped sin< THE KEYNOTE ( >I IUE NEW P< UTK3 Roost' v« It Tne {x"; with him, but he h : it. I \<- Ix gan !.. :our aSlic in ha • un- •i ii he i- ipp mting : gumg in fa .$ a mod- , he n\ i . i : D iv ini/ •.• 5[>mtu 1 1 Ihe issues us* L» ! Folk people want. They want a moral reality and a moral tone ; and Theodore Roosevelt is the only statesman, alive or dead, in reading whose speeches you will find the exact note struck which is the note of to-day toward reform, the note which other politicians, all over the country, are beginning to use. He struck it, not from profundity of insight, but because it was himself, and because the instinctive demon which leads him on has told him always to trust the stirrings of his soul and body. In matters of strict intellectual analysis, like the details of tariff schedules, or the intricacies of commerce, he sees dimly and proceeds with caution. In pervading moral tone, in the naked confidence with which he follows his intimate beliefs, he is strong with the forces of the masses and the time. To be moral in politics means to be for the people, whether it leads against bosses, corporations, Senators, or news- papers ; and the people know themselves to be Mr. Roosevelt's chief interest and his last re- liance. It is no wonder that they love him. His fight has been their fight. He has done more, with the constant aid of Providence, than any ten other men, between 1 888 and 1905, to free the people's voice and give ex- pression to ideals of to-day's American democ- racy. Only three Presidencies since the war " He'a good enough f i Hy B*m*T P.ivcrt s in tkr have left a striking mark upon the country. McKinley, in his tad and gentleness, embodied one of Lincoln's many sides. He helped to heal old wounds and diplomatically secured some virtuous laws. Grover Cleveland's stub- born courage has already been built into an ideal remembrance, one of those idealized facls which guide and befriend the nations. History may allow Mr. Cleveland to loom largest of our recent Presidents. It depends on Roosevelt and his destiny. Fate swept McKinley and Hanna from his path, even as Generals January and February win their victories in war. She has been his friend also in gentler mood. If he continues to receive her help, and to deserve it ; if for four years he speaks with the people's bet- ter voice, he will look a taller President to pos- terity than any since the fatal shot of Booth. He is committed to retirement in 1 908. Bowing with manly taste to a disputable convention, he avoids a seeming lack of loyalty to the peo- ple. On 1912 are no such fetters. To be nominated in 1908 he might rely on poli- ticians. To be recalled in 191 2, or any time m two decades would mean that the people had spoken, and only they. And that glory is die possible reward of brave and powerful leadership. THE PRESIDENTS QUALITIES The IV ■ i !<-nt will not remake himtel fen anything that 1 or n thousand othi long men may say, We can onjy hope thai in ln.tim 1-guid • 1 and useful race through Efe he will do each year more of good and less of evil •\il is trivial, hut it lowers the personality which is to remain in slory. Success is a great and beneficent, hut not an only, god. C, ■bo, md beneficent, are self-respcdt and sturdy tv, and the power to sacrifice one's self, Doin^ Things is the chief end of an Executive, Bit Being Tilings is something. It is part of the man as he is remembered. We are jealous of i whom we place a value. These pass- ing not^s concern one who is probably the mosl .1 puMic servant since the war. A true in, a true democrat, a loud noise for righteousness, a fighter for the people's just en- franchisement, he is the strongest single safe- 1 -out of the million safeguards which our people are I wildcat discontent and ra of the tpye of I leanft. If >f money are cured under leadership of c I justice, brands \.;11 be taken from :i. \ oung Ri< hard II. I hii followers h "1 ftaboed \\ .it Tyler, rode to the head of Tyler's fright but threatening mob, and lead, " / will be your lead- Mr. Rootevel is as busy as Busier Brown. 1 le thinks that doing everything is doing good. In his case, Hid, 00 the whole, it i . Ii-- pres- ent Wafer, although rather less than half Rl - pub old h ■ I for Mr. Root .my Democral extant 1 le seeks the right and backl nimbly aw. »v from wrong. 1 lis le, and he fights to win. lb- i< nnetOOted, despite his prancing, and Itul, with all his clangor. I le is right side up when he earth. He ■ ■ little d than forty-six. Will he %w ,r old age as ac- cordantly as youth and middle He J We hold no secrets of the Sislers Three; but we brwntly hope our hero's credit may increase in volume, LL»- a ball of rolling snow. ;* % HA,. DE - LIBRARY OF CONGRESS