BY ALBERT LOREN CHENEY 
 
 includes "is a fiiri Siw IheaifiiDrig 
 
Class E ^ 5.'L_ 
 Book._C^^___ 
 Gop>TightN" 
 
 COPYRIGHT DEPOSro 
 
THKODOKK KO«)SKVKI>T 
 
 Nn s<iiiu (ir iiniisc of nicn can hoiior add ti> liim. 
 Wild iiol)ly walk'd the earth, yet his own pathway trod. 
 Now r.iiiii' holcls hijih hor torcli h'st weary eyes and dim, 
 111 vain miirlit seek lo pierce death's el)oii sliadows jrrini. 
 And miss tlie radiant patli he walk'd toward Cod. 
 
 TIIOM.V.S II. IIi;i;.\I)(>.\. 
 
O ^ 
 O s 
 
 o 2 
 
 H 
 <^ 
 O 
 
 O 
 
 ^ ii 
 
 
 .s s 
 
LIKIT. OITENTIN KOOSKVKl.T 
 
 Till' rt'conls of tlic War Department sliow that (Juciitiii Hnosevelt 
 was appointed First Ijientenant. Aviation Section. Siurnal Oflicers 
 Reserve Corps, on .Tulv li, I'.tlT : tliat he accepted Jnlv 7, l'.)17 : was 
 assi;ined to active duty at Fort Wood, \. V.. July i:!, li>lT : that lie 
 was born November IK, 1MI7 : that he was killed in aerial combat on 
 enemy's side, .Tuly 14, IDIS, while a member of the '.loth Aero Scjuadron. 
 First Pursuit (Jroup. and buried near ("h.anibry-Marne, (irave No. 1. 
 roiuiiiiiiie. No. 101'. ('oulon.L:'es. Aisiie. See pa.u'e lis. 
 
c «i g 
 
 -O , ~ C 
 
 I. 3 II _J ? 
 t. n j: !^ ^ 
 
 £? 
 
 H 
 
 5^ 
 
 •«. 
 
 
 
 
 ^^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 K 
 
 •^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 K- 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 !J^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 Ij 
 
 X 
 
 2 
 
 "i^ 
 
 
 
 
 ^,—^1 
 
 3; 
 
 s 
 
 X 
 
 ^ 
 
 1 
 
 H 
 
 •S 
 
 5" 
 
 g- 
 
 3 
 
 s 
 
 
 ~ 
 
 fe 
 
 o 
 
 c 
 
 .2 
 
 H 
 
 "5 
 
 g 
 
 ffi 
 
 
 w 
 
 H 
 
 ■^ 
 
 ~ 
 
 
 
 
 
 :;^ 
 
 ac 
 
 
 C 
 
 *- 
 
 
 t) 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 a. 
 a. 
 
 "5 
 
"Give every Man [and Woman] a Square Deal." 
 
PERSONAL MEMOIRS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 HOME LIFE 
 
 • OF THE LATE 
 
 Theodore Roosevelt 
 
 As Soldier, Governor, Vice President, 
 
 and President, in relation 
 
 to Oyster Bay 
 
 WITH ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 BY 
 
 ALBERT LOREN CHENEY 
 
 Formerly Editor of the Oyster Bay Pilot 
 
 SECOND EDITION 
 
 1919 
 
 THE CHENEY PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 
 WASHINGTON, D. C. 
 
, — ■ f^ r- f 
 
 Copyright, 1019, 
 
 BY ALBB2ST LOREN CHENEY 
 
 O ?avi:'; 
 
 APR 23 f9v0 
 

 r 
 
 TO THE PUBLIC 
 
 A share of the net proceeds received from the sale 
 of this book will he contributed to the fund for 
 the establishment of the proposed Roosevelt Memo- 
 rial Park at Oyster Bay. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 The Publisher. 
 Washington. D. G. 
 October, 1919. 
 
THIS BOOK 
 
 IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO THE 
 
 FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS OF 
 
 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 ON 
 
 GOOD OLD LONG ISLAND — ONE OF THE 
 
 GARDEN SPOTS OF AMERICA. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
REVISED CONTENTS 
 
 Addenda 137 
 
 Roosevelt and the Cartoonists 138 
 
 The ''Peaceful Roosevelts" 139 
 
 Roosevelt and Riis 140 
 
 "As a Girl Saw Theodore Roosevelt" 142 
 
 Publishers' Announcement 158 
 
 REVISED ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 Frontispiece Roosevelt, the Citizen. 
 
 Lieut.-Col. Roosevelt, Jr. 
 Lieut. Quentin Roosevelt. 
 Col. Roosevelt, Rough Rider. 
 
 The Man Who "Bossed" Roosevelt 30 
 
 Home Reception 35 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Pages 
 
 To the Public v 
 
 Foreword xvii 
 
 "Roosevelt, the Man," xxiii 
 
 Oyster Bay xxiv 
 
 I Chapter — Roosevelt, the Soldier 1 
 
 II Chapter — While Governor 13 
 
 III Chapter — When Vice-President 35 
 
 IV Chapter — As President 55 
 
 President Roosevelt's "Shadow" 6G 
 
 Roosevelt Memorial Association 117 
 
 Quentin Roosevelt Post, American Legion. 118 
 
 Roosevelt's Famous Race Suicide Letter . . 121 
 
 "Songs and Tears" for the President .... 122 
 
 Firemen's Tribute to Roosevelt 127 
 
 Chronological Record of Roosevelt 128 
 
 Col. Roosevelt's Final Appeal 132 
 
 Last Words of Theodore Roosevelt 134 
 
 ix 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Frontispiece — Lieut.-Col. Theodore Roosevelt. 
 
 Page 
 The Author xvi 
 
 Following Page 
 
 Oyster Bay Shore Front xxiv 
 
 Col. Roosevelt in Camp at Montauk. ^ - 
 
 Members of the Executive Force at Oyster i^ 
 
 Bay. 
 Col. Roosevelt's Former "Work Shop." ^^^ 
 
 Trophy Cannon presented to Oyster Bay . . 14 
 The Roosevelt Residence at Sagamore Hill. 
 The Roosevelts on Horseback. i- 
 
 Col. Roosevelt in Action. („,--- 
 
 The Man who "Bossed" President 
 
 Roosevelt 30 
 
 Man Who Traveled Eight Years with Mr. 
 
 Roosevelt. 
 Reception to the President. ^^■-'- 
 
 Where President Roosevelt Voted. 
 
 Xlll 
 
Folloiving Page 
 
 From Reporter to Collector of the Port of 
 
 New York 46 
 
 Former Owner of the Oyster Bay Pilot. 
 Newspaper Representatives at Oyster Bay. 
 
 Oyster Bay Pilot Office. 
 
 Theodore Roosevelt When President 62 
 
 Photograph Taken at Request of President ^ 
 
 Roosevelt. 
 Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt and Two Sons. 
 
 Lieut.-Col. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr 78 
 
 Notification Committee at Sagamore Hill . . 94 
 
 The "Summer White House" at Oyster 
 
 Bay 126 
 
 Interior of Christ Church at Oyster Bay. 
 
 William Craig, Who Gave His Life for the 
 President. 
 
 Grave of Theodore Rootle velt. 
 
 XIV 
 
FOREWORD 
 
(Formerly Publisher of the Oyster Bay Pilot.) 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 ii\ 70LUMES will be written upon the public life 
 V of Theodore Roosevelt. Volumes will be 
 necessary to recite the story properly," predicted 
 the Washington Post at the time of Mr. Roose- 
 velt's sudden death. 
 
 Referring to his home life, the same newspaper, 
 published in the National Capital where Theodore 
 Roosevelt was so well known, said of him edi- 
 torially : 
 
 Now that all men may look upon him as in the past, what 
 virtues appear in him ! His heart was pure and good in the 
 personal relations of his life. He cherished home, and was 
 never happier than when in the bosom of his family. His 
 helpmeet, always beloved in Washington, will be sustained 
 by the thought that love and consideration were the rule in 
 her home, securely closed to the storm of public strife. He 
 was proud of his children, as he might well have been, and 
 when his sons proved their valor in the great war he entered 
 with the keenest zest into every incident of their service. The 
 White House never more truly represented the better side 
 of American life than when it was occupied by the Roosevelt 
 family. Its members were all fortunate in winning the 
 hearty affection of their Washington neighbors. 
 
 National sentiment is largely reflected by the 
 newspapers published in the Capital of the United 
 States. The editors may have disagreed with Mr. 
 
 xvii 
 
xviii FOREWORD 
 
 Roosevelt concerning many things, but in the final 
 accounting they gave him a "square deal," as the 
 following extracts taken from their editorials at 
 the time of his death, will show : 
 
 The Star: Theodore Roosevelt, judged by any standard, 
 and on a world scale was a very remarkable man. He had 
 great and varied gifts and employed them to high and 
 noble ends. . . . He loved the country and wanted all 
 
 nations to love it He was known wherever 
 
 America is known and appraised at a commanding figure. 
 His Americanism was as distinct and luminous as Lincoln's 
 and will preserve his fame to late generations. 
 
 The Herald : Even his enemies, for Colonel Roosevelt 
 made enemies, made them because he was a great man, will 
 
 admit his sterling qualities and sincerity The 
 
 first citizen of the Republic has passed, for Colonel Roosevelt 
 embodied the American spirit to a higher degree than any 
 
 man living His public service eclipses by far 
 
 any mistakes he might have made. He was a prodigious force 
 for American welfare and our loss will become more evident 
 as our need for leadership looms stronger. 
 
 The Times : Theodore Roosevelt died too young, far short 
 of the alloted span. But he had lived in one day more than 
 many men live in a lifetime. . . . His friends find com- 
 fort in the fact that thei-e was little, if anything, that the 
 world failed to give him. Fortunate birth, good education, 
 independent wealth, a field of infinite activity, the Presi- 
 dency of the United States twice, and the affection of 
 millions following him to the grave. 
 
 The historian will, of necessity, record to the 
 minutest degree, important events entering into 
 
FOREWORD xix 
 
 the public life of Theodore Roosevelt, whose sturdy 
 character, so deeply impressed upon the minds of 
 the American people, will shine forth brighter and 
 clearer as facts concerning his eventful career are 
 unfolded around his world-honored name. 
 
 Our humble volume, however, will be confined 
 chiefly to the compiler's personal knowledge of 
 Theodore Roosevelt as a close friend and neighbor ; 
 but the plain, every-day story must necessarily be 
 somewhat personal to the narrator in order to give 
 added interest to the incidents recited, and also to 
 prove the exact truth of the statements made, thus 
 carefully avoiding exaggeration. 
 
 We search history to ascertain just how Napo- 
 leon, the Emperor, or the Kings and all rulers, 
 treated the common people; and so the deeper 
 we delve into the home record of Theodore Roose- 
 velt, the more it is demonstrated that he was 
 "of the people and for the people," and lived what 
 he loved to preach: the simple life — just as Mrs. 
 Roosevelt lives it, and just as she would have 
 it always, by word and deed. 
 
 In order to be able to participate in the Roose- 
 velt drive in October, it has been necessary to 
 speed up the work on this little volume — all the 
 
XX FOREWORD 
 
 labor being done at night, after days of strenuous 
 duties. There was no managing editor to make 
 timely suggestions, nor alert copy reader to touch 
 up the hastily prepared paragraphs. It was found 
 difficult to procure desired material promptly ; and 
 there was no time for studied literary effect. Con- 
 sidering these adverse circumstances, it is sincere- 
 ly to be hoped that our good friend. The Critic, will 
 be charitable enough to pass over and excuse the 
 defects in the book, especially as one of the pur- 
 poses of its publication is to help in a good cause, 
 thus according a "square deal" to — 
 
 The Author. 
 
'ROOSEVELT, THE MAN." 
 
(^'T~HE impress that Theodore Roosevelt's per- 
 -»- sonality has made upon the world does not 
 need emphasis. Whatever his fame as a states- 
 man it can never outrun his fame as a man. How- 
 ever widely men may differ from him in matters of 
 national policy, this thing men in their hearts 
 would all wish, that their sons might have within 
 them the spirit, the will, the strength, the manli- 
 ness, the Americanism, of Roosevelt. He was 
 made of that rugged and heroic stuff with which 
 legend delights to play. The Idylls and Sagas and 
 the Iliads have been woven about men of his mold. 
 We may surely expect to see developed a Roose- 
 \elt legend, a body of tales that will exalt the 
 physical power and endurance of the man and the 
 boldness of his spirit, his robust capacity for 
 blunt speech, and his hearty comradeship, his live 
 interest in all things living — these will make our 
 boys for the long future proud that they are of 
 his race and country. 
 
 "And no surer fame than this can come to any 
 man — to live in the hearts of the boys of his land 
 as one whose doings and sayings they would wish 
 to make their own." — Tribute paid to the Memory 
 of Theodore Roosevelt by the Hon. Franklin K. 
 Lane, Secretary of the Interior, January 7, 1919. 
 
OYSTER BAY is delightfully situated on the 
 north side of Long Island, distant one 
 hour's ride from Manhattan and Brooklyn Bor- 
 oughs. Population 6,500. 
 
 Oyster Bay has a picturesque frontage, consist- 
 ing of two of the finest sheets of water in the 
 world, known as the east bay and the west bay. 
 Its table-lands, magnificent hills, many miles of 
 splendid macadamized roads, romantic streets, 
 cooling breezes and pure spring water, make it one 
 of the greatest health resorts in America. The 
 vital statistics of the town show a yearly death 
 rate of only 12 in 1000. 
 
 Some of the finest and most costly residences 
 in this country, owned by prominent men, are 
 located in Oyster Bay. 
 
 On Centre Island is the home of the famous 
 Seawanhaka-Corinthian Yacht Club; and many 
 celebrated yachts anchor in the harbor. 
 
 The Oyster Bay Bank, the North Shore Bank, 
 a fine Union High School, a Free Library, a Board 
 of Trade, six well-supported Churches, Titus* gen- 
 eral machine shop, Davenport's Hotel, Sagamore 
 Hotel on the bay, the Oyster Bay Inn, an Opera 
 House, and two weekly newspapers are among the 
 notable institutions. 
 
 Oyster Bay is famed for its splendid drives, as 
 well as its oysters, and fine fishing. 
 
 NOTE. — The above description of Oyster Bay was written for the 
 Pilot by the Author fifteen years ago. Several lines have been chansred 
 to meet present day conditions. XXiV 
 
to 
 
 a 
 
 3 
 
 o 
 m 
 
 o 
 
From "Our Patriotic President." 
 
 Colonel Theodore Koosovelt in Cnnip at Montank, L. I. 
 (Giving the order to dishniid liis regiment.) 
 
^Iciiilicrs (if tilt' Summer White House Kxerutive Foree at 
 Oyster I'.iiy in 1'.l(l."t, with tlieir fiimih'es. 
 
 The late B. F. Barnes, formerly postmaster of Washington, D. C 
 is seated on the steps in the foreground at the left of the picture 
 and faces Elmer E. Paine, formerly of the Associated Press. M. O. 
 Latta, who carries messaeres from the White House to the Capitol is 
 seated in the last row and to the right of the picture. 
 

 
ROOSEVELT, THE SOLDIER, AT OYSTER 
 BAY 
 
c 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 3 
 
 Y ACQUAINTANCE with Theodore 
 Roosevelt dates from the time he arrived 
 in Oyster Bay from San Juan, in the late 
 summer of 1898; and his first visit to 
 the Pilot office was both interesting and 
 amusing. 
 
 I w^as absent at the time Mr. Roosevelt called. 
 My wife happened to be in the editorial room 
 when she saw a carriage stop in front of the build- 
 ing, and a distinguished-looking gentleman alight- 
 ed, entered the office, and with gleaming teeth, and 
 in a very slow, emphatic tone, asked to see the 
 editor. My wife was awed at first and somewhat 
 alarmed, thinking the gentleman had a grievance 
 against the Pilot. 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt's fame and popularity had caused 
 an enterprising toy manufacturing concern to put 
 on the market a tin whistle in imitation of Mr. 
 
2 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 Roosevelt's famous teeth; and the boys on the 
 streets had been using them overtime. When the 
 distinguished gentleman again smiled, my wife 
 recognized him from the tin-whistle teeth, and 
 said: 
 
 "Have I the honor of addressing Colonel Roose- 
 velt?" 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt acknowledged his identity; and 
 when I arrived he was seated with one foot under 
 him, in the editor's chair, making himself very 
 much at home. He stated his errand, and later en- 
 gaged my daughter as his secretary. 
 
 THE veritable avalanche of letters showered 
 upon Mr. Roosevelt was started by the news- 
 papers and magazine writers after he arrived from 
 San Juan. When word was received by the Pilot 
 that Colonel Roosevelt was on his way home from 
 Cuba via Montauk Point, the editor realized that 
 Colonel Roosevelt was looked upon as a hero, and 
 that a good news story was in sight. He rode 
 around the village on a bicycle, stirred up the 
 people, told them that their famous fellow towns- 
 man should be received with honors, and at five 
 o'clock in the afternoon a crowd gathered at the 
 depot. 
 
SOLDIER 3 
 
 Then it became known through a telegram re- 
 ceived by Mrs. Roosevelt that Colonel Roosevelt 
 had been stalled at Jamaica, L. I., and would 
 not arrive in Oyster Bay until seven o'clock. 
 
 Everybody went home to supper and told every- 
 body else, and at seven o'clock it seemed as though 
 the entire population of the village had congre- 
 gated around the railroad station. 
 
 A huge bonfire was lighted, and when the train 
 arrived there was a howling, cheering mob of 
 people to greet the Colonel who was dressed in 
 his khaki uniform. So great was the crush that 
 a horse near the railroad station platform was 
 lifted from its feet and thrown bodily over on its 
 back ; the clothes were literally torn from a little 
 girl ; and hats were scattered everywhere. 
 
 Across the main street in front of the Pilot 
 office hung a banner bearing the words: 
 
 WELCOME COLONEL! 
 
 When Colonel Roosevelt passed under it, he rose 
 in his carriage, took off his hat and exclaimed : 
 
 "This is, indeed, a surprise !" 
 
 Realizing the importance of getting the story to 
 the newspapers, the editor rushed to the depot, but 
 the station agent was about to leave and refused 
 
4 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 to telegraph more than twenty-five words. Board- 
 ing a train about to leave for New York, the scribe 
 wrote a story en route, and hustled it to the office 
 of the New York Herald. Taking the elevated 
 train in New York he wrote another story and 
 left it at the New York Sun office. Then he 
 telephoned a skeleton story to the Standard News 
 Association, which was a branch of the Associated 
 Press. Sunday rrjorning all the newspapers car- 
 ried the story with "scare" heads, and Monday 
 morning a dozen reporters and special writers 
 arrived in Oyster Bay. 
 
 Colonel Roosevelt's mail was actually pouring in 
 by the bushel from all sections of the country. He 
 secured additional help from the village, and final- 
 ly I went dowm to Sagamore Hill and took a hand 
 at helping with the mail ; but the Colonel was so 
 insistent upon showing me the contents of his gun 
 cabinet and his numerous trophies, that his 
 secretary declared we were both more of a hin- 
 drance than a help. 
 
 One day the Colonel stood near an open window 
 affectionately patting a Winchester rifle slung 
 across his arm, when the window suddenly went 
 down with a terrific crash. I jumped to one side, 
 but the Colonel never moved a muscle, remarking 
 
SOLDIER 5 
 
 coolly that he had received worse shocks than that 
 while going up San Juan Hill. 
 
 From this time on I was afforded innumerable 
 opportunities to study Theodore Roosevelt from 
 many different angles, and I always found myself 
 coming back to first impressions, namely: that 
 he had a powerful personality, and possessed an in- 
 definable magnetism that drew one to him, but 
 he would brook no undue familiarity. 
 
 VARIOUS reasons have been given as the 
 secret of Mr. Roosevelt's remarkable hold 
 on the public. Mr. John J. Leary, Jr., in his 
 interesting "Conversations with Roosevelt," pub- 
 lished in McClure's, says that Mr. Roosevelt's own 
 explanation of his ability to carry a crowd with 
 him was given in one word : "Sincerity." An ac- 
 quaintance declared it was because "Roosevelt's 
 words carried a punch" ; and another, because "the 
 Colonel always had something to say." 
 
 Col. Roosevelt was once asked by a senator why 
 he (Roosevelt) was so popular with his soldiers. 
 
 "I do not know," responded the Colonel, "except 
 that I always slept with my men in the trenches." 
 
 Venturing an opinion from the viewpoint of a 
 neighbor who studied Mr. Roosevelt and his meth- 
 
6 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 ods from close range, I believe that the basic rea- 
 son for his wonderful hold upon the public was the 
 fact that he was the greatest "mixer" among the 
 people that this country has ever produced, or 
 probably ever will produce. He always did the 
 right thing at the right time. Another strong 
 point is the fact that he never permitted a letter 
 to go unanswered, whether it came from the 
 King of England or from the grocer at the cross- 
 roads. 
 
 He delighted in keeping in constant touch with 
 the public through handclasp and correspondence, 
 so when he appeared before a crowd he was looked 
 upon as a personal friend, and had the hearty sym- 
 pathy and entire confidence of his hearers. And 
 when receiving visitors, he gave the same hearty 
 consideration to his gardener at Sagamore Hill 
 as he would accord the most prominent visitor at 
 the White House. 
 
 Many interesting instances may be cited to dem- 
 onstrate Mr. Roosevelt's cordial nature and his 
 impulsive manner. 
 
 My sister is the widow of a veteran of the Civil 
 War. She was asked if she would like to meet 
 a real live President of the United States. Her 
 reply was : 
 
 "He's only a man." 
 
SOLDIER 7 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt was asked, over the 'phone at 
 Sagamore Hill as to whether he would receive her. 
 His immediate response was: 
 
 "Bring the lady right up." 
 
 When she arrived, President Roosevelt brushed 
 aside all formality, and came out on the veranda 
 to personally greet her, exclaiming: 
 
 "Delighted my dear lady! I am proud to meet 
 you, for you are the widow of a hero of a great 
 war, while I only figured in a very small one." 
 
 Of course, the lady left Sagamore Hill filled with 
 praises for Mr. Roosevelt, and she remained his 
 ardent and life-long friend. Occurrences like these 
 happened daily. Is it any wonder that Theodore 
 Roosevelt had a strong hold upon the people? 
 
 At the busiest period in Mr. Roosevelt's career 
 he found time to write to an old friend and 
 neighbor. 
 
 The following letter, received by the author, 
 affords another instance not only of his big-heart- 
 edness and fidelity, but further explains how he 
 gained and retained his hold on the people : 
 
 Oyster Bay, Long Island, 
 
 February, 1906. 
 My Dear Mr. Cheney : — 
 
 Busy though I am, I must tell you how I appreciate your 
 letter. Will you give my warmest regards to your daughter. 
 
8 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 and tell her I always think of how amused she was over 
 Archie, when Archie was a little fellow. It does me good 
 to hear from as straight an American as you are. 
 Faithfully yours, 
 
 THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 
 
 Referring to his regiment in his book "The 
 Rough Riders," Colonel Roosevelt wrote : 
 
 They were the finest fellows, and they were dead game. 
 It was the privilege of a lifetime to have commanded such 
 a regiment. It was a hard campaign, hut they were 
 beautiful days — and we won. 
 
 In a speech made at Charleston, S. C, April 9, 
 1902, President Roosevelt said of the veterans of 
 the Civil War : 
 
 All of us, North and South, can gloi'y alike in the valor 
 of the men who wore tlie blue and of the men who wore 
 the gray. Those were iron times, and only iron men could 
 fight to its terrible finish the giant struggle between the 
 hosts of Grant and Lee, the struggle that came to an end 
 thirty-seven years ago this very day. To us of the present 
 day, and to our children's children, the valiant deeds, the 
 high endeavor, and abrogation of self shown in that struggle 
 by those who took part therein, will remain for evermore 
 to mark the level to which we in our turn must rise when- 
 ever the hour of the Nation's need may come. 
 
SOLDIER 9 
 
 The following vivid description of the battle of 
 San Juan Hill is taken from the New York Sun : 
 
 When they came to the open, smooth hillside there was 
 no protection. CiiUets were raining down at them, and shot 
 and shell from the hatteries were sweeping everything. There 
 was a moment's hesitation and then came the order: "For- 
 ward ! Forward !" Lieutenant-Colonel Roosevelt waving his 
 sword. Out into the open the men went, and up the hill. 
 Death to every man seemed certain. The cracking of the 
 Mauser rifles was continuous. Out o£ tlie hrush came the 
 riders. Up they went, with the colored troops alongside of 
 them, not a man flinching, and forming as they ran. Roose- 
 velt was a hundred feet in tlio lead. Up, up they went in 
 the face of death, men dropping from the ranks at every 
 step. The Rough Riders acted like veterans. It was an 
 
 inspiring sight and an awful one Men dropped 
 
 faster and faster but others took their places. Roosevelt 
 sat erect on his horse holding his sword and shouting for 
 his men to follow him. Finally his horse was shot from 
 under him, but he landed on his feet and continued calling 
 for his men to advance. He charged up the hill afoot. . . 
 . . . At last the position was won and the block-house 
 
 captured In the rush more than half of the 
 
 Rough Riders were wounded. 
 
 In disbanding the Rough Riders Colonel Roose- 
 velt said: 
 
 I know what you were in the field. You were brave 
 and strong. I ask now of you that every man shall go back 
 and serve his country as well in peace as he did in war. I 
 can trust you to do it. 
 
10 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 COLONEL ROOSEVELT was deeply moved 
 by the spontaneous demonstrations of ap- 
 proval accorded him by his neighbors from time 
 to time ; and in later years frequently referred to 
 the occasions as being the pleasantest moments of 
 his life. 
 
 After his arrival from San Juan, much of Mr. 
 Roosevelt's time was taken up with the affairs of 
 his Rough Rider regiment, and important political 
 matters. It was not until after he was elected 
 Governor that he took an active interest in local 
 matters. 
 
 When his name was prominently mentioned as 
 the probable candidate for Governor of New York 
 State, and immediately after his nomination for 
 that offiCe, there commenced a steady inflow of 
 political pilgrims to Sagamore Hill, through the 
 village of Oyster Bay and by water craft. Oyster 
 Bay was then considered as being "on the map," 
 and experienced an ever-increasing boom up to the 
 time Mr. Roosevelt ended his career in the White 
 House. 
 
 "I put myself in the way of things happening 
 and they happened," is the way Theodore Roose- 
 velt explained his good luck. 
 
WHILE GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK STATE 
 
c 
 
 CHAPTER 11. 
 
 1 
 
 
 ILJJ 
 
 ^:^i£^^ 
 
 OVERNOR ROOSEVELT quickly recog- 
 nized the honors bestowed upon him by 
 his fellow townsmen. After his election 
 as Governor, to show his neighbors that 
 he fully appreciated what they had done 
 for him, he gave a reception to his friends 
 in the village of Oyster Bay, on the evening of 
 Monday, November 26, 1898, selecting Sheriff Je- 
 rome B. Johnson, a close personal friend, to take 
 charge of the affair. 
 
 To be personally entertained by the Governor- 
 elect of the greatest state in the Union was con- 
 sidered an honor seldom vouchsafed to a village 
 the size of Oyster Bay, and his fellow citizens held 
 their heads a little higher after shaking hands 
 with a real live Governor. 
 
 The reception was held in the lodge rooms of 
 Arbutus Council, Royal Arcanum. When the 
 people left the hall they passed through an ante- 
 room where the handsome sword presented to 
 
14 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 Colonel Roosevelt on a former occasion, was on ex- 
 hibition. On one side of the blade was etched the 
 following inscription : 
 
 Presented to Theodore Roosevelt, Colonel of the First 
 United States Volunteer Cavalry (Rough Riders) by the 
 Citizens of Oyster Ray, Long Island, September 21, 1898, in 
 recognition of gallant service rendered to the nation in the 
 war with Spain. 
 
 On the reverse side, also in etching, were em- 
 blems indicative of the triumph of civilization over 
 barbarism. 
 
 Those who received with the Governor were Mrs. 
 Roosevelt; Mrs. Douglas Robinson, Col. Roose- 
 velt's sister, and Mr. Douglas Robinson ; the Rev. 
 Homer H. Washburn, rector of the church at- 
 tended by Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt; Rev. John L. 
 Belf ord, pastor of St. Dominic's Church ; the Rev. 
 Cha^. S. Wightman, pastor of the Baptist Church ; 
 the Rev. Alexander G. Russell, pastor of the Pres- 
 byterian Church ; the Rev. W. P. Estes, pastor of 
 St. Paul's M. E. Church; representatives of the 
 local churches. 
 
 The ushers selected were : Messrs. Thos. Ellison, 
 Maurice E. Townsend, A. Burnside Cheshire, Dan- 
 iel W. Barto, Albert M. Bayles, A. J. Hutchinson, 
 F. W. Bonifer, Wm. S. Moore, George B. Stoddard, 
 Frederick Richardson, and A. L. Cheney. 
 

 
 
 o 
 
 a: 
 
 i 
 
 
 J3' 
 
 n5 
 
 O 
 
 CO 
 
 o 
 2. 
 
 2. 
 
 1 
 
 VQ 
 
 5' 
 
 CR 
 
 •C ;:!. 
 
. \ 
 
 be 
 
 m 
 
« '^ 
 
 - w 
 
Copyright, 1905, by From the Broadway Magazine, 
 
 Horace McFarland Co. September, 1907. 
 
 As Col. Roost'volt appeared in action. 
 
GOVERNOR 15 
 
 COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S first letter to me 
 was sent from Montauk Point, where he 
 was temporarily stationed. It was written in long 
 hand by one of the Rough Riders who acted as his 
 secretary. I had mailed Mr. Roosevelt several 
 of my stories taken from the New York Herald and 
 the New York Times. He acknowledged their re- 
 ceipt promptly, and said he was particularly 
 pleased with the article paying tribute to the 
 colored troops for their bravery at San Juan. He 
 believed in giviyig every man a square deal. 
 
 Colonel Roosevelt at the expiration of his term 
 as Governor presented to the Oyster Bay library 
 the official chair used by him in the Governor's 
 room at Albany. 
 
 THEODORE ROOSEVELT was as tenacious 
 as a bull dog when it came to a question of 
 right or wrong, and he never let up until a wrong 
 was righted. I recall one instance, as an illustra- 
 tion: Some time after Mr. Roosevelt was elected 
 Governor I received a telephone message from Col. 
 Wm. J. Youngs, his private secretary, summoning 
 me to meet Governor Roosevelt immediately at 
 Col. Young's summer home in Oyster Bay. 
 
16 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 Arriving at what is known as the Cove, I found 
 Governor Roosevelt in Col. Young's study, dressed 
 in riding togs, strenuously pacing back and forth, 
 vigorously tapping his boots with his whip. He 
 explained that he desired me to act as a special 
 courier for the purpose of delivering an important 
 document to a certain alleged recreant official, who, 
 it appeared, was trying to evade (or prolong 
 until after a specified date) service of the paper. 
 Another courier had been dispatched to Albany 
 in case the man happened to be at the Capitol. 
 
 Turning to me the Governor said : 
 
 "You thoroughly understand the importance of 
 this mission?" 
 
 **Yes, indeed. Governor," I replied. 
 
 "And you are quite sure you can immediately 
 reach the man if he is in the city ?" 
 
 "You can always depend upon a newspaper man 
 to make good," I answered. 
 
 "By George, you're right! They generally man- 
 age to meet me!" he shot back, with a squeaky 
 emphasis on the word "me." 
 
 The document was successfully placed in the 
 hands of the party to be reached, but I made haste 
 to leave the man's presence before he discovered 
 that he had been trapped by the Governor ! 
 
GOVERNOR 17 
 
 MR. ROOSEVELT detested sham and hated a 
 liar. One day while I was in his office a 
 very prominent politician was admitted to see him 
 in behalf of a man seeking an important office. The 
 visitor started in to expatiate on the man's splen- 
 did character and ability, when Mr. Roosevelt 
 turned to him and snapped out : 
 
 "See here, Blank! If you will put in writing, 
 over your oivn signature, what you are telling me, 
 1 will consider the appointment." 
 
 The man would not consent to do this, and the 
 appointment was never made. The man espoused 
 bore a shady reputation, and Mr. Roosevelt knew 
 it. 
 
 Singularly enough, that very day I had clipped 
 from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle the following polit- 
 ical excerpt, and taking it from my pocket, after 
 the man departed, handed it to Mr. Roosevelt 
 without comment : 
 
 The area of the lie in politics is diminishing. The era 
 of the lie in politics is coming to an end. The omnipotence 
 of the liar iu politics ceased long ago. The existence of the 
 lie in politics still remains, but its potency is decreasing, and 
 before long, under the keen sunlight of publicity, which 
 means reporters, stenographers, typewriters, the mouths of 
 delegates, the speech of men, the augmenting morality of 
 law and the growing strength of public opinion, the role of 
 the liar in politics will become so contemptible that the liar 
 
18 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 everywhere else will be careful to toll the truth whei-e folk 
 can see him and pass on him. 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt's face was a fine study in expres- 
 sion during his perusal of the crisp paragraph con- 
 cerning the "short and ugly word," for of all 
 public men he had been an undeserving victim 
 of the political lie. 
 
 At the conclusion of the reading Mr. Roosevelt 
 made some very illuminating comments. I shall 
 not attempt to quote him verbatim, but he was of 
 the opinion that the political lie would never die, 
 except to be replaced by one of like ilk or superior 
 in mischief to its defunct predecessor; that it is 
 always alert and full of business, while the truth 
 goes begging for customers. 
 
 Woe betide the man who crosses the path of the 
 political shyster. More reputations have been 
 ruined secretly by the political system of "queer- 
 ing" than by any other method. 
 
 It is an accepted fact that unscrupulous politi- 
 cians are appointed to positions of high trust, 
 while the honest, hardworking, deserving, sincere 
 lover of good government is relegated to the rear 
 by circumstantial lying. The lies vary in kind in 
 accordance with the characteristics and genius 
 of the liar. If the man in power who is to be 
 approached by the political Ananias is clean, in- 
 
GOVERNOR 19 
 
 dependent and upright, he is all the more easily 
 imposed upon. 
 
 When the political trickster is elevated over the 
 heads of deserving men, there are few, if anj^ pro- 
 tests against the appointment, because the men 
 directly interested realize that the obnoxious ap- 
 pointee by virtue of the new power vested in him 
 would make it decidedly unpleasant for them. 
 
 In his writings Mr. Roosevelt declared that "it 
 has been well said that the most uncomfortable 
 truth is a safer companion than the most pleasant 
 falsehood." He further said: 
 
 There are in the body politic, economic and social, many 
 and ,u;rave evils, and there is urgent necessity for the 
 sternest war upon them. There should be relentless exposure 
 of and attack upon every evil man wlietlier politician or 
 business man, every evil practice, whether in politics, in 
 business, or in social life. I hail as a benefactor every 
 writer or speaker, every man who, on the platform or in 
 book, magazine or newspaper, with merciless severity makes 
 such attack, provided always that he in his turn remembers 
 that the attack is of use only if it is absolutely true. 
 The liar is no whit better than the thief, and if his 
 mendacity takes the form of a slander, he may be worse 
 than most thieves. 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt knew every trick in the fascina- 
 ting game of politics, and was therefore not easily 
 imposed upon. 
 
20 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 Here is an instance of an active political lie: 
 Once when Mr. Roosevelt v^as a candidate for 
 President of the United States, a political shyster 
 employed in a government department, visited 
 Oyster Bay, and also the personal tax department 
 in Washington, D. C, to inspect the tax records for 
 the ostensible purpose of reviving the old charges 
 made against Mr. Roosevelt as a tax-dodger, which 
 charges had been proven untrue. 
 
 At Washington, when he entered the tax office, 
 this political Shylock, bent upon getting several 
 pounds of Roosevelt "flesh," opened up the vials 
 of his wrath against Mr. Roosevelt with a string 
 of the vilest kind of abuse. I was then acting 
 chief clerk of the personal tax division, and lis- 
 tened to the man's tirade in amazement, but ex- 
 tan ded to him every courtesy of the office. 
 
 Needless to say he discovered nothing to in- 
 criminate Mr. Roosevelt. He claimed that he had 
 been sent by the Treasury Department to investi- 
 gate, which was, of course, a very rank lie. It 
 was simply the personal grievance of a disgruntled 
 politician against Mr. Roosevelt. 
 
 Apropos of the question of personal tax in the 
 District of Columbia, the author believes he will 
 be doing the public a good service by devoting a 
 
GOVERNOR 21 
 
 few pages of this book to the subject, as people 
 the country over are affected by a law which is 
 none too popular. 
 
 Being Chief Clerk of the personal tax division 
 at the present writing, and having been connected 
 with the department for the past eleven years, the 
 writer can explain its workings of his own knowl- 
 edge. 
 
 During the month of February in each year the 
 Board of Personal Tax Appraisers, together 
 with the assistant assessors of real es- 
 tate, with the assessor as chairman, acting as 
 a Board of Appeals, sitting from the first Monday 
 in February to the second Monday in March, starts 
 in to "pepper" the taxpayers with assessment 
 notices, which at once begin to smart and burn 
 deep into the aggrieved mind of the receiver, who 
 has failed to comply with the law. Thousands of 
 these trouble-breeding notices are scattered broad- 
 cast. Soon the whole District of Columbia is 
 in an uproar, figuratively speaking — a howling, 
 snarling, protesting populace, and the ominous 
 sounds are echoed and reechoed by mail from all 
 the prominent cities in America, as well as from 
 cross-roads ; from the Philippines, Cuba, Honolulu, 
 from battleships on the high seas, and from points 
 in far away Europe. 
 
22 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 The "outraged" local contingent go trooping in 
 before the Board of Appeals by twos, by fours and 
 by hundreds. Senators, representatives, high gov- 
 ernment officials, lawyers, doctors, merchants, 
 tradesmen, and women of high and low degree, 
 brush elbows, swap sympathy and argue desper- 
 ately in one common cause. 
 
 Much spirit was added to the proceedings one 
 day when "Uncle Joe" Cannon, smarting under the 
 imposition of an automobile tax, strode abruptly 
 into one of the rooms and startled the clerks by 
 exclaiming in a highly-keyed voice : 
 
 "Who is the Czar here?" 
 
 After learning the nature of his errand, one of 
 clerks piloted Mr. Cannon to headquarters where 
 he succeeded in convincing "the powers that 
 be" that the automobile in question was not his 
 property, but was owned by the United States 
 Government. As the former "Czar" of the House 
 of Representatives made his exit, he remarked 
 jokingly: "That is the automobile that Champ 
 Clark was afraid to ride in because he thought it 
 would lose him votes." 
 
 The section of the law most generally 
 misunderstood is the one relating to the 
 penalty of twenty per cent, imposed by act of Con- 
 gress on all persons owning personal property in 
 
GOVERNOR 23 
 
 the District of Columbia, who fail to make a re- 
 turn in July of each year, the fiscal year beginning 
 July 1, and ending June 30. Members of the 
 Cabinet, senators, congressmen. Army and Navy 
 officers, prominent newspapers having branch of- 
 fices in the District of Columbia, and non-residents 
 the country over, possessing taxable personal prop- 
 erty in the District are caught in the meshes of this 
 law, incurring extra payment on their tax, the 
 Board of Personal Tax Appraisers having no 
 power to set aside or cancel the penalty so imposed. 
 A special act of Congress is required to remove the 
 penalty. 
 
 Personal notification is not called for under 
 the law as to making returns ; the assessor giving 
 three days' notice in the newspapers to the effect 
 that the blank schedules will be ready for distri- 
 bution to the public July 1. 
 
 Failure to see this announcement, and the fact 
 that an exemption of $1,000 applies where 
 the household and other belongings are owned by 
 the occupant of any dwelling house or other place 
 of abode, in which such household and other be- 
 longings may be located, are the little "jokers" 
 (for which, of course, the District is not responsi- 
 ble) that swell the treasury every year with thous- 
 
24 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 ands of dollars representing penalty tax. Furni- 
 ture rented out or placed in storage is not exempt. 
 Ignorance of the law is no excuse, and taxpayers 
 must pay the penalty for their ignorance or negli- 
 gence. Army and Navy officers labor under the 
 mistaken impression that they are not subject to 
 taxation in the District of Columbia. Under the 
 laws they are properly assessable the same as other 
 residents if their personal belongings (tangible 
 property) are in the District of Columbia July 1, 
 at which time the assessments are levied ; provided 
 that such belongings are not taxed in another 
 jurisdiction for the current fiscal year. 
 
 The intangible personal property tax amend- 
 ment provides for the taxation of certain intan- 
 gible personal property of any person, firm, asso- 
 ciation, or corporation resident or engaged in 
 business within the District of Columbia. It 
 is unlawful for any person to enter the District 
 of Columbia subsequent to June thirtieth of each 
 year and establish a place of business for the sale 
 of goods until a sworn statement of the value of 
 such stock has been filed with the assessor ; a pro- 
 rata bill being immediately rendered and collecta- 
 ble in three days, at the end of which time if not 
 paid, the owner is subject to distraint by the 
 Collector of Taxes. 
 
GOVERNOR 25 
 
 Aa.-essments of intangible personal property un- 
 der the Act of Congress approved March 3, 1917, 
 as an amendment to the original Act of July 1, 
 1902, causes additional trouble for the taxpayers, 
 and proves to be exceedingly unpopular. It in- 
 cludes the taxation of stocks, bonds, mortgages, 
 notes, monies, etc. ; and the total intangible assess- 
 ments the first fiscal year amounted to nearly 
 three hundred million dollars, the tangible assess- 
 ments reaching sixty million dollars more; the 
 combined tax being about two million and a half 
 dollars. 
 
 These assessments are handled by the clerks 
 nine different times before the final levy is made, 
 and must be reported to the Treasury Department 
 without the deviation of one cent. 
 
 The Commissioners have caused to be printed a 
 pamphlet containing the laws relating to taxation 
 of personal property in the District of Columbia, 
 to and including July 31, 1919. 
 
 The penalty of 20 per cent, brings forth many 
 odd as well as pitiful appeals. One man wrote : 
 
 Dear Mr Assessor : 
 
 I am sorry I did not get this in sooner. But try and 
 be merciful. If you can't be merciful be as merciful as yon 
 can. 
 
 A Red Cross woman mailed her personal tax 
 return from Italy. Accompanying it was a letter 
 
26 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 from her Washington attorney v/ho stated that 
 notwithstanding the fact that the woman was 
 ill at the time, she had travelled a distance of 
 seventy-five 7niles on a railroad train, at a cost 
 of $15.00, in order to make oath before a United 
 States Consul that she might save the penalty of 
 20 per cent, (the penalty period expiring a fev/ 
 days after she made the journey). The woman 
 declared that the trip had been "a day of torture." 
 
 As the penalty is imposed by Act of Congress, 
 the Commissioners of the District of Columbia are 
 not to be held responsible for these hardships. 
 
 No blame attaches to Congress. The penalty 
 IS necessary in order to make people comply with 
 the law. The only remedy to be applied is a good 
 stiff dose of the medicine prescribed by the late 
 Joseph Pulitzer : "Publicity." Educate the people 
 up to the requirements of the law. Strive in every 
 way to give them "a square deal." 
 
 Some years ago, Mr. Wm. P. Richards, Assessor 
 of the District of Columbia, was of the opinion 
 that no assessments under $1,000 should be ac- 
 cepted. It was figured out that the District would 
 be deprived of only $50,000 out of a tax of about 
 a million and a quarter if the law was so amended. 
 
 Such a course would certainly wipe out a lot 
 
GOVERNOR 27 
 
 of hardship suffered by the poorer classes, and also 
 do away with the annoyance to which scores of 
 people inside and outside of the District of Colum- 
 bia are yearly subjected. It would also enable the 
 assessors and the clerks to expedite the work on 
 assessments of far more importance. 
 
 Strange to say, the right of franchise is denied 
 the District of Columbia, and the residents, there- 
 fore, have no representative in Congress. The 
 professional men and merchants of the District 
 are right up-to-date in everything they undertake, 
 and rank with the best business men in the coun- 
 try. Being necessarily called upon to handle big 
 events in the National Capital, the duty is per- 
 formed in a masterly manner- They are very 
 heavy taxpayers both on real and personal prop- 
 erty. 
 
 "No body of public servants, no body of individ- 
 uals associated in private life, are better worth 
 the admiration and respect of all who value citi- 
 zenship at its true worth, than the body composed 
 of the teachers in the public schools throughout 
 the length and breadth of this Union." — Theodore 
 Roosevelt. 
 
28 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 THE eyes of the country are at present focused 
 upon Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., who is follow- 
 ing in the political footsteps of his father and any- 
 thing concerning his youthful days will be of in- 
 terest now. 
 
 At Sagamore Hill, standing under the head of 
 a magnificent stag, beautifully mounted, in the 
 Governor's library, I had my first handshake with 
 Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. 
 
 Simplicity is the ruling characteristic in the 
 Roosevelt household, and I v/as not surprised to see 
 the Governor ignore ceremony and step to the 
 front of a stairway and cry, "Ho, Teddy!" And 
 down the wide stairway appeared little Teddy with 
 measured tread and a matured swing of the body. 
 The manly little fellow grasped my hand cordially, 
 and said in a slow, emphatic tone : 
 
 "I am very glad to meet you." 
 
 As a boy I found Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., a 
 most interesting study. He was the exact opposite 
 of the average youngster. No character in the 
 juvenile world at that time was more original and 
 striking than little Teddy Roosevelt. His manners 
 did not court familiarity, but were rather awe- 
 some. His tastes were mature, and he was de- 
 lighted if he could do what his father did, of whom 
 he was an ardent admirer. 
 
GOVERNOR 29 
 
 No matter what the sport might be, he was al- 
 ways ready to take part in it, heart and soul, — 
 in fact, he was very apt to go beyond his strength. 
 In winter he slid down Sagamore Hill on his skis 
 and his sled, and in summer fished, bathed, rode 
 his pet pony and took long walks in the woods 
 through mud and water, and sometimes returned 
 home soaked through and through. And in all 
 these sports his father took part when he possibly 
 could. 
 
 Teddy, Jr., was also fond of gardening, and 
 frequently donned the conventional blue overalls, 
 helping the gardener hoe, and riding about in the 
 farm wagons. 
 
 One day, while the governess was giving young 
 Teddy a lesson on the piano, he stopped in the 
 middle of an exercise and rattled off, without the 
 slightest hesitation : 
 
 "Theodore Roosevelt, Police Commissioner, 
 Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Colonel of the 
 Rough Riders and Governor of Nev/ York State," 
 much to the amusement of his teacher. 
 
 Colonel Roosevelt has been pronounced a great 
 naturalist, having acquired his knowledge of birds 
 and animals in early boyhood, and is known to 
 have been very happy in association with natur- 
 alists. 
 
30 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., is also a born natur- 
 alist, and his museum was one to be proud of, 
 containing a very large number of choice speci- 
 mens. 
 
 A STORY was told in Albany to the effect that 
 when Mr. Roosevelt's eldest son came home 
 one day from school covered with mud, face and 
 hands scarred, the Governor asked concernedly : 
 
 "What is the matter?" 
 
 "Well," replied young Teddy, "a boy up the 
 street made a face at me, and said, 'Your father's 
 a faker.' He was a good deal bigger than I, but I 
 wouldn't stand that, you know, so I just lit into 
 him, and I had a pretty hard time. But I licked 
 him." 
 
 "That's right. That's right. I'm glad you 
 licked him," were the parental words of approval. 
 
 It is also said that two boys were fighting on 
 their way home from school in Albany one after- 
 noon, and a policeman who had separated them 
 saw Governor Roosevelt coming and thought it a 
 fine opportunity to impress the boys — and the 
 Governor. Mr. Roosevelt listened, then asked the 
 boys for their story. Their statements seemed to 
 have the greater weight, for, turning to the police- 
 man, he said emphatically : 
 
 "Let 'em fight it out. It's good for them." 
 
Photo by Gildersloeve. 
 JAMES DUTHIE 
 Past Master of Matiiu'cock TvOtljie, F. & A. M.. at Oyster Bay 
 Once ackii()\\io(lK<'«l as President Hoosovelt's "iioss." 
 
 See Paee 3cS 
 
A Distinsnishotl Notificiition Committee at Sagamore Hill, li: 
 
CopyriKht 1904 by Underwood & Underwood 
 the group are some of President Roosevelt's near neii:]il)ors. 
 
GOVERNOR 31 
 
 MR. ROOSEVELT'S neighbors are fond of 
 telling a story which they attribute to 
 Kermit, who, when he was a little fellow, as the 
 story goes, rushed into the house one day and 
 exclaimed : 
 
 "Father, come on out in the yard and see some- 
 thing awfully funny." 
 
 "I am busy ; what is it son ?" inquired Mr. Roose- 
 velt. 
 
 Kermit was insistent about the curious thing 
 until finally his father said : 
 
 "Well, has it got a tail?" 
 
 "Why," replied the boy, "the darn thing is all 
 tail !" 
 
 Kermit had seen a snake, for the first time. 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt was very much interested in 
 local educational matters. I was at one time presi- 
 dent of the Oyster Bay Board of Education, and 
 earlier a trustee, when the new High School build- 
 ing was erected. 
 
 One day Mr. Roosevelt sent for me and asked if 
 there was anything he could do to advance the in- 
 terests of the Oyster Bay School. He was told that 
 he was expected to lay the corner stone of the new 
 school building and deliver an address. He seemed 
 
32 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 immensely pleased, and entered heartily into the 
 exercises at the appointed time. 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt evinced similar interest in the 
 Oyster Bay Library and, in fact, in all the local 
 institutions, contributing money, books, etc. 
 
 He gave, through the Pilot, a sufficient number 
 of books to establish a library in the A. M. E. 
 Zion Church. 
 
 The capacity of the High School Building hat) 
 been greatly increased, and the facilities improved, 
 largely through the energetic efforts of Mr. John 
 F. Bermingham, President of the Board of Educa- 
 tion, and Principal Whitaker. 
 
 DURING his term as Governor, Mr. Roosevelt, 
 when at Sagamore Hill, employed a secre- 
 tary at his ov^n expense, instead of requisitioning 
 a stenographer from the department at Albany, as 
 the following letter will show : 
 
 State of New York, Executive Chamber, 
 
 Albany, Dec. 20, 1900. 
 My dear Miss Cheney : 
 
 Can you act as my stenographer in January? If so, 
 will you come up to Sagamore Hill on the morning of the 
 
 • Sincerely yours, 
 
 THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 
 
 He pursued the same course when he was vice- 
 president. 
 
WHEN VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED 
 STATES 
 
c 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 ur 
 
 1 
 
 TU 
 
 URING his term as Vice-President, Mr. 
 Roosevelt was frequently absent from 
 Oyster Bay for long periods, but always 
 responded to the call of his neighbors 
 when he was needed upon public occa- 
 sions. He was requested to present the 
 diplomas to the graduating class in the Oyster Bay 
 High School, and responded promptly. 
 
 A souvenir bouquet made of flowers from the 
 White House conservatory was presented to each 
 member of the class, and it made the graduates 
 and their parents very proud and happy. 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt took the keenest delight in acting 
 as Kris Kringle each Christmas time at the Cove 
 School. All through public life, Theodore Roose- 
 velt never lost sight of School No. 10 at Oyster Bay 
 where his two sons, Archibald Bulloch Roosevelt 
 and Kermit Carow Roosevelt took the elementary 
 
36 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 steps of their education. Theodore, Jr., also 
 learned his A B C's at Cove School, under the 
 tutelage of Miss Sarah Provost, for whom Mr. and 
 Mrs. Roosevelt entertained the highest regard. 
 
 R- ROOSEVELT v/as deeply impressed when 
 informed how the news of the attempted 
 assassination of President McKinley first reached 
 Oyster Bay. 
 
 The New York World had a direct wire to 
 Buffalo, and received the news almost immediately 
 after Mr. McKinley was shot. The World editor's 
 first thought was : 
 
 "Where's Roosevelt?" 
 
 Then : "Get Cheney at Oyster Bay." 
 
 The connection was made immediately, and the 
 editor's announcement was, of course a shock to 
 me. Dropping the telephone receiver, I hastened 
 to dispatch a message for Pickney, the White 
 House steward, and another to Secretary Loeb. 
 
 It was found that everybody connected with 
 Sagamore Hill had left Oyster Bay that very after- 
 noon, and no information could be obtained as to 
 the whereabouts of Vice-President Roosevelt, who 
 was absent on a hunting trip at the time. A bulletin 
 of the tragedy was posted in front of the Riloi 
 office in Oyster Bay before bulletins or extra pa- 
 
VICE PRESIDENT 37 
 
 pers were issued in New York City. This fact 
 was the subject of an article printed later by the 
 Associated Press. 
 
 How Mr. Roosevelt was reached, and his famous 
 ride, are facts for the historian to record. 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt had left no definite information 
 with my daughter, who was acting as his secre- 
 tary at the time, as to where he could be reached. 
 He gave instruction to reply to every communica- 
 tion received, using a form letter. This is another 
 evidence of Mr. Roosevelt's pronounced habit of 
 answering all letters sent to him. 
 
 Following is a copy of a form letter used when 
 Mr. Roosevelt was absent : 
 
 Colonel Roosevelt is away in the Southwest and will 
 not return until Inauguration Day, the 4th of March. Your 
 letter will then be laid before liim ; but as his mail is so 
 very large, you had better write him again at that time in 
 order to ensure the matter being brouglit to l;is attention. 
 Respectfully, 
 
 A. B. CHENEY, Secretary. 
 
 An amusing feature of the form letter was the 
 fact that many writers mistook the secretary for 
 a man. One party wrote : 
 
 You have tlie reputation of being a Icindhearted young 
 man, and I know you will use your influence with the Vice- 
 President in my behalf. 
 
38 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 WHEN orator of Arbutus Council, Royal Arca- 
 num, I was selected to wait upon Mr. 
 Roosevelt and endeavor to secure his application 
 for membership in Arbutus Council. At the time 
 DeWitt Clinton Council, of Brooklyn, was forming 
 a class of one thousand in a rival contest, and the 
 newspapers prematurely announced that Mr. 
 Roosevelt's application had been obtained, adding 
 that he would probably be initiated with the class 
 of one thousand candidates. There was a rush for 
 application blanks, and the class filled rapidly be- 
 fore the report could be denied. 
 
 In the meantime it was ascertained that Gov- 
 ernor Roosevelt had made application to join Ma- 
 tinecock Lodge No. 806, F. and A. M., at Oyster 
 Bay. Realizing that one "goat" at a time was 
 about all he could possibly ride, even with his 
 acknowledged strenuosity, further efforts on be- 
 half of Arbutus Council ceased. 
 
 Being a member of Babylon Lodge, No. 793, F. 
 and A. M., I was present at the raising of Theodore 
 Roosevelt. He was initiated into Matinecock 
 Lodge, January 2, 1901, and was Vice President- 
 elect of the United States at the time, having left 
 the office of Governor of New York State at the 
 end of the year of 1900. 
 
VICE PRESIDENT 39 
 
 He was passed March 27, and raised April 24, 
 1901. 
 
 W. Brother Theodore A. Swan, a member of the 
 summer colony, and one of Mr. Roosevelt's imme- 
 diate neighbors, was Master of Matinecock Lodge 
 when Brother Roosevelt was initiated, passed and 
 raised. Brother Loeb, who was private secretary 
 to Bro. Roosevelt, was his instructor. The officers 
 of Matinecock conferred the first and second de- 
 grees, except that R. W. Brother Joseph Cummings 
 of Altair Lodge, gave the Middle Chamber lecture. 
 The first section of the third degree was conferred 
 by Matinecock's own officers; the lodge used its 
 own officers in the subordinate positions in the 
 second section, with Most Worshipful E. M. L. 
 Ehlers, Grand Secretary, as Master ; the hard work 
 being accomplished in the South by M. W. John 
 Stewart ; in the West by M. W. William Brodie ; 
 and in the East by M. W. John W. Vrooman, Past 
 Grand Master. Brother Roosevelt was raised 
 by M. W. Charles W. Meade, the then Grand Mas- 
 ter, who was present with all his staff, who were 
 received by R. W. William L. Swan. Matine- 
 cock Lodge was mighty proud of the occasion. 
 
 Admittance to the lodge room was by invitation 
 only on the night Brother Roosevelt was raised, 
 but the newspapers announced the great event. 
 
40 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 and hundreds of Masonic brethren went to Oyster 
 Bay and were turned away. The usually quiet 
 village streets had the appearance of a gala night. 
 
 From the front steps of the building somebody 
 shouted : 
 
 "Make way for the treasurer !" and Capt. Alfred 
 Ludlam, treasurer of Matinecock Lodge, pushed 
 his way through the crowd. When he reached 
 his desk he found that a pickpocket had "made 
 way" with his purse containing a goodly sum of 
 money. Several visiting detectives, members of 
 the Masonic order, were also relieved of their valu- 
 ables, but were too ashamed to "acknowledge the 
 corn." New York crooks had read the newspapers 
 and took advantage of a crowd in which they were 
 least expected. 
 
 AN INCIDENT connected with his member- 
 ship in Matinecock Lodge furnished anoth- 
 er demonstration of Mr. Roosevelt's democratic 
 nature and his love of mixing with the plain 
 people. 
 
 One of the chaplains of the lodge, the late Rev. 
 Alexander G. Russell, pastor of the Presbyterian 
 Church at Oyster Bay, was an invited guest at a 
 White House luncheon, when the question of 
 Masonry happened to be brought into the general 
 
VICE PRESIDENT 41 
 
 conversation, and it was found that every man 
 present was a Mason. President Roosevelt de- 
 clared he liked the idea of Masonry in that it 
 brought all men to a common level, and made 
 them feel the equal of everyone. 
 
 "Do you know^," said the President, "that the 
 Master of my lodge is just a working man, — a 
 gardener for one of my neighbors in Oyster Bay ; 
 but when I visit Matinecock Lodge he is my boss, 
 and I must stand up when he orders me, and sit 
 down when he tells me, and not speak unless he 
 allows me." 
 
 W. M. James Duthie, is the gardener referred 
 to by the President. He was Senior Warden when 
 Bro. Roosevelt was raised. He is a Scotchman of 
 exceptionally good appearance, very gentlemanly, 
 and exceedingly well read. He was Master of 
 Matinecock Lodge three years during President 
 Roosevelt's first administration — 1902, 1903 and 
 1904. He was succeeded one year by W. Edward 
 P. Waldron, and four years by W. George W. 
 Downing. 
 
 For the last four years Past Master Duthie 
 has been Assistant Grand Lecturer. He never 
 missed a meeting of his lodge during a continuous 
 period of fifteen years. 
 
42 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 For ten years, Mr. Duthie was Chief Usher at 
 Christ Episcopal Church, where Mr. Roosevelt 
 worshipped. He had a most strenuous time seat- 
 ing the people near the President's pew, and one 
 Sunday a woman "crank" tried to have him ar- 
 rested for preventing her from getting too near 
 the President. 
 
 President Roosevelt made frequent visits to the 
 lodge, and was always eager to go. One night he 
 entered the lodge room in the manner common to 
 all Masons, and cast his eyes around for a seat, 
 when the Worshipful Master said : 
 
 "Brother Roosevelt, you will find a seat on the 
 left." 
 
 It so happened that the vacant seat was next 
 to the one occupied by the writer. Brother Roose- 
 velt's face was all aglow with happiness when he 
 took his seat, and he turned and talked to his im- 
 mediate brethren in the most informal manner. 
 
 When the lodge went to refreshment. President 
 Roosevelt mingled with the brethren, exclaiming : 
 
 "By Jove ! This is great ! Great !" 
 
 It seemed as though the social and political fet- 
 ters had fallen from his shoulders, and he was 
 free to talk and act to suit his own sweet will. 
 
 On the night that Brother Roosevelt was 
 
VICE PRESIDENT 43 
 
 raised, Brother Wm. Loeb, Jr., acted as his spon- 
 sor. Strange to relate. Brother Loeb experienced 
 a lapse of memory for an instant. Quick as a flash 
 Candidate Roosevelt took up the broken thread, 
 and the brethren showed their admiration and ap- 
 preciation of the unusual incident by an out-burst 
 of applause. 
 
 IT IS interesting to note in this connection, that 
 George Washington, the first President of the 
 United States, was raised August 4, 1753, in Fred- 
 ericksburg Lodge No. 4, of Virginia, dating back 
 one hundred and forty-eight years previous to the 
 raising in Masonry of Theodore Roosevelt, who 
 was the twenty-sixth President of the United 
 States. 
 
 Mr. Washington was a charter member of 
 Alexandria Lodge No. 22, Alexandria, Va., when 
 said lodge was instituted, April 28, 1788. In 
 1804, after his death, the name of this lodge was 
 changed to the Alexandria-Washington Lodge. 
 Washington was President of the United States 
 from April 30, 1789 to March 4, 1797. At the 
 time of Mr. Washington's death there were three 
 doctors present, all of whom were Master Masons. 
 Two of these, Drs. Dick and Craik, were members 
 of his lodge; and the third. Dr. Brown, was the 
 
44 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 Grand Master of Masons of the State of Maryland, 
 being the fifth Grand Master. Worshipful Bro. 
 Geo. W. Faller, past master of Matinecock Lodge, 
 was the physician who attended Bro. Roosevelt in 
 his last illness. 
 
 BEFORE he became President of the United 
 States, it had been the custom of Mr. Roose- 
 velt, once a year, to hold a private reception for 
 the reporters at Sagamore Hill, at which time 
 the newspaper men would appear in evening dress 
 and be highly entertained in the study for an hour 
 or more listening to spirited stories, related in con- 
 fidence, that would look mighty good in print, and 
 would also bring a princely price. 
 
 In writing the conventional biographies of 
 great personages, little or no account is taken of 
 the men who necessarily figure along the "firing 
 line" or in the "trenches" of journalism. Hence 
 "there's a reason" why a few pages of this book 
 should be devoted to the splendid work accom- 
 plished by the reporters stationed at Oyster Bay, 
 and who entered into and constituted a large part 
 of the affairs relating to the home-life of Theodore 
 Roosevelt. He admired their pluck and gave them 
 
VICE PRESIDENT 45 
 
 every encouragement, if deserving — in fact, he 
 was their ''meal ticket." 
 
 SPEAKING from long experience as owner, 
 editor and publisher of several newspapers, 
 I have found that the qualifications necessary for a 
 successful reporter are varied and exacting. First 
 of all he must have natural ability ; then the apti- 
 tude for getting at the truth; the power to read 
 human nature aright ; the industry for research ; 
 the gift to assemble the facts and incidents so as 
 to capture and hold the attention of the reader and 
 please the sense of truth, pathos and humor. 
 
 No matter how barren the facts or how 
 meagre the information, when a reporter gets 
 an assignment to cover a story, whether it be 
 five hundred or five thousand words, he must be 
 equal to the emergency, and the man who makes 
 the best shov/ing of his talents naturally goes to 
 the top. But it is done at the sacrifice of all 
 pleasure and personal comfort. The reporter's 
 first duty is to his paper at any and all times. 
 When properly trained and thoroughly imbued 
 with a sense of his duty, the reporter will brave all 
 dangers and deny himself every luxury to subserve 
 the best interests of his newspaper and to make 
 a record for himself. 
 
46 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 The reportorial road to fame is a broad and an 
 open one, full of great and brilliant possibilities for 
 aspiring young men of talent, but it is not an easy 
 thoroughfare to travel. It is paved with hard- 
 ships and discouragements. The battle must be 
 hard fought and unceasing. It is not an easy or 
 a short step from the ranks of the private to the 
 position of a general in command. 
 
 Of all the professions in the world, that of the 
 newspaper plodder, be he editor, correspondent, 
 special writer or reporter, is the most exacting in 
 its demands upon the brain and mind. Success is 
 attained only through careful and indefatigable 
 labor; but the reward is worth the effort. 
 
 There are no prospects and no room at the top, 
 in the field of journalism, for lazy men. It is one 
 continuous grind, and the men or women who 
 cannot withstand its exactions must eventually fall 
 by the wayside. 
 
 Arthur Brisbane "said it all" when he remarked 
 to the writer one day: "Newspaper work is an 
 awful drag." Mr. Brisbane has been largely com- 
 pensated for his hard work through the inspira- 
 tions people have received from reading his 
 brilliant editorials. 
 
 Reporters unquestionably formulate and sway 
 public opinion. The editorial writer in order to 
 
Hon. BYRON K. NEWTUN 
 
 Formerly First Assistant Secretary of the Fnited States 
 
 Treasury, now Collector of the Port of New York, 
 
 who arose from the newspaper ranks. 
 
JOHN C. KENXAllAX 
 
 Formerly owner of the Oyster Bay Pilot and for twenty-two 
 years a reporter on the Brooklyn Eagle. He hired a special locomo- 
 tive on the Long Island Railroad to get a confession from Rugg, the 
 murderer. He started life as a newsboy. 
 
3 o 
 
 
 ::■ -^ ►- 
 
 X 
 
 -« 3 
 
 
 -: KG 
 
 4^0 
 
Oyster Bay Pilot Newspaper Office 
 where Mr. Roosevelt's letters of 
 acceptance were ordered printed. 
 
VICE PRESIDENT 47 
 
 keep in touch with public sentiment, must necess- 
 arily build his ideas on the reporter's presentation 
 of news facts, and the latter thus moulds, fash- 
 ions and controls public prejudice, be it for good or 
 for evil. 
 
 No class of men in the world bring to their pro- 
 fession so much loyalty, shrewdness, energy and 
 capability as reporters. They must be omniscient 
 and omnipresent. Their loyalty cannot be ques- 
 tioned. They will sacrifice all personal comfort 
 and pleasure rather than be beaten or miss a 
 "scoop." 
 
 The trained reporter has little time to think 
 or study. He must generally act on the spur of 
 the moment, and with rare good judgment and 
 tact. If he makes a slip or misses an opportunity 
 which proves of advantage to his competitor, he is 
 at once in bad odor at the office, and is called 
 down — a punishment every conscientious reporter 
 dreads. His aim is to excel in his profession and 
 to surpass his associates. 
 
 Natural ability, training and experience make 
 the successful special correspondent and reporter. 
 A collegiate course does not fill the bill instanta- 
 neously. A graduate fresh from college has yet to 
 graduate from the reportorial school. There is a 
 certain "twist" to be acquired, gained by the sue- 
 
48 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 cessful reporter only through practical experience. 
 Your green college graduate, if sent on an assign- 
 ment will give you an essay which will pass unread, 
 while the trained reporter will dish up a brilliant, 
 spicy story pleasing to both the eye and the senses, 
 and one that will be devoured with avidity. 
 
 AMONG the New York city pioneer reporters 
 covering Oyster Bay, can be recalled Mr. 
 Elmer E. Paine of the Associated Press, who was 
 considered the dean of the group ; Messrs. Grahame 
 of the Commercial Adve7'tiser, Livingstone of the 
 Herald, Slaight of the Wo7id, Dennison of the S^m, 
 Hazard of the Trihime, and Halstead (son of 
 Murat Halstead) of the Times. 
 
 Mr. John O'Brien, another reporter for the New 
 York Sim at Oyster Bay, was appointed Dock 
 Commissioner in New York. Mr. Harry Brown, 
 at one time a well-known political writer for the 
 New York Herald, was a frequent visitor to Sag- 
 amore Hill, and always had ready access to Pres- 
 ident Roosevelt. 
 
 Edward Marshall, the famous war correspond- 
 ent, who was shot at the battle of Las Guasimas, 
 and lost a leg, was an active participant in one of 
 the Roosevelt receptions. He became so enthu- 
 siastic in the work that he caused handbills to be 
 
VICE PRESIDENT 49 
 
 printed at his own expense, and hustled around 
 on crutches to aid the reception committee. 
 
 Changes were frequently made in the reportori- 
 al personnel, the later list including Messrs. Byron 
 R. Newton, Herald; Robert Bailey, Associated 
 Press; Loren Palmer, Sun; Charles Hambidge, 
 Times; William Hoster, American; and Vincent 
 Cook, World. Mr. Elting Fowler, now dead, was a 
 late comer for the Sun: also Mr. Hamilton of the 
 Evening Sun; Mr. Pollock and Mr. Charles E. 
 Shepherd of the Brooklyn Eagle; Mr. Warn of the 
 New York Times, Mr. Harry Coleman of the Asso- 
 ciated Press, Mr. Walter Funnell of the Brooklyn 
 Times, and Mr. Thomas Kelly, Standard News 
 Association. 
 
 Fowler made a hit by writing up John Frank- 
 lin's trout pond, or tank, which was located direct- 
 ly under the bar at the Franklin Hotel near the 
 shore. The tank contained many fine specimens 
 of the trout tribe, and also kegs of beer for cooling. 
 The place had been made famous by the metro- 
 politan newspapers. One day a beer keg collapsed, 
 and Fowler's description of the "drunken trout" 
 was very funny and was widely copied. 
 
 Fowler was highly elated when Mr. Roosevelt 
 referred to the trout story and told him how 
 thoroughly he enjoyed it. 
 
50 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 Several of the newspaper men stationed at 
 Oyster Bay became very prominent in public life, 
 notably Mr. Byron R. Newton, who was appointed 
 First Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under 
 William McAdoo. He often, and very ably, filled 
 the responsible position of Acting Secretary dur- 
 ing the absence of Mr. McAdoo. Mr. Newton is 
 now making good as Collector of the Port of New 
 York. It is said that Roosevelt was once 
 responsible for Mr. Newton's desertion from the 
 newspaper ranks to enter public life. Mr. Robert 
 Bailey was also appointed an Assistant Secretary 
 of the Treasury ; but later retired to private life. 
 
 MR. ROOSEVELT loved a good story and was 
 very fond of almost any "catchy" song. 
 Mr. Alfred J. Stofer, familiarly known as "Major" 
 Stofer, one of Washington's pioneer newspaper 
 correspondents, with a record of thirty years at 
 the Capital, had two songs in his repertoire which 
 he was in the habit of singing at the famous 
 Gridiron Club's dinners that seemed especially to 
 appeal to Colonel Roosevelt. 
 
 There were a few songs Mr. Roosevelt became so 
 familiar with that he invariably joined lustily in 
 the choruses, when they were sung at the dinners 
 which he attended in Washington, before and after 
 becoming President. 
 
VICE PRESIDENT 51 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt was not especially quick at learn- 
 ing a musical air, but one of these songs, '*De 
 Watermilion Hangin' on De Vine," was rendered 
 so frequently at Gridiron Club dinners, that Col. 
 Roosevelt had no difficulty in joining in the ring- 
 ing chorus which was swelled by members and 
 guests in all portions of the spacious room in 
 which the dinners were given. 
 
 If he did not sing in loud voice while the 
 first verse of that song was going he showed his 
 keen interest while the words were being reeled 
 off as follows : 
 
 Oh, de dew it am a fallin', dat 'miliou's gwiueter cool, 
 
 An' soon it will be very, very fine ; 
 But, bless yo' soul, my houey, dis darkey ain' no fool 
 
 To leave it dar a hangin' on de vine. 
 
 Oh, de ham bone am good, de bacon am sweet, 
 
 'Possum meat am very, very fine ; 
 But gimme, oh gimme, oil how I wish you would, 
 
 Dat watermilion a hangin' on de \me. 
 
 There are five verses in the song, and the one to 
 which Col. Roosevelt specially warmed up was the 
 fourth, as follows : 
 
 Oh, de 'possum an' de tater am mighty good to eat — 
 Some darkeys think dar's livin' in a liam ; 
 
 But watermilion's eatin' dat nuthin' else kin beat, 
 For it's loaded full of "Olory to de Lam.' " 
 
52 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 Another song was the "Levee Bully," which was 
 some years ago made famous on the stage by 
 May Irwin, the popular actress. That entire pro- 
 duction is musically so strenuous that it caught 
 the fancy of the President completely. Major 
 Stofer was on the program to render the bully 
 song one night, and as it was certain that Col. 
 Roosevelt would be the star guest of the evening, it 
 occurred to the Major while shaving for the occa- 
 sion, that he would take his razor to the dinner 
 with him. This razor had a white ivory handle. 
 Just before being called upon he threw the blade 
 back and placed the razor in his coat pocket so that 
 it could be flashed just as he reached the words in 
 the song where the Tennessee darkey, supposed to 
 be hunting for days and weeks for the "levee 
 bully," finally got him cornered. As the words, "I 
 drawed my steel dat gemman for to find." were 
 uttered. Major Stofer was looking straight at Col. 
 Roosevelt who was listening with intense interest. 
 The Major flashed the razor. Instantly the Colonel 
 sprang to his feet and gave such a whoop of de- 
 light that it convulsed nearly every one in the 
 central portion of the big banquet room with 
 laughter. 
 
 None of the reporters covering Col. Roosevelt 
 were eligible for membership in Editor Rodemey- 
 er's Bald Headed Club of America. 
 
AS PRESIDENT 
 
c 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 W"^^^^^^^^ 
 
 1 
 
 The 
 
 iTSTER BAY being a centre of fashion and 
 wealth, was vested with additional im- 
 portance as the summer capital of the 
 Nation. Merchants and tradesmen of all 
 classes, during these fortunate summers, 
 did a thriving business. 
 
 presence of President Roosevelt put m 
 
 circulation a large amount of money, expended by 
 visitors who went to Oyster Bay from all over the 
 country. The clerical force at the executive of- 
 fices, which numbered more than two dozen people, 
 many with families, left a large amount of money 
 each year, as well as the Secret Service men, most 
 of whom had their families there. The great 
 number of newspaper men, too, added largely to 
 the prosperity of the place. 
 
 Once the President, his family and his assistants 
 were gone, and the summer colonists took their 
 
56 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 departure, Oyster Bay resumed its Rip Van Win- 
 kle-like sleep. 
 
 MRS. ROOSEVELT lives very quietly, and 
 shuns publicity. It is known that she 
 always had unbounded faith in her husband's 
 ability and power to command a future. She 
 proved to be a great incentive to him in his work. 
 
 Theodore Roosevelt and Edith Kermit Carow 
 were great friends in early youth. The Roose- 
 velts and the Carows were two of the foremost 
 families in New York, and on terms of intimacy 
 with each other. Edith Carow was then referred 
 to as "a lovely and brilliant girl," just as her 
 Oyster Bay neighbors refer to her now as "a 
 beautiful character." Although socially promi- 
 nent, she has always lived a very ordinary life. 
 Her children possess her traits to a marked de- 
 gree. 
 
 Mrs. Roosevelt frequently visits the rooms of 
 the St. Hilda Society of Christ Church, and en- 
 gages, with the other members, in sewing for 
 charity or for the annual fair. She is spoken of 
 as "a very faithful member." 
 
 The Society was founded by the late Mrs. Henry 
 Homer Washburn, wife of the Rector of Christ 
 Church, of which Mrs. Roosevelt is a member. 
 
PRESIDENT 57 
 
 The Washburns were very highly thought of by 
 the Roosevelts, The Rev. Mr. Washburn, who 
 lives in New York City, is rector emeritus of 
 Christ Church. His father was the author of the 
 famous patriotic song entitled: "The Vacant 
 Chair." 
 
 FIVE children — three sons and two daughters — 
 survive Colonel Roosevelt. The sons are: 
 Capt. Archie Roosevelt and Col. Theodore Roose- 
 velt, Jr., who were with the American forces in 
 France and Capt. Kermit Roosevelt who was an 
 officer in the American Expeditionary Forces, hav- 
 ing enlisted in the British Army before the United 
 States entered the war, being later transferred. 
 
 The daughters are : Alice, wife of Congressman 
 Nicholas Longworth of Cincinnati, Ohio; and 
 Ethel, now Mrs. Richard Derby of New York. 
 
 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT frequently took a 
 "short cut" to the executive offices from 
 the White House, walking down a rear terrace. 
 One day he found a policeman asleep while guard- 
 ing the door to a back entrance. The President 
 passed the sleeping guard, with a broad grin on 
 his face. The man in charge of the grounds at 
 the time, having learned of the incident, started 
 
58 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 to arouse and admonish the policeman, when 
 the President raised his hand and exclaimed : 
 
 "No! No! Don't wake him up — unless he 
 snores." 
 
 PERFECT harmony prevailed in the Roosevelt 
 household at all times. This fact is testified 
 to by every person employed at Sagamore Hill. 
 
 Mrs. Edward Norris, nee Mary McKenna, of 
 Washington, D. C, was for many years Mrs. 
 Roosevelt's maid, and her services were very 
 highly valued. When Mrs. Norris left the White 
 House, President Roosevelt presented her with 
 his latest portrait bearing the following inscrip- 
 tion: 
 
 February 11, 1909. To Mary McKeuua with all good 
 wishes for her future from Theodoi-e Roosevelt. 
 
 Mrs. Norris was particularly fond of the Roose- 
 velt children. She says that Quentin Roosevelt 
 possessed his father's qualities to a marked de- 
 gree. Sometimes matters would go wrong on an 
 "off day," as they are bound to do in every house- 
 hold, when Mr. Roosevelt would say : 
 
 "0, never mind ; that's all right !" 
 
 Quentin often made the same remark. Mrs. 
 Norris says that Quentin would frequently be 
 
PRESIDENT 59 
 
 found in a corner 'Vith his nose in a book." At 
 the time he was killed in the aviation service, 
 Quentin bore a striking resemblance to his father. 
 Miss Margaret McConvey, governess for the 
 Roosevelt children, was extremely fond of Quen- 
 tin, and grieved greatly over his death. Miss Annie 
 Loftes, maid to Miss Alice, v/ent with her to Wash- 
 ington when she became Mrs. Nicholas Long- 
 worth. Miss Annie O'Rourke was the cook, Miss 
 Rose McKenna, a waitress, and Miss Mamie Led- 
 with, a -nurse. They all speak in the highest 
 terms of the cordial manner in which they were 
 treated by the whole Roosevelt family at Saga- 
 more Hill. 
 
 THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Roosevelt were 
 very solicitous of the comfort and health of 
 the people in their employ. Noah Seam_an, the 
 superintendent of the Sagamore Hill estate, was 
 an exceptionally fine man, and the President re- 
 garded him highly, treating him almost like a 
 brother, both in public and in private. Mr. Roose- 
 velt was deeply affected when he learned of Sea- 
 man's death, and considered it a personal loss. 
 
 One time Mr, Seaman was critically ill when 
 Mr, Roosevelt was at the White House, but the 
 
60 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 family did not acquaint the President with the 
 fact. 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt had previously asked me to keep 
 him informed concerning certain people in Oyster 
 Bay, — in fact, I vi^as a sort of "Handy-Andy" and 
 a "bureau of information" for the entire executive 
 force, as well as the New York newspapers gener- 
 ally. 
 
 I considered it my duty to write to the President 
 and inform him of Mr. Seaman's serious condition. 
 Mr. Roosevelt immediately sent a specialist from 
 Washington to take charge of the case, and his 
 prompt action at the time probably saved Seaman's 
 life. 
 
 MR. ROOSEVELT'S unceasing activity con- 
 stantly developed exciting incidents, many 
 of which never reached the newspapers because 
 the facts were known only to the immediate family 
 and the servants. The attaches of the Roosevelt 
 household were very secretive, and would never 
 divulge anything unless authorized to do so. 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt was chopping down trees in the 
 woods one day, when the axe slipped and he re- 
 ceived a cut on the foot. He made light of the 
 accident, but Superintendent Seaman, who was 
 with him, fearing blood poisoning, insisted upon 
 
PRESIDENT 61 
 
 his going to the house and having the wound 
 dressed by Mrs. Roosevelt. This v^as told to me 
 by Seaman, who requested that it be withheld 
 from publication. 
 
 Here is another startling incident that never 
 reached the newspapers. 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt was mounted on "Bleinstein," his 
 favorite saddle horse, one morning, when the 
 spirited animal suddenly shied and the President 
 was thrown violently to the ground, near the 
 house, striking on his head and shoulders. He 
 was badly shaken up and felt the effects of the 
 fall for several days. I was strongly tempted to 
 write the story and get a "scoop." Again I was 
 asked to treat the accident confidentially. 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt and the family were being driven 
 from Sagamore Hill on their way to church one 
 Sunday, when the carriage came in close contact 
 with a half-drunken man, making him very angry 
 and he declared, with an oath, that if the coachman 
 would get out of the conveyance he would knock 
 his head off. 
 
 The President instantly informed the coachman 
 that he v/ould accept the challenge himself, and 
 jumping from the carriage started for the man, 
 who suddenly recognized Mr. Roosevelt and has- 
 tened to apologize. 
 
62 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 T^HEODORE ROOSEVELT was truly a man of 
 -*- action. He was never still, even in the 
 hands of his private barber. Intimate friends who 
 gathered about him at such times became nervous 
 when Mr. Roosevelt gesticulated, or sometimes 
 would spring out of his chair. 
 
 "Isn't there danger of cutting the President?" 
 some one much concerned asked the barber. 
 
 "No, indeed. If he kept still I'd cut him sure," 
 responded the tonsorialist, smilingly. 
 
 On these occasions the President discussed af- 
 fairs of state with Secretary Elihu Root, to whom 
 he referred as "the invaluable Elihu" ; or with 
 Senator Lodge, his avowed bosom friend ; or with 
 Mr. Pinchot, Mr. Garfield and Dr. Lambert. 
 
 ST. HILDA SOCIETY, in which Mrs. Roosevelt 
 is deeply interested, will doubtless take an 
 active part in raising funds for the Roosevelt 
 Memiorial Park. Mrs. George E. Talmadge, wife 
 of the rector of Christ Church, is president of the 
 Society ; Mrs. Robert J. Ludlam, secretary ; and 
 Mrs. Elbert Rushmore, treasurer. The other 
 members comprise Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Mrs. 
 Jesse Mollineaux, Mrs. Robert Spicer, Mrs. Frank 
 Spicer, Mrs. Millie Lewis, Mrs. Fred Sammis, Mrs. 
 Charles Wilkinson, Mrs. Edward Birchell, 
 
An Approved Pictur? 
 
 Photo bv Pach Protheis. 
 
 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 As lie appeared when President of the United States, 
 during the first part of his administration. 
 
The piotuie on the opposite pajje was taken duriiii; the reception to 
 his neighbor', at Oyster Bay, Septemljer If), 1902, when President Roose- 
 velt gathered about him several of his neiglibors and a number of 
 New York detectives on the veranda of his house, and called to •? 
 photogi-apher to tal;e the group. The photographer had used up all of 
 his plates, hut being (luick-witted, and realizing that a request was 
 virtually a command from the President of the United States, hastily 
 slipped into the camera a plate already exposed, thus making a double 
 exposure, the picture being later enlarged and sent to President Roose- 
 velt. 
 
 1. Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States. 
 '1. James E. Downing, Detective Sergeant, New York. 
 
 3. J. H. Allen. Central Office Detective, New York. 
 
 4. John T. Ruth, Central Office Detective, New York. 
 
 5. John Becker, Central Office Detective, New York. 
 
 6. William P. Sheridan, Detective Sergeant, Nevv- York. 
 
 7. John J. Burke, Central Office Detective, New York. 
 
 8. George T. Lawler, Detective National Park Bank, Nl'w York. 
 
 9. Thomas Monday, Central Office Detective, New York. 
 
 10. William F. Pcabody, Detective Sergeant, New York. 
 
 11. Hon. Wm. J. Youngs, Member E.xecutive Committee, OystL'r Bay. 
 
 12. Frank C. Travers, Chairman General Committee, Oyster Bay. 
 Vi. William Loeb. Jr., Manager Oyster Bay Reception. 
 
 14. Mr. Stone, Chief Usher, White House. Washington. 
 
 15. Albert L. Cheney, Pres. Board of Education, Chr. Reception Com. 
 l(i. A. P. Montant, Member Executive Committee, Oyster Bay. 
 
 17. D. B. Shaw, Secret Service Agent, New York. 
 IS. Mr. Pusey, Usher White House, Washington. 
 
 19. James L. Long, Town Clerk, Secretary General Com. Oyster Bay. 
 
 20. James H. Ludlam, Member Executive Committee, Oyster Bay. 
 
 '2\. Jerome B. Johnson, Sheriff Nassau County, Member Executi\e Com. 
 22. Mr. Fullerton. Special Deputy SherilT,. Hempstead, L. I. 
 
Photo by Arthur Hewitt, 1904. 
 
 MRS. THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 And two sous, Archie and Qnentin, taken when at the 
 
 White House. 
 
PRESIDENT 
 
 63 
 
 Mrs. Daniel Kraft, Mrs. Charles Boyer, Mrs. 
 Fred A. Mills, Mrs. Herbert Phillips, Mrs. 
 Elbert Tappen, Mrs. James Brice, Mrs. E. Ebbitts. 
 Mrs. Edward Townsend, Mrs. Harry Townsend, 
 Mrs. John Moore, Mrs. Wm. Reid, Mrs. Frank 
 McQueen, Mrs. Maurice Townsend and the Misses 
 Alice Reid, Hattie McCoun, Vida McCoun, Bessie 
 Mills, Jennie Underbill, and Marie Groebel. 
 
 Pacsimile of AutoKraph Card written by the president at the White 
 
 Houne. 
 
64 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 QUESTIONS of his own finances or private 
 business never entered Mr. Roosevelt's 
 mind. He simply signed the checks and Mrs. 
 Roosevelt or his secretaries did the rest. 
 
 A shrewd local tradesman was seen coming from 
 Sagamore Hill one day, seated on a big load of 
 hay. A fellow townsman asked him if he had 
 driven a sharp bargain with Mr. Roosevelt. 
 "Roosevelt, me eye !" replied the man, and added : 
 "I bought this hay from Mrs. Roosevelt, and 
 gave her more than the market value because she's 
 a mighty fine woman." 
 
 AFTER Mr. Roosevelt was elected President, 
 Oyster Bay became the mecca for cranks, 
 but, thanks to the constant vigilance of the Secret 
 Service men, few reached Sagamore Hill. Mr. 
 William Craig, a Scotchman of Herculean propor- 
 tions, killed in a street car accident in Pittsfield, 
 Mass., while acting as the President's bodyguard, 
 was very highly thought of in Oyster Bay. 
 
 Craig, known as *'Big Bill," was a familiar figure 
 on the streets of Oyster Bay, especially in the early 
 morning hours. 
 
 It v/as necessary for me to reach my office at an 
 early hour, and I worked at a big window opening 
 almost on a level with the sidewalk. 
 
PRESIDENT 65 
 
 The reporters had designated three female 
 cranks as the "Woman in Black," the "Woman in 
 Red," and the "Woman in Blue," who were each 
 seeking a personal interview with the President. 
 
 These women were in the habit of coming to mj- 
 open window and relating to me their real, or 
 imaginary, wrongs ; importuning me to use my in- 
 fluence with Secretary Loeb in their behalf. 
 
 After they departed Mr. Craig would drop 
 around and get a line on their talk, thus keeping 
 in close touch with every questionable person. 
 
 One morning Big Bill seemed to be very much 
 perturbed over something, and finally volunteered 
 the information that he had just called up one of 
 the maids at Sagamore Hill, as was his usual cus- 
 tom, and the 'phone was unexpectedly answered by 
 the President himself. 
 
 "I was so rattled that I dropped the receiver like 
 a hot cake !" said Craig, and added : 
 
 "Now, I wonder what the President will think?" 
 
 I happened to know later that the President 
 thought it a mighty fine joke on "Big Bill" ; and 
 Mr. Roosevelt certainly loved a good joke. 
 
 The following tribute in verse was paid to the 
 memory of Craig: 
 
66 , THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 i 
 
 By Frederick Parker Kam 
 We had started out together from my home at Oyster Bay, 
 On a A'isit through New England for a stumping tour one day, 
 The month was August, Nineteen Two, and all felt blithe 
 
 and gay, 
 For the people gladly met us as we chanced to pass their way. 
 
 The pleasures of that trip to me will long in memory cling, 
 As I view again the flower-strewn streets and hear the 
 
 children sing, 
 But they tell us in the adage, "There's no rose without its 
 
 thorn," 
 And I feel mine stinging sorely when I think of him who's 
 
 gone. 
 
 We made a call at Boston and our welcome was sincere, 
 We next drove o'er to Harvard, my Alma Mater dear. 
 Then the smaller towns and cities our attention did attract. 
 And we all had enjoyed ourselves 'ere we turned and started 
 back. 
 
 AVe next went to New Hampshire and then down into Maine, 
 Then to visit Vermont had to cross New Hampshire once 
 
 again ; 
 From Vermont to Massachusetts we had safely made our 
 
 way, 
 When a tearful incident met us on that third September day. 
 
 The second night at Dalton, Mass. we stopped with Governor 
 
 Crane, 
 We were up next morning and on our way again, 
 
PRESIDENT 67 
 
 When an accident occurred to us, 'tis sad to here relate, 
 That just this side of Pittsfield my old friend met his fate. 
 
 We'd left Dalton bound for Lenox, Mass., were well upon 
 
 our way, 
 The people flocked to see us, 'twas a sweet Autumnal day. 
 Our horses pranced most proudly as they carried us alons. 
 And cries "Vive la President" rose from the surging throng. 
 
 We were rolling on unconsciously when suddenly a cry, 
 From Craig, our secret-service man, caused me to turn my 
 
 eye. 
 I saw an Electric Street Car with Madden at the grip, 
 A making towards our landau at a most tremendous clip. 
 
 I next saw Craig, my faithful friend, with hand well raised 
 
 in air. 
 He was shouting at his utmost to the motorman "Take Care," 
 The next I knew it all seemed still, my head was aching sore. 
 And I heard Crane say to Cortelyou that Craig would live 
 
 no more. 
 
 Now friends I've faced the enemy on San Juan's awful hill, 
 I've viewed the blood-stained corpses in Death's grasp cold 
 
 and still. 
 But never in my whole past life has my heart ached so 
 
 sincere, 
 As it did that day for my dear friend Craig, who died that 
 
 I might be here. 
 'Twas hard my fellow citizens, but I tried to make the most. 
 When I know that Craig my Shadow, was dying at his post, 
 And I'm not ashamed to tell you that it almost took my 
 
 breath. 
 When I realized my Shadow gone who'd been faithful unto 
 
 death. 
 
68 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 The other Secret Service men doing duty at 
 Oyster Bay were: James Sloan, Frank Tyree, 
 Richard Taylor, Stephen Cornell, and Joseph Mur- 
 phy who is now Assistant Chief of the Secret Ser- 
 vice Bureau in Washington. 
 
 CRANKS go to ridiculous extremes in an en- 
 deavor to reach prominent people or to se- 
 cure souvenirs. Mr. Roosevelt's valet told of a 
 ridiculous and embarrassing incident that hap- 
 pened in a suite of rooms at a hotel v/hile Mr. 
 Roosevelt was absent making a speech. 
 
 A very stylishly dressed woman passed back 
 and forth in front of Mr. Roosevelt's room, and 
 then suddenly darted through the open door. Seiz- 
 ing Mr. Roosevelt's coat which was hanging on a 
 chair, she clasped it in her arms, and waltzed 
 wildly around the room, exclaiming : 
 
 "I've hugged him ! I've hugged him !" 
 
 The valet was speechless with astonishment, and 
 before he could recover himself sufficiently to act, 
 the woman threw down the coat and rushed from 
 the room, highly elated over what she had done. 
 
 The valet feared to tell Mr. Roosevelt about the 
 incident because he said the President would have 
 been so disgusted that he might put the blame on 
 him. 
 
PRESIDENT 69 
 
 WHILE on duty in the office of tlie New Yorlc 
 Herald I received a letter from Mr. John 
 C. Kennahan, editor of the Long Island Farmer 
 at Jamaica, stating that he was offered an opportu- 
 nity to purchase from Mr. Edward N. Townsend 
 the Pilot printing establishment at Oyster Bay, 
 and wrote that he proposed to buy the plant if I 
 would consent to act as publisher and manager of 
 the paper. The consent was given, and this de- 
 cision led up to my settling in Oyster Bay and to 
 my close acquaintance later with Theodore Roose- 
 velt. 
 
 Mr. Kennahan, who died recently, was a v/onder- 
 ful financier, and wielded a very caustic pen. He 
 would go the limit for a friend, but never spared 
 an enemy. 
 
 He gave me carte blanche in editing the Pilot, 
 and visited the office in Oyster Bay only occasion- 
 ally. He took a keen interest in the paper, how- 
 ever, and it grew to be his pet. It wielded con- 
 siderable power in the town and county, and 
 waxed prosperous. With the aid of his outside 
 transactions the business increased tremendous- 
 ly. During one year alone, the net income of the 
 Pilot reached over fo7'ty thousand dollars, and in 
 fact yielded a big profit every year. Being an of- 
 
70 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 ficial paper, it published the tax sales and redemp- 
 tion notices. 
 
 Mr. Kennahan owned two official papers in Nas- 
 sau county and one in Queens. He obtained a 
 monopoly of certain business in both counties. Gov- 
 ernor Roosevelt's letter of acceptance was ordered 
 printed in the Pilot office as an official document. 
 
 Mr. Kennahan started life as a newsboy; acted 
 as altar boy in St. Monica's Church, Jamaica ; and 
 was for twenty-two years reporter on the Brooklyn 
 Eagle. He reported the famous Rugg murder 
 case, and by hiring a special locomotive of the 
 Long Island Railroad, he secured the first confes- 
 sion from the murderer. 
 
 He owned an exceedingly fine home in Brook- 
 lyn, and had a country seat at Great Neck, Long 
 Island. He was very proud of his home and 
 family. His wife, Eva, who survives him, is an 
 exceptionally fine woman ; and his success in life 
 was largely due to her ability and influence. He 
 also leaves a son, Mr. George Hollis Kennahan. 
 Three Nephews, Messrs. George H. and Cecil Ken- 
 nahan, and Mr. James F, Sullivan, conduct a 
 publishing business at Jamaica, L. I. 
 
PRESIDENT 71 
 
 MR. ROOSEVELT was given to flash judg- 
 ment, but would as quickly change his mind 
 if a reasonable suggestion was made. He always 
 acted on the impulse of the moment. 
 
 Arriving at the White House from Oyster Bay 
 one day, Secretary Loeb told me that the President 
 wished to see me in his office. Entering the Presi- 
 dent's room, I found him conversing very earnestly 
 with Vice President Fairbanks and a Southern 
 senator. The minute the President saw me he 
 ended the conversation abruptly and rushed for- 
 ward with both hands extended, exclaiming : 
 
 "How are all the people at Oyster Bay?" 
 
 Mr. Fairbanks and the senator stared at each 
 other in utter amazement, as much as to say : 
 
 "Who in thunder is that guy?" 
 
 Later, when the President was about to welcome 
 a big delegation of visitors, he told me to take a 
 chair near a door of the reception room and 
 watch the proceedings. Seated on the opposite 
 side of the room was a reporter who had been 
 given permission to watch the President in action. 
 When the reporter's story appeared in print it 
 bore the caption: 
 
 "An Hour with a Mile-a-Minute President." 
 
72 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 NOTWITHSTANDING his great prominence 
 and wide influence, Theodore Roosevelt was 
 very democratic in his treatment of his deserving 
 fellow citizens. 
 
 Some men, when they attain high positions, look 
 down upon less fortunate ones and appear to say : 
 
 "It is very fine up here," and at the same time, 
 in the selfishness and pride of their nature, actual- 
 ly think : 
 
 "I am awfully glad you can't get up beside me.*' 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt never could be justly classed with 
 the "I-am-better-than-thou" type of man, who 
 delights to pose as something more select than the 
 common herd. He never thought that everything 
 outside of his set was "Dutch." 
 
 One day a woman stenographer was sent from 
 Scribner's Magazine to take in shorthand a story 
 which the Colonel had agreed to dictate. She did 
 not realize the difficulties she would encounter in 
 getting the story. Mr. Roosevelt set an hour to 
 meet her in the gun room, and when he did not 
 appear at the appointed time, she walked the floor 
 exclaiming : 
 
 "When do you think I shall ever get that story?" 
 
 Some one pointed to the window and said : 
 
 "Look!" 
 
 What she saw from the window was the Colonel 
 
PRESIDENT 73 
 
 sliding down hill on skis with the children. Mr. 
 Roosevelt appeared later, very apologetic and ex- 
 tremely polite. 
 
 AS I ENJOYED not only the confidence ol 
 President Roosevelt, but also of Secretary 
 George B. Cortelyou and Secretary Wm. Loeb, Jr., 
 as well as the members of the "Summer White 
 House" Executive force and the employees at 
 Sagamore Hill, it was frequently more difficult to 
 withhold "tips" than it was to get the news. Often 
 a "leak" was attributed to me when I was absolute- 
 ly innocent. 
 
 Instructions had been given by Mr. Loeb to 
 grant me access to the executive offices at Oyster 
 Bay at all times. This liberty once caused me 
 considerable embarrassment, but the incident final- 
 ly proved to be rather amusing. 
 
 When the death of Secretary Hay was hourly 
 expected, the reporters were all on the alert to 
 make the announcement by way of Sagamore Hill. 
 My house telephone was installed at the head of my 
 bed for instant use, and I slept very little the 
 night Secretary Hay died, expecting every minute 
 to get a "tip" from New York. 
 
 Leaving the house very early in the morning, 
 and while walking down to my office, I saw Mr. 
 Elmer E. Paine of the Associated Press driving 
 
74 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 through the streets in a carriage. He had been to 
 Sagamore Hill to see the President, and was in 
 a great hurry, having received word that Secre- 
 tary Hay was dead. Mr. Paine said he would give 
 out the facts later. 
 
 Shortly after, I sauntered into the executive 
 offices, and on Secretary Loeb's desk found a long 
 telegram of condolence from the President to Mrs. 
 Hay to be given out, as I supposed. I made a copy 
 of the telegram, rushed out and telephoned it to 
 the papers in New York. 
 
 Later, on the way to Mr, Paine's room, I met 
 Mr. William Hoster of the New York American. I 
 informed him that Mr. Paine had seen the Presi- 
 dent and was to give out the story. When we met 
 Mr. Paine he recounted his interview with the 
 President, stating very carefully and most em- 
 phatically that he had been intrusted with a tele- 
 gram to be sent to Mrs. Hay, and that the Pres- 
 ident said it must not he given out with the story. 
 And I had already telephoned the message to 
 New York ! 
 
 Suddenly realizing that Mr. Paine had left the 
 copy of the telegram on Mr. Loeb's desk, and that 
 the despatch would be given to the public before 
 it reached Mrs. Hay, I hastily excused myself, 
 
PRESIDENT 75 
 
 rushed to the nearest telephone and tried to recall 
 the telegram. 
 
 I heard the day man, at the newspaper desk in 
 New York, laugh uproarously and shout: 
 
 "Cheney's got a 'scoop' and he's scared to 
 death." 
 
 Of course the Associated Press demanded an 
 immediate explanation from Mr. Paine as to why 
 the despatch had been omitted from his story. Nat- 
 urally Mr. Paine was furious, and threatened dire 
 things to the guilty parties, including the tele- 
 graph operator and the colored messenger in 
 charge of the executive ofRce, both being badly 
 frightened. I was also afraid that my hasty 
 action would put me in bad with the President. 
 When Mr. Loeb reached his desk, after seeing 
 Mr. Roosevelt, and said to me : 
 
 "I see that you scored a beat on Paine this morn- 
 ing," I breathed a deep sigh of relief. 
 
 IT WAS never discovered how a stranger uncere- 
 moniously entered the dining room at Saga- 
 more Hill one morning. The President was at 
 breakfast when he looked up and found the man 
 standing beside him. 
 
 "How did you get in here?" asked the President, 
 in amazement. 
 
76 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 "Walked in," said the intruder coolly. 
 The man's audacity so amused the President that 
 he did not order him ejected, but accompanied him 
 personally to the door. 
 
 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT was fortunate in 
 -L having a most competent executive force at 
 Oyster Bay. It was the rule, rather than the ex- 
 ception, to burn "midnight-oil," in the Summer 
 White House offices over Moore's grocery store. 
 
 The pace was set by Secretary William Loeb, 
 Jr., who was known as President Roosevelt's 
 "right hand man." The regular force included 
 Messrs. M. C. Latta, N. P. Webster, Clarence E. 
 Ingling, E. W. Smithers, J. L. McGrew, Wilbur 
 Hinman, B. F. Barnes, and T. H. Netherland. Of 
 this number, Netherland and Barnes have joined 
 the great majority. Mr. Barnes was appointed 
 postmaster of Washington, D. C, by President 
 Roosevelt. Mr. Latta, Mr. Webster, Mr. Smithers, 
 and Mr. Ingling are still at the White House. Mr. 
 McGrew secured a good position in another de- 
 partment of the Government. Mr. Hinman pur- 
 chased a farm and has settled down "next to 
 nature." 
 
 William Loeb, Jr., now numbered among the 
 West End summer colonists at Oyster Bay, is a 
 
PRESIDENT 77 
 
 prominent financier. He purchased the fine home- 
 stead of the late Col. Robert Townsend on the 
 picturesque West shore, where he lives a quiet life 
 with his wife and son, William Loeb, third, which 
 is in striking contrast to his activity in days of 
 yore, as is shown by the following quotations from 
 an article published in the Illustrated Magazine, 
 in March, 1903, written by Mr. John Elfreth Wat- 
 kins, Jr., a well-known special correspondent. No 
 personal memoirs of Mr. Roosevelt would be 
 complete without extended reference to Mr. Loeb. 
 
 Of all young Americans in their thirties the most con- 
 spicuous in our national life is William Loeb, Jr., just 
 elevated to the difficult and responsible office of Secretary 
 to the President 
 
 A perfectly clean desk greeted Secretary Loeb when he 
 assumed his office. Such had been the perfect executive 
 ability of Secretary George B. Cortelyou that no unfinished 
 business was carried forward 
 
 Tact and wide acquaintance with men of affairs are 
 the main keynotes to Secretary Loeb's success. His first 
 employment after graduation, was in the office of a news- 
 paper correspondent, where speed and a willingness to 
 adapt liimself to in-egular hours were the prime requisites. 
 Then he found better pay in the offices of business men until 
 Bishop Doane selected him as his amanuensis. In his 
 make-up there was none of the nomadic spirit characteristic 
 of the average young man with equal self-reliance. 
 
 He was born in All)any. He had a taste for politics and 
 at an early age became the chief lieutenant of Eugene Bur- 
 
78 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 lingame, the then Republican leader of Albany. He was 
 secretary of the Republican county committee when scarcely 
 more than a youth, and served two years as vice-president 
 of the Unconditional Republican Club. "When only twenty- 
 two, he was elected official stenographer of the lower house 
 of the New York Legislature, a position which demanded 
 great skill, and which was fraught with many responsibili- 
 ties for one of his few years 
 
 During the first few months of Mr. Roosevelt's adminis- 
 tration as Governor of New York, Mr. Loeb served as one 
 of the four executive stenographers. Had he been a young 
 man of mediocre ability, he would never have attracted 
 the strenuous Rough Rider's attention. As it was, Mr. 
 Loeb had so much improved his time in his short career 
 that he had a personal acquaintance with all of the public 
 men frequenting the State Capital. Since serving as stenog- 
 rapher to the Assembly, he had been private secretary to 
 a Lieutenant-Governor, a president pro tem. of the State 
 Senate, a speaker of the Assembly and a candidate for the 
 office of Governor. With the latter, Mr. Fassett, he had 
 toured the State during a spirited campaign. He had re- 
 ported the debates of the constitutional convention and 
 had been steiiograplior of the District Attorney and grand 
 jury. 
 
 Governor Roosevelt soon realized that a young man with 
 such experience and wide acquaintance would be valuable to 
 him as his private and confidential secretary. Mr. Loeb re- 
 ceived the promotion. And he has been "Roosevelt's right- 
 hand man" ever since. 
 
 Prior to President Buchanan's administration each Pres- 
 ident had to furnish his own private secretary and pay 
 for such services out of his own pocket ; and in those 
 
PRESIDENT 79 
 
 days the presidential salary was but $25,000 a year. But 
 tlie worli of tlae Presidential office was as nothing in those 
 early times compared with what it is now No books 
 were kept, and all official letters were answered in the 
 executive departments 
 
 The first ofl^cial private secretary authorized by Congress 
 received $2500 a year. Fifteen or twenty years later, this 
 was increased to $3500. It was during President Cleve- 
 land's regime that it was raised to $5,000, the present 
 figure. 
 
 Two men besides Secretary George B. Cortelyou have 
 found this oflice a stepping stone to the Cabinet. These 
 are John Hay, and Daniel S. Lamont Secretary of War 
 during President Cleveland's second administration. John 
 Hay, immediately after being admitted to practice before 
 the Supreme Court of Illinois in 1861, was offered the 
 position of assistant secretary to President Lincoln, and 
 accepted it. Later he was appointed adjutant and aide-de- 
 camp to Lincoln, whom he served in the capacity of mili- 
 tary secretary. Lincoln's only civil private secretary was 
 John G. Xicolay, who collaborated with Secretary Hay 
 in the preparation of a notable life of the great Civil War 
 President. 
 
 Secretary Joseph P, Tumulty has had more 
 difficult problems to solve than any of his pred- 
 ecessors, because of the great war, and the absence 
 of the President from this country. However, 
 his genial disposition, and the happy faculty of 
 taking things philosophically has materially les- 
 sened his task. 
 
80 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 T~\ URING Mr. Loeb's absence from the summer 
 ^^ White House at Oyster Bay, his place was 
 filled by Assistant Secretary Rudolph Forster, who 
 has a record of twenty-two years in the White 
 House, dating from March 5, 1897. Being a per- 
 sistent plodder, he is still on the job. 
 
 Mr. Forster seems to find rest in work. When 
 he goes on a vacation, which is once in a dozen 
 years, he "feels like a fish out of water." He 
 is Secretary Tumulty's right bower. Mr. Forster 
 has a wonderful store of interesting information 
 concerning the White House and public men, and 
 he is exceedingly popular. 
 
 Mr- Forster is known as the "silent man." Mr. 
 Robert D. Heinl gave the following excellent pen- 
 picture of him in Leslie's : 
 
 You probably never heard of a human lubricant, but as com- 
 pared with Rudolph Forster, assistant secretary to the Pres- 
 ident, graphite and the smoothest oil are crude in texture. 
 He's not the titular head of the office, but anybody who 
 knows his Washington will tell you that Mr. Forster is the 
 steady, silent — always silent — well-balanced pendulum who 
 keeps the machinery of the White House offices, the busiest 
 and most interesting organization of the nation, everlastingly 
 moving. It is doubtful if the entire government service 
 possesses a more indefatigable worker than he. 
 
PRESIDENT 81 
 
 There was hardly the zephyr of a hreoze created when this 
 snave gentleman appeared in President McKinley's work- 
 shop years ago as a stenographer. He came in the hack 
 door, hung up his hat, and hegan to work. He has never 
 stopped, though it is vaguely reported that on Christmas 
 eve a year ago he nearly got home to spend a few hours with 
 his family. This may he an exaggeration, but it is a fact 
 that, as the gray streaks of dawn were breaking on one occa- 
 sion, Presideiat Roosevelt suddenly laid a heavy hand upon 
 Mr. Forster's shoulder. The colonel — pacing up and down 
 the floor in his restless, gnashing way — had dictated to the 
 faithful employe by his side all night long. 
 
 "Rudolph, we're going to quit!" Mr. Roosevelt's voice 
 carried the high-tension whirr. "I've worked you so hard 
 that if you were to kill me and leave enough strength in my 
 body I would sign a complete pardon for you before I 
 died." 
 
 President Taft is said to have humorously compared the 
 always-on-the-job Forster to his (the President's) right el- 
 bow. "And I couldn't crook a finger without my elbow 
 responding," was his tribute to the assistant secretary. In 
 short, Mr. Forster is a President's man and forever keeps to 
 that high standard. 
 
 He is another example of how a stenographer who uses 
 his brains may get to the top. When Rudolph Forster came 
 to the executive offices he had made a name for himself 
 by his accuracy and speed at taking shorthand dictation. 
 George B. Cortelyou, whom we now refer to as one of our 
 best known former cabinetarians — Secretary of Commerce 
 and Labor, Postmaster General, or Secretary of the Treas- 
 ury whichever large title pleases you most — was in those 
 days on the bridge at the White House offices, second in 
 
82 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 command to John Addison Porter, the then President's sec- 
 retary. Forster was one of the seven clerks, and the busi- 
 ness was being liandled upstairs in the White House, over 
 tlie east room. So tremendous has tlie volume of business 
 increased since then, especially during and following the 
 Spanish-American war, that the offices now occupy an en- 
 tirely separate building and four times the former number of 
 employes have to labor day and night, holidays not excepted, 
 to keep the work to date. Other government branches close 
 at 4 :30 o'clock in the afternoon, but when the latest home- 
 goers pass along Pennsylvania avenue, the thoroughfare de- 
 serted save for a sleepy policeman or so, it is an odd night 
 i^ the lights in the executive offices are not burning brightly. 
 
 ON THE OCCASION of the great naval re- 
 view I was highly gratified at receiving 
 the following invitation : 
 
 The White House, 
 
 Washington, 
 
 September 1, 1906. 
 My Dear Mr. Cheney : 
 
 I have made arrangements for you to be on board the 
 U. S. S. Mayflower during the naval review on Long 
 Island Sound Monday, September 3, 1906. 
 
 Bring this letter with you as your credential. 
 
 WM. LOEF, Jr., 
 Secretary to the President. 
 
PRESIDENT 83 
 
 As the big fleet of war ships passed in review, 
 President Roosevelt, filled with unbounded enthu- 
 siasm, exclaimed : 
 
 "By George! Doesn't the sight of those big 
 warships make one's blood tingle? Every true- 
 blue American should see this." 
 
 It was on this occasion that Mrs. Roosevelt, who 
 stood near the President, turned to me and asked 
 after my daughter, saying : 
 
 "It was only yesterday that we were talking 
 about Amy and how hard she used to work at Sag- 
 amore Hill." 
 
 I replied that she had tried to be a credit to the 
 Colonel, and Mrs. Roosevelt said that she thought 
 that she was a credit to her father. 
 
 "Yes," added the President, "and she has writ- 
 ten some very delightful things about my family." 
 
 The above is printed as additional proof that 
 the Roosevelts fully appreciated faithful service 
 and were not too exalted to recognize people in 
 humbler circumstances. 
 
 Mrs. Roosevelt thoroughly appreciated what had 
 been written about the Roosevelt children, as 
 is evidenced by the following letter sent from 
 Albany when Mr. Roosevelt was Governor : 
 
84 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 Executive Mansion, Albany, 
 
 Dec. 15, 1901. 
 My Dear Miss Cheney : 
 
 Thank you so much for the article. I tliink you know 
 quite well what to say that is right, and I am glad to have 
 the little record of the busy Christmas to lay away for the 
 children when they are old. I am so glad you are well and 
 strong again. 
 
 The Governor and the children join me in best wishes 
 for your happiness and success in the coming year. 
 Believe me. 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 EDITH K. ROOSEVELT. 
 
 A FUNNY episode in which Mr. Roosevelt and 
 the reporters figured, showed his mag- 
 nanimity even under adverse circumstances. 
 
 One Sunday a local preacher in his over-zealous 
 admiration of Mr, Roosevelt, during a memorial 
 sermon digressed from his eulogistic remarks and 
 denounced the trusts, at a time when the subject 
 was a very delicate one from a political standpoint, 
 coupling Mr. Roosevelt's name in a manner that 
 was thought to be displeasing to the President. 
 
 The reporters present, always on the alert for 
 just such an apparent break, eagerly sought for 
 copies of the sermon. My daughter had been 
 asked to take the sermon in shorthand at the 
 
PRESIDENT 85 
 
 church, but declined, finally consenting to type- 
 write it at my house. After the minister arrived, 
 the reporters assembled in the parlor. 
 
 In the meantime the preacher, getting word of 
 Mr. Roosevelt's supposed displeasure, concluded 
 not to give out the sermon, and then pandemonium 
 broke loose among the newspaper men. They 
 argued with the minister and threatened dire 
 things. 
 
 Glancing out of the window the reporters saw 
 Secretary Loeb, drive up in a carriage. Think- 
 ing that Mr. Loeb had come to suppress the ser- 
 mon, a representative of one of the big news 
 associations, jumped up and shouted excitedly: 
 
 "Don't you admit that man in here !" 
 
 The reporter was informed that it would be 
 hardly proper to refuse admittance to the Secre- 
 tary to the President of the United States ! 
 
 Secretary Loeb, a master hand at adjusting 
 difficulties of this character, poured oil on the 
 troubled waters, and advised the minister to grant 
 the request of the reporters, Mr. Loeb having just 
 come from the President and knowing that he had 
 personally expressed no disapproval of the sermon. 
 
 The next day the newspapers all carried sensa- 
 tional stories on the sermon, but Mr. Roosevelt 
 merely smiled and considered the incident closed. 
 
86 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 Mr. Loeb's mission to the house was only for 
 the purpose of arranging suitable quarters for the 
 newspaper men at a coming Roosevelt reception. 
 
 MR. ROOSEVELT had nothing to gain, either 
 socially or politically, by being good to me. 
 He was just impulsive, good-hearted and appre- 
 ciative. As a matter of fact, the Pilot, with which 
 I was connected, never supported Mr. Roosevelt 
 politically, and I was also identified with the local 
 Democratic organization, having always been an 
 independent Republican. But Mr. Roosevelt made 
 no distinction between Democrats and Republi- 
 cans in his home town. I was appointed to a posi- 
 tion in Washington by Commissioner West, a Dem- 
 ocrat, at the request of Mr. Roosevelt, who had 
 re-appointed Mr. West Commissioner of the Dis- 
 trict of Columbia. 
 
 When Mr. Roosevelt was a candidate for Presi- 
 dent I wrote him a letter, stating that I felt under 
 obligation to go home and vote for him, but at the 
 same time thought I ought also to be loyal to the 
 administration that furnished me my bread and 
 butter. Within a few days Mr. Roosevelt replied 
 as follows : 
 
PRESIDENT 87 
 
 The Outlook, 
 287 Fourth Avenue, New York., 
 Office of August 13, 1912. 
 
 Theodore Roosevelt. 
 My Dear Mr. Cheney : 
 
 That is a very interesting letter of: yours, and I thiiuk 
 you for it. Now do not under any circumstances jeopardi//> 
 your position. Keep perfectly quiet. You have a righc to 
 vote as you desire, but you must not talk or attract attention 
 by partizanship. Good luck to you. 
 
 Faithfully your.s, 
 
 THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 
 
 He again wrote in November : 
 
 Oyster Bay, 
 November 4, 1912. 
 Dear Mr. Clieiiey : 
 
 I am deeply touched by your letter. But, my dear 
 fellow, I am concerned also, for you must not jeopardize 
 your position. 
 
 May all good fortune be yours. 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 
 
 THE son of a prominent Tammany Hall man 
 was set back three years in his rating in the 
 United States Navy through no fault of his own. 
 Pressure was brought to bear on prominent of- 
 ficials, even to a Cabinet officer, to give the boy 
 another chance, but no one cared to ask the 
 President to reverse himself. 
 
88 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 The matter was brought to my attention at 
 Oyster Bay, and I accompanied the young man to 
 the White House, stating the case to President 
 Roosevelt, being reinforced by a favorable letter 
 from the Chairman of the Naval Examining 
 Board. President Roosevelt, remarking that "we 
 must stand by the young men of the country, es- 
 pecially when they are in the right," ordered the 
 case to be reopened, and the young man success- 
 fully passed the examination. A few days later I 
 received the following letter concerning the case : 
 
 The White House, 
 
 Washington, 
 
 Nov. 7, 1907. 
 My Dear Mr. Cheney : 
 
 I send herewith for your information copy of an 
 Executive Order wliich tlie President signed today, con- 
 cerning the case of Lieut. Moses, United States Navy. 
 Very Truly yours, 
 
 WM. LOEB, Jr., 
 Secretary to tlie President. 
 
 It was thought that race prejudice entered into 
 this case, but it mattered not to Mr. Roosevelt 
 whether a person was a Jew or Gentile, white or 
 black. 
 
 He took Oscar Straus into his cabinet. His aim 
 always was to give every man a square deal. 
 
PRESIDENT 89 
 
 Indeed, Mr. Roosevelt was generous almost to a 
 fault. One day when President Roosevelt went 
 home to vote, I received a telegram from the New 
 York Herald which read : 
 
 "Cover Roosevelt to the blinking of an eye." 
 
 This meant, of course, that the Herald wanted 
 an "incident story." When the President arrived 
 he greeted me, with others, at the station. I did 
 not expect to speak with him personally again, as 
 he was making a whirl-wind visit. 
 
 I followed him to the voting booth over a 
 Chinese laundry. He was by far the liveliest man 
 in the crowd, with his breezy Western manners 
 and cheery greetings. It was: 
 
 "Hello, Sheriff Johnson !" 
 
 "Joe, you are looking well !" 
 
 "Hello, Sim!" 
 
 "How's the baby, Wally?" 
 
 "Glad to see you, Jake." 
 
 Then he darted up the narrow stairway to the 
 polling place, heartily greeting ballot clerk James 
 J. Mills, who shouted gleefully : 
 
 "Theodore Roosevelt votes ballot No. 123 !" 
 
 August P. Montant, a Democrat and a promi- 
 nent summer colonist, who followed him in voting, 
 asked : 
 
 "Hasn't the President the right to vote twice?" 
 
90 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 "No," said the President. "You don't want me 
 to be arrested and in my own home at that?" 
 
 "Have I the right to vote with the President?" 
 continued Mr. Montant. 
 
 "Yes, if you vote the right way!" retorted the 
 President. 
 
 President Roosevelt darted into the booth, and 
 in sixty seconds vs^as out again. He spied me once 
 more, and grasping me by the hand pushed 
 through the crowd to two chairs in a corner near 
 a window, where we became seated. Then the 
 President of the United States and the country 
 editor engaged in a prolonged private conversa- 
 tion, the nature of which the newspaper represen- 
 tatives were eager to learn, and were sore because 
 it was not divulged. 
 
 I am now at liberty to divulge the topic. Among 
 other things, the President discussed the affairs of 
 his family coachman. The coachman who had 
 served Mr. Roosevelt faithfully, wanted to leave 
 Sagamore Hill and go to Washington, but the Pres- 
 ident preferred to have him remain at Oyster 
 Bay. 
 
 President Roosevelt asked the country editor 
 to use his influence in an endeavor to get the coach- 
 man to change his mind. The coachman finally 
 decided he ought to go to Washington, and rather 
 
PRESIDENT 91 
 
 than hurt the. man's feelings Mr. Roosevelt ap- 
 pointed him to a position in the White House. 
 
 One important incident escaped the vigilant eyes 
 of the reporters. Mr. Roosevelt slipped to me an 
 envelope containing a sum of money. Pinned to the 
 bank notes in the envelope was an item clipped 
 from the Oyster Bay Pilot, reading about as fol- 
 lows : 
 
 If the readers of this paper know of any in(!i,;;ent persons 
 or families in this community deservin.c; of assistance, and 
 will so inform tlie Pilot a way ^vill he provided to help 
 them. 
 
 The item was inspired through overhearing a 
 poor little boy praying for food and a rocking- 
 horse. 
 
 If the members of a once unfortunate Oyster 
 Bay family are living they will now know that the 
 groceries, coal and rent money provided for them 
 came through funds furnished by a President of 
 the United States. 
 
 It may also be stated that a certain lady very 
 close to the Roosevelts, sent a check once a month, 
 through my wife, for three successive years, to pay 
 the rent of a poor woman residing in Oyster 
 Bay. 
 
92 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 TN RESPONSE to an invitation, President Roose- 
 ^ velt one day addressed a Brotherhood meeting 
 in St. Paul's M. E. Church in Oyster Bay, taking 
 for his text, "The Bible." Mr. Roosevelt appeared 
 on the rostrum attired in a white duck suit, it be- 
 ing an exceptionally hot day, but he was full of 
 action and his stirring remarks made a deep im- 
 pression upon his hearers, the congregation being 
 composed of people of all denominations. It was 
 said that "he preached just like a Methodist min- 
 ister." During his "sermon," Mr. Roosevelt for- 
 cibly remarked that a man who failed to read the 
 Bible didn't have common sense. 
 
 At the conclusion of the meeting. President 
 Roosevelt requested the privilege of accompany- 
 ing the pastor, the Rev. Warren I. Bowman, to 
 the parsonage next door, in order to pay his re- 
 spects to Mrs. Bowman. 
 
 Master Larned Bowman, son of the pastor, 
 aged about five years, said very earnestly to Mr. 
 Roosevelt : "We'd like to have you stay to dinner." 
 
 "Now, that's nice," said the President, and 
 asked: "What do you have for dinner?" 
 
 "Bread and milk," responded the boy. 
 "Fine !" exclaimed the President, and added : 
 "That's just what we have at our house." 
 
PRESIDENT 93 
 
 ONCE I was asked by a Republican leader 
 how I would like to be postmaster at Oys- 
 ter Bay. 
 
 "Never," I replied, "as long as Miss Annie 
 Larrabee has breath enough left in her body to 
 hold down the job." 
 
 Miss Larrabee had been postmistress for years, 
 and was beloved by the whole community. She 
 was one of the finest women it had been my good 
 fortune to meet, being always gracious and oblig- 
 ing. Mr. Roosevelt was her staunch friend up to 
 the time of her death, which occurred after he left 
 the White House. He joined with the citizens ic 
 securing her reappointment during President 
 Taft's term. Miss Larrabee was succeeded by Miss 
 Irene Bayles ; and later, former State Senator 
 Thomas H. O'Keefe was appointed postmaster by 
 President Wilson. 
 
 In the early days when the Oyster Bay post 
 office was a mere "hole in the wall," the Pilot 
 fought for a new building and succeeded in its 
 efforts, with the assistance of Mr. Roosevelt, Mr. 
 Thomas C. Piatt and former Congressman Frede- 
 rick Storm — the new post office building being 
 erected by Mr. James Henry Ludlam, a warm per- 
 sonal friend of Mr. Roosevelt. Mr. O'Keefe later 
 erected a fine post office building on Audrey Ave. 
 
94 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 BELOW is a "sample story," written by Lindsey 
 Dennison, a reporter for the New York Sun 
 at the time. It shows that the President's neigh- 
 bors, irrespective of politics, joined heartily in his 
 receptions. 
 
 PRESIDENT HOME TO VOTE 
 
 DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS UNITE IN ROUSING 
 
 WELCOME. 
 
 Oyster Bay, N. Y., Nov. 3. — The President came home 
 to-night. All this side of Long Island has reason to know it. 
 His fellow villagers gave him a reception that for noise and 
 red fire and general preelection evening enthusiasm has 
 seldom been surpassed. Telegrams began dropping in from 
 Frank C. Travers at Long Island City about a quarter before 
 5 o'clock this evening to Editor A. L. Cheney of the Oyster 
 Bay Pilot. Mr. Travers is a Democrat in theory but a Repub- 
 lican in practice. He talks Democracy until election day 
 comes around and then he votes the Repiiblican ticket be- 
 cause Mr. Roosevelt is a Republican. This was his first de- 
 spatch to Mr. Cheney : 
 
 "President's baggage now here. Have fireworks arrived 
 Oyster Bay?" 
 
 To which Mr. Cheney replied : 
 
 "Fireworks here. When does the President arrive here?" 
 
 "Don't know" answered Mr. Travers, "but start salute at 
 half past 6." 
 
 "What about salute?" asked Mr. Cheney. "Have just 
 enough to pay band. Who will pay battery?" 
 
 Mr. Travers was apparently warming up to the occasion 
 in Long Island City for this last inquiry was hardly finished 
 before the answer came. 
 
 "I'll pay for battery and anything else you can think of. 
 
PRESIDENT 95 
 
 Hire band for all night. Have you got bonfire? If not, get 
 busy. Get busy anyhow." 
 
 Mr. Cheney was already as busy as he always is when 
 there is any compliment to be paid to tlie President by Oyster 
 Bay. 
 
 Ably seconded by Maurice Towusend, who is a Democrat 
 like Mr. Travers except that he votes the ticlvet, he passed 
 the word around town. Mr. Townseud was guyed by his 
 fellow Democrats but he said that he guessed the President 
 was the President of the whole United States and the Town- 
 sends were prominent enougli in the community to be broad- 
 minded even if it were the night before election. 
 
 At half past 6 came this message from Mr. Travers: 
 
 "Train leaving. Let her go." 
 
 When the train rolled into the station it was indeed ap- 
 l>arent that Mr. ('honey and Mr. Town.send had let her go. 
 Both political parties had rallies here to-night. Tlie bonfire 
 lighted the great crowd with a flickering yellow light, an(i 
 red fii-e showed its glow far out over the bay to Centre 
 Island. The sky was streaked with the glare of skyrockets 
 and Roman candles. The anvil battery made the little 
 railroad station jump six inches in the air once every two 
 and a half minutes. 
 
 Great was the racket. When the President stepi)ed from 
 the train a number of Federal guards tried to keep the crowd 
 from him. The President pushed them to one side and 
 dove into the mass of people, shaking hands with both hands 
 at once, laughing long and loud between greetings and 
 hand-shakings. He made his way across the station to a 
 light trap from Sagamore Hill which was waiting for him. 
 The horse was standing on its hind legs with two well- 
 meaning but helpless townsmen hanging from the bridle. 
 
96 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 "Look here," said the President, surveying the beasfs 
 enthusiasm with doleful appreciation, "Mrs. Roosevelt is to 
 ride in that. It won't do. We'll have to have a quieter 
 horse." 
 
 The driver was sure that the horse was all right. Mrs. 
 Roosevelt, who had come from the train at a safe distance 
 behind the President, said that she was certain that it was 
 safe. So they got in, the driver yelled "Let go," and in a 
 flash they went out of sight up a side street. 
 
 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S reception to his 
 friends and neighbors of Nassau County at 
 Oyster Bay on September 15, 1902, was considered 
 the crowning event in the affairs of his home life. 
 On that occasion he shook hands with ten thousand 
 persons. 
 
 At Sagamore Hill Mrs. Roosevelt stood near the 
 President, bowing and smiling as her neighbors 
 passed by. The President and Miss Alice Roose- 
 velt were in front of the bay window of the parlor. 
 Surrounding them were Mr. William Loeb, Jr., 
 Mr. Gerard Beekman, the Rev. Father Power, the 
 Rev. Homer H. Washburn, the Rev. Alexander G. 
 Russell, Col. William J. Youngs, Mr. A. L. Cheney, 
 Mr. Emlen Roosevelt, cousin of the President ; Mr. 
 August Montant, Mrs. Emlen Roosevelt, Miss 
 Christine Roosevelt, Miss Loraine Roosevelt, Miss 
 
PRESIDENT 97 
 
 Ethel Roosevelt, and Teddy, Jr., each assisting the 
 President in receiving. 
 
 Teddy, Jr., scanned the visitors as they ap- 
 proached his father with as much vigilance as that 
 shown by the Secret Service men. 
 
 A buffet lunch was one of the features of the 
 reception. Each visitor received ginger wafers 
 and a glass of red lemonade served in a thin sher- 
 bet glass cup, given as a souvenir, on which was 
 inscribed : 
 
 President Roosevelt, 1902. 
 
 An elderly lady approached the President with 
 beaming face, and attracted his immediate at- 
 tention. 
 
 "Well, Maggie, I am delighted to see you," said 
 the President, grasping her cordially by the hand. 
 It was Maggie Mitchell, who had been a servant in 
 the President's house when he was an infant. She 
 wanted to see Theodore Roosevelt now that he was 
 President. 
 
 The President chatted unreservedly with every- 
 body, expressing his pleasure at meeting so many 
 of his Nassau County friends. Every town in the 
 county was represented by large delegations, in- 
 cluding Huntington, numbering 600 ; Rockaway 
 
98 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 600 ; Lawrence, 200 ; Freeport, 1000, Babylon, 500 ; 
 Amity ville, 450 ; Cold Spring, 500 ; Farmingdale, 
 300; Roslyn, 300; Hicksville, 250; Syosset, 100; 
 East Norwich, 200 ; Locust Valley, 300 ; Glen Head, 
 250; Brookville, 100, Bayville, 400; and even 
 Woodbury with 75. Mineola was under the leader- 
 ship of Sheriff Jerome B. Johnson ; Sea Cliff was 
 headed by Mr. Francis E. Sherwood; Great Neck 
 by Mr. Elmer Lecluse, and Hempstead by Mr. 
 DeWitt C. Titus, then postmaster. 
 
 Mr. Maurice E. Townsend, a well known Oyster 
 Bay Democrat, led the local musicians to the Presi- 
 dent's house, for the townspeople had joined hands 
 to pay the President tribute in a strictly non-par- 
 tizan spirit. Even the grounds of Mr. William 
 F. Sheehan, former Democratic Lieutenant Gover- 
 nor of New York, were decorated. 
 
 Head usher Stone and assistant usher Pusey, of 
 the White House, participated in the reception. 
 
 Following is a prominent list of the President's 
 neighbors who had the honor of assisting him at 
 the reception. Included in the number are many 
 summer colonists who resided near President 
 Roosevelt, and some of the best known men in the 
 country, notably Frederic R. Coudert, a lawyer 
 of international repute. 
 
PRESIDENT 
 
 99 
 
 OFFICERS : 
 
 Frank C. Travers, President F Reeve Merritt 
 
 James L. Long, Secretary A. P. Montaut 
 
 Gerard Beekman, Treasurer "\^■. J. Yonngs 
 
 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE : 
 
 W. Emlen Roosevelt, Chair. E. M. Towusend, Jr. 
 Tlie Rev. Henry Washburn 
 The Rev. Walter J. Power 
 
 t'has. S. Young 
 George Thompson 
 
 The Rev. Alexander Russell Vincent P. Travers 
 
 The Rev. W. I. Bowman 
 
 Thomas S. Young, Jr. 
 
 The Rev. Clarence Van Buren Camilles Weidenfeldt 
 
 Jerome B. Johnson 
 Townsend D. Cock 
 
 E. Morgan Griffin 
 Dr. G. W. Faller 
 Dr. Irving F. Barnes 
 William Minor 
 
 (feo. Maxwell 
 Frederic R. Coudert 
 Frank Lord 
 
 F. C. Swan 
 Colgate Hoyt 
 
 G. W. Beekman 
 
 C. W. Wetmore 
 E. H. Swan 
 (tCO. M. Fletcher 
 P. W. Gibson 
 
 D. LeRoy Dresser 
 Wm. L. Swan 
 Samuel T. Shaw 
 
 E. A. Rigelow 
 Geo. R. Sheltou 
 
 H. DeForest Weekes 
 Chas. I-I. Raymond 
 William H. Burgess 
 Charles H. Rogers 
 Geo. G. Stowe 
 J. W. Sears 
 John A. Weekes 
 H. H. Landou 
 Arthur D. Weekes 
 Frederick Weekes 
 William Trotter 
 John T. Sherman 
 James C. Blair 
 P'rederick D. Sherman 
 Wm. F. Sheehan 
 R. W. Gibson 
 (Jeo. Bullock 
 Frank Woik 
 Irving Cox 
 Townsend Underhill 
 Beekman H. Townsend 
 
100 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 \A RS. HUMPHREY WARD, the English nove- 
 ^^ list, gives a pen picture of former President 
 Roosevelt in her novel ''Marriage a la Mode." She 
 takes her characters to one of the big evening re- 
 ceptions at the White House. At a quiet pause 
 in the story, just before a violent episode, she lin- 
 gers a moment to describe the reception : 
 
 "Washington, at this time of the world's his- 
 tory, was the scene of one of those episodes — 
 those brisker moments in the human comedy — 
 which every now and then revive among us an 
 almost forgotten belief in personality, an almost 
 forgotten respect for the mysteries behind it. The 
 guests streaming through the White House de- 
 filed past a man who, in the level and docketed 
 world, appeared to his generation as the reincar- 
 nation of forces primitive, overmastering and he- 
 roic. An honest Odysseus ! — toil worn and storm- 
 beaten, yet still with the spirit and strength, the 
 many devices of a boy ; capable, Ike his prototype, 
 in one short day of crushing his enemies, uphold- 
 ing his friends, purifying his house ; and then, 
 with the heat of righteous battle still upon him, 
 with its gore, so to speak, still upon his hands, of 
 turning his mind, without a pause and without 
 hypocrisy, to things intimate and soft and pure — 
 the domestic sweetness of Penelope, the young 
 
PRESIDENT 101 
 
 promise of Telemachus. The President stood, a 
 rugged figure, among the cosmopolitan crowd, 
 breasting the modern world, like some ocean head- 
 land, yet not truly of it ; one of the great fighters 
 and workers of mankind, with a laugh that pealed 
 above the noise, blue eyes that seem to pursue 
 some converse of their own, and a hand that 
 grasped and cheered, where other hands withdrew 
 and repelled. This one man's will had now for 
 some years made the pivot on which vast issues 
 turned — issues of peace and war, of policy em- 
 bracing the civilized world ; and here, one saw him 
 in drawing-rooms, discussing Alaric's campaigns 
 with an Oxford professor, or chatting with a 
 young mother about her children." 
 
 Through Boy's Life I wish to send this message, 
 not only to the Boy Scouts, but to all boys of 
 America : The prime lesson that the Boy Scouts 
 movement is teaching is the lesson that manliness 
 in its most vigorous form can be and ought to be 
 accompanied by unselfish consideration for the 
 rights and interests of others. — Theodore Roose- 
 velt. 
 
102 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 AT ONE of Mr. Roosevelt's receptions two 
 members of a receiving committee 
 possessed rather old-fashioned ideas as to conven- 
 tional dress and they appeared in plain business 
 suits. The other members of the committee v/ere 
 dressed in Prince Albert coats and wore silk hats. 
 The contrast was so startling that when the two 
 business men, arm in arm, approached the Presi- 
 dent, he raised his hand and shouted : 
 "Here come the aristocrats!" 
 
 EIGHT years of almost daily contact with Presi- 
 dent Roosevelt in his home at Oyster Bay 
 and his office in Washington, certainly qualifies a 
 man to speak understandingly and truthfully of 
 Mr. Roosevelt's habits and character. Such a man 
 is Mr. William B. Dulany, a Washingtonian, for 
 many years an attache of the White House — two 
 years under President William McKinley, and 
 eight years with President Roosevelt. 
 
 Mr. Dulany always accompanied Mr. Roosevelt 
 in a confidential capacity when he made presiden- 
 tial trips to different sections of the United States, 
 and had absolute charge of Mr. Roosevelt's letters 
 and State papers. At times he even carried the 
 President's private purse. 
 
PRESIDENT 103 
 
 One day a prominent visitor hesitated to talk 
 to Mr. Roosevelt about private matters in the pres- 
 ence of Mr. Dulany, when the President quickly 
 turned to the man and said : 
 
 "0, that's all right. There is not a member of 
 my cabinet that I have more confidence in than I 
 have in Mr. Dulany." 
 
 Mr. Dulany declares that he never heard Presi- 
 dent Roosevelt use a profane word, nor relate a 
 story that could not be repeated in a drawing- 
 room in the presence of ladies ; that Mr. Roosevelt 
 was always good-natured and jovial, treating 
 every member of the presidential party very cor- 
 dially at all times. He also declares that Mr. 
 Roosevelt never used intoxicating liquors in any 
 form, and Mr. Dulany made a strong affidavit to 
 that effect at the time of Mr. Roosevelt's famous 
 libel suit. 
 
 THE story charging Mr. Roosevelt with being a 
 hard drinker was absurd. Untruthful things 
 were said of him in the same spirit that gossip is 
 retailed about other Presidents of the United 
 States. Only recently I overheard a man say, in 
 a public place : "Roosevelt was always in the habit 
 of swearing like a trooper." 
 
104 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 Contrast that man's statement with the testi- 
 mony given by Mr. Dulany, and with the statement 
 made by Mrs. Clinton in her story in the Ladies' 
 Home Journal. During the time that Mrs. Clinton 
 was at Sagamore Hill she never saw even wine 
 served at the family table, or any intoxicating 
 beverages brought into the Roosevelt household. I 
 certainly never discovered any signs of liquor 
 about Mr. Roosevelt, and made an affidavit to that 
 effect at the time of the famous libel suit. Later 
 I received the following letter from him, which 
 shows how he appreciated the way his many 
 friends stood by him so loyally. 
 
 The Outlook, 
 287 Fourth Ave. New York, 
 Office op June 5, 1913. 
 
 Theodore Roosevelt 
 
 My Dear Mr. Clieney : 
 
 One of the things which touched me most in connection 
 with the recent libel suit was the way in which my friends 
 stood by and supported me. I was more pleased than I can 
 say to get the deposition which you made and handed it 
 immediately to my lawyer. Fortunately it was not necessary 
 for us to produce all our evidence, as before this time came 
 the defendant retracted the charge and a verdict was re- 
 turned in my favor. 
 
 Faithfully yours, 
 
 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
PRESIDENT 105 
 
 WHEN President Roosevelt returned from 
 his Western trip June 27th, 1903, he was 
 given a rousing reception by his neighbors. The 
 following report of the lively affair was published 
 in the New York Tribu7ie, of June 28th, 1903. It 
 clearly shows the deep affection in which Mr. 
 Roosevelt was always held by his neighbors, and 
 also the President's responsive attitude toward 
 his neighbors which was manifested in every 
 word of his heartfelt speeech. 
 
 Oyster Bay, N. Y., June 27. — Bronzed and rnddy from his 
 recent Western Trip President Roosevelt reached liere to- 
 day by special ti-ain from Long Island City. With him 
 were Secretary Loeb, and Mr. Frank C. Travers, vice-presi- 
 dent of the Oyster Bay Board of Trade. 
 
 Time and again, as the hour for the arrival of the train 
 approached the detonation of ex-Assemblyman Maurice E. 
 Townsend's anvil salutes defied the lazy calm of the after- 
 noon. 
 
 So dense and so agitated became the throng on the plat- 
 form that the Presidential party had literally to fight its 
 way across the platform to the roadway to join the pro- 
 cession. The President was welcomed by E. Morgan GriflSn, 
 president of the Board of Trade, on behalf of the people of 
 Oyster Bay. Tlie President, on foot, was then escorted 
 up Audrey-ave. to the Town Clerk's ofiice. 
 
 The special committee of the Board of Trade led the 
 procession, followed by Julius Blum, the marshal, and his 
 aid, Daniel Smith. Then came the members of the Board 
 
106 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 of Education, led by its President, A. L. Cheney. These 
 were followed by the scholars of Cove School, which the 
 President's children have attended in charge of Miss Sarah 
 A. Provost, the principal. The pupils of the Oyster Bay 
 School, with other visitors and residents brought up the rear, 
 two bands accompanying the procession. All the pupils 
 flourished miniature flags, most of the little girls being at- 
 tired in white and many of them bearing garlands. 
 
 When the President arrived at the Town Clerk's office 
 Mrs. Roosevelt and Theodore, jr., Ethel, Kermit, Archie and 
 Quentin Roosevelt were already awaiting him on the steps. 
 Mrs. Roosevelt had previously, from the terrace of Christ 
 Episcopal Church, reviewed the parade of the school children 
 as they passed from the Oyster Bay school to the railroad 
 station to greet the President. The welcoming committee 
 had also acted as an escort to her own party, which included 
 Mrs. J. West Roosevelt. Having joined Mrs. Roosevelt at the 
 Town Clerk's oflice, the President proceeded to unveil the 
 thirty-pound cannon which is a trophy of the Civil War, 
 obtained from the Navy Department by Jerome B. Johnson, 
 the Sheriff of Nassau County. Mounting the steps of the 
 Town Clerk's oflice and holding his silk hat in his left 
 hand, a favorite attitude, the President then spoke as 
 follows : 
 
 My friends and neighbors, I thank you heartily— more 
 heartily than I can express — for your coming out to greet 
 me to-day. I wonder if some of you remember and I shall 
 never forget, the way that you came out to greet me about 
 five years ago, when I got back from Santiago. Since I last 
 saw you I ha\e been across the continent. I have travelled 
 from this shore across the Alleghanies. across the Missis- 
 sippi Valley to the side of the Great Lakes and over the 
 Rocky Mountains to the shore of the Pacific, and the thing 
 that has struck me most in that journey of nearly fifteen 
 
PRESIDENT 107 
 
 thousand miles right across the coutinent has been the es- 
 sential unity of our people. Wherever an American Presi- 
 dent goes in the United States he feels himself to be at 
 home and among those who feel as he does, and who have 
 the same ideals to which he can appeal. 
 
 Now I am coming back to you whom I know so well. The 
 older among you I have known some thirty years. My 
 children are now growing up and I hope that they will do 
 better than I in keeping out of mischief. Naturally, it 
 pleases me greatly to have you show me the feeling that you 
 have shown this afternoon, and which you have given evi- 
 dence of, too, so often before. When I get back here I am not 
 the President; I am your old neighbor and friend. 
 
 In welcoming you all, I want to say that I am particularly 
 pleased to see and hear the children. You know, I believe 
 in children, and I am mighty glad that the children of Oyster 
 Bay seem to be all right in quality and also in quantity. 
 
 Now I shall not make a speech to you, but shall just say 
 again my friends and my neighbors, and those with whom 
 I have lived so long and whom I know so well, and to whom 
 I am knit by such close ties, I thank you from my heart, and 
 I am deeply touched by your greeting this afternoon. 
 
 After the President finished his speech he reentered the 
 building and held an informal reception receiving the mem- 
 bers of the Board of Trade and shaking hands with each 
 member. In the course of the reception the children in front 
 of the hall sang "God Save Our President." 
 
 The trophy cannon unveiled by the President bears a tablet 
 upon which is inscribed : 
 
 Civil War Trophy Gun from United States Battleship 
 Cuyler 1861. Presented to the Town of Oyster Bay by U. S. 
 Government and Unveiled by Theodore Roosevelt, President 
 of the United States, June 27, 1903. 
 
108 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 'T^HAT Theodore Roosevelt sincerely believed in 
 -*- giving every man a square deal is conclu- 
 sively shown in the letter following the newspaper 
 article printed below (italics mine). 
 
 The article is reproduced to explain the situa- 
 tion leading to the letter from Mr. Loeb, and also 
 to show that notwithstanding the fact that I had 
 strong backing and was regarded as qualified to 
 fill the position, and besides was a neighbor of the 
 President, he was still determined to square his 
 actions in the case with his public utterances. 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt explained to me at the White 
 House why it had been impossible to appoint me 
 Public Printer as desired by my friends. 
 
 {From "Ncicspaperdom," II. Craig Dare, Editor: Neiv 
 York, Fehriiary 13, 1908.) 
 
 The question of Public Printer lias again been brought 
 to the surface, and the candidacy of Albert L. Cheney, an old 
 well and favorably known editor and publisher, is advocated 
 notwithstanding the fact that he has refused to permit his 
 name to be used as a "possibility." 
 
 Mr. Cheney is known in publishing and printing circles 
 as far away as California. He has hundreds of friends 
 among publishers, men who have known and admired him 
 for years because of his ability and his conservative but 
 progressive ideas. . . . 
 
 He knows the printing business in all its intricacies ; 
 knows how to use and govern men — knows, in fact, every 
 
PRESIDENT 109 
 
 detail that enters into tlie conduct of a great printing in- 
 dustry. 
 
 Tliere isn't an unfair or arbitrary bone in his body. He 
 believes in American principles and American workmen. 
 Me believes in honesty in all matters, — business, political an;! 
 otherwise. He is an employer of men and in his day lias 
 worked among them. He believes in decent wages to com- 
 petent men, — believes both workmen and employers have 
 rights that should be respected. He was a member of the 
 Brooklyn Union, and later of "Big Six," when the former 
 was amalgamated with the latter. 
 
 Mr. Cheney is a man of ideas and possesses an admirable 
 courage. Unbiased in opinion, he is a man of the right sort 
 of characteristics to make a success in the position, and 
 ]\ieivspaperdom joins Mr. Cheney's friends in a prayer to 
 the President that his candidacy be seriously considered. 
 
 The White House, 
 
 Washington, 
 
 February, 11, 1908. 
 My dear Mr. Cheney : 
 
 I am in receipt of your letter of the 6th instant. The 
 President has not yet decided to make any change in Public 
 Printer. He is under investigation and the result of the 
 investigation will determine whether a new man will be 
 appointed. The President feels that if the man whom he 
 has placed temporarily in charge of the office makes good 
 that he nonhl have the call on the place. All the other 
 places there are civil service appointments ; but if the Presi- 
 dent finds that it is possible to place you there in any 
 capacity it of course will be a pleasure to him to appoint 
 
] 10 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 you. You of coui-se know if I can be of any help to you I 
 shall fiuly be too glad to do what I can. 
 With regards, believe me, 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 WM. LOEB, Jr., 
 Secretary to the President. 
 
 pATHER YORK of Huntington, just over the 
 ■*- line from Sagamore Hill, and Father John 
 L. Bellford, formerly pastor of St. Dominic's 
 Church at Oyster Bay, were prime favorites of 
 President Roosevelt, and he enjoyed their company 
 immensely. Father York often dropped over to 
 see "Neighbor Roosevelt," and he always had a 
 number of good stories to tell the President. Fath- 
 er Bellford entered into the local affairs of Oyster 
 Bay with great zest, and was always a welcome 
 guest at Sagamore Hill, or at the White House. 
 
 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S daily visiting list 
 ■*- did not always contain the name of every 
 person that called at Sagamore Hill. For instance, 
 a special audience, without any allotted time, 
 would be granted to a skipper like Captain Joshua 
 Slocum, who sailed around the world in 
 a small boat called the "Spray." Mr. Roosevelt was 
 deeply interested in daring feats of this kind, and 
 
PRESIDENT 111 
 
 took great delight in listening to adventures spiced 
 with danger. 
 
 Newspaper editors were continually granted 
 private audiences with Mr. Roosevelt, for he found 
 these interviews excellent channels through which 
 to keep in direct and constant touch with the pulse 
 of the people. 
 
 MR. WILLIAM PRICE, a pioneer Washing- 
 ton newspaper man, who writes under the 
 pen-name of "Bill Price" for the Washington 
 Times, has a record of twenty years at the White 
 House, most of the time representing the Wash- 
 ington Star. What he can tell about Presidents 
 and prominent officials, especially about Theodore 
 Roosevelt, when Roosevelt was in the White 
 House, would make a library in itself. 
 
 Writing of Mr. Roosevelt at the time of his 
 death, Mr. Price said, among other interesting 
 things : 
 
 I spent seven and a-half years with him at the White 
 House being on newspaper duty there every day through- 
 out his office hours. I traveled in many parts of the country 
 with him. To me he was the personification of volcanic 
 energy, even to the similarity that nobody ever knew when 
 or where he would "break out." 
 
 He walked the "legs off" some of his admirers in long and 
 wearisome walks. He put others out of business by long 
 
112 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 horseback rides. He boxed with dexterity with Mike Dono- 
 van or anybody else ; wrestled with Muldoon and famous 
 Japanese wrestlers ; played many of his friends into physical 
 submission in tennis ; hunted bear in Louisiana and Missis- 
 sippi swamps ; wolves in Oklahoma ; mountain lions in 
 Colorado, and turkeys in Virginia. Below wild turkeys he 
 stopped. 
 
 Mr. Patrick McKenna, who resided on Centre 
 Island, near Sagamore Hill, was appointed to a 
 position in the White House in 1902, and is still 
 a member of the executive force. When President 
 Roosevelt left the White House he personally 
 handed to Mr. McKenna a letter of recommenda- 
 tion of which the following is a copy : 
 
 The White House, 
 
 Washington, 
 
 March 3, 1909. 
 To Whom It May Concern : 
 
 P. E. McKenna has served me for five years as assistant 
 door-keeper at the White House. He is absolutely honest, 
 always willing and obliging. I trust him entirely and should 
 certainly have kept him if I were going to continue as 
 President. 
 
 THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 
 
PRESIDENT 113 
 
 AS PROOF of the prosperity resulting, in a 
 measure, from the Roosevelt boom, may be 
 mentioned the progress made by Mr. Andrew 
 Snouder, an Oyster Bay druggist, who has ac- 
 quired a whole block of buildings within the past 
 fifteen years, and recently purchased the very 
 desirable hotel property adjoining said block. 
 
 Another instance may be cited concerning the 
 late James Moore, who conducted the grocery 
 store over which the summer executive offices were 
 located. Mr. Moore reaped a rich harvest in trade 
 and rent during the Roosevelt regime, and his 
 name and store became famous the country over. 
 
 Property values were largely enhanced in 
 Oyster Bay and the nearby places owing to the 
 prominence given the town by Mr. Roosevelt. 
 Many farms bought at fancy prices, were con- 
 verted into country seats. This was particularly 
 true of property adjacent to Sagamore Hill. What 
 is known as Cooper's Bluff was purchased at a 
 big price, and a short time after was resold for 
 double the amount. And hereby hangs a very in- 
 teresting tale. 
 
 A far-sighted contractor bought Cooper's Bluff 
 near Sagamore Hill for the alleged purpose of 
 opening up a sand industry. Oyster Bay is a 
 
114 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 strictly residential town- The writer was duly 
 "tipped off," when he first commenced editing the 
 Oyster Bay Pilot, being advised to cut out all 
 references to Oyster Bay as a factory town. Con- 
 sequently when the purchaser of Cooper's Bluff 
 started in to cart machinery through the streets 
 of the village, and erect shanties on the property 
 which was near the President's place, and adjoined 
 other big country estates, the summer colonists 
 and Oyster Bay residents generally were aroused 
 to action. Public meetings were held for the pur- 
 pose of devising ways and means to head off the 
 objectionable sand industry. 
 
 The agitation finally resulted in the wealthy 
 residents forming a pool and buying the property 
 at a big price named by the owner. 
 
 WHEN fire destroyed two houses owned by 
 Oyster Bay citizens, Mr. Roosevelt, learn- 
 ing of their misfortune, sent for his two neigh- 
 bors, and offered to advance the money to rebuild 
 their homes. The offer was accepted. Mr. Roose- 
 velt never charged the men a cent interest, and told 
 them to take their time about paying it back. 
 
 Because President Roosevelt did not place an 
 oflfice-holder in every other house in Oyster Bay, 
 
PRESIDENT 115 
 
 some of the disgruntled politicians said that he 
 never did much for his town and county, but I 
 happen to know that Mr. Roosevelt helped more 
 people in his home town than the public will ever 
 know about. Letters requesting assistance were 
 generally sent to me for investigation. Here is a 
 sample of one out of many; — all names being 
 purposely omitted : 
 
 The White House, 
 
 Washington, 
 
 January 19, 1904. 
 My Dear Mr. Cheney : 
 
 The enclosed letter from in reference to 
 
 explains itself. The President does not recall very 
 
 clearly and has therefore requested me to refer the letter 
 to you and see if you will not communicate with the writer 
 
 any facts you know in reference to 
 
 Thanking you for your kind attention to this matter, 
 I am 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 WM. LOEB, Jr., 
 Secretary to the President. 
 
 No matter what the nature of the appeal might 
 be, President Roosevelt always responded, if the 
 parties were deserving. 
 
116 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 WHEN Oyster Bay became the summer capi- 
 tal of the nation, and thus was linked to 
 the National capital, it did not, figuratively speak- 
 ing, thumb its vest holes, and strut around like 
 a pouter pigeon, but took its honors philosophically 
 and naturally, being not at all disturbed by the fun 
 often made at its expense by the newspaper report- 
 ers. Nevertheless it thoroughly appreciated the 
 great distinction brought to it by President Roose- 
 velt. 
 
 Oyster Bayites do not enthuse easily, but when 
 once aroused, no community in the country can 
 outdo its citizens when it comes to public demon- 
 strations or acts of charity. Public spirited men 
 have taken advantage of the boom long enjoyed 
 by the town, which has resulted in the erection of 
 many fine buildings. The village has also been 
 greatly improved in appearance, and now assumes 
 a metropolitan air. 
 
 Another big impetus will be given to Oyster 
 Bay when the million dollar Roosevelt Memorial 
 Park is established on the picturesque shores of 
 the bay. The citizens fully realize what this move- 
 ment means to the town, and will successfully meet 
 whatever demands may be made upon them to 
 carry out their part of the program. 
 
 The people of the community at the present time 
 
PRESIDENT 117 
 
 hospitably welcome the large influx of strangers 
 arriving daily for the purpose of visiting the grave 
 of Theodore Roosevelt. 
 
 -pHE ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL ASSOCIA-- 
 ^ TION was formed to conduct a campaign for 
 the purpose of collecting a fund of $5,000,000 dur- 
 ing the week of October 20th to 27th, 1919. 
 
 The plans include a monument at Wash- 
 ington, D. C, and the establishment of a 
 Public Memorial Park at Oyster Bay. The Roose- 
 velt home, with its contents, at Sagamore Hill may 
 be secured eventually, thus preserving it as a 
 National shrine similar to Mount Vernon and the 
 Lincoln home at Springfield, Illinois. 
 
 The executive committee of the Association con- 
 sists of the following widely-known men: Col. 
 Wiliam Boyce Thompson, chairman; Joseph W. 
 Alsop, John S. Cravens, Will H. Hays, Irwin R. 
 Kirkwood, William Loeb, Jr., Henry J. Whigham, 
 Albert H. Wiggin, Horace Wilkinson, William 
 Wigby, Jr., and Henry L. Simpson. 
 
 Mr. Electus D. Litchfield, the well-known archi- 
 tect, who designed the New York City library, 
 has been engaged by the Memorial Committee to 
 prepare sketches and plans for the proposed 
 Roosevelt Park. 
 
118 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 THE AMERICAN LEGION 
 
 QUENTIN ROOSEVELT POST, American Le- 
 gion, the national organization of Ameri- 
 can veterans of the Great War, has been organized 
 at Oyster Bay. 
 
 The charter bears the signatures of the following 
 Oyster Bay soldier boys, who made application 
 for the new post; Fred. B. Bedell, Homer K. 
 Cooley, Charles R. DeVoe, Rodman Gilder, Frank 
 B. Loving, Jr., Merino Lustornic, John M. McGarr, 
 Charles Miller, William H. Moran, William Par- 
 ker, Theodore Roosevelt, Edwin J. Ryan, Jr., F. E. 
 Tagliabue, Arthur Valentine, Alfred M. Wright, 
 and Leonard S. Wright. Other soldier boys in- 
 terested in the Post are : D. A. Phipps, George S. 
 Hornblower, Cecil R, Wilson, Richard P. McCoun, 
 Kermit Roosevelt, and Dr. Richard Derby. 
 
 One purpose of the American Legion is ex- 
 plained in a resolution adopted by the National 
 Executive Committee. The resolution was pre- 
 pared by Bishop Charles H. Brent of Buffalo, N. 
 Y., formerly senior chaplain of the American Ex- 
 peditionary Forces; Henry Leonard of Colorado, 
 and Dr. Richard Derby of New York. It reads 
 as follows : 
 
 Resolved : That The American Legion in accordance with 
 its announced principles as expressed in the Preamble of 
 
PRESIDENT 119 
 
 its Constitution and in tlie resolutions adopted by it in 
 caucus assembled, stands squarely against violation or threat 
 of violation of law and order, whether by individuals or ag- 
 gregations of individuals ; that it advocates, and urges upon 
 jts membership to advocate, the imposition of full penalties 
 upon violators of the Espionage Act ; that it is immutably 
 opposed to and urges its membership to oppose, the ad- 
 mission to the national legislative body or to any other 
 public ofQce, of persons of doubtful loyalty, and more es- 
 pecially of those whose disloyalty has been judicially de- 
 termined. 
 
 More than three thousand posts have been or- 
 ganized at this writing. 
 
 Quentin Roosevelt was among the first of the 
 Oyster Bay boys to enlist in the War, and the 
 first to meet his death. 
 
 When the President learned that my oldest 
 daughter was to be married, he told me to have her 
 call at the White House with her fiance and mem- 
 bers of the family. We were cordially received in 
 the Green Room. Drawing a chair up to the 
 group, the President conversed in the most delight- 
 ful manner for half an hour, referring to what he 
 termed the "Battle of the Letters at Sagamore 
 Hill." He ordered flowers sent from the White 
 House conservatories to the church, for the wed- 
 ding ceremony. 
 
120 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 Eight years after Col. Roosevelt left the White 
 House he was called to Washington concerning 
 important public business. He was due to leave 
 the capital about noon. Being in the vicinity of 
 the railroad station, I hastened through the gates 
 at the Union Station just as the train was about 
 to start. Mr. William Hoster of the New York 
 American was standing on the platform and I 
 approached him and expressed regrets at not 
 being able to meet Col. Roosevelt. Although the 
 train was ready to move, the former President 
 chanced to see me through the car window, and 
 leaving the delayed tiain stepped down to the 
 platform and greeted most cordially an old Oyster 
 Bay neighbor who occupied a humble position in 
 the District Building. He was the same impulsive 
 Roosevelt. 
 
 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT had full con- 
 fidence in the people employed in the execu- 
 tive offices. Once he was conversing privately 
 with the late Whitelaw Reid, when an executive 
 clerk entered. Mr. Reid ceased talking. Turning 
 to Mr. Reid the President said : 
 
 "Keep right on. We work automatically here." 
 
PRESIDENT 121 
 
 EAST NORWICH, a picturesque little village 
 adjacent to Oyster Bay, was almost daily 
 favored by the presence of Colonel Roosevelt and 
 members of his family who passed through the 
 place on horseback. Col. Roosevelt always 
 greeted the residents in a very friendly manner. 
 It was President Roosevelt's request that 
 the arrangements for his funeral should be placed 
 in charge of Mr. Wilbur Johnson, the undertaker 
 at East Norwich, and his wishes were carried out 
 after he died. 
 
 Mr. Halstead H. Frost, editor and owner of the 
 East Norwich Entervrise, has always been an 
 avowed Roosevelt man, and took an active part 
 in all public functions at Oyster Bay. 
 
 President Wilson went to Europe to assist in 
 giving all peoples a "square deal" ; our boys went 
 over seas and shed their life-blood in order that 
 all nations might have a "square deal," and now it 
 is up to the peoples of the earth to use "horse 
 sense," by getting together and resolving to give 
 each other "a square deal." 
 
122 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 SONGS AND TEARS 
 
 Demonstrations of Regard When President Left 
 
 Oyster Bay 
 
 (From the New York Tribune, Oct. 1, 1905.) 
 
 Oyster Bay, Sept 30. — President Roosevelt had tears in 
 his eyes wliile lie thanked his neighbors who had gathei'ed 
 at the railroad station here this morning to bid him farewell 
 on his return to Washington. On no previous occasion had 
 he shown such signs of emotion. He told the villagers that 
 he appreciated their demonstrations of friendship on this 
 and other occasions more than he could possibly express, and 
 that they have been very helpful to him. 
 
 The whole village was decorated in honor of the President, 
 the decorations being especially lavish in East Main-st., 
 Audrey-ave. and the road leading to the village from 
 Sagamore Hill. The decoration at the station, over the main 
 entrance consisted of a large shield formed of an American 
 flag, on either side of which were a Japanese and Russian 
 flag. Surmounting the shield was a white dove bearing in 
 its mouth an olive branch. A passageway had been roped 
 off through which the President and his family passed from 
 the carriage to the train. 
 
 On either side of the ropes were ranged twenty young 
 women, who constitute the Roosevelt Club. They were 
 dressed in white and each wore a red white and blue badge 
 with a long streamer. All the choirs and all the school 
 children of the village were there and each had a leaflet on 
 which was printed, "Farewell to Our Neighbor, President 
 Roosevelt," and undei*neath the words of the hymn, "God 
 Be with You Till We Meet Again." The choirs and children 
 sang the hymn as the President boarded the train. 
 
PRESIDENT 123 
 
 The President stood on the platform of the rear 
 car holding in his hand a printed card containing 
 the hymn printed below and joined heartily in the 
 singing. 
 
 FAREWELL TO OUR NEIGHBOR, 
 
 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. 
 
 Saturday, September 30, 1905 
 
 God be with you till we meet again, 
 By his counsels guide uphold you, 
 With his flock securely fold you, 
 ■ God be with you till we meet again. 
 
 God be with you till we meet again, 
 When life's perils thick confront you. 
 Put his arms unfailing round you, 
 God be with you till we meet again. 
 God be with you till we meet again, 
 Keep love's banner floating o'er you, 
 Smite death's threatening wave before you, 
 God be with you till we meet again. 
 
 (To be sung after last verse.) 
 Till me meet, till we meet. 
 Till we meet in fellowship sweet. 
 Till we meet, till we meet, 
 God be with you till we meet again. 
 
124 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 WR. ROOSEVELT died at Sagamore Hill at 
 ^^ 4:15, Monday morning, January 6th, 1919, 
 while he lay asleep. The cause of his death was 
 given as pulmonary embolism. 
 
 Dr. William Gerry Morgan explained a pul- 
 monary embolism as follows : 
 
 "It is the passing of a blood clot into the pul- 
 monary artery, then passing on until it reaches an 
 artery too small to pass, thus cutting off the circu- 
 lation." 
 
 For many months Colonel Roosevelt had been 
 treated by the most eminent surgeons and medical 
 men of the country, but it is said the malady 
 baffled the skill of the physicians. While at the 
 Roosevelt Hospital, Colonel Roosevelt had a num- 
 ber of serious operations performed. 
 
 The belief is quite generally expressed that Mr. 
 Roosevelt's system was filled with poison during 
 the South American expedition. 
 
 THE funeral ceremonies in Christ Church, on 
 Wednesday, January 8th, were deeply im- 
 pressive. 
 
 The ritual started with the reading of the cere- 
 monial followed by Psalms 39 and 90; then the 
 reading of the 15th Chapter of the 1st Corinthians 
 as the scripture lesson. Rev. George E. Talmadge, 
 
THEODORE ROOSEVELT 125 
 
 rector, recited Colonel Roosevelt's favorite hymn, 
 No. 636 in the Episcopal Hymnal, "How Firm A 
 Foundation Ye Saints of the Lord." This was 
 followed by the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and 
 other supplications. Music was entirely dispensed 
 with. 
 
 Many of Colonel R«osevelt's neighbors being 
 unable to enter the little Church, stood outside 
 in the snow, with bowed heads. Grief was de- 
 picted upon every face. 
 
 The immediate relatives at the funeral included 
 Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Capt. Archibald Roose- 
 velt, Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., Mrs. Ethel 
 Roosevelt Derby, and Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Long- 
 worth of Cincinnati. Capt. Kermit Roosevelt and 
 Col. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., sent cablegrams from 
 Europe, where they were stationed with the Amer- 
 ican forces. 
 
 Other relatives at the funeral were Mr. and 
 Mrs. J. Douglas Robinson, Rear-Admiral W. S. 
 Cowles, a brother-in-law of Colonel Roosevelt ; Mr. 
 and Mrs. Joseph Astop, Mr. W. Emlen Roosevelt, 
 Mr. John C. Roosevelt, Mr. and Mrs. E. Reeve 
 Merrit, Mrs. J. West Roosevelt, Mr. and Mrs. J. 
 Langdon Warner, Mrs. Hilborn D. Roosevelt, Mr. 
 John E. Roosevelt, Mrs. Fairman Dick, Mrs. Mon- 
 cure Robinson, Mrs. Langdon Gear, Mrs. James 
 
126 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 Roosevelt, Mrs. Fred Roosevelt, and Mrs. Samuel 
 Roosevelt. 
 
 Vice President Thomas R. Marshall, repre- 
 sented President Wilson at the funeral. General 
 Peyton C. March, Chief of Staff, represented the 
 United States Army and Admiral Winslow, the 
 Navy. There were also a number of diplomatic 
 representatives. 
 
 Governor Alfred E. Smith and his staff, of 
 New York, were among the distinguished persons 
 at the funeral. A Congressional delegation from 
 Washington also attended. 
 
 A silver plate on the plain oaken cofRn bore the 
 inscription : 
 
 Theodore Roosevelt 
 Born October 27, 1858. Died January G, 1919. 
 
 The burial was in Young's Memorial Cemetery, 
 on a beautiful knoll overlooking Long Island 
 Sound. The plot was selected by Mr. and Mrs. 
 Roosevelt directly after Mr. Roosevelt left the 
 White House. The grave is guarded night and 
 day by Lieut. C. P. Reynolds, a watchman em- 
 ployed for that purpose, alternating with another 
 soldier. 
 
 The grave has been enclosed with an iron fence 
 eight feet high. Entrance to the plot is now 
 through a gate which is to be kept locked. 
 
Where tlie •Siiiiiincr White House" was loeatetl, 
 over M(iore"s (Jroeery Store. 
 
From the Broadway Magazine, September, 1907. 
 
 lTl»lH'r picture shows the Pivsideiit and Mrs, Iloosevrlt 
 
 IcaN'iii.u' clnirch. 
 
 Benoath is interior of Clirist Clnirch at Oyster Bay 
 
 where the funeral services were helrl. 
 
ft. 
 
 
 '<■' 
 
 
 
 ■^< 
 
 11/ 
 
 
 
 \tt 
 
 )i/ 
 
 
 
 ««< 
 
 vVt 
 
 
 
 rty 
 
 *^^s 
 
 ^ 
 
 vx*- 
 
 ^Z- 
 
 -t^ 
 
 -21 
 
 '^$- 
 
 --■ 
 
 WILLIAM CKAKJ 
 
 (Wearing silk hat) 
 
 Hi'ad 111' Secret Service Force, acting as li(iil\-t,Miaril ti 
 
 President Koosevelt. He uave liis life for Uoosevelt 
 
 in an accident at I'ittslield. ^lass. 
 
 (See poem uii paj.re (j(j) 
 
S ?<: 
 
 
 3 c 
 
THEODORE ROOSEVELT 127 
 
 ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL PARK 
 Electus D. Litchfield, the architect, an old friend 
 and neighbor of Theodore Roosevelt, speaking of 
 the Roosevelt Memorial says that "the committee 
 charged with doing something at Oyster Bay has 
 determined to push this w^ork through as rapidly 
 as possible." Mr. Litchfield also said : 
 
 "Among the features which Mr. Loeb and other 
 members of the committee have definitely suggest- 
 ed as desirable were a play-ground equipped with 
 swings and other apparatus for the use of chil- 
 dren, a baseball diamond and a grand stand, ten- 
 nis courts, bathing beach, and possibly a public 
 bathhouse. In addition to these recreational and 
 more or less utilitarian features, it has been sug- 
 gested that the park should contain an open-air 
 forum, fountain, lagoons, and other features of a 
 dignified memorial character." 
 
 "Col. Roosevelt was responsible for the great 
 McKim-Burnham plan for the development and 
 beautification of Washington, for the simple and 
 charming restoration of the White House, and for 
 the adoption by the Government of a new stan- 
 dard of artistic accomplishment in the design of 
 our American money. It was appropriate, there- 
 fore, that we endeavor to make this memorial as 
 beautiful and as dignified as art and our appro- 
 priation will permit." 
 
128 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD OF THEODORE 
 ROOSEVELT'S CAREER 
 
 1S58 — Boru, October 27, in New York city, son of Tlieodore 
 
 and Martha Bullocli Roosevelt. 
 1876 — Matriculated at Harvard University. 
 3880 — Graduated from Harvard University. 
 ISSO — Married to Miss Alice Hathaway Lee, daughter of 
 
 George Cabot Lee. 
 1882— Published his first book, "The Naval War of 1812." 
 1882 — Elected to New York State legislature, and elected 
 
 minority floor leader. 
 1884 — Delegate to Republican national convention as chair- 
 
 nsan of New York delegation. Opposed Blaine's nom- 
 ination. 
 1884 — Determined to get out of politics and went to North 
 
 Dakota to take up ranch life. 
 18S4 — February, mother and wife died within few hours of 
 
 each other. 
 1886 — Nominated for mayor of New York and defeated. 
 1886 — Married in London to Miss Edith Kermit Carow, 
 
 daughter of Charles Carow. of New York. 
 1889-1895 — Civil service commissioner. 
 1895-1897— President of the New York police board. 
 3897-1898- Assistant Secretary of the Navy. 
 1898 — Lieutenant colonel of the Rough Riders. 
 1898 — Promoted to colonel for gallantry in battle of Las 
 
 Guasimas. 
 1898— Elected Governor of New York. 
 1900— Elected Vice President of the United States. 
 1901 — Succeeded to the Presidency, September 14. 
 1902 — Settled anthracite coal strike. 
 
THEODORE ROOSEVELT 129 
 
 ]904^Electecl President of the United States. 
 
 3 OOJ^November 8, announced that under no circumstances 
 
 would he accept another nomination for Presidency. 
 1906 — Awarded Nobel peace prize for efforts in ending tlie 
 
 Russo-Japanese war. 
 1907 — December 11, repeated his pledge of November 8, 1904. 
 1909 — March 4, concluded his second term as President and 
 
 returned to private life. 
 1909 — March 23, left for Africa on hunting trip. 
 3910 — April 21, visited President Fallieres, in Paris. 
 1910 — May 10, received by Emperor William, at Potsdam. 
 1910 — May 20, special envoy at funei'al of King Edward. 
 1910 — May 30, delivered speech on Egypt in London. 
 1910 — June IS, given ovation in New York on return from 
 
 European tour and African hunting trip. 
 1910 — September 27, elected temporary chairman New York 
 
 State Republican convention. 
 1912 — February 25, announced to "seven governors" that he 
 
 would accept the presidential nomination if tendered 
 
 him. 
 1912 — June 14, left Oyster Bay for Repul)lican national con- 
 vention in Chicago. 
 3912 — June 15, accorded great ovation by his supporters in 
 
 Chicago. 
 1912 — June 22, defeated for Republican nomination for 
 
 President. 
 1912 — June 22, chosen as candidate at mass meeting of Pro- 
 gressives in Orchestra Hall, Chicago. 
 1912 — July 7, call issued for "National Progressive Party"' 
 
 convention at Chicago, August 5. 
 1912 — August 5, returned to Chicago for Progressive party 
 
 convention. 
 
130 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 1912 — August 7, nominated for President by National Pro- 
 gressive party at its convention. 
 
 1912— October 14, wounded at Milwaukee by anti-tliird-term 
 fanatic. 
 
 1912 — October 15, taken to hospital in Chicago. 
 
 1912— October 21, left hospital for home at Oyster Bay, N. Y. 
 
 1912 — October 30, resumed speechmakiug, addressing New 
 York city voters. 
 
 1913 — Published autobiography and toured South America, 
 deliver. .ig many addresses. 
 
 1913 — May 31, judgment rendered in his favor at Marquette, 
 Mich., 'ii suit for libel against G. H. Newett, who dur- 
 ing presidential campaign of 1912 charged him with 
 intoxication. 
 
 1914 — At head of exploring party discovered and explored 
 for GOO miles tributary of Madeira River which Brazil- 
 ian government named in his honor, "Reo Theodoro." 
 Visited Madrid, Spain, and in London lectured before 
 Royal Geographic Society. 
 
 1915— May 22, jury at Syracuse, N. Y., rendered verdict in 
 his favor in suit brought by William Bairnes, jr. o£ 
 Albany, N. Y., for alleged libelous uttei-ances. 
 
 1915 — At Plattsburg business men's training camp violently 
 criticized President Wilson's conduct of foreign af- 
 fairs. Speech drew upon Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood, 
 commanding camp, rebuke from Lindley M. Garrison, 
 Secretary of War, for permitting delivery of "politi- 
 cal speech." Thereafter advocated military prepared- 
 ness and more aggressive foreign policy. 
 
 1916 — Nominated by "Bull Moose Convention" at Chicago 
 for Presidency ; declined nomination and actively sup- 
 ported Charles E. Hughes, Republican candidate. 
 
THEODORE ROOSEVELT 131 
 
 1917 — After declaration of war against Germany called at 
 White House and commended President Wilson's war 
 message to Congress. Later offered to raise a division 
 of troops beyond conscription age for service in 
 France. 
 
 1918 — January 22, arrived in Washington on last visit, com- 
 ing, as he exprsesed it, "to help speed up the war." 
 
 1918 — January 24, at National Press Club, in last public ad- 
 dress in Washington defended right to criticize ad- 
 ministration's conduct of the war. 
 
 3919— January 6, died. 
 
 OLD residents prided themselves on meeting 
 and greeting President Roosevelt. He was 
 always glad to see them. "Uncle Amos" Boreum, 
 an old stage driver, now dead, gave little "Teddy" 
 many rides on top of his coach in the early days, 
 and the President always kept him in mind. Mr. 
 Boreum's wife was a cousin of the famous "Fight- 
 ing Phil Sheridan." "Uncle Jake" White, another 
 old resident, who drove a depot wagon, always 
 had access to the grounds at Sagamore Hill. 
 
132 
 
 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 FAMOUS RACE SUICIDE LETTER 
 
 TF A MAN OR WOMAN, through no fault of 
 ■■- his or hers, goes throughout life denied those 
 highest of all joys which spring only from home 
 life, from the having and bringing up of many 
 healthy children, I feel for them deep and respect- 
 ful sympathy But the man or woman 
 
 who deliberately avoids marriage and has a heart 
 so cold as to know no passion and a brain so 
 shallow and selfish as to dislike having children, is 
 in effect a criminal against the race and should be 
 an object of contemptuous abhorrence by all 
 healthy people. ... If the men of the nation 
 are not anxious to work in many different ways, 
 with all their might and strength, and ready and 
 able to fight at need, and anxious to be fathers of 
 families, and if the women do not recognize that 
 the greatest thing for any woman is to be a good 
 wife and mother, why, that nation has cause to be 
 alarmed about its future." — From President 
 Roosevelt's famous Race Suicide letter, addressed 
 October 18, 1902, to Mrs. Bessie Van Horst, Phila- 
 delphia; published as a preface in the book, ''The 
 Woman Who Toils." 
 
OTAND UP FOR "AMERICANISM," was the 
 ^ last plea made by Colonel Roosevelt. This 
 last message to the American people was delivered 
 at the ail-American benefit concert given by the 
 American Defense Society at the Hippodrome in 
 New York on January 5, 1919, and because of the 
 Colonel's indisposition, it was read by Mr. Henry 
 C. Quimby, a trustee of the society. The message 
 which has the true Roosevelt ring, said : 
 
 There must be no sagging back in the figlit for American- 
 ism merely because tlie war is over. There are plenty of 
 persons who have already made the assertion that they 
 believe the American people have a short memory and that 
 they intend to revive all the foreign associations which most 
 directly interfere with the complete organization of our 
 people. 
 
 Our principle in this matter should be absolutely simple. 
 In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who 
 comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimi- 
 lates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality 
 with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate 
 against any such man because of creed, or birthplace or 
 origin. 
 
 But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in fact an 
 American and nothing but an American. If he tries to keep 
 segregated with men of hi? own origin and separated from 
 the rest of America, then he isn't doing his part as an 
 American. 
 
 There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who 
 says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an 
 American at all. We have room for but one flag, the Ameri 
 ican flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes 
 all wars against liberty and civilization just as much as it 
 excludes any flag of a nation to which we are hostile. 
 
PUT OUT THE LIGHT, PLEASE" 
 
 (Last Words of Theodore Roosevelt) 
 
 "Put out the light, please." These were the 
 last words he said ou whom now light eternal 
 shines. For him no hurden of the slow and 
 fading years, with consciousness of an impend- 
 ing blow ; the sword of Damocles above his 
 head about to fall and bring oblivion. No, it 
 were best to go while still the strength of his 
 gi-eat manhood unabated stood and matched his 
 miglity spirit, which untamed by strain and 
 travel of the passing day.s still sprang toward 
 longed for action When it seemed the time was 
 ripe to serve his country best ; now he rests. His 
 work on earth was done, else he had stayed to 
 tinish it. No life goes back to its Maker incom- 
 plete, though our earthly eyes not always read 
 the story to its end. The end for him is but 
 the beginning of a sure presage of immortality. 
 Such souls were never made to be destroyed, 
 but to go on and on to wider fields and newer 
 achievements, fitted to the powers which here 
 on earth were as a sacred trust held blameless, 
 stainless and inviolate. 
 
 — The Liberal Netcs, Kansas 
 
ADDENDA 
 
Copyright, 1920 
 
 by 
 
 Albert Loren Chexey 
 
 APR 23 1920 
 (g)ClA585686 
 
c 
 
 a 
 
 ADDENDA 
 
 3 
 
 F=^^^^^^^^ 
 
 u 
 
 HEN the author of these memoirs decided 
 to write his impressions of the late 
 Colonel Roosevelt, he started out v/ith 
 the sole purpose of making the book a 
 fragmentary compilation of truthful and 
 interesting incidents in the hope that 
 the inside facts regarding Colonel Roosevelt's 
 home life, and the intense human side of the man, 
 might be an uplift and an inspiration to every 
 reader of the book, especially to the young men of 
 the country, thereby assisting in keeping alive the 
 vigorous American spirit always evinced and 
 espoused by Mr, Roosevelt. 
 
 In a disquisition on pedants and history, 
 Colonel Roosevelt once said : "I have enough good 
 sense, or obstinacy, or something, to retain a sub- 
 conscious belief that inasmuch as books were 
 meant to be read, good books ought to be interest- 
 ing, and the best books capable in addition of 
 giving one a lift upivard in some direction." To 
 a prominent author who had written an American 
 
 137 
 
138 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 history to his liking, Roosevelt wrote : "You are 
 one of the few blessed exceptions to the rule that 
 the readable historian is not truthful." 
 
 During the time that Colonel Roosevelt was 
 passing rapidly from one stage of public life to 
 another, it was the principal part of the author's 
 business, as a newspaper man and neighbor to 
 make daily notes of his coming and going to and 
 from Oyster Bay, and also to participate in ail 
 the public functions in his honor. This close con- 
 tact with the man gave the writer a correct 
 insight into his habits and manners; therefore 
 whatever else may be said of the subjoined 
 memoirs, the incidents are at least true to life. 
 The greatest and most highly prized compliment 
 paid to these memoirs was that expressed by Mrs. 
 Roosevelt, who, after perusing the book, wrote: 
 "All the old days came back with the little book." 
 
 THE cartoonist naturally claims the right to 
 distort and magnify a person's individu- 
 ality, the reporter is often licensed to exaggerate 
 and accentuate a man's traits, and thus the reader 
 frequently receives a wrong impression of the 
 true character of many public men, notably 
 Roosevelt, whose constant activity and strong 
 personality made him a good target for both pen 
 and pencil. 
 
THEODORE ROOSEVELT 139 
 
 Mr. Julian Street, in his book, "The Most Inter- 
 esting American," writing of his first meeting 
 with Roosevelt, says he felt a slight disappoint- 
 ment. "I did not expect him to be attired in the 
 khaki of the cavalry, or to be heavily armed, but," 
 says Mr. Street, "I did expect him to be — what 
 shall I say? — to be more like the cartoons, to be 
 somehow wilder-looking." He said he had not ex- 
 pected Colonel Roosevelt to be like a conservative 
 banker of Amsterdam or The Hague, but that was 
 what he made him think of as he sat behind his 
 office desk. 
 
 CERTAIN press agents use the term "The 
 Fighting Roosevelts," when as a matter of 
 fact "The Peaceful Roosevelts" would better 
 describe the family. Roosevelt was not a fighter 
 in the sense that he sought or courted war, but 
 was ready to respond promptly to the call of duty. 
 While he seemed to carry the "chip of State" on 
 his shoulder when President of the United States, 
 and dared the other nations to knock it off, it was 
 his dauntless courage and not his belligerent 
 attitude that kept this country out of trouble. He 
 was both feared and admired by other rulers. 
 
 Lew Dockstader, the famous minstrel, once im- 
 personated Roosevelt on the stage in a very life- 
 
140 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 like sketch. Among other manufactured sayings 
 he attributed to Roosevelt was this : 
 
 "The — reason — there — was — no — war — when 
 — I — was — President — was — because — the — other 
 — fell-ows — were — too — busy-e — watching — 
 ME!" 
 
 THE late Jacob Riis, once designated as "the 
 first citizen," and counted one of Roose- 
 velt's greatest friends, had a better conception of 
 Colonel Roosevelt's true character than most men 
 who were intimately acquainted with the ex- 
 President. They were very similar in their likes 
 and dislikes — in fact the word "chummy" might 
 be applicable as to the relationship between the 
 two men. The writer can recall an incident to 
 illustrate: When former President Roosevelt 
 attended services at Christ Church in Oyster Bay, 
 it was customary for the congregation to remain 
 seated until the President and his family left the 
 church. The usher's duties were extremely 
 strenuous. One Sunday a rather rough-looking 
 man persisted in crowding his way through the 
 door, and was told to stand back until the Presi- 
 dent had passed. As the usher was in the act of 
 forcing the intruder to one side, he heard Mr. 
 Roosevelt shout heartily: 
 
THEODORE ROOSEVELT 141 
 
 / 
 
 "Hello, Jake! By George I'm mightly glad to 
 see you!" and grasping the "intruder" by the 
 hand President Roosevelt exclaimed: "Come on 
 down to lunch." 
 
 When the usher discovered that the man was 
 Jacob Riis, he wilted and dropped into a pew. 
 As the two men left the room arm in arm, Riis 
 nodded in the direction of the discomfited usher 
 and said in an undertone to Roosevelt : "Pipe the 
 usher!" Roosevelt, who enjoyed the situation im- 
 mensely, laughingly replied: "Stung!" and both 
 men left the church chuckling like a couple of 
 school boys. 
 
 THE CRUCIAL TEST of a man's true charac- 
 ter is, after all, found in the traits he dis- 
 plays in the family circle from day to day. 
 Colonel Roosevelt in this regard was 100 per cent, 
 perfect. The testimony of every person connected 
 with the Roosevelt household bears out this state- 
 ment. Among the persons privileged to enjoy 
 studying Colonel Roosevelt in the inner circle of 
 his home, is Mrs. Ralph Stuart Clinton, of Wash- 
 ington, D. C, formerly secretary to Mr. Roose- 
 velt at Sagamore Hill. Her interesting experience 
 published in the Ladies' Home Journal, is now 
 included in these memoirs. 
 
(From the Ladies* Home Journal, October, 1919) 
 
 C 
 
 "AS A GIRL SAW 
 THEODORE ROOSEVELT" 
 
 3 
 
 rLJ 
 
 By MRS. RALPH STUART CLINTON 
 
 (Who. as Miss Amy Cheney, was formerly Secretary to Colonel 
 
 Roosevelt, at Sagamore Hill) 
 
 FIRST met Colonel Roosevelt, wearing 
 his characteristic smile, in the editorial 
 rooms of my father at Oyster Bay, by 
 appointment. He needed the services of 
 a secretary, he told me. He asked me 
 several questions and, being seemingly 
 satisfied with my answers, wanted to know how 
 soon I could begin. 
 
 "Tomorrow morning," I replied. 
 "Fine! That's the way to talk. I will send a 
 conveyance for you in the morning," he said. 
 
 When I arrived at Sagamore Hill the following 
 morning. Colonel Roosevelt hailed me and, hurry- 
 ing to the side of the conveyance, took my type- 
 writing machine and proceeded to his workroom 
 (known as the gun room). W^hen I mildly re- 
 monstrated and remarked that the machine was 
 pretty heavy, he replied that he had carried 
 heavier things than that ! 
 
 142 
 
THEODORE ROOSEVELT 143 
 
 Having been brought up in a newspaper atmos- 
 phere, and trained in the work, my experience 
 stood me in good stead at Sagamore Hill. A veri- 
 table avalanche of letters showered upon Mr. 
 Roosevelt. He tried to get additional clerical 
 assistance from the village and failed. Finally, in 
 sheer desperation, he gave me dictation enough to 
 last several days, and then shipped a barrel of 
 letters to New York, following later to dictate to 
 stenographers in the city. Before expressing the 
 barrel of letters he glanced at it and, with one of 
 his characteristic smiles, exclaimed: 
 
 "By Jove ! I think I should label that Tower of 
 the Press.' It certainly is mightier than the 
 sword !" 
 
 BOTH Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt were very 
 thoughtful and considerate of everyone and 
 of each other, being exceedingly appreciative of 
 anything that was done for them. Their home life 
 was ideal. There was nothing to jar, not an un- 
 pleasant incident all the time I was with the fami- 
 ly. They insisted that I should eat at the family 
 table, and treated me accordingly in every way. 
 The Colonel and Mrs. Roosevelt were in the habit 
 of taking a "constitutional" early every morning, 
 walking around the wide varanda arm in arm, 
 rain or shine, as merry as two children. 
 
144 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 Colonel Roosevelt was always gentlemanly. I 
 never heard him use a harsh or a vulgar word. He 
 was particularly fond of his children, and would 
 stop in the midst of dictation, every afternoon at 
 four o'clock, and leave the room, after which 
 strange noises proceeded from the nursery. He 
 was playing bear with baby Quentin on the bed! 
 
 MR. ROOSEVELT'S dictation was vigorous 
 and pointed. He insisted upon accuracy, 
 and would read and punctuate a letter even to the 
 insertion of a semicolon. Sometimes in the middle 
 of a letter he would pause, lost in thought, seem- 
 ingly miles away. At such times I always kept 
 very quiet. Mr. Roosevelt would rouse himself 
 suddenly, jump up and pace the floor and 
 straighten out the rugs with the toe of his shoe, 
 dictating rapidly, shooting out his words like 
 charges from a Gatling gun. 
 
 If a letter to him was particularly vituperative 
 or unreasonable, he would drop it on the floor or 
 crush it in his hand without comment. 
 
 He answered every letter written to him, if 
 couched in decent language. He read only those 
 of a personal character; the others were sub- 
 divided and classified as "charity," "appoint- 
 ments," "political," etc., with a typed notation 
 
THEODORE ROOSEVELT 145 
 
 containing the meat of the letter. From these 
 notations he dictated very rapidly, often giving 
 double dictation. After dictating letters he would 
 turn and resume dictation to another stenogra- 
 pher, from a magazine, in the same room, alter- 
 nating the dictation hour after hour. 
 
 Sometimes Archie, aged five, would rush into 
 the room with pencil and paper and ask to be dic- 
 tated to; and Colonel Roosevelt, never out of 
 patience with his children, vvould remark: "Now, 
 Archie, only Uvo at a time, please !" 
 
 COLONEL and Mrs. Roosevelt loved humor. I 
 recall that Opper, the cartoonist, once sent 
 a book of his cartoons. One of the Opper cartoons 
 pictured little Willie McKinley and Teddy Roose- 
 velt, the latter dressed in his Rough Rider suit. 
 Mr. Roosevelt laughed in his heartiest manner 
 over this cartoon. He showed it to Mrs. Roose- 
 velt, and they laughed at it together. Mrs. Roose- 
 velt took the book, and kept coming back to show 
 the Colonel another one, and would say: "Theo- 
 dore, you must see this one!" Then they would 
 have another laugh. 
 
 Colonel Roosevelt frequently recalled the "Bat- 
 tle of the Letters" at Sagamore Hill, as he always 
 termed it ; spoke of Archie, who used to try every 
 
146 THEODORE ROOSEVELT ^ 
 
 subterfuge imaginable to remain when his father 
 was dictating, and referred to the time when 
 Archie, loath to leave the room, circled the air 
 with his right hand and yelled: "Father! I 
 nearly caught a fly!" As it was midwinter the 
 subterfuge pleased the Colonel immensely. 
 
 ONCE a year it was Mr. Roosevelt's custom to 
 receive the reporters in his study at Saga- 
 more Hill. These informal receptions were always 
 looked forward to with the keenest delight by the 
 newspaper boys, who perked up and appeared in 
 evening dress. ' 
 
 They sat in a circle in front of Mr. Roosevelt, 
 similar to the formation of a minstrel troupe, with 
 Colonel Roosevelt seated facing them like an 
 interlocutor. Although he did not smoke himself, 
 he would always pass around cigars first and per- 
 sonally light a match for each reporter. Then he 
 would settle down in his chair and spin exciting 
 yarns for an hour or more in true Roosevelt fash- 
 ion. 
 
 The fingers of every reporter present tingled 
 with a desire to write these stories, but they were 
 in honor bound to keep faith with their host. One 
 of the reporters present, whose paper was fiercely 
 assailing Mr. Roosevelt at the time, told another 
 
THEODORE ROOSEVELT 147 
 
 reporter that his wife was an ardent admirer of 
 Mr. Roosevelt, and that she would do almost any- 
 thing in the world to procure his picture and auto- 
 graph. This fact was communicated to Mr. 
 Roosevelt, who turned to Loeb and said : 
 
 "Loeb, send up one of my best pictures for auto- 
 graph and mail it to the address of that man's 
 wife!" And the favored reporter frankly admit- 
 ted that this generous act took all the bitterness 
 against Mr. Roosevelt out of his pen. 
 
 ALL the members of the Roosevelt household 
 were very close-mouthed. On account of 
 Mr. Roosevelt's ceaseless activity and frankness, 
 the air was continually surcharged with good 
 stories that never reached the newspapers. 
 
 A LTHOUGH impulsive, Mr. Roosevelt was al- 
 -^^^ ways cool when danger threatened. One 
 night a conference of international importance 
 was being held at Sagamore Hill, attended by 
 several of the most prominent men in the country, 
 who had arrived on a yacht moored at the Roose- 
 velt landing. The conference lasted until nearly 
 midnight, when suddenly the lights went out and 
 the whole house was shrouded in darkness. The 
 guests sprang to their feet in excitement. Mr. 
 Roosevelt coolly remarked : 
 
148 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 "Gentlemen, please remain quiet and I will in- 
 vestigate." 
 
 Hearing heavy footsteps in the hall, Colonel 
 Roosevelt passed through the study to the door 
 and snapped out "Who's there?" — ready to spring. 
 
 "It's me," replied Seaman, superintendent of 
 the Roosevelt estate. He had been in the kitchen 
 and had rushed in to ascertain the trouble, which 
 proved to be a defective pipe leading to the gas 
 tank. Lights were improvised, and the confer- 
 ence continued, Colonel Roosevelt remarking: 
 
 "By Jove, gentlemen, that sudden transition 
 surely got me for a second !" 
 
 MR. ROOSEVELT was extremely sensitive 
 when his honor was questioned. While 
 governor he had an important impeachment case 
 to decide and was in conference at Sagamore Hill 
 with the attorney general, when the morning and 
 evening newspaper reporters arrived at Saga- 
 more Hill. It was customary for each newspaper 
 contingent to select a spokesman from the num- 
 ber. Mr. Roosevelt had promised to give out a 
 joint interview with all the reporters. One re- 
 porter representing the evening papers, becoming 
 overzealous and restless, approached Mr. Roose- 
 velt and said : "You are sure. Governor, that you 
 
THEODORE ROOSEVELT 149 
 
 will not give out the information to the morning 
 men first?" 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt wheeled about, his teeth gleam- 
 ing, and barked out: 
 
 "Look here, my friend, don't think because 
 you're a fool, I'm one!" 
 
 "But my people down below," stammered the 
 reporter. 
 
 "Well, if your people down heloiv" (with great 
 emphasis on the word below) "haven't any sense, 
 you ought to have some." 
 
 Shortly after Mr. Roosevelt stepped up to the 
 young man and said: 
 
 "My good fellow, I allow no one to question 
 my word, but as you seem to be only overanxious 
 in fulfilling your duty, I forgive you." 
 
 COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S thoughtfulness for 
 others was proverbial. A big reception was 
 to be held at Sagamore Hill, and one of the mem- 
 bers of the reception committee suggested that 
 the reporters be placed in a roped inclosure. When 
 the President saw the inclosure being put up he 
 exclaimed rather testily: 
 
 "Not for one minute! Don't rope in those re- 
 porters like a lot of cattle. Give them the unre- 
 stricted run of the lawn !" 
 
150 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt brought more grist to the news- 
 paper mill than any other public man. He never 
 snubbed or grew impatient with a reporter if the 
 reporter was on the square. 
 
 MR. ROOSEVELT greatly admired the en- 
 ergy and ingenuity displayed by the news- 
 paper men in securing a story, especially if they 
 obtained a "scoop." A prominent London news- 
 paper commissioned one of its American staff to 
 go to Sagamore Hill to obtain an exclusive inter- 
 view with President Roosevelt by special appoint- 
 ment, regarding an international question. The 
 reporters on duty at Oyster Bay obtained a tip 
 concerning the Englishman's trip, and immedi- 
 ately set about getting the story. They discovered 
 that one of their number understood telegraphy, 
 and it was left to him to make good. The re- 
 porters waited until the Englishman had filed his 
 story at the telegraph office, and then the scout 
 reporter sauntered in, seated himself at the re- 
 porters' table and took the Englishman's ex- 
 clusive story hot from the key as it was sent to be 
 cabled to London. The next morning all the New 
 York papers carried the "exclusive interview" 
 simultaneously with the London paper. When the 
 incident was mentioned to Mr. Roosevelt he 
 laughed heartily, remarking: 
 
THEODORE ROOSEVELT 151 
 
 "By Jove! You can't beat the American re- 
 porter." 
 
 COLONEL ROOSEVELT and Secretary Loeb 
 referred all Oyster Bay home affairs to the 
 local editor, such as receptions, begging letters, 
 and securing rooms for members of the executive 
 force, the editor also acting as sort of an "infor- 
 mation bureau" for the city newspapers. 
 
 One day the local scribe received a real shock in 
 the form of the following telegram from the New 
 York Herald'. 
 
 "It is reported that Mrs. Roosevelt has disciirdeil corsets. 
 Ascertain whether true or not." 
 
 The telegram was sent to Sagamore Hill 
 through the governess. When Mrs. Roosevelt was 
 handed the message she showed it to Mr. Roose- 
 velt, and both laughed heartily; and Mrs. Roose- 
 velt smiled and said : 
 
 "They have me confounded with an Empress in 
 Europe." 
 
 It was thought that the first lady in the land 
 had instituted a dress reform that might revolu- 
 tionize American society. 
 
 SPEAKING of her first trip to Sagamore Hill 
 Mrs. Clinton says : 
 "Arrangements had been made on Saturday for 
 me to go to Sagamore Hill the following Monday. 
 
152 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 1 had all day Sunday to think about the new posi- 
 tion, and to wonder if I would be able to suit 
 Colonel Roosevelt. I became rather nervous about 
 it. Ordinarily, the trip to Sagamore Hill would 
 have pleased me very much, as it is a beautiful 
 drive of three miles from the village, but on Mon- 
 day I tortured myself most of the way with 
 thoughts of how I would feel if I failed to make 
 good, and by the time I arrived at the house I had 
 become exceedingly nervous, when suddenly I 
 heard a cheery voice calling "Good morning!" to 
 me from the porch, and Colonel Roosevelt hurried 
 forward. The next thing I knew I was walking 
 along with Mr. Roosevelt, up the stairs, and while 
 he chatted and joked, my nervousness disappeared 
 completely. I never thought about it after I heard 
 Colonel Roosevelt's kind, cheery voice. All I re- 
 member is that I worked like mad trying to keep 
 up with the mass of letters that poured in every 
 day. 
 
 "I found the Roosevelt home a real home. An 
 air of comfort and happiness pervaded the place, 
 and affairs of the household ran smoothly, with- 
 out an apparent hitch. The large fireplaces in 
 which huge logs were burning, gave a very cheer- 
 ful aspect to the big rooms. I knew, before I saw 
 anyone in the Roosevelt household, that harmony 
 and happiness prevailed there." 
 
PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT 
 
 k FEW COMMENTS ON THE ROOSEVELT MEMOIRS 
 
 FROM THE PEOPLE 
 
 "A fine work. A Wonderful man as your subject — one 
 of the greatest the world has ever produced. I congratu- 
 late you on your good judgment and taste in the prepara- 
 tion of this volume." — Dr. Cary T. Grayson, Physician to 
 President Wilson. 
 
 "I am very glad to have it in my library." — Former 
 President William Hoivard Taft. 
 
 "An extremely interesting book. I read your splendid 
 work with care and much interest. It has been a source of 
 great pleasure to me to get these personal touches of our 
 dear friend's life." — Admiral W. S. Braisted, Surgeon 
 General, U. S. N. 
 
 "I shall read it with a great deal of pleasure, as Roose- 
 velt's life will be an inspiration to sturdy Americans for 
 many years to come. — C. W. Kutz, Lt. Col., Corps of Engi- 
 neers, U. S. A., Engineer Commissioner, D. C. 
 
 "Washington, D. C, November 15, 1919. — Your vivid por- 
 trayal more firmly instilled my admiration for 'The Great- 
 est American of them All.' I shall place it in my library 
 as one of its cherished volumes. Might I express the wish 
 that every student could be the possessor of a copy of your 
 book or at least have an opportunity to read it, in the belief 
 that its ring of pure Americanism would appeal to all." — 
 Chas. T. Cotton, Senior, Western High School. 
 
 "Oyster Bay, L. I., November 25, 1919. — Many thanks 
 for the book from Baby Quentin and myself. I read it with 
 a great deal of interest." — Theodore Roosevelt, .Jr. 
 
 "Atlantic City, N. J., December 18, 1919.— I was delight- 
 fully surprised to receive your book so beautifully in- 
 scribed. I enjoyed every word of it. You have given the 
 public a fine work, and at a time when such things are 
 needed to help people think right." — Mrs. Alice Parish. 
 
 "Washington, D. C, December 6, 1919. — You have done 
 a very useful piece of work to produce a contribution of 
 value on the life of the ex-President." — Rev. John Van 
 Schaick, Jr., President Board of Education of the District 
 of Columbia. 
 
 "The Concord, Minneapolis, Minn., January 9, 1920. — 
 Your 'Personal Memoirs of Theodore Rodsevelt' has been 
 
PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT 
 
 received. It rivets our attention, and we find it most in- 
 teresting. It passed through the hands of a few intimate 
 friends, who all say: 'The best we have read.' Your per- 
 sonal association with the Great American adds the 
 greatest interest." — Mrs. Grace W. Smith. 
 
 "Bowdoinham, Maine, December 14, 1919. — Every full- 
 blooded American ought to have your 'Personal Memoirs 
 of Theodore Roosevelt.' The Colonel was an American 
 through and through. I wish we had more of just such 
 men. I think that every family in America ought to have 
 one of your books." — Cyrus J. Greene. 
 
 "Washington, D. C, December 22, 1919.— Just the 
 formal phrase of 'thank you' does not near express my 
 feelings regarding your Roosevelt book. I have found it 
 very interesting. You have written a book of which you 
 should be proud." — Master G. Ross Popkins. 
 
 "Washington, D. C, December 19, 1919. — I love to read 
 about Roosevelt and his family. I wish that I could do 
 something for you that would please you as much as that 
 book has pleased me. My mother has purchased one to 
 send to the library at Reedsburg, Wis." — Master Frank A. 
 Gunther, Jr. 
 
 "Office Collector of Customs, New York City. — You have 
 worked into it many personal little touches that one does 
 not often get in a book of that sort." — Hon. Byron R. 
 Newton, Collector of Customs. 
 
 "Oyster Bay, L. I., October 29, 1919. — I was very much 
 pleased to receive the 'Personal Memoirs of Theodore 
 Roosevelt.' I shall certainly cherish it, as it is a very 
 lovely book." — Miss Jennie Underhill. 
 
 [The following letter alludes to an incident in the 
 Memoirs wherein Roosevelt is described as addressing a 
 Brotherhood meeting.] 
 
 "Oyster Bay, L. I., March 3, 1920. — I am reading your 
 most interesting book on Theodore Roosevelt, and of course 
 have special interest in page 92. I attended that meet- 
 ing in the Methodist Church, and during Roosevelt's talk I 
 noticed that he had a piece of paper which I supposed 
 contained references. After the service I asked him if he 
 would give me the paper that he had just put in his Bible, 
 and he said: 'May I ask what you intend doing with it?' 
 When I told him that I wished it for a keepsake, he said: 
 
PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT 
 
 "With pleasure!" I have the paper, which contains three 
 or four Bible references, and his signature, in a safe 
 deposit box." — Calvin B. Velsor, Contractor and Builder. 
 
 FROM THE PULPIT 
 
 "Castile, N. Y., November 29, 1919. — I read everything 
 I can get about Theodore Roosevelt, one of the three great- 
 est Americans that ever lived. Your close-up view of the 
 great President and the very interesting way you have 
 written these Memoirs remind me of Boswell's life of 
 Doctor Johnson, whom you will remember, seemed to make 
 Johnson live again. And you have made Roosevelt very 
 real, and I appreciate the book more than I can tell." — 
 Geo. W. Cook, the Singing Evangelist. 
 
 "Washington, D. C, November 22, 1919.— I have just 
 this moment found opportunity to look over your book, 
 'Personal Memoirs of Theodore Roosevelt,' and am so thor- 
 oughly delighted with it that I feel I must send a word of 
 thanks to you at once. At first glance it appears to me 
 the most interesting book I have seen on the life of this 
 great American. The close-up view which you have been 
 able to give through your intimate acquaintance with his 
 everyday life and political campaigns is the thing we all 
 want, and I hope that every admirer of Roosevelt may be 
 able to read this book." — Rev. Chas. A. Shreve, Pastor 
 McKendree M. E. Church. 
 
 "Walter Reed U. S. Army General Hospital, Washing- 
 ton, December 5, 1919. — After a very careful and interest- 
 ing reading of your volume of 'Personal Memoirs,' I can 
 truly say that it is multum in parvo. It has that essential 
 characteristic which all biographies should possess, 
 namely: a personal touch, and by reason of this character- 
 istic the lamented Mr. Roosevelt lives in the various inci- 
 dents which you have recorded so faithfully." — Rev. E. 
 Holmes Lamar, Chaplain, U. S. A. 
 
 FROM THE PRESS 
 
 "The one who knows a great man in his own community 
 and home life is the one who can write the story about him 
 that will appeal to the largest class of readers. Such a 
 
PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT 
 
 story is 'Personal Memoirs of the late Theodore Roosevelt,' 
 by Albert Loren Cheney. * * * It is a book many will 
 like to own for its very simplicity; for its delineation, as 
 by a series of snapshots of the man, Roosevelt, as his 
 friends and his neighbors knew and loved him, rather 
 than as the great public character." — Waterbury (Conn.) 
 American, January 3, 1920. 
 
 "Mr. Cheney attempts nothing elaborate. His book is 
 a collection of anecdotes, dates and appreciations written 
 and collected by a man who knew the Colonel in his home 
 life at Sagamore Hill." — Netv York Sun. 
 
 "The Signal editor has received a copy of the newest 
 and best Roosevelt book, compiled and printed by Albert 
 L. Cheney, of Washington, an old friend and home as- 
 sociate of the late Colonel. It is an attractive volume, 
 bound in neat style and should be on the table of every 
 American." — South Side Signal, Babylon, L. I., December 
 12, 1919. 
 
 "A volume of a good deal of human interest is Albert 
 L. Cheney's 'Personal Memoirs of the Home Life of the 
 late Theodore Roosevelt.' Mr. Cheney was editor of the 
 Oyster Bay Pilot and knew Col. Roosevelt as one friendly 
 neighbor knows another, and also as a newspaper man 
 knows a public character with whom he is thrown into 
 close contact. These recollections are fragmentary and 
 most informal, and perhaps of greater value because of 
 their unpretentious character. — Buffalo {N. Y.) Express, 
 January 28, 1920. 
 
 <<* * * -pj^g author is no novice in the art of writing 
 — practically his whole life has been devoted to that work. 
 * * * The stories are full of human interest." — 
 Brooklyn Eagle. 
 
 East Greenwich, R. I., Feb. 26, 1920.— Albert L. Cheney, 
 a native of this place, has recently published a book en- 
 titled "Personal Memoirs of the Home Life of the late 
 Theodore Roosevelt." In an autographed copy to the 
 Editor of the Pendulum he pays a fine tribute to his former 
 home town. The book is well written and contains a 
 large number of interesting photographs. — Fay R. Hunt, 
 Editor Pendulum, East Greenwich, R. I. 
 
PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT 
 
 W: 
 
 IJ 
 
 U 
 
 M 
 
 flj 
 
 <-> 
 
 
 •H « 
 
 A • 
 
 
 P~, 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 1) 
 
 J>) > 
 
 o o 
 
 t> 
 
 
 •H 
 
 Vi 
 
 Vh 
 
 (h 
 
 »H 
 
 
 A 
 
 ■a 
 
 +> 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 -H 
 
 o 
 
 C • 
 
 +> 
 
 
 
 *> 
 
 n 
 
 1 
 
 J 
 
 
 Vi 
 
 
 (- 
 
 ta 
 
 f^ 
 
 nj 
 
 n 
 
 o - 
 
 o 
 
 * 
 
 o 
 
 ^ 
 
 o 
 
 
 ■H 
 
 >-^ c 
 
 
 +j 
 
 ■tJ 
 
 u 
 
 T) 
 
 ^ 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 c 
 
 c 
 
 ■r4 
 
 •rj 
 
 C 
 
 
 +> +> 
 
 Vh 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 E 
 
 c4 
 
 c 
 
 t. M 
 
 ■iH 
 
 ■a 
 
 
 S> 
 
 '3 
 
 
 •H 
 
 <U C 
 
 »-? 
 
 -fH 
 
 >. 
 
 r. 
 
 rt 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 rO -H 
 
 
 n 
 
 c 
 
 +J 
 
 
 D 
 
 e 
 
 rH ^ 
 
 t> 
 
 •> 
 
 (< 
 
 
 .-( 
 
 ^ 
 
 •H 
 
 << n 
 
 s 
 
 t. 
 
 E 
 
 n 
 
 rH 
 
 4J 
 
 ^ 
 
 BJ 
 
 o 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 3 
 
 «« 
 
 4) 
 
 
 • > 
 
 K 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 (0 
 
 JU 
 
 
 u 
 
 —1 
 
 > 
 
 
 
 >> 
 
 
 t> 
 
 o 
 
 —i 
 
 o 
 
 
 a 
 
 tU 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 ■H 
 
 V 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 H 
 
 >H 
 
 o 
 
 t-i 
 
 > 
 
 tJ 
 
 n 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 ♦J 
 
 H 
 
PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT 
 
PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT 
 
PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT 
 
 ^etojianb (grapJjit 
 
 "•uMlhed Every Fiidoy by 
 
 The Gitetuyft*> Publishing C 
 
 Greenwich. Conn. TelepHon' 2S 
 
 JOHN RODEMEYER, Edilo 
 
 \ r~ f^ r^7~" Mr. Cheney a number of 
 ■ years ago was a Bridgeport, Conn., 
 newspaper man, editor of the Bridge- 
 port Eagle, and subsequentl.v became 
 publisher of the Oyster Bay, (L. I.) 
 Pilot, where, as a close personal friend 
 _ of the late President, he enjoyed 
 j peculiar advantage* of intimate re- 
 lations with fi^ subject, tfiat enable him 
 to make his book a veritable mirror of 
 Roosevelt's^ome and immunity life, 
 which he pictures with fidelity, »and 
 charm, gi\'ing glimpses of the statesman 
 "out of school," that are absent from 
 the more stately biographies and formal 
 "appreciations." The book makes no 
 I pretension , t<> being a biography or 
 ' coherent record of any part of Roose- 
 velt's career. It is a fragmentary 
 compilation of incidents and impres- 
 sions, humorous, pathetic and ever 
 characteristic, and of intense human 
 interest, acquired during an intercourse 
 of many ye^rs under conditions that 
 afforded exceptional opportunity for 
 close otiservalion by the trained journal- 
 ist who enjoyed the confidence and 
 regard of Theodore Roosevelt to an 
 exceptional degree. Jt^ author an- 
 nounces that a share of the net pro- 
 ceeds of his work is to be donated to the 
 Roosevelt Memorial fund. The price 
 is S2 and the book deserves a wide 
 uistribution. 
 
 Order through your newsdealer or direct from the 
 
 Cheney Publishing Company 
 
 Washington, D. C. 
 
 Manuscripts of all kinds revised and prepared for j)ublication.