The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-10-05

there was nothing else which fitted
him for this high place, would not
put him in nomination. But Colonel
Roosevelt has shown conspicuous abil-
ity in the public service for ten years.
He was soldier three months. 1t is
not time which tells with an execu-
tive mind and restless energy like
Roosevelt's but opportunity. Give him
the chance and he leads to victory.
When he became assistant secretary
of the navy he was in sphere more
congenial to his genius and abilities
He was fortunately under the most ac-
complished, able, generous and indu.-
gent chief in Secretary Long. A small
man, would have been jealous OF this
dynamite bundle of brains, nerves, en-
ergy and initiative, but our distinguish
ed secretary gave full scope to his bril-
liant assistant. The country owes much
TO him for the efficiency and splendid
condition of our navy. The congret-
sionsl economist has always put his
knife deep in the naval appropriations.
He will not do so any more. The navy
department has always been compelled
to enforce on the commanders of its
men-of-war that they must be very
careful of coal and powder. The per-
msnent staff said to Roosevelt one day:
dewey is wasting an unnecessary
amount of powder in firing his big
guns." "Let him shoot away" said
the assistant secretary, "that is what
the powder is for" The waste was
magnificent economy in producing the
superb craftsmanship of the gunners
on our warships at Manila and San
tiago.
The wife of cabinet officer told me
that when Assistant Secretary Roose
welt announced that he had determined
to resign and raise a regiment for the
war, some of the ladies in the admin
istration circle thought it their duty to
demonstrate with him. They said:
"Mr. Roosevelt, you have six children,
the youngest few months old, and the
eldest not yet in the teens. While the
country is full of young men who have
no such responsibility and are eager to
enlist, you have no right to leave the
burden upon your wife of the care,
support and bringing up of that fami-
"" Roosevelt's answer was Roose
welt answer. 81 have done as much as
any one to bring on this war, because
l believed it must come, and the soon
er the better, and now that war is de-
clared, have no right to ask others to
do the fighting and stay at home my
self"
The regiment of rough riders was an
original American suggestion, to dem
onstrate that patriotism and indomit-
able courage are common to all condl-
tions of American life. The same
great qualities are found under the
SLOUGH hat of the cowboy and the eleg-
ant imported tile of New York's gilded
youth. Their mannerisms are the We
neers of the west and the east; their
manhood is the same.
In that hot and pest. cursed climate
of summer Cuba, officers: had opportu-
mites for protection from miasma and
fever which were not possible for the
men. But the rough riders endured no
hardships nor dangers which were not
shared by their colonel. He helped
them dig the bitches; he stood beside
them in the deadly dampness of the
trenches. No foored tent for him if
his comrades must sleep on the ground
and under the sky. In that worlG-
famed charge of the rough riders
through the hail of shot and up the hill
of San Juan, their colonel was hui
bred feet in advance. The bullets
whistling by him are rapidly thinning
the ranks of these desperate fighters.
The colonel trips and fails and the line
waivers, but in moment he is up
again, waving his sword, climbing and
shouting. He bears charmed life.
He clips the barbed wire fence and
plunges through, yelling: "Come on,
boys; come on, and we will lick h out
of them.' The moral force of that
daring cowed and awed the Spaniards,
and they fled from their fortified heights
and Santiago was ours. AT that time
Colonel Roosevelt was very inhuen-
tial resident of Santiago de Cuba. ITO
lick h out of them" is the fury of the
fighting. 1t expressed the titanic rage
of Washington at the treachery of Lee
and turned the tide at Monmouth. 1t
pierced like the bullets the fears of the
heeting soldiers and sent them flying
to the front and victory when Sheridan
rode madly up the valley from Win
chester.
Col. Roosevelt is the typical citizen
soldier. Sanitary conditions of our army
in Cuba might not have been known
for weeks through the regular channels
of inspection and report TO the various
departments. Here the citizen in the
colonel overcame the Official routine
and reticence of the soldier. His
graphic letter TO the government and
the Iound-rObin he initiated brought
suddenly and sharply to our attention
the frightful dangers of disease and
death and resulted ia our boys being
brought Immediately home. He may
have been subject to court martial fol
violating the articles of war, but the
humane impulses of the people gave
him gratitude and applause.
1t is seldom in political conflicts
when new and unexpected issues have
to be met and decided, that candidate
can be found who personlfes the popu
lar and progressive side of those issues
Representative men move the masse
10 enthusiasm and are more easily un
derstoOd than measures. Lincoln
: with his immortal declaration made a
: time when TO make it insured his de