The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-08-01
ROOSEVELT THE RIDICULOUS
washington Post.)

L
In times past we have had many anus
ing persons in our political wars. Both
of the great parties have given of their
wittiest and funniest There have been
testers, clowns and mOuntebanks be-
yOnd computation. But no one like ROose-
Vel. mas ever yet figured at the front. He
SurpasSeS all the merryma kers of history
ana what makes his achievements so ir-
reSlSubly delicious is tbs glazing fact that
ne does not intend or even suspect it in
the very least The lamented Burton and
the venerable Jefferson realized the eX-
cruciaung effect Of SOlemnity on the part
of the comedian. They knew how to throw
their audiences into commissions of de-
hight They were great in their day and
generation, but never half as funny as
Roosevelt is in his, for their solemnity
was artificial, while his is as genuine as
the TRalden'S artless blush or the college
graduate, $ profound conviction that he
has swallowed and assimilated the whole
sum of human saDience
Roosevelt is much more enjoyable now
than ne was two years ago Then it was
conceivable that he might be the victim
OF perfectly natural delusion. He had
no experience of war. He had never seen
an army in the field. He knew ABSOLUTELY
nothing OF military matters. Plunged
suddenly into a bewildering uproar and
confusion, why should be not have
| thought himself the central figure of it
all? Finding that swift and conclusive
victory had been achieved why should
he assume that he had not achieved it?
| He l2lew that he had been cavorting and
shouting from start 10 finish. Nobody had
made more noise or jumped up and down
with greater zeal. He was the only man
who had lost his regiment, vaulted wire
fences and gallOped about until he ddn' I
| know where he was. Why should not a
person of ROOSeVeltS peculiar turn of
mind conceive the idea that he was ''it''
all through? He both amused and grieVed
US then. We alternately Ditied and de-
rided him, though we un=erstoOd his in
nOcent Authorizations, and we felt both
merrlment ard sorrow. Roosevelt was a
very different proposition in 1898.
But Roosevelt Is simply ridiculous now.
There is no excuse for his absurd and
lmpuuent pretenSiOnS. 1t is no longer
possible to overlook his ignorant conceit
There was a time, as we have said, when
these were both pathetic and amusing
That time has passed. Everybody now
knows that Roosevelt did not capture San
Juan hill. Everybody knows that he was
not even there until the hill had been cap
tured by others.
A careful reading of his own book
Alone in Cuba shows this. for he tells
how "he" took Kettle hill by assault and
then watched Kent'S men, as they at last
after eight hours, crawled up San Juan
and drove the enemy from the blOckhOuSe
and the trenches. That the rough riders
were subsequently ordered to Join the
main body and to attack the SoaniardS
who had fallen back on San Juan ridge 3"
Is true enough. But the prepOSterOuS
proposition that he and his rough riders
led the charge on San Juan hill. or had
anything to co with that enga cement.
strictly speaking. is the jest OF every army
officers that took part. and is belied by
Roosevelt in his sO-called "histor-.
And here is the exquisite humor of the
situation. Roosevelt has been nominated
for the vice presidency in his character as
the hero of San Juan hill"