The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1900-07-25
about is some Of the things the gov
ernor did and said.

The first public reception Of Gov.
Roosevelt was from the rooms OF the
st. Paul Commercial club. The
great American handshaking act
was here enacted in the most APP
proved style. A line was formed
by twos. in the main parlor, and to
the music of mandolin orchestra
intrenched behind a bank of palms,
tt e people were marched around to
a side door near where the governor
stood, when master of ceremonies
led each citizen individually to
where the distinguished American
was standing, repeating the name
of the more or less humble citizen as
he presented him. Quite to the
surprise of most Corners, each got a
cordial, natural grip Of the hand, as
well as few pleasant words, from
the distinguished victim. It might
be putting it too strong to say that
the Governor conveyed by his cor
dial grip and the words ''Delighted
to see you,' the idea that he had
come all the way from greater New
York to Minnesota to shake hands
with the representative Of Red
wood Falls. But it is fact that
the idea presented itself at the time.
think we all had one feeling in
common in exchanging grips with
this square-shouldered, forceful and
sensible looking mana feeling
that we were cup against the real
thing. to use hard worked phrase.
Newspaper cartoons have made
the most of Roosevelt rather prom
inent teeth, but in speaking or smil-
ing they only serve to add to his
forceful personality. Roosevelt's
whole past career in both local and
national affairs, shows that the pur-
poses to leave his mark as a real
and not a sham reformer. While
the homage of all honest men must
be pleasant to him, / don't think
that either alteration or abuse will
turn his head or swerye him from
his purpose. Chicago's typical fig
ure of success with her motto II
will, . is less expressive of deter
mination and power than that bronze
face with it's square jaws and reso-
lutte expression. Roosevelt is no
man S man.
Gov Roosevelt's oratory is not
marked SO much by graceful speech
or gesture, as by directness and
earnestness. His gestures follow
Hamlet's rule of suiting the action
to the word, and are vigorous
and natural, especially so when in
reaching climax, he swings his
right arm in way that suggests a
cavalryman in action posing his
saber for a slashing blow. His
opening words were addressed to
the young men Of the Roosevelt
club, in regard to their political du-
ties, and are worth bordering by
conscientious men of all parties.
First of ALL be honest. A politician who is
not honest. no matter how able or smart he
is, is curse to the community But, no
matter how honest or brave man may be
if he is natural born fool you can't do any.
thing with him. He must have the SAYING
grace of common sense. Honesty and cour-
age and common sense are needed in public
life just as they are needed in private life.
The governor charged upon the
Kansas City platform rough shod,
particularly on the ground of it's in
sincerity:
They re-asserted the doctrines of anarchy
which they preached in go. not because they
longer belinved in them, but because they
hoped by announcing them tot attract to
themselves all men of unsound and violent
minds.
venture to quote a few more of
the epigrammatic sentences of this
speech that seem particularly sig
nificant. Speaking of the way in
which the Kansas City; convention
accepted the free silver plank as a
minor concession to Bryan, of no
particular consequence to the ma
ton:
At Kansas City it took the Democrats two
days to determine upon the free silver plank
in their platform. The rest of the blanks
did not need an hours work
It is hardly necessary to say that not mere
~ free silver, but the very threat of free
silver would paralyze our whole industrial
life.