The Leon reporter., 1901-10-10

- ~. ~
me afterward that the man had come
to him with what he said was certain
knowledge that his enemy could that
night be found in known evil house up
town, which it was his alleged habit to
visit. His proposition was to raid 1t then
and so get square," To the policeman II
must have seemed like throwing a good
chance away. But it was not Rooseyelt's
way; he struck no blow below the belt.
In the governors chair afterward he gave
the politicians whom he fought, and who
fought him, the same terms. They tried
their best to upset him, for they had
nothing to expect from him. But they
knew and owned that he fought fair.
Their backs were secure. He never
tricked them to gain an advantage.
promise given by him was always kept
to the letter.
Assssfanf Secretary Of NavY.
Early in 1897 he was called by Presi-
dent Mckinley to give up his New
York Office to become Assistant-Secre-
tary of the Navy. His energy and
quick mastery of detail had much to
do with the speedy equipment Of the
navy for its brilliant feats In the war
with Spain. It was he who suggested
Admiral Dewey for commander OF the
tAsiatic station. @ .sss s. sf n 4
Dewey was sometimes spoken Of In
those days as II he were a kind of
fashion-plate. Roosevelt, however, had
faith in him, and wlfae walking up
Connecticut avenue one day said to
Mr.. Riis: Dewey is all right. He has
lion heart. He is the man for the
place." No one now doubts the wis
dom of his selection, and naval officers
agree that the remarkable skill in
craftsmanship displayed by the Amer
ican gunners was due to his foresight.
He saw the necessity of practice, and
he thought it the best kind Of economy
to burn up ammunition in acquiring
skill.
A characteristic story is told regard
ing Roosevelt's insistence on practice
! in the navy.
Shortly after his appointment he
asked for an appropriation of $S00,O0O
for ammunition, powder, and shot for
the navy. The appropriation was
made, and few months later he asked
for another appropriation, this time
| of $5OO,OO0. When asked by the proper
authorities what had become of the
first appropriation, he replied: Every
cent of it was spent for powder and
shot, and every bit of powder and shot
has been fired" When he was asked
what he was going to do with the $780,
900, he replied: use every ounce of
that, too, within the next thirty days
in practice shooting"
His Cuban tIor Record.
Soon after the outbreak of the war,
however, his patriotism and love of
active life led him to leave the compar-
ative quiet of his government office for
service in the field. AS lieutenant
colonel of volunteers he recruited the
First Volunteer Cavalry, popularity
known as the Rough Riders" The
men were gathered largely from the
cowboys of the west and southwest,
but also numbered many college-bred
men of the east. In the beginning he
was second in command, with the rank
Of lieutenant colonel, DR.. Leonard
Wood being colonel. But at the close
of the war the latter was brigadier-
general and Roosevelt was colonel in
command. Since no horses were trans
ported to Cuba, this regiment, togeth-
er with the rest of the cavalry, was
obliged to serve on foot The regi-
ment distinguished itself in the San
tiago campaign, and Colonel Roosevelt
became famous for his bravery in lead
ing the charge up San Juan Hill on
July LIST. He was an efficient officer,
and won the love and admiration of his
men. His care for them was shown
by the circulation of the famous round
robin which he wrote protesting
against keeping the army longer in
| Cuba.
AS GoJernor Of NetD York.
Upon Roosevelt's return to New
York there was popular demand for
his nomination for governor. Pre-
vious to the state convention he was
nominated by the Citizens Union, but
he declined, replying that he was q
4 Republican. The Democrats tried to
Illustrate his nomination by attempting
to prove that he had lost his legal resi-
4 dence in that state. That plan failed