The Dickinson press., 1901-10-26
SUCCESSOR OF M'KlNLEY.
Varied Career Of Theodore
Roosevelt, the New President.
SOLDIER AND STATESMAN

Entered Political Life Soon After
Leaving CoIleEe-l1ls Achievements
In Politics. War and Literary Pure
suits Have Been Notable = Great
I'VE OF Hunting and Athletics.
Theodore Roosevelt, who has become
president Of the United States through
the death Of Mr.. Mckinley, for two
decades past has been one Of the most
unique and picturesque figures in
American public life, says the New
York Times. His diversified and Wig
orous activities have not only brought
him recognition and advancement in
political life, but have won him renown
upon the field of battle, In the Bad
Lands of the west as ranchman, hunt
er and cowboy and also in the more
peaceful pursuit Of honors in the liter
airy worlds
Mr.. Roosevelt the man Is the exact
physical antithesis Of Theodore Roose-
welt the boy, though the mental charac-
teristics exhibited in early youth by
the president are conceded to be the
same as those which have now made
him famous.
From a romantic and novelistic point
Of view Theodore Roosevelt started life
with two of the greatest handicaps an
ambitious youth could have-wealth
and i'll health. In further contraven-
ton Of well established tradition con-
corning national heroes the president
was born in a great city. His birth
place was % Fast Twentieth street,
New York city; the date, Oct. q, 1858,
which makes him the youngest Of oil
the presidents. His father. Theodore,
was a wealthy descendant of an old
Knickerbocker family and was well
known throughout the city as a philan-
thropist and patriot. His mother was
a descendant Of Archibald Bullock,
first president Of Georgia during the
Revolution. -f'
Eight generations of President Roose-
velt's family have lived in New York,
and from the middle Of the seventeenth
century the name has been COMMON in
the annals of the city, having been al
most equally prominent in political,
business and social affairs. The found
er Of the family in America was Klass
Marenson Roosevelt, who came from
Holland in 1871 and settled in New
York.
The young Theodore is described In
early youth as a weak eyed, pig chest
ed boy, too frail to take part in the
sports of lads of his age" Though
frail, however, young Theodore. or
''Teddy," as he was familiarly called
by his playmates, a name which chung
to him in later years-was not Mt all
lacking in ambition or in courage. In
the veins Of his ancestors there flowed
Dutch; Irish. Scotch and French HUI
guenot blood.
HE. obtained his name," writes n
of his t~biographers, from the Dutch,
from the Scotch his obstinacy, from the
French his impetuosity and from the
Irish his 'blarney,' or gift Of tongue"
Young Roosevelt was sent to private
schools during his early school years
and preparation for Harvard UNIVERSE
ty.to avoid the rough treatment Of boys
in the public schools. He entered Far
ward with the determination to make O
man Of himself mentally and physical
". BY obedience to the laws Of health
and careful exercise the puny. sickly
boy grew to robust manhood. At Har-
ward the tastes of young Roosevelt. al
ready exhibited, for natural history
and hunting were plainly manifested.
His rifle, with which the had roamed
the woods in summer near his Oyster
Bay home, with the trophies Of the
chase, were the most conspicuous OBJ
jects In his room. Live turtles, other
animals and insects were kept fire.
Quently in his room. His stubborn de-
Tense Of his own convictions even
against the opinion Of his instructors
are still remembered by his classmates
with vividness.
Athletes at Harvard received from
him due consideration. He soon be-
came the champion lightweight boxer
in the gymnasium. Not long since Mr..
Roosevelt said about this boxing:
"When 1 vast Harvard and spared
for the championship, l suffered a
| heavier punishment than any man
there did, and I have been knocked out
at polo twice. l thoroughly believe in
boxing and football and other rough
and manly games" Young Roosevelt
was also q fair catch-as-catch-can
wrestler, a good runne and a lively
polo player. For a time he was cap
tain Of the college polo club. Under
his captaincy the team never won a
championship.
Young Roosevelt was graduated
from Harvard In 1880 and, though a
close student, with no impairment Of
health. After extended travel In Eu-
rope he returned to the United States,
studied law for a few months and
then plunged at once into the mael-
strom of municipal politics. BE was
elected in 1881 as assemblyman from
the Twenty-frst assembly district. At
Albany he was promptly dubbed a
silk stocking and a "freak" Of a pop
ular election. Mr.. Roosevelt, then but
twenty-three years old, soon succeeded
in making himself a storm center.
In his opinion politics and war are
the two biggestgames that are played"
In one year Nj. Roosevelt was known
all over the country as a new power in
the AlbanyShalls Of legislation. His
best known work in the legislature at
this time. was in connection with the
passage of the acts abolishing the fee
system in county offices and in depriv.
Ing the board OF aldermen Of their veto
power Of the mayors appointments
This was q relic Of the Tweed regime
1ni1ss47Mr. Roosevelt went to Chicago
as chairman OF the New York delega
ton toSthe Republican national conven
ton. Hesopposed the nomination Of
Elaine, butssiwhen Mr.. Blaine became
the Republican choice Mr.. Roosevelt,
fell intoE line and worked for the party
cAndidatA,s success.