Free press., 1901-10-12

REDEEMED with pleasure, for he saw that
the best in them had come out on top,
as he expected it would.
Attracted by "VeHosO' NetOE-
papers.
It was of this incident that handle
was first made by Mr.. Roosevelt's enc
mics in and out of the police board
and he had many-to attack him:
1t happened that there was a music
hall in the building in which the labor
men met. The yellow newspapers circu-
lated the lie that he went there on pur-
pose to see the show, and the ridiculous
story was repeated until actually the
liars persuaded themselves that it was
They would not have been able to under
stand the kind of man they had to do
with, had they tired. Accordingly they
fell into their own trap. 1t is a tradition
of Mulberry Street that the notorious
Seeley dinner raid was planned by his en-
emies in the department of which he was
the head, in the belief that they would
catch Mr.. Roosevelt there. The dinners
were supposed to be his ''set."
Some time after that, Mr.. Riis was
in Roosevelt's Office when a police of
fetal Of superior rank came in, and re-
quested a private audience with him:
They stepped aside and the policeman
spoke in an undertone, urging something
strongly. Mr.. Roosevelt listened. Sud
denly 1 saw him straighten up as a man
recofls from something uncIean, and dis
miss the other with a sharp: No, sir! I
don't fight that way The policeman
went out crestfallen. Roosevelt took two
OF three turns about the floor, struggling
evidently with strong disgust He told
me arterward that the man had come
20 MN with what he said was certain
AnoWledge that his enemy could that
nght be found in a known evil house up-
town, which it was his alleged habit to
VISIT. His proposition was to raid il then
ana SO get square" To the policeman it
must nave seemed like throwing a good
chance away. But it was not RooseveIt's
way; he struck no blow below the belt
IN the governors chair afterward he gave
tne Pohuclans whom he fought, and who
tought MIN. the same terms. They tried
tne1r best to upset him, for they had
noCnlng to expect from him. But they
knew and owned that he fought fair
1nelr backs were secure. He never
trlcked them to gain an advantage A
promise given by him was always kept
to the letter.
ATSfEfonf Secretary Of WoUY.
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. 1t was he who suggested
Admiral Dewey for commander of the
Asiatic station.
Dewey was sometimes spoken of in
those days as if he were a kind of
fashion-plate. Roosevelt, however, had
faith in him, and while walking up
Connecticut avenue one day said to
Mr.. Riis: Dewey is all right. He has
"a 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
lean gunners was due to his foresight.
He saw the necessity of practice, and
ne thought it the best kind of economy
70 burn up ammunition in acquiring
skill.
A characteristic story is told regard
ing RooseveIt's insistence on practice
in the navy.
Shortly after his appointment he
asked for an appropriation of 100000
for ammunition, powder, and shot for
the navy. The appropriation was
made, and few months later he asked
for another appropriation, this time
of $500 ,OG0. When asked by the proper
authorities what had become Of the
first appropriation. he replied: Every
cent of it was spent for powder and