The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-09-14

fered with in every way possible by pol.
iiicians anxious for the retention Of the
spois system
Next a Police Commissioner.
J firing Of thsnkless tssk, Mr.. Roose.
welt accepted the police commissioner
ship of New York City in 1895 under the
Strong reform administration. In this
department he made a record which won
for him thousands Of supporters.
His tenure Of Office was most pic
turesque and dramatic and alive with
the intensity Of the mans nature. As a
police commissioner he made New York
talk of him for a year. Disguised he
visited police station houses, he patrolled
the beats Of patrolm3m, caught police.
men aud roun1smen mapping and tried
to put new blood into the police force.
His appointments to the force are now
referred to as reform appointments"
lie went intU the office shortly after the
upheayal caused by the Lexow investi-
eating committee. Daily rows occurred
between President Roosevelt and other
, members Of the commission, but ulti-
malcly he was victorious and upset all
the old rules Of the department and en-
fo.ced all of the ancient b'ue laws. He
insisted upon the enforcement Of all
laws.
An "anti. machine" man at all times,
I
Mr.. Roosevelt declined TO abide by the
wishes of politicians while in this Office,
and was accordingly disliked by both
parties.
When President McKinly was elected
he rendered Mr.. Roosevelt the place OF
Assistant Secretary Of the Navy, After
some hesitation he accepted and re-
signed his Police Commissionership.
His career in the navy was brief, bnt
one Of the most satisfactory Of his pub
lie services. Working in harmony with |
Secretary Long, he began the task of
putting the navy upon a firm foundation.
Naval experts told him that target
practice was what the navy needed.
"Do it them" replied Roosevelt.
"But We haven't the money" was the
reply Of the naval experts.
Began to Burn Powder.
The Assistant Secretary then began
planning to get money for this, and soon
had secured SsO00l0, which, as he ex-
pressed it, twas burned up in a few
days"
Every ship was given an allotment Of
the powder, and instead Of theoretical
target paractice, the big and little guns
of the war ships were actually fred.
Previous to the outbreak OF the Span
sh war Mr.. Roosevelt issued orders to
every commanding officer TO have daily
target practice. This was done and the
magnificent Workmanship OF the navy
during the war was largely due to the
manner in which he handled a problem
talked over by oil previous Assistant Sec.
retaries.
lie aroused the navy officials, and
through them their men, and WAS re-
garded as one Of the best officials OF the
Government when the war actually
broke out. Then he announced his de.
termination OF going to the front.
President Mckinley. alyays ,apprecia:
tried to persuade him that he could be Of
more service to his scountry by remaining
in the Navy Department.
Anxious TO get into the thick of the
fray, he resigned his place, and with
Leonard Wood, then captain in the
medical corps and Mrs. McKinley's ply.
slcian, organized the Rough Riders.
Capt. Wood g now Gen. Wood and the
Youngest general in the regular army.
From the outset the regiment was known
"a "Teddy's Terrors" or "Rooseyets
Rough Riders" II was recruited largely
from the West and Southwest, sections
where in his earlier life Roosevelt had
won the admiration Of men by his cour-
age and valor.
In Battle In Cuba.