The Opelousas courier., 1901-09-21
Our New President.

Theodore Roosevelt, of New
York, soldier, legislator, historian
ranchman, civil service reformer
politician, police commissioner
assistant secretary Of the navy
governor of the Empire State,
vice president, and, owing to the
death of President Mckinley
president of the United States, is
one of the most remarkable per-
sonalities in the history of the
United States of the last quarter
century. Scarcely yet of middle
age, he has won Il place in the
literary world, us we'll us that of
politics. He has been a prime
mover in noted reforms, has dis
tinguished himself as a soldier by
gallantry and generalship, as a
statesman by consistent and
constant battle for purity in pub
lie office, and as HI executive in
the able conduct of the assistant
secretaryship of the navy and the
management Of the affairs of the
state of New York.
Personally, the new president is
most charming. No one denies
the attractiveness of his frank
ness, his wealth of human interest
and sympathy.
Though Il weakling as a child,
he has developed himself into a
strong and active man, and his
passion for hunting big game and
his love for adventure have added
not the least picturesque part to
his history. Mr.. Roosevelt is
stockily built, and some three in
ches short of six feet in height.
He is very near-sighted, and al
ways wears thick eyeglasses. His
expression is genial, and he smiles
frequently, showing his teeth. He
is only 43 years old, the youngest
man who ever occupied the presi-
Dental chair.
He is thorough American, for
one thing, millionaire, besides
the first to occupy the Office of
president-and although a staunch
Republican, he has proved him
self to be true patriot and an
earnest advocate of good govern
ment. thereby incurring the en-
nifty of the spoilsmen in his party,
upon whose toes he has frequently
trod. He has never minced his
views. He has opinions, and he
states them in straightforward,
downright, open way, which ad-
mit3 of no doubt as to his mean
ing, In public speech last year
he said:
"No nation, no matter how glo-
rious its history, can exist unless
it practices-practices, mind you,
not NEARLY preaches-civlc hon
esty, civic decency, civic righteous
ness. No nation can permanently
prosper unless the Decalogue and
the Golden Rule are it's guide in
public as in private life. -
At the dedication of the Pan
American exposition at Buffalo,
N. Y, in May, he said:
81 believe with all my heart in
the Monroe Doctrine. The doc
trine is not to be invoked for the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Of any one Of us
here on this continent. It should
be regarded simply as a great in
ternational Pan-American policy,
vital to the interests Of all of us.
"The United States has, and
ought to have, and must ever have
only the desire to see her sister
republics in the Western Hemi-
sphere continue to flourish, and
the determination that no Old
World power shall acquire terri
tory here On the Western conti-
nent.
This appears to be the proper
view, and one that no true Amer
ican can object to.
On the whole, the new Presi-
dent impresses us as an honest,
earnest and fearless man, whose
best efforts will be devoted to the
maintenance of the honor and
glory of his country and the hap
piness and well-being of its in
habitants.
Southern Pacifc-Sunset Route
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