The Leon reporter., 1901-10-10
f,,rfar6 THEODORE Bllx :
|5frl$~r 1E"n Roo5EyElISl l,TE' Dsf !

and he was nominated in the conven-
tion by vote of 753 to 21S for Cover
nor Black. The campaign throughout
the state was spirited. Roosevelt took
the stump and delivered many
speeches. His plurality was 1909.
AS the campaign of 1900 drew near,
the popular demand that Rooseyelt's
name should be on the National Re-
publican ticket grew too imperative
| to be ignored by the leaders. Tie
honor of the nomination for Vice-Pres-
| ident was refused time and time again
by Roosevelt, who felt chat he had a
great duty to perform as governor Of
New York state.
Says Cal O'I.aughlin, apropos of the
Republican National Convention.
which was held in Philadelphia on
June 10, 20 and 81, 1860:
Nomination at PHILADELPHIA.
On the evening OF the first day Of the
| convention, Roosevelt saw llatt. My
| name must not be presented TO the con-
vention," he told him. Flatt was mad,
and mad clean through; but he acquiesced
| and Roosevelt returned to his apartment
| cation. I'VE do not reque..t YOU to ac-
| cept the nomination." said State Senator
| Burton; I'VE do not urge you to accept
the nomination, but we propose to issue
| orders to you, and we expect you to OBEY
| them" Throughout the delivery OF Mr..
| Burton's remarks, Roosevelt Stood with
shoulders square and feet at right angles,
his chin occasionally shooting forward,
as If he were on the point of objecting to
the argument that he alone could rescue
'bleeding Kansas" from delnagogism and
populism But he waited patiently until
the address was ended, and then appealed
to the Kansans to take his words at their
face value. and vote for-some one of the
candidates. But his appeal was useless
for Senator Burton, grasping his hand,
congratulated him Sin advance upon his
nomination and election" and the dele
cation enthusiastically approved the sem
timents. So certain was Kansas that
Roosevelt would be the choice of the con-
vention, that it had printed a huge plac-
ard, bearing the words in large, black
type:
KANSAS DELEGATION
FIRST TO DECLARE FOR
GOVERNOR ROOSEVELT"
And. when the nomination was declared
to have occurred, triumphantly carried it
about Convention Hall.
After his nomination.. Roosevelt,
said:
held out as long as I could I had to
give IN When saw the popular sentiment
of the convention. believe it is my duty
Now that 1t is all over, want to say that
appreciate fully the sentiment which
accompanied my nomination. The unarl-
unity and enthusiasm of the convention
Tor my nomination never will be forgot
ten by me. Ss331
During the political campaign which
Followed, he Travelled 16,10O miles.
mashed through % states, delivered 459
speeches, containing 100000 words.
and made his appeal directly to l..
100000 persons.
His Capacity for Work.
Mr. Riis says that the thing that be-
clouds the judgment of his critics ia
Roosevelt's amazing capacity for work
He says:
He can weigh the pros and cons of a
case and get at the meat of # in less
.ime than 1t takes most of us to state
.he mere proposition. And he is surpris-
lnsly thorough. Nothing escapes him.
rils judgment comes sometimes as a
SHOCK TO the man of slower WAYS He
uoes .'-. not stop at conventionalities. II a
thlns is right, 1t is to be done-and right
away. 1t was notably SO with the round
rooln IN cuba, asking the government to
recall the perishing army when It had
won the fight. People shook their heads
ana ana talked OF precedents. Precedents! 1t
mas peen Roosevelt's business to make
them most of his time. But is there anv-
one today who thinks he set that ono
wrong? Certainly no one who with me
saw the army come home. 1t did not
come day too soon. Roosevelt is no
more 1nfallible than the rest of us. over
ana over again have seen him pause
When ne had decided upon his line of ac-
eion' ana review 1t to see where there
was chance for mistake. Finding none
ne would issue his order with the sober
, comment: There, we have done the hest
| we could II there is any mistake we will
make it right. The fear of it shall not de-
Ter us from doing our duty. The only
man VINO never makes a mistake is the
man VINO never does anything"
EnforcinS TIE Latv
Referring to Roosevelt's strict en-
forcement of the Sunday excise law.
the San Francisco Argonaut's New
York correspondent, "Flaneur," wrote
under date of September 2. 1895:
The law is not Republican law. II
was passed by Tammany, as a means of
blackmailing saloonkeepers who refused
| TO yield up tribute. 1t is a Democratic
law, was introduced at the instigation of
| Ialnmany, was passed by Democratic
legislature, and was signed by a Demo-
cratic governor. David B. HiIl. Senator
Hlil Is now trying to make political cap
ital by abusing Roosevelt for enforcing
the law, but he places himself in a yery
questionable position. When a man is
the leader of party in state, when his
party passes an excise law, and when he
himself signs it as governor, he certainlv
stultifies himself when. to embarrass q
political opponent, he fights against the
enforcement of the very law which he
himself passed. The opponents of enforc-
ing the law are having rather hard
time. Nobody denies that the law exists:
all that they say is that it is "a hardship
to enforce it," But who is to decide on
the relative severity or mildness Of the
4 laws? Commissioner Roosevelt himself
frankly says that he does not believe in
such a severe Sunday law, but as it is the
law, he is going to enforce it. And he
is certainly doing So There is good
deal Of humor in the American people.
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