The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1901-09-27

tiiS "S"Vh vi W AVA J
But three of these offices were bestowed
by vote Of the people-that of assem-
blyman, that of governor, and that of
Vice President. He was elected to be
governor of New York in November,
1883, by majority of 1900 votes.
He was elected to the general assembly
OF the State of New York for the term
1SS2-S4 and was twice reelected.
CAREER AS AN ASSEMBLYMAN.
In the capacity of assemblyman Col.
Roosevelt soon forced himself to the
front as a leader of the Republican
minority, and he had his hand on a
deal of legislation, not little of which
has been of practical benefit to the
great Empire State. He brought from
Harvard College some definite ideas
about civil service, and he began to
urge those ideas before the assembly.
Ultimately he succeeded in passing
certain reform laws in the State legis-
lature, including an act to regulate
primary elections. In 1884 he sue
ceeded in having abolished the fee sys-
TEN for county clerks and for registers
and placing them on Il stated salary.
1t is claimed to his credit that numer-
Gus abuses in the sheriff's offices and
in the surrogate's offices were curtailed,
and that aldermen were deprived of
the power TO Confirm appointments
made by the mayor in New York cities.
Col. Roosevelt had attained consid-
cradle prominence in New York State
by 1884, when he was chairman of the
State delegation in the Republican
National Convention. He had also
attained not little reputation as an
author at that time, particularly on
account of his writings about the great
West and its opportunities for the
hunter. While not crack shot, he
has been an indefatigable hunter, and
has probably made seventy-five trips
to different sections of the West,
where he has lived with the cowboys
and ranchmen, assisted in the hard
manual labor of the region, roughed it,
and hunted down the big game for
which the Western country, even in
recent years, has been famous. In the
interim between his graduation from
college and the termination of his SER
vices in the New York State assembly
he had also found time to write a
g History of the War of 1872" which
is regarded as very good authority,
and which is on the shelves of all
Libraries OF much Importance. His
earliest book on the West was entitled
s. Hunting Trips of Ranchman."
CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR OF NEW YORK.
Glorying in partisan politics and at
the same time being in high feather
with the retormers, Of whom there was
a large number in New York City,
Col. Roosevelt was unable long to re-
main outside the arena. By 1886 he
was a commanding figure in the muni-
cipal election of New York City as the
Republican candidate for mayor
against Abraham Hewitt and Henry
George, but was beaten at the polls.
He continued to follow his profession
Of author, having tried some years
previous to study law with his uncle,
Robert B. Roosevelt, at one time a
member Of Congress, but desisting
after a short time.
His activity as reformer in politics
had commanded sufficient attention to
induce President Harrison, in 1889, to
appoint him at the head of the United
States Civil Service Commission. He
assumed the office with the theory that
the spoils-monger was as bad as the
bribe- giver, and for six years created
a commotion in the civil service the
like of which has not been since his
departure. He assailed numerous
Western postmasters for practices
which were claimed to be inim;cal to
law. The struggle continued with
great heat and fury, and Col. Roose-
welt was both praised and censured ac-
cording to the viewpoint of the Oh
server. During his incumbency in
Office 10000 places were added to the
civil service.
ENFORCED TIE LAW FEARLESSLY.
1t was in 1895 that Col. Roosevelt
shifted his scene of operations from
Washington to New York. In that
year Mayor Strong was beginning his
on the reform ticket.
Roosevelt was appointed to the presi-
dency of the board of police commits
sioners. In that role he undertook
strict enforcement of the law, and sue
ceeded in making himself the worst
hated man in New York, as we'll as
the most loved. The law regarding
the sale of intoxicants on Sunday was
strictly enforced, and the only consola-
tion Col. Roosevelt would give to
those protesting was that the law, if
not popular, should be repealed. He
insisted Oh appointing policemen who
would obey his dictates, and frequently
visited them at night on their beats to
be certain that they were performing
their duty.
Col RooscvclLs S career in New York