Evening star., 1901-09-14
Notable Public Career of Theodore
Roosevelt.
ENERGY 4 LEADING CHARACTERISTIC
Has Been Identified With Reform
Measures.
FEARLESS AND EARN EST

4
York city. October 81, 1858, in the family
mansion Of 2S East Goth street, New York.
As a boy he was tfln-Shanked, pale and
delicate, giving little promise Of the amaz-
ing vigor of his later life. To avoid the
rough treatment Of the public school he was
tutored at home, also attending a private
school for time-Cutlers, one of the most
famous of it's day. Most of his summers
were spent at the Roosevelt farm near
Oyster Bay, then almost distant in time
| from New York as the Adirondacks now
are. For many years he was slow to learn
and not strong enough to join In the play
of other boys; but as he grew older he
saw that if he ever amounted to anything
he must acquire vigor of body.
With characteristic energy he set about
| developing himself. He swami he rode,
| he ran; he tramped the hills back Of the
bay, for pastime studying and cataloguing
the birds native to his neighborhood and
| thus he laid the foundation of that incom-
| parable physical yigor from which rose his
| future prowess as a ranchman and hunter.
He was graduated at Harvard in 1880,
| and the next year was elected to the New
| York assembly a republican.
RooseveIt's Public Career.
Mr.. Roosevelt's public life began when.
in 1881. he attended his first primary in
| New York state. He went into it with
| such enthusiasm that he became central
figure. and before long had been elected by
| the twenty first district to represent it in
the assembly at Albany. When he took
! the oath of office in 1882 he was the young
est member of that body, and was prompt
| ly dubbed by the older ones silk stock
| ings' and set down as an election freak
| Mr.. Roosevelt went quietly to work, how
| ever, to study his colleagues, and before
| they were aware of his energy and fearless
| ness he was the recognized leader Of the
| republican minority of the house, and the
| storm center of almost every public meas
| ure. Although it predicted that his
politics were Of such vigorous nature
| that he could not possibly be reelected he
| served the three terms of 1882, 1883 and
| 1884. In 1854 his party had grown to rec
| cgnize his worth and sent him as an in
structed delegate to the republican national
l. convention at Chicago
In 1856 he became the republican candi-
date for mayor of New York against Abram
s. Hewitt and Henry George, and although
beaten. he had the honor Of receiving the
largest percentage of votes ever poiled by
a republican candidate until Mayor Strong
came in. During the session of 1852
he was the leader Of the minority
form measures. On his reelection in 1883
he was largely instrumental in carrying
out the state civil service reform law and
an act for the regulation of primary cleo
mittee on cities, he succeeded in abolish
ing the fees Of the county clerk and regis
ter and in providing for their payment by
| salaries. this act resulting in curtailing
abuses in the sheriffs and surrogate's
offices.
He also secured the passage of a bill
| that deprived aldermen Of the power to
confirm appointments to office. and CEN
tered in the mayor the responsibility Of ad-
mnistering municipal affairs.
Early in President Harrisons administra-
tion Mr.. Roosevelt became member of the
civil service commission. and throughout his
connection with that commission was a
most aggressive advocate for the extension
Of civil service reform. He did much to
large the scope of the civil service law He
resigned from the commission to become a
member of the board of police commission
ers in New York city, and here again he
had ample opportunity to show that ag-
gressive spirit in carrying out reforms and
In securing enforcement Of law that had
always characterized his career.
Police CommissiOner.
After first offering him the position Of
street-cleanng commissioner Mayor Strong
of New York appointed him to the board of
police commissioners. Of which he at once
became president. Within month Mr..
Roosevelt was the most hated as we'll as
the most loved man in New York. His
force of character enabled him to pursue
his course of action we'll laid down in ad-
vance, with unfiinching courage and with
in a short time to effect a thorough re-
organization of the police force and an
eradication of many Of the glaring evils
that had existed up to his appointment to
the police board.
Assistant Naval Secretary.
Mr.. Roosevelt has always been a great
advocate of the doctrine of readiness in all
things, and 1t was this sense that led him
to leave the exhilarating life Of the New
York city police department for the COM
paratively obscure position OF assistant sec
retary of the navy. He knew that this po-
sition was merely single cog in the great
work Of the department, that its chief func-
tion was to keep In readiness for hostiiities
the American navy. He brought to this
position all his native talents, and within
a short time had made his presence felt.
When he had exhausted all his efforts In
this direction he became imbued with the
idea that he must get into the actual fight,
and was appointed lieutenant colonel of
volunteers. along with several hundred
others. This appointment was made May
u. 1898 and he was assigned to Col. Wood 8
regiment Of Rough Riders This was not
his first military experience, however, for
as far back as 1854 he became lieutenant
in the sth Regiment Of the National Guard
Of the state of New York afterward rising
to captain and remaining a militiaman for
four years. His work with the Rough
Riders is too fresh in the popular memory
to need elaboration.
IN september, 1893, Mr.. Roosevelt
made the republican candidate for governor
of New York, receiving more than three
fourths Of the votes of the convention He
defeated Augustus Van Wyck, the demo-
cratic candidate, at the November election
by a plurality of 1S,O79.
At Philadelphia. June %, 1890, the repub-
lican national convention unanimously
nominated Mr.. Roosevelt for the vice presi-
dency, and. although he was reluctant to
accept the nomination. he was finally pre-
vailed upon to do SO.
Mr.. Roosevelt Is one Of the most energetic
and fearless men who have figured In
American politics. He Is an earnest re-
publican, but has always been ready to
attack wrong. whether in his own party
or any other.
He Is a consistent and practical civil
service reformer, and civil service COM
missioner was thorn In the side of spoiis-
men, as we'll during the Harrison admin
istration as during the time he served un-
der Mr.. Cleveland. He was a fair fighter
and asked no favor. He probably did more
for the cause Of civil service reform, than
has any other member Of the commission
from its start.
Literary Work.
Mr.. Roosevelt has always been most
energetic worker, and while engaged in
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