The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-16
THEODORE ROOSEVELT. PRESIDENT.

Mr. Theodore Roosevelt is now President
Of the United States. He has come to the
| high office as the result Of crime which
no American citizen laments more than he.
Whatever ambitions he may have cherished
/ as to some time occupying the presidential
chair. whatever hopes his friends and ad-
mirers may have entertained of seeing him
reach that great distinction. those ambi-
| tions and hopes were OF the future. when
the man now come to an untimely end
| should have passed, in due course, hale and
| strong into the wel-earned rest and peace
/ Of private life. Not he nor they can look
| upon his entrance into this place of vast
| sponsibilities by tragic route with any
thing less than distress and regret. But
the distress and regret, so far as the public
/ is concerned, for the President who is
gone, not for the one who succeeds him.
/ The people elected Mr.. Mckinley to serve
them four years; they loved him and had
| confidence in him, and they mourn his
death. But. also, they have confidence in
Mr.. Roosevelt. who is thrust into the high
er place, suddenly and Unexpectedly made
vacant; him. too, they love and admire,
and ready to trust with national con-
Germs. They chose him to be Vice Presi-
Dent. but, with more forethought than is
| always manifested In the choice of the sec
ond officer of the Nation. his fitness for the
first place, in case fate should call him
there, was considered and it was felt by
| the public generally that he would be equal
to it's demands
4
| them as he has been equal to the duties
of all the positions he has held heretofore.
/ 1t was this faculty of being ready for the
| occasion-for all occasions-that first com
mended him to public attention; it his
positive, his incorruptible, his aggressive
honesty and courage that next made an
impression and fixed him in the public mind
as man whom the country needed.
| Theodore Roosevelt occupies unique po-
sition in the estimation of the country. 1t
is not that other men in public life are not
! honest. earnest, or incorruptible-these
| qualities are not rare Ii is that he COM
| bines them in an unusual way. He is pos
| sessed of great physical vitality and mental
/ energy; he has of his own taste and &C
cord entered into various occupations that
have put him in touch and sympathy with
all classes of men. high and low; when he
was ranchman he made the cowboys his
! friends. so that when he became a soldier
! they clamOred to be of his regiment; he
/ became police commissioner, not for 1.-The
! money there was in it, as is the custom
in New York, but to see that certain abuses
were remedied. They were remedied de-
! spite opposition of other members of the
! board He became assistant secretary of
the navy. he became Governor of New
York. and there. as in other offices, did his
duty fearlessly and honestly He is a man
of action; he has come to be looked upon
as a man who does things, who can be
relied on in an emergency.
In short. Theodore Roosevelt is a man
| of the people, a typical American of the
younger generation, man who has faith
| in his country and his countrymen, and
| whose aim is to serve them to the best of
his ability 1t was said above that, like
other citizens, he laments the untoward
| event that makes him President No doubt
he laments it more than any other because
of the responsibilities it puts upon his
shoulders. No doubt he shrinks from as
Stunning the great burden. Nevertheless
there is no question that he will take up
the heavy duties bravely and fulfill them
| well. He has never shirked responsibilities
nor their consequences, and he will not
now. Because of the difference between
him and Mr. Mckinley in temperament
| characteristics and methods he will find the
position as successor TO that martyr a diff
ficult and delicate one. The conditions will
be quite unlike those which would exist
were he taking his office in regular course
| after an election. 1t will be the part of the
public to give him it's sympathy and sup
port and TO assure him of its confidence
The people should. and undoubtedly will
| show him that they are with him.
| WISE AND TIMELY wORnS