The Red Cloud chief., 1901-04-05
Our NEW VICE PRESIDENT.
RooseveIts Originality ana Fo-ce
VIII Continue Manifest.

VIII continue Mantfests
Vice President Roosevelt addressed the
senate in a voice keyed to the moderate
dimensions OF the chamber, made an ad-
dress as brief as the occasion and as the
precedents alike prescribe. touched on a
thought both impressive and appropriate
administered the oath to the newly
elected senators with clearness, dignity
and simplicity and in every way H.
Illustrated the easy adequacy of an Ameri-
can to novel responsibilities. Adlal K.
Stevenson and Gafret v. Hobart did the
same IN their time.
There was less surprise that they did
so than that Col. Roosevelt did Yet his
parliamentary experience In the assembly
Of New York equaled that of Mr.. Steven
son In the house OF representatives and
that OF Mr.. Hobart in the New Jersey
senate. There was no reason for the sur
prise which was due to the virile variety
Of the experience Of Col. Roosevelt in
other fields. Those who thought of the
colonel feared that he might import mill
tary tactics into the chair and mistake
the gavel for a pistol Those who thought
OF him as governor apprehended that he
might veto some of the proprteties. Those
who thought OF him as a hunter queried
whether he would mistake Jones of Me-
vada for a mountain lion and bring him
down. The colonel himself In part has
contributed to these pictures of himself
on the mind. The Ananiases OF the pen,
and the Korahs of the cartoons have in
greater part contributed to II. But the
colonel's very proper debut as vice presi-
dent has dissipated alarms. lie will en-
Joy a reparatlon equal to the misrepre-
sentation he has received.
He is the first vice president of origl.
nality since John G. Breckinridge. Ham,
lin was a conventional war horse with
state of Maine ideas about baths and
clothes. Colfax was a politician within
the mold and manner .. a SNUG clergy
man with a property smile. Wilson was
an earnest, upright man who ran to
length OF hair, rigidty of manner and
Sunday-go-t to meeting dress on week
days. Wheeler was bucoic upstate
man who never made a mistake or a hitS
Arthur became president too soon to dis
close parliamentary qualities Hendricks
was a politician of the Middle West OF
only average parts. Morton brought
club mans courtesy and a bankers dig.
nifty to an Office In which he respected all
the traditions. Stevenson modelled his
course on that of a county Judge. Hobart
was In all things honorable, fine and
kind, but again 1t was "the business
man"
The colonel Is apt. ready. inclsive. sug-
gestive, insprational, resolute. None of
these qualities Is essential to the vice
presidency. bit even the wee presidency
can be made better by them. A man Of
genius. initiative and provision can do
anything better than one without thenN
Goethe exceled his peasant servitor in
making fires and shining shoes, for he
mixed his work with brains. No men OF
Inferior capacity have been vice presi-
dents, but In a long time no man with
anything like Col Roosevelts assem-.
blage of qualities has filed the chair.
He can create more reputation by per-
forming well the conventional duties OF
the post than others could acquire i'm the
place to whom II came easier. The post
Itself can draw more distinction from
him than from any incumbent in a long
while. We predict that the senator's and
the colonel will get on well together.
They should be to him a salutary ano-
dyne. He should be to them a salu;arY
tonic. And when the billiards have the
floor he can put his most intimate antip-
athy into the chair. and enjoy a good
time with the other Harvard man who Is
In charge of the library of congress-
Brooklyn Eagle.