Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-08-29
Theodore Roosevelt.

Vice-President Roosevelt, whom many of
our Vermont readers will have an oppor-
tunity to meet and hear few days hence,
was born in New York city, Oct. q. 1858,
and he is thus now in the prime of vigor-
Gus manhood. His father, Theodore Roose.
welt. the elder, of New York, was. if we are
correctly informed a nephew of Judge j.
j. Roosevelt of the Supreme Court of the
State OF New York, who married Cornelia,
the second daughter of Cornelius P. Van
Ness of Burlington, who was the ninth
Governor of Vermont and one Of the most
distinguished citizens of our State in his
day. Vice President Roosevelt is thus not
without some personal interest in our city
and state. He graduated a Harvard Col
leso where he was known as good schol-
ar and an athlete. He continued his stud
les in Dresden, Germany, and travelled in
Europe and the East. Returning home H.
began active life in New York at the age
of twenty-three. His temperament and
views OF duty took him naturally and in
cvitahly into politics. At twenty-four he
was elected 10 the General Assembly and
soon became recognized leader of the
Republican minority in that body. He was
twice reelected from his district and sew
eral important measures calculated to cor
rect abuses and scandals in his native
city were carried by him. In 1874 he was
a delegate to the Republican National
Convention at Chicago, in which he OPP
posed the nomination of Mr.. Blaine and
favored the nomination of George F. Ed
munds of Vermont. At twenty-eight he
was widely known as a reformer who could
not be daunted or seduced As such he
was nominated for mayor by the Republic
cans of New York city in 1856 in a hope
less fight against Tammany. and pollod a
larger percentage of the votes than had
ever been cast for Republican candidate
for that office.
For several years following this period in
his career, he lived on a rancho in one of
the wild regions in northwestern Dakota,
where by his fearlessness and gifts as a
hunter and by his frank nature he attach
ed strongly to him the cowboys and rough
riders, who gathered around him.
AT the age of 81, President Harrison plac-
ed Roosevelt at the head of the United
six years of service in that office he show
ed himself to be an organizer and admin
istrator of force and conscientious thor
oughness. Then the need of a stout tight
er against the corruptions and crimes
Of Tammany officials called him
into the board of Police Commissioners
Of New York, and he was made President
Ja oil nat raj
man could do to purify the police force,
enforce repressions of the liquor saloons,
and suppress matchmaking and other num-
icipal abuses. He left the police board ia
accept the Office of Assistant Secretary OF
the Navy, under President Mckinley. The
leading facts of his career in that office; as
Colonel of his regiment of Rough Riders
in Cuba, and as Governor of New York
are too fresh in the minds of all to need
reoounting He is "A typical American; a
true patriot man of physical and mora
courage, of great force and Independence
He avows himself politician, for as he
has said: without party allegiance oul
politics would become windy anarchy but
he believes In and does his best to promote
honest politics. His ideals for an admin
iStrator stand forth in his writings ant
In his own course-integrity, patriotism
courage force, rdness., read
e mess for hard work, knowledge of mer
Z and Of their motives, His point of view OF
this subject appeared In an address to th'
2 students of the University of Michigan. a
D Ann Arbor, April II. 1899, In which he said
much has been given you and we haV,
- the right to expect much from you in re
, tuin. You can dc your duty in two ways
, First, In the direction of common honesty
second, In the direction of common sense
t really don't know which ! regard witt
g the most unaffected DIE ed-the machine
politician or the fool rcformer.
IF you will not set yourselves to try Il
solve, as they must be solved. the prob
lens growing out of the complexity of on
[ social conditions, you can depend upon II
the lead will be taken by demagogues, ex
citing the animosity of class against ella
for their own selfish purposes"
= The office of Vice President Is often tn
e shelving of its occupant 1t will not shelly
1 Theodore Roosevelt. Tic has, If he lives
. many years Of high and important publ