The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1903-02-28
President Roosevelt Gives Another
Chapter on Strenuous Living.
ADMIRES LARGE FAMILIES
And to Raise and Properly Educate
Them is a Duty We Owe Our
selves and Our Country.

book called "The Woman Who
Tolls" which will be published
shortly by Doubleday, Page & Co.
1t is as follows: 49,
WH1TEHoUsE, WASHINGTON,
Oct. IS, 1902, Ny DEAR MRS.
VAN VoRsT: 1 must write you a
line to say how much I have appre-
ciated your article, "The Woman
Who Tolls" But to me there is a
more melancholy side to it, when
you touch upon what is fundamen-
tally infinitely most important than
any other question in this country
that is, the question OF race sui
eide, complete or partial. IS
An easy good-natured kindness
and desire to be, "independent''-
that is, to live ones life purely &C.
cording to ones own desires-are
in no sense substitutes for the fun
damental virtues, for the practice
of the strong racial qualities with
out which there can be no strong
races-the qualities of courage and
resolution in both men and women,
of scorn OF what is mean, base and
selfish, of eager desire to work or
fight or suffer, as the case may be,
provided the end to be attained is
great enough, and the contemptu-
Gus putting aside Of mere ease,
mere vapid pleasure, mere avoid
ance of toll and worry.
do not know whether I most
pity or most despise the foolish and
selfish man or woman who does not
understand that the only things
really worth having in life are those
the requirement of which normally
means cost and effort. If man or
woman, through no fault of his or
hers, goes throughout life denied
those highest of all joys which
spring only from home life, from
the having and bringing up of
many healthy children, I feel for
them deep and respectful sympathy
the sympathy one extends to the
gallant fellow killed at the beginning
OF a campaign, or the man who
tolls hard and is brought to ruin by
the fault of others. But the mau
or woman who deliberately avoids
marriage and has a heart so cold as
to know no passion, and a brain so
shallow and selfish as to dislike
having children, is in effect a Grim
inal against the race and should be
an object of contemptuous abhor-
renee by all healthy people.
Of course, no one quality makes
a good citizen, and no one quality
will save nation. But there are
certain great qualities for the lack
of which no amount of intellectual
brilliancy or of material prosperity,
or of easiness of life can atone, and
which show decadence and corrup.
ton in the nation just as much if
they are produced by selfshness
and GOODNESS and ease loving lazi-
ness among comparatively poor
people as if they are produced by
vicious or frivolous luxury in the
rich. If the men of the nation are
not anxious to work in many differ
ent ways, with all their might and
strength, and ready and able to
night at need, and anxious to be
fathers of families, and if the wo-
men do not recognize that the
greatest thing for any woman is to
be good wife and mother, why,
that nation has cause to be alarmed
about its future.
There is no physical trouble
among us Americans. The trouble
with the situation you set forth is
one of character, and therefore we
can conquer it if. we only will.
Very sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Sick Headache absolutely and DER