The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-05-20


does things, and does tn en- quickly,
there can be little doubt but is;
perhaps, equally true that his mind
acts with rapidly and clearnessya and
that the ability to perform follows8up
on the heels of decision.
He thinks. but he thinks quickly.
And he is patriotic to such an extent
that every drop of blood in his veins
CLOVIS with love of country If he has
made mistakes in matters of great
moment, those mistakes have
been the result Of zeal for. his
countrys interests; and he has many
defenders among the most conserva-
tive men IN the Nation, who affirm
that he has not made any serious mis-
takes. While not an egotist he is ex-
tremely solicitous to deserve the good
opinion Of those whose favorable
thought is worth having.
At the time of the Spanish war his
friends. urged him to stay at nome.
The country was in no danger; he had
a large family to support, and his in
come was not great.
Il met him on Pennsylvania av-
enue," said one of these friends, and
asked him if he were really going to
the war"
Yes he replied: I've talked about
fighting SO much that if I didn't seize
this one opportunity of a lifetime, I
should make myself ridiculous forever
after"
My own impression of Mr.. Roose-
welt, from personal observation, is
that he is one of the most natural and
unaffected men L have ever met He
assumes no airs of superiority; he
makes no effort to impress you with
his greatness. He is genial. cordial,
hearty. When he SEXES you firmly by
the hand and assures you with smile
that he is "deelighted''-and never
was more terrible smile since the
wolf looked out from the bed clothes
and say Little Red Riding Hood-you
feel that he means it. You go away
convinced that he meant it.
While he sits there talking with you
he soon puts you at ease He dexter
ously finds out what your hobby is and
leads the conversation around to that
miliarity with the subject, whether it
be Maryland politics, archaeology, fly
ing machines, German folklore or
chicken raising. You always find him
the same, too, I am told by one who
has been much with him, whether in
hunting jacket or in swallow-tail in
the Presidents mansion or in West
ern camp.
IN conclusion, this is but super
fetal analysis of one of the most origi-
nal and forceful characters in Ameri-
can annals; of the President who will
go down in history as the man who
made possible the Panama canal, and
in literature as the author of The
Winning Of the Vest a genuine con-
tribution to American letters.
In the last analysis Theodore Roose-
Welt is a gentleman, with all the in
stincts and feeling of "noblesse oblige'
that the term implies. He is descend
ed from a fine old Dutch family, with
traditions; yet he is too large-minded
to underva1ue any man whose heart
and mind entitle him to respect.
Hence, he has such admiration for the
men of the West, whose companion
and friend he delights to be.
II is the gentleman in him that has
taught him that there are other things
in the world-even in this commercial
world OF ours--to be loved and feared
than money; that there are other stan
dards of success than the mere amount
of money which a man has been
shrewd enough or wicked enough to
acquire
AS a foundation, then, we have first
and all the time the good old stock of
the American gentleman! shall We not
say that upon this has been grated a
shoot of the Western cowboy?