The San Francisco call., 1904-03-06
R0OseOeH the Man,
q Personal DieLU

<6~ HE Man Roosevelt" a por-
trait sketch by Francis e.
n Leupp, is the eighth volume
in Messrs Appleton &, Co.'S excellent
Historic Lives Series and appears
at 2 most opportune moment Mr..
Leupp is editor OF the New YORK Even
ing post. He has been privileged to
enioy the almost lifelong friendship
of the President This intimacy with
the subject of his work has enabled
him to publish a large amount or val
liable information regarding the Pres
ident. his political and public actions,
that has not hitherto been known.
This. combined with his attractive lit
erary stvle, developed during his dong
years of labor on the New York press
has assisted him to carry out his de-
sign Ito give Americans of the rank
and file a little more vivid impression
of the American at the 'front.' and to
bring them closer to him, so that,
without losing their perspective view
of the leader, they could see more of
the man.
The hook opens with a reference to
the right good luck and extraordinary
series of fortunate accidents that
raised Roosevelt from the position or
a obscure politician to the highest Of
flee in the land. AS is well known.
he did not gain the Presidency like
many of his illustriOus predecessors by
force of mental ability alone; for as
Ieupp says, Roosevelt is not genius.
He is a man of no extraordinary nat
urai capacity. AS author, laWmaker'
administrator, huntsman, athlete, SOL
dier. what YOU will, his record contains
nothing that might not have been ac-
complished by any man or SOUND
nhvsioue and good intelligence. Such
prestige as he enjoys above his Fellows
he has ACQUIRED partly by hard work
and partly bv using his native wit IN
his choice of tasks, and his method OF
tackling them" Accidents gave him
his opportunities and positions; his
good sense in choosing his advisers
and his strict attention to the fnjunc-
ton of his favorite motto, when in.
doubt what to do, go ahead" have en-
ahled him successfully to carry out
the multitudinous tasks allotted him.
throughout his life Roosevelt has
found that wherever he has worked
for a position to the best of his abil-
ity and failed, some power has inter-
vened TO turn defeat into a surprising
success. 1t is clearly seen now that had
he gained the Mayoralty of New York
i'm 1885 as he dearly wished to do, he
would have been content with civic
honors. probably, and would have
kent too far away from Federal poll
tics TO have mad ambition to become. a
candidate for the position of Assistant
Secretary of State under President
Harrison. He worked hard for this po-
sition and failed: but was awarded a
civil service commissionship. In this
Office he gained considerable publicity,
which was afterward increased on his
appointment to the police commission
in New York City. This Office paved
the wav for him to the Assistant Sec
retaryship of the Navv On the decla-
ration of war with Spain he applied
for a position on the staff of General
Lee. Had he obtained this position
there would have been no rough riders.
His application failed and he set to
work and organized the rough riders;
as their colonel he became the most
picturesque figure in the volunteer
army. The prominence he thus gained
assisted him to the Governorship of
New York. His popularity clung to
him. He obtained his election to the
Vice Presidency, and, finally the
tragic death of President Mckinley
placed Roosevelt at the head of the