Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1905-05-19
RO0seveIt's First Political
SDeeCh in the West.

Roosevelt often pointed out the in
Justice OF lynching, and in the round up
of 1885. as the cowboys were gathered
about the campfire at night, he delivered
his first speech Tor better government.
Every man." he said, turning to his
strange audience, has the Constitutional
right to trial by jury. He should have
some opportunity of making a defence
before final judgment is passed and his
fate is sealed. 1t is neither humane nor
fair to catch a man supposed to be a
theft and then shoot him full OF holes
before you have proved 1t. How much
better it would be to give him hearing,
trial by jury, and verdict according
to the evidence. Now. boys. the only
way to bring this about is to organize
a county government.
The seed of good government was
sown that night, and for the harvest let
the following paragraphs tell the story;
Quietly circulating among the villag-
ers and cowboys, he sounded their sen
timents and urged, with all the elo-
quence of his youth. the necessity OF
government. At many ranches, he was
met with the rebuff, We've got along
so far wellenough without county gov
ernment, and guess we can live on in the
same wav." From the cowboys came
the strongest opposition. They were
not used to being restrained. A local
government, they feared, would be a
check on their freedom and bring about
radical changes in their lite. They were
we'll satisfied to associate with this ten
derfoot, but to taste his reform was an.
other thing So they cursed and fought
his proposition in the saloons and in the
streets, and dashed the promoter with
the strongest anathemas of a cowboys
vocabulary.
Against the storm of opposition, the
young mariner guided the shin of state,
passing through the inert consei vatism
of the farmers and gliding by the Jagged
rocks of the COWBOYS dislike to har
Dor OF civic virtue. Roosevelt returned
to Medora, and called a mass meeting
in the town hall for the evening OF
March LIST, 1885. The hall was packed
when he arose to address the crowd.
In plain words he pointed out the me-
cess,ty of government, and advised the
immediate formation OF a county insti
tuition. The Marquis De Mores, a
French ranchcr who, like himself, had
gone into the cattle raising business,
seconded his remarks. The preliminary
steps were taken. A committee was APP
pointed TO call an election ON April 6tb.
Before the election, the committee
waited on Roosevelt. and the spoKes'
man, cowboy, gruff but honest, said:
1--WE kinder thought that because We
had asked us to form this here govern.
rnent, We would like to be one OF the OF
icers And VIC just cum to know which
We would like, sheriff, or marshal or
judge"
boys replied Roosevelt. delighted
with the compliment, II did not agltate
this government matter to get an office,
but to make life better for you. do
not expect to remain here very long.
and, even should I accept an office, !
would soon be compelled to resign. to
go back East. ! thank you for the hon
or. See that you nominate good men,
men whom you trust, honest and relia-
BILE men, and YOU will always have good
government"
The committee went away, halt-dis-
gustcd, hali.auazcd. wondering what
sort of a man that tclter was"
The nominees we're mostly representa-
tive citizens. Two of the commission
ers were selected from the agricultural
districts; the third was cowboy. But
the nominee tor probate Judge bore the
reputation of crook. Roosevelt heard
of it. and at once set about to defeat him.
-Pearson's Magazine for iuIc.