The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-07-20
Hls EARLY poLIrIca
How Roosevelt Once Argued for Fair
Play Before q Cowboy Audience
and Won His Point.


Roosevelt often pointed out the in
Justice Of lynchins, and in the round.
up Of 1885, as the cowboys we're gath
cred about the camp hre at night, he
delivered his flrst speech for better gov
ernment.
Every man." he said, turning to his
strange audience, has the censtitu-
tional right to trial by jury He should
have some opportunity Of making a
defense before final judgment Is passed
and his fate is sealed. II IL neither
humane nor fair to catch man sup
posed to be thief and then shoot him
full Of holes before you have proved
1t. How much better It would be to
give him hearing, q trial by jury and
verdict according to the evidence.
Now, boys, the only way to bring this
Dbout is to organize county govern
ment."
The seed Of good government was
sown that night, and for the harvest
let the following paragraphs tell the
story.
Quietly circulating among the VII
layers and cowboys, he sounded their
sentiments 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 well enough without a county
government. and I guess we can live
on in the same way" From the cow
boys came the strongest opposition.
They were not used to being restrained
A local government. they feared, would
be check on their freedom and bring
about radical changes in their life.
They were well satisfied to associate
with this tenderfoot; but to taste his
reform was another thing. So they
cursed and fought his proposition in
the saloons and in the streets and
anathemas of cowboys vocabulary.
Against the storm of opposition the
young mariner guided the ship of state,
passing the inert conservatism 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 q mass meeting
in the town hall for the evening Of
March 1, 1885. The hall was packed
when he arose to address the crowd.
In plain words he pointed out the
necessity of government. and advised
the immediate formation Of a county
institution. The Marquis De Mores, Q
French rancher. who. like himself. had
gone into the cattle-raising business,
seconded his remarks. The preliminary
steps we're taken. A committee was
appointed to call an election on April 6.
Before the election the committee
waited on Roosevelt. and the spokes-
man, a cowboy. gru1 but honest, said:
I'VE kinder thought that because ye
had asked us to form this here govern
ment ye would like ter be one Of the
officers. And we just cum to know
which ye would like, sheriff, or mar
shall or Judge"
Boys" replied Roosevelt. delighted
with the compliment, II did not agi-
tate this government matter to get an
office, but to make life better for you
I do not expect to remain here very long
and even should accept an Office
would soon be compelled to resign and
go back east. thank you for the
honor See that you nominate good
men whom you trust. honest and re-
liable men, and you will always have
good government"
The committee went away, half-dis.
gusted. half-amazed. wondering what
sort of a man that feller was"
The nominees were mostly represen
tative citizens. Two of the commits
sioners were selected from the agricul
tural districts; the third was cow
boy. But the nominee for probate
Judge bore the reputation Of a crook
Roosevelt heard of it and at once sci
about to defeat him.-Pearson's Maga.
zine.