Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-02-10
ROOSEVELT THE IDEALIsT.


Unless we are familiar with a mans
ideals We cannot claim a thorough ac-
quantance with his life and motives.
We may think we know President Roose-
welt from his messages, from his eXecu-
tive acts, from his busy official routine,
from his personal strenuosity, but that
seems to only represent a part of him
and perhaps the more superficial indica-
tions at that. This man of prompt action
and direct eNpedients likes to absent him
self in the wilderness with John Bur
roughs, poet naturalist and recluse as
his only companion. He welcomes with
something more than conventional courte-
sly the preacher of the gospel of 1.-THE
simple life" and by his enthusiastic in
dorsement OF his message gives It a cur
reucy among the American people such as
is rarely enjoyed by new theories of life
and duty.
His autograph letter to the Provencal
poet. Frederic Mistral acknowledging the
receipt from him of volume of his
poems. shows a wamth and an eloquence
of appreciation that is unusual, even in
the President. This letter glows with
ardent approval of the poets teaching
as applied to our American life. This is
a distinction added to the honor already
bestowed upon the poet. as he is the
years recipient of the Nobel prize for
literature. Probably the jury that made
the award adjudged it on the basis of
literature, pure and simple. But the
President finds i'm his work also a deep
and vital scheme of philosophy that APP
peals to his own spirit and prompts him
to a very interesting heart to heart talk
with the author.
He tells Mistral that he is teaching a
lesson that none more need to learn than
we of the West" Certainly poet cannot
have "A better introduction to new coun-
try than to be sponsored by its Chief
Magistrate, and the practical effect will
doubtless be to introduce the Provencal
to larger number of American readers
than he could hope to win through the
regular channels of literary enlargement.
But II 1t leads us to know more of Mis-
trail prophet whom we can hardly
AFFORD not to know, 1t also helps us to
a better understanding of Roosevelt. 1t
reveals the fact that there is much in the
life and spirit of public service and in
divdual tendency in this country that is
repellant to him, and that however much
he may have to deal with eXpedients that
situations demand, he yet cherishes hopes
and ideals beyond any prospect of inn
mediate realization.
He must have been pondering some of
Mistral's verse and have caught a touch
of his inspiration, when he penned these
words:
Factories and railroads are good up to
a certain point, but courage and en-
durance love of wife and child, love of
home and country, love of lover for
sweetheart, love of beauty in mans work
and in nature, love and emulation of
daring and lofty endeavor are the homely
work "a day virtues and heroic virtues
These are better still, and If they are
lacking, no piled-up riches no roaring
changing industrialism, no feverish and
many-sided activity shall avail either in
dividual or nation. / do not undervalue
n hOdN
desire that they shall not make us forget
that besides the nations body there is
also the nations soul"
We must not forget that this was writ
ten by a very practical man charged with
the greatest responsibility with which any
American is at present invested. 1t is
strong protest against the excessive sor-
didness in which as a Chief Magistrate
he finds the source of some of his per-
picking problems This is perhaps his
real message relieved of all cumbersome
complications and considerations