Albuquerque citizen., 1907-12-05

| fore the regiment went to Cuba. He
| did not go with it. He remained at
| Tampa, Fla. lie had charge of the
surplus baggage and accoutrements
and all the horses OF the Rough
| Riders, during the period while Col.
| Wood and Lieut.. Col. Roosevelt were
| over on the island. This did not look
as though Curry's connection with
| the regiment had brought him to
| the favorable partial and personal
that day.
Obcyed Ortlers.
but If Curry felt he had been side
| tracked there was nothing in his ex
pressions or even his manner to in
| dicate 1T. He went about the busi
ness of obeying orders and taking
| care of the horses. and the other
stuff left i'm his charge. as though 1t
was the most important business of
his career. If he felt disappoint-
ment IL was not permitted to inter-
| fere with the effectiveness of his
| work Again, when the regiment
| came back from The island and was
in camp, waiting the time to be mus
| tered out, Curry did the work left
to him with such dispatch and intel
| ligence as to attract the attention OF
other officers associated with him,
| but no special commendation from
| Col. Roosevelt. 1t is true that dur
| ing a part of the time Curry was in
command of more men than the col
Onel OF the regiment, and all the time
| he had his colonel beat on the num-
| ber Of mounts under his charge.
1t was really the record OF Curry
in the Philippines that won his place
| for him in the hearts, not only of The
president of the United states. who
| loves effectiveness and efficiency as
much as he does strenuOsity, but in
| the hearts of all officers Of the reg
ular army who were associated with
| him. one difficult assignment after
| another was handed ont TO Curry lie
was not of high rank in those days,
| but instead of handicapping him IL
| helped him. In rapid succession ne
| became the governor of three diff
| ferent provinces, including that Won
| derful Samar country, where the
| most hostile and savage OF the phil
| ippine tribes made their habitat.
| Made Good dn the Philippines.
| In every one of the places Curry
| made a record which brought him
! repeated commentator from his SUI
periors. That was a time when the
| success of the national administration
| was very much in the hands of the
| men who represented it in distant
| possessions Naturally, the president
| Of the United States heard of his old
4
| is too much to say that Curry's MEM
bership in the rough riders preJu-
diced the president of the United
States in his favor. but it is true to
| assert that IL this association had
been entirely wiped out Curry could
In all likelihood, have secured the
| job anyway.
The incidents which led up to the
resignation. by request, of Gov. lia-
i CO. haan
ed by the press. They brought chag-
rim and disappointment to the pres
/ ident The chief executive had felt,
/ up to that time, that Hagerman was
of the class of rich young men who
were seriously and earnestly working
| in the public service and giving to
| their country the best that was in
| them. This class the president al
ways encouraged. and today he is
| surrounded by rich young college
\ fellows who, he believes, make the
| best sort of government servants, IL
| endowed with brains and the right
/ sort of temperament. President Roos-
| evelt has done more than any man
since the foundation of the govern
ment TO destroy class animosity and
| to make the public service alluring
| 10 men of culture and means. While
/ a master politician, in the popular
sense, it is doubtful If he ever man
| aged a single appointment that show
| ed political sense or advantage. II he
| did, IL was on an occasion when he
| had accepted advice from some OF
his associates.
| Appointed Over Protest.
With Hagerman a disappointment
and retired, the president thought of
| Curry. Curry had written to his su-
periors in Washington thai, having
| tried his hand as governor of three
| provinces there. and pacifying them
| having served as chief of police of
| Manila, and organized a most ef-
| fective semimilitary system of city
| control, he wanted 10 return 70 the
| United States. He asked for no pub
| lie place. and had IT In mind to re-
| turn to New Merico and engage in
| private business. The president saw
| possibilities in Curry. He had heard
| good reports of him. He knew that
| Curry had gone through all of the
! rigors and hardening processes of
| frontier times in New Mexico; that
| he was quick with a siX-snOOter,
that he had fought his way to lead
| ersip in rough border element of
| adventures and -punchers and
| ranChers; that he drank at times, and
| that he enjoyed game of poker.
| The president had earned all that
| was worst of Curry as well as all that
| was best about MN. lie caDleu 10
| Curry and asked hum 10 become
| GOV ernor of New Mexico. Curry
| cabled back that while he appreciat
ed the noner OF the tender. he wish
| ed 10 decline, as he had no further
desire for public place. The presi-
dent became at once determined that
Curry was the man for the place.
| While Curry was making his way
across the Pacific ocean, bound for
this country, the president went
ahead and appointed him to the
place anyway. When Curry landed
ne found his commission as governor
IN the mail, together with a firm and
direct letter, telling him that he had
before him a patriotic duty. Curry
took up the burdens Of office.