The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-04-10
C.
IN LIFE
BY THEODORE ROOSEVELT
From the Presidents Latest Book. "A Square Deal"

~RoM THE VERY BEGINNING OUR PEOPLE HAVE
T. MARKEDLY COMBINED PRACTICAL CAPACITY
FOR AFFAIRS WITH POWER OF DEVOTION TO
AN IDEAL. The lack of either quality would have rendered
the possession of the other of small value. Mere ability to achieve
success in things concerning the body would not have atoned tor the
failure to live the life Of high endeavor, and, on the other hand, with
out a foundation Of those qualities which bring material prosperity
there would be nothing on which the higher life could be built.
THE MEN OF THE REVOLUTION WOULD HAVE FAILED n
THEY HAD NOT POSSESSED ALIKE DEVOTION TO LIBERTY AND
ABILITY (oNcE LIBERTY HAD BEEN AcHIEvEo) TO SHOW COM
MON SENSE AND self RESTRAINT IN ITS USE.
The men of the great civil war would have failed had they not
possessed the business capacity which developed and organized these
resources in addition to the stern resolution to expend these resources
as freely as they expended their blood in furtherance of the great
cause for which their hearts leaped.
It is this combination of qualities that has made u people sue
coed. Other peoples have been as devoted to liberty, and yet, because
Of lack Of hard headed common sense and of ability to show restraint
and subordinate individual passions for the general good, have failed
so signaly in the struggle Of life as to become a byword among the
nations. Yet other peoples, again, have possessed all possible thrift
and business capacity, but have been trampled underfoot or have
played a sordid and ignoble part in the world BECAUSE THEIR
BUSINESS CAPACITY WAS BY ANY
OF THE LIFT TOWARD NOBLER THINGS WHICH MARKS
A GREAT AND GENEROUS NATION. The stern but just
rule Of judgment for humanity is that each nation shall be known by
its fruits, and if there are no fruits, if the nation has failed, it matters
but little whether it has failed through meanness Of soul or through
lack Of robustness Of character. We must judge a nation by the net
result Of its life and activity. And 50 W must judge the policies Of
those who at any time control the destinies of a nation.
THERE WAS NO PATENT DEVICE FOR SECURING VICTORY BY
FORCE OF ARMS FORTY YEARS AGO, Ard THERE is NO PATENT
DEVICE FOR SECURING VICTORY FOR THE FORCES OF RIGHT
EousNEss IN CIVIL LIFE NOW. IN EACH CASE THE ALL I'M.
PoRTANT FACTOR WAS AND IS THE CHARACTER OF THE IN.
DIvDUAL MAN.
There are very different kinds Of success. THERE is THE
SUCCESS WHICH BRINGS WITH IT THE Scared SOUL
II SUCCESS WHICH is ACHIEVED BY WOLFlSH GREED
AND VULPINE CUNNING-THE SUCCESS WHICH MAKES
HONEST MEN UNEASY OR INDIGNANT IN IT'S PRES
ENCE. Then there is the other kind of success-the success which
comes as the reward Of keen insight, of sagacity, of resolution, of
address, combined with unhinching rechtude of behavior, public and
private. The first kind of success may in a sense-and a poor sense
at that-bcneft the individual, but tit is always and necessarily a curse
to the community, whereas the nan who wins the second kind a al
incident of its winning becomes a beneficiary to the whole common
wealth.