The Washington herald., 1907-10-27


dore Roosevelt. President Of the United
States, and the most widely known man
or earth to-day. Reference to the news
papers and periodicals of every leading
nation shows that his name appears more
frequently in their columns than does tnat
OF any other living man outside the b0un-
daries Of that nation. No other ruler, eX-
cept King Edward, is so well known in
the British empire only the Kaiser is
better known in Germany. Fallieres in
France Nicholas in Russia, and the Nj
kadO in Japan. The mighty "Thunderer,
the London Times, shows by its index
probably two references to Theodore
Roosevelt where It has one 10 William
Mckinley. At home no man In the his
tory OF America has been so much written
about as Mr.. Roosevelt Hardly a news
paper, even down 20 the smallest country
weekly gets off the press without having
from one TO dozen references TO him.
and a consultation Of the periodical in
dices al the Library OF Congress shows
that two articles are written about him
where there was one written about any
other President. 1t takes some 5000 en-
tries to index all the long and short arti-
cles that have been written about him in
the magazine literature of the country,
and quite as many books contain more or
less extended references to him.
Mr.. Roosevelt is likewise the most pho
tographed man who ever sat in the Presi-
dental chair. The Library of Congress is
collecting some pictures CT him, and has
about 100 Of them. showing him engaged in
all the multiplied avocationS Of his life.
Even the haystack incident Is not want
ing, but unfortunately the kodak spoils
good story, as the print shows him
standing near. looking on, while the hired
men handle the hay. There are about
dozen horseback photographs and rs
many showing him in rowing scenes, the
latter, Ike the haystack pictures, seem
ing 10 have been taken by some member
Of the family with an ordinary small
kodak. There are unnumbered thousands
OF negatives Of him extant one leading
Washington photographer alone having
several hundred Of him. Il Is doubtful If
there could be found any one in the
United States who has not seen his pic
ture
Even as no other President was ever
So much written about during his term
Of Office as is MI Roosevelt. so. too. none
OF his predecessors was so prolific with
the pen. Already. though he has just
reached the golden years Of the average
life. he has turned out more Contribu-
tions TO the literature and history OF his
country than any other President Even
jefferson. the most vOlumiuOus writer Un-
I'll Roosevelt, has already been laid in
the shade. Mr. Jenerson's works nil
twenty medium-siZed volumes. and this
includes his correspondence. The literary
enGeavOTs alone Of Mr.. Roosevelt fiji
twenty-oDe volumes, and his other writ
iHgs and letters would probably fill as
many more. Mr.. Albert r. Nichols. Of
the Library Of Congress. has undertaken
to prepare a photography of writings Of
and about Mr.. Roosevelt. II is estimated
that it viii contain citations Of at least
thousand magazine articles that have
been written by him.
Mr.. Roosevelt is likewise the greatest
reader that has ever occupied the Presi-
dental chair During the first two years
that he was President he is said 10 have
read upward Of three hundred volumes,
readings ran the gamut of human know
ledge. He had a way of sending note
To the Library Of Congress to send him
batch Of the latest books on all sub
jects and he generally got them in un-
sparing quantities. They ranged from
metaphysics 20 football, and they had all
been read when they got back 70 the
Library. During the campaign Of 1904
alone, he is said to have read all Of
Macaulay in addition TO other solid
reading.
There are so many ways in which the
career. Of Mr.. Roosevelt is unique in the
history OF the United States that It
would take volumes. instead Of a dozen
paragraphs. 10 tell about them all Born
weakly. sickly child. he has developed
by sheer force of viii into man of
wonderful vital force. with the endur-
ance OF a trained athlete. Born with
silver spoon in his mouth, and I'm the
upper tendon, he has become a man Of
the people. and is trusted by them 20 a
degree unprecedented in our political his
tory. He is the only city bred man that
has ever become President Since he
has become such he has received more
callers, entertained more guests at his
table, read more books written more let
ters, made more speeches, gone on more
tours, and INDUCED in more pastimes than
any other President.
President Roosevelt has Travelled more
than any other man who reached the
white House. both before he became
President and while holding that office.
lie is the only Chief Executive who has
been in every State in the Union while
serving as President if not, indeed dur
ing his whole career and has Travelled
thousands OF miles more than Mr. Nc
Kinley did. Mr. Roosevelt has put more
stock expressions into the language Of
to-day than any other man who has
occupied his present station. Race sui
eide" strenuous life "mollycoddle,"
delighted" and dozen other terms
that Will occur to the reader are phrases
that have been resurreCted from the scrap
heap of the dictionary and made 70 play
a large part in the newspaper literature
of to-day.
Mr.. Roosevelt. although a sickly child,
was regarded as something Of a prodigy
among his friends and family. There is
said TO be yet a book extant which is a
record of "the cute and cunning" sayings.
OF little Theodore. He was sent abroad
early in life, and improved his health
by earnest attention TO the laws Of
hygiene His return to America, his
going 70 the legislature and serving there.
his going West his being nominated
while on the ranch for mayor Of New
York. his services as civil service com
missioner and police commissioner-in