Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-21
THE NEW ROOSEVELT.
what che President Plans 60 no on
RHtIrInR from Once.

Retiring from Once.
Parts Of letter giving a fresh and en-
aging picture Of Mr.. Roosevelt, written by
one who recently visited the president. are
printed In the September American
magazine. Particular reference Is made
to Mr.. Roosevelt's future and his plans
for rest and recreation after retiring from
the White House. That part Of u. letter
follows: For the first time In my expert
ence OF meeting him president ROOSEVELT
he seemed tired. He said several times;
Wen I'm through now. I've done my
work" His chief idea seemed to be that
he wanted to get away-out OF the country.
II want to get away so that when the
new administration comes in my opinion
will not be asked. nor my advice sought.
II I talk, people will say hat l am inter
fering where l have no right to interfere.
II l refuse to talk. they will say that my
silence is ~disapprovsl. The best thing I
can DO is to go entirely away for a year or
more-out OF reach of everything here; and
that is what I am going TO do He said
It was the last thing he would care TO do;
to repeat Grants adventure. He had had
enough Of public affairs; he wanted to be
alone and quiet.
He said he would like to meet William
Of Germany IL he could do II man 20 man,
but he could not think of attempting the
ceremonie Incidental to a formal meeting.
The thing that attracted him most in
Europe was the invitations Of the king OF
Italy and the emperor OF Austria TO go
hunting with them. He said he would like
to see how they did It In the old countries
of Europe. but he felt that he could not
do this without attracting too much at
tention. He had concluded, therefore, to
go to the wilds OF Africa, a thing he had
really long wanted to do, and TO hunt big
game. He would sail as soon after March
I as possible, going from here to Italy,
there transhipping for the Suez and italian
East Africa. Here he would take the
railroad which runs inland and jump from
the end Of 1t to the wilderness. His son
Kermit will go with him, and, as I
gathered, no one else. save. perhaps, a
secretary. He said he was looking for
ward to the recreation Of the voyage and
to getting acquainted with his son. "All
that country beyond Italy" he said. will
be new to us both. and l look for great
pleasure in seeing 1t with a boys eyes.
Kermit will have his book Of poetry and
I'll have my hunting books. We shall have
a great time!"
I have never seen him In a more human
mood; nor have l ever been more i'm
pressed with his bigness and breadth.
Once when he said. We'll I'm through"
1 suggested that the people might not be
through with him, that four years hence
they might be clamoring for him more in
sistently than they are today.
NO." he said. with a curious finality,
a sort of sadness, a note which l never
before heard him strike, revolutions don't
go backwards. New issues are coming up.
l see them, People are going to discuss
economic questions more and more; the
tariff, currency, banks. They are hard
questions, and I am not deeply interested
in them; my problems are moral problems,
and my teaching has been plain morality
He is certainly a very extraordinary char
~acter-about the greatest of our time. He
has the curious flashes of genius. in which
he sees himself t~ruly-more truly than any
one else does. And / believe more than
ever before that he put aside a third-term
turn of his hand. from the highest con-
ception of his moral obligations. l know,
from my talk with him last winter, that
he was tempted almost to the point OF
yielding, that the pressure had been
tremendous Gar more than any ordinary
man could have resisted), but that he has
asked himself simply, What is right in
this matter?"-and the thing he thought
right he has done.