Hattiesburg daily news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1907-1908, 1908-03-27

I1olhSS NoS oohSu, oh ohO oSOuoioh,
when he thought the education of a
child should begin, and his reply was
"a hundred years before the child Is
born"
DR.. Holmes was a profound physi-
ologist as well as a celebrated writer.
He believed earnestly in the force
and function of heredity in the forma-
ton and development of human char
acter and wrote most facinating
book, Elsie Venner, to elucidate his
theory that heredity influences should
always be taken into consideration
in attempting to fix the moral and
legal responsibility for human action.
Theodore Roosevelt is striking IL
lustration and verification of Dr.
Holmes theory that heredity is the
basic element in the character of
every man and woman which, of
course, can be modified, changed and
sometimes almost eradicated by en-
vironment and cultivation.
He is the product of the confluence
Of two dissimilar, inharmonious and
antagonistic blood currents-the Geor-
gia Cavalier and the New York
Dutch.
The Cavalier is brave, honorable,
proud generous, warm blooded and
patriotic, is ready at all times to make
amends for wrongs done to others as
to defend and vindicate his own honor
at the point of the sword, or the
muzzle of gun.
The Dutch are Industrious, eco
nomical. persistent phlegmatic, stub
born. moneyloving and with a tena.
cious adherence to statutory hon.
esty.
Now mix these incompatible ele-
ments in the crucible of genesis and
the biologist would predict Theodore
Roosevelt as the amalgamated pro-
duct. While many of his inconsistent
cies are mischievous and reprehensi-
BILE, you have only to look at the
catalogue of mutually repellant ele.
ments that enter into his physical,
mental and moral organization and
| you will be convinced that however
cratic and condictory his official con-
duct may be; however dangerous his
abnormallities may be to the integ-
rity Of the constitution; however
menacing to the distinctive independ.
ence and equipoise of the three
branches of government and to the
guaranteed rights of the states; vet
he did not have the selection of his
ancestors nor could he control the
conjunction of the hot and cold blood
currents that mingle in his veins and
disturb the harmony of cerebration in
his somewhat gymnastic brain.
Mr. Roosevelt is not great, and for
| physical reasons never can be great.
He is loud, lusty and spasmodic.
His Knickerbocker blood is as pure
and as good as the blood of the Cav.
alier and, in some respects, is
stronger. Two different elements in
chemistry must unite with each other
according to definite law of proper
ton, or affinity, in order to produce
a stable compound. Otherwise the at
tempt at chemical union will result r
confusion and disintegration and
sometimes in dangerous products.
So it is when two vigorous blood
currents are fused in disproportio1
of original elements, the product il
sometimes crude, with more fore,
than symmetry, more haste than har
mony, more impetus than equipoise
Such is Theodore Roosevelt. Between
: genius and insanity there is often tn,
most attenuated line of separation
The man who combines vigor will
equipoise, symmetry and consistenc,
has been fortunate in selecting hi
ancestors.
Mr.. Roosevelt revealed himsel
fully when he suggested as a com
mendable policy "to whistle softl
= and carry a big stick" The 10y
: whistle can mean nothing else, but t
throw your opponent off his guar
while you are preparing to deal
blow unawares. 1t is deeply to b
regretted that such a sentimer
7 should emanate from the chief excel
tive of great government as a lin
of policy to be adopted by the wont
of the land.
1t is the unmistakable manifest;
: ton of homogeneous hereditary force
1t is the combattive energy of tn
! Cavalier supported by the coolnes
e and cunning of the Knickerbocker.
r When he comphmented Lee an
Jackson and the soldiers who TO
lowered them, it was the spirit of tn