The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-04-07
ROOSEVELT AS
OBSERVED BY
NEWS WRITERS
French Correspondents Say
Former President Is Ab-
SOrbed in Himself.
FOUGHT THE OIL KINGS
AND STEEL EMPER0Ro"
ALSO THE UToPIAs OF ToLsToI
AND REVOLUTIONARY PRO-
PAGANDA.

Paris, April 6.-The French press is
displaying great interest and curiosity
IN Theodore Roosevelt. when the
Caesar Of modern democracy goes
hunting. Europe Asia, Africa and
America climb to their windows ana
watch the caravan of publicity pass.
is the way one OF the papers describes
Mr.. Roosevelts journey to East Afri-
ca. A majority of the French cor
respondents sent to Naples to chronicle
their impressions of Mr.. Roosevelt say
the former president OF the United
States is absorbed in himself. They
describe his cabin as fitted with his
books and Uttered with photographs of
himself and members of his family
They say the only object not relating
to Mr.. Roosevelt in his cabin was q
photograph of Emperor William, bear
ing the imperial signature in green
ink.
Talked About Himself.
Mr.. Roosevelt talked freely. but
principally about himself and his work
the correspondents say. and he mani
Tested a disposition to preach. In his
conversation he tluched upon his
Knickerboci1er ancestry and his ex-
/ perienCes as a ranchman in the far
west. Turning to politics, he said he
/ had been elected to the presidency as
/ a representative of honesty against
I the power of gold. 4 have always
maintained that probity in private life
/ in Indispensable to public life Mr..
/ Roosevelt is quoted as saying. It have
I fought the oil kings and the steel en-
/ peroTs; they tried to break my back,
/ but my back is still intact. The truth
] is that they showed less resistance
. than 1 expected. The feudaI barons Of
+ modern finance have less energy than
the feudaI lords of ancient Europe
Continuing, Mr.. Roosevelt referred TO
I his pride in the American navy and
army.
BY preparing for war" the former
/ president is quoted as having said, Il
: was able to calm the impetuosity Of
young America against Japan
/ Power of the President.
/ Mr.. Roosevelt is further quoted as
/ having said that the president of the
/ United States was more powerful than
. any constitutional monarch OF Europe
/ He pointed out the French correspond
/ euts aver. that he possessed the power
of veto. that he appointed the entire
diplomatic corps and the high govern
mental functiOnaries. and that he was
/ a maker Of treaties. with only the con-
sent of those which he characterized
. as the national regulators He SAID
that for two years, while president, he
. spent his time in fighting the trusts
. and that he rejoiced that he had left
. behind am America where the only
. king VIII be the state. The machinery
Of state viii now roll on without me,
Dir. Roosevelt is quoted as saying
but with the impetus / have given
Mr.. Taft. my good successor. will build
the Panama canal. continue to increas Sc
the army and navy and check tht
trusts if they again become too OBJ
streperOus."
He's Journalist.
Nj Roosevelt paid a high tribute e
journalism. He said he would have
accomplished nothing when he en-
tered politics without the press. As Z
journalist himself, he had fought the
T-topiaS of ToIstoi and the excess Of re-
vOlutiOnary prOpa ganda. 'Newspaper:
and books are instruments Of actor
for me-" Nh Roosevelt declared
Journalism should not be content L
sell what the public wants TO buy; j
should raise. and not lower, the public
taste"
one Of the French correspondent
concludes his story of Mr.. Roosevelt
visit TO Naples with these words:
MI Roosevelt is impatient TO reaci
the hunting grounds He says M
words Of Naples, or Of the art treas
tIres to be seen there. He understand
nothing Of these gateways to an an
. cient civilization. of these eternal con
steHations in the sky Of history En-
peror William displayed nobler breed
ing when he asked to be left alone be
fore a marble bust affirming the eter
nifty Of beauty. Mr.. Roosevelt has n
time 20 lose. he is off to the hunt Wit
much noise. If the wild beasts Of tn
B desert are not warned. it IS becaus
. they do not receive the newspapers