Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-06
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.


rao,- Theodore Roosevelt ceases to
no the president OF this nation. For
the nresent his name is stricken from
tba list of national officials. IN the
hIare and blaze of the inaugural cere-
monies he will temporarily be over
Swallowed In these great festlVlI1eS
o. ,nasbinoton representatives of all
a,u;1ized nations will participate. This
viii soon pass, and. the Simple lae' y; ~
tho inauguration will be stated IL,
about four lines In the common sciiooA
histories. b.,1
But long after the inaugural pan
and parties, and headaches are lol 81,
ten. Roosevelt, and the STANDARDS ne
has set, will show out strong III .ie
morality and respect for law OIL t'ie
general citizenship. .4os
Theodore Roosevelt never Waileo
for an opportunity, he made oppo,-
tunities. He did not follow any one
examples; he established preceaen1
himself: He is man close TO the peo.
ME. He brought the presidents ones
to a place where the people couio see
It. In fact he Just took the presi,
dental chair up in his own hanos' a,ic
carried it out in the middle OF me
school yard, where all the chiiulen s
were and let it take care OF ltseil'
while he got into every game, that ma was
being played.
roosevelt took away the mystery
that surrounds high. and lofty once
He humanized the presidency ana us
ofT1cial acts. While he was presloenl
he was closer to the people than even
Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln inspired a
sort Of reverence for himself although
no was looked upon as a mixer with
men Roosevelt. more than any other
man that has ever been president, Is
mixer with all the people, ana ne
did business as man. :.
Some of our. presidents have oeeh
society men,. some soldiers, some great
nublic speakers, some could shoot
ducks. some could chop wood, but
roosevelt can do it all. He can mix
Il IN with the cowboy or with the
railroad president He seems to be
equally at ease at Fifth avenue re-
ception, or in caucus at the Panama
Canal
He seems to be acquainted WIFI
every phase Of the social fabric, il
spite of his high birth and financial IN
heritance It seems, too, that his cir
Gle Of wealthy friends is not very
large, but among the common every
day Americans. he has the stronges'
following of any man the country has
ever produced.
AS a machine to turn out work he Is
in a class by himself. He never i
too busy to take on something else
He seems to be able at any time TO I'M
mediately drop what ne is doing, ane
concentrate every effort on sometnlns
entirely foreign to what he has JUS
been engaged at, and to 40 the ne"
lob a little better than any one else
can. We have never heard of his com
planning that he was overworked.
Theodore Roosevelt has pronounced
ideas about right and wrong. His prln
ciples are the highest, and he be
lieves in injecting an individuals bes
efforts into that individuals govern
ment. He has a comprehensive 1de;
Of the function of government. III
feels that it is the duty of the govern
ment to keep peace and good orde
among men, that 1t protects life, ant
property, and individual and publ
rights, and that ignorance of the Law
is no excuse for law violation, that an
good citizen will obey the law with
out being compelled to do so. He ha
talked and printed those sentiments
and he has been the greatest force Q
his time in elevating the standard Q
American citizenship.
He is born politician, and he IS a
educated politician as we'll Anon
the many things true and untrue
good and bad that his frantic and be
wildered enemies say about him, tn
thing most frequently heard is that h
is politician" Last winter he wa
talking with visitor at the Whit
House about a group of highly efflcier
young and middle-aged men he ha
gathered around him. "They seem
be pretty good politicians as well,
said the visitor.
"Of course they are" said Roost
welt. "Of course they are. If the
weren't | wouldn't have them abou
me-"
His idea-the correct one-is ths
no one can be, not to say success
full, but competent public man III
less he understands. likes and pra
tees the game of politics. A man is
politician because he possesses certai