The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-03-06

Minneapolis journal: Theodore
Roosevelt. rwentr-sixth President of
the United States. VIII leave the of
Zee tomorrow to become 3 private cit
izen- He succeeded TO the once by
reason Of the death OF William Nc
kinley- He was elected once in his
OWL right BIZ majority larger than
was ever accorded q candidate since
parties have developed. He has
served seven years and more as Pres
ident- and relinauishes the Office al
the age OF fifty, when most Zen OF
hrss-ciass political prospects are begin
ming 10 hope that they may receive
nomination Nearly as much life re-
mains to him as has passed. If his
rugged constitution continues 10 do
duty.
A brief glance at the life o. Theo-
dore Roosevelt shows that it has been
giTen almost entireiy, since h reached
his majority. 10 the public service.
He vas born in New York city in
1855; was graduated from Harvard
in 1850: married and made Z trip 10
Europe. After his return. while
studying Law, he plunged into POLITICS
as q member of the New York as
sembly: spent four years in that ser
rice. and Two years IN North Dakota
on ranch The rest of his time has
been absorbed in the Offices Of civil
service commissioner. police commits
sioner (of New York city,, assistant
secretary OF the navy. colonel in the
army. governor OF New YORK, vice
president and President OF tie Unit
ed States. Only twice in his career
did he show exceptional strength be
fore the people He was elected TO
the assembly; he was elected Presi-
dent amid popular ovations. He was
defeated for speaker of the New York
assembly He was defeated fa- mayor
of New York He was nearly defeat
/ ed for governor OF New York.
His run for the presidency surprised
both friend and foe. It was excep-
tional, and it was the product OF ex-
ceptional conditions. He had made
an issue in the presidential chair.
With a courage born of a high mind,
he had set deliberately to work to
find the American people on NOR
al issue. and he found them. He has
never lost them, because he has never
departed far from that issue. He has
said nothing On the tariff: no,hing on
the money notwithstanding because
he had nothing to say. But on the is
sue of equality before the law, he has
said everything that man could say
to arouse the people to new sense
!. of responsibility for government. He
has been the evangel of an undoubted
ly new movement in popular ethics. II
is quite easy for one critic to say that
he has been the noisest President, and
for another to say that he las been
the most lawless President. He has
been both. But if he has made noise
he has made it to purpose: if he has
unmade laws. he has been astonishing
a ly impartial, for he has m lde them
too
/ In sizing up his own administration
President Roosevelt has recently said
that he considered the starting OF the
n Panama canal his greatest achieve
S ment- His most sincere admirers 60
I not agree with this estimate. Sons
/ put the doubling of the strength OF tbs
S American navy in seven Years ~ n.
d front. Others put the conservation @
# natural resources in the foreground
Still others say that the single act 0
standing between the warrEag En-
s pires of Russia and Japan, ans bring
il ing them to terms OF agreement is 10
1T only his greatest achievement, 3u
l. the greatest task thrown Of ~ on
10 man in our times The disegrsenen
y is but suggestive OF the faet tbat nl
o. administration is marked By Tnang at
" upon which comparisons could b
based. Like Dickens. WHO cfoade'
his pages with jostling multitude 9
Is characters, Roosevelt mas not had 1
u be economical OF mis- material Hi
tie energy has been multiphase II
at seems to have thrown out one big Eua
x gestlon, not Tor the purpose p Eeetln
e. from his labors. but merely 4 max
" room for another Thus the rtlprm {
ly railway rebates was followed b. ant
Id trust legislation: that by ccnserv;
d, ton that by the anu-chiid labc
movement: that by the demand Il
employers liability laws. Action Ia
in rioted through his messages as boo
ii runs through the healthy body.
ST
m Now, at the end Of seven years /
he turns over his accounts to anothe
Va and it is found that not one Of h
at policies has been pursued 10 2 final d
II cision. The courts are crowded vi
lp- litigation Of his starting; congress
carrying bills Of his demanding: col
missions are laden with reports Of h
promotion Nothing is done, al
nothing is undone. What, then, a