Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-07

| impressions of Mr.. Roosevelt say that
the former President of the United
| States is absorbed in himself. They
| describe his cabin as filled with his
own books and Uttered with photo
graphs of himself and the members Of
his family They say that the only
object not relating to Mr.. Roosevelt
| himself in his cabin was a photograph
| of Emperor William. bearing the inn
perial signature in green ink.
| 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 touched upon his
| knickerbocker ancestry and his eX-
| periences as a ranch man in the Far
| West. Turning to politics he said he
had been elected to the Presidency as
a representative of honesty against
the power Of gold. Il have always
maintained that probity in private life
is Indispensable to public life" Mr..
Roosevelt is quoted as saying. Il have
fought the oil kings and the steel en-
perors; they tried to break my back,
but my back is still intact. The truth
| is they showed less resistance than
expected. The feudal barons of mod
ern finance have less energy than the
feudal lords of ancient Europe
| Mr. Roosevelt referred to his pride
| in the Presidency and the increases in
the American navy and army. by
| preparing for war; the former Presi-
dent is quoted as saying, Il was able to
| ouell the impetuosity Of young America
against Japan"
| Continuing Mr.. Roosevelt said that
| the President of the United States
was more powerful than any constitu-
| tonal monarch of Europe. He pointed
| out the French correspondents aver,
| that he possessed the power OF Veto
that he appointed the entire diplomatic
| corps and the high governmental
| funct ionaries. and that he was MAX
| er of treaties with only the consent of
! the Senate, which he characterized as
| the national regulator" He said that
! for two years while President he had
| spent his time in fighting the trusts
| and that he rejOiced that he had left
| behind an America where. the only
| king was the state. THE machinery
| of state will now roll on without me,
| Mr.. Roosevelt is quoted as saying, but
| with the impetus | have given. Mr..
| Taft, nv good successor, will build the
Panama canal, continue to increase the
army and navy, and check the trusts
| ii thew again become too obStreperous.
| Continuing Mr.. Roosevelt paid high
| tribute to journalism. He said he would
have accomplished nothing when he
Ientered politics without the press. As
q journalist himself, he had fought
| the Utopias Of Tolstoi and the excuses
lof the revolutionary propaganda.
''NeWspapers anC books are in3tru-
ments of action for me-" declared Mr..
| Roosevelt. journalism should not be
content to sell what the public wants
to buy 1t should raise and not lower
| the public taste"
! Cne of the French correspondents
| concludes his accounts of Mr.. RooSe-
veIt's visit to Naples with these words:
| "Mr. Roosevelt is impatient to reach
the hunting grounds. He said no word
Of the beauties Of NaTleS or of the art
4 treasures to be seen there. He says
nothing of these gateways to an ancient
] civiliZation, of these eternal constella-
tons in the sky of history. Emperor
William displayed nobler breeding when
| he asked to be left alone before
marble bust which affirmed the eternity
of beauty. Mr.. Roosevelt has no time
to lose, he is off to the hunt with much
noise If the wild beasts of the desert
are not warned. it is because they do
not receive the newspapers"
| Before leaving Naples Mr.. Roosevelt
sent the following telegram to En-
I peror William: Pray accept my
lhcartieSt thanks for your courtesy. A
wear hence l hope to nave the honor
of telling YOU in person of my luck
| Mr.. Roosevelt was charmed with the
courtesy of the King and declared that
| it was the most interesting half hour he
: had spent since he left the United States.
The inspection of the ruins then began,
| the party including Mr.. Roosevelt and
Kermit. Ambassador Griscom. Lieut..
Com. Belknap. Earl Dodge Winthrop
Chandler. Lieut.. Allen Buchanan and En-
. sign J. w. Wilcox Of the United States
aunboat Scorpion, Surgeon Donolson and
| Ensign ". B. Spofford of the L. S. S.
ICeltic, and John Elliot and artist. son-n
F., law of Mrs. Julia Ward Howe. In the
| American quarter Mr.. Roosevelt congrat
| ulated the American workers on the speed
| With which they had constructed the
| the American navy who are directing the
| work.