The San Francisco call., 1909-02-21
The San Francisco Sunday Cali
JUST HOW BIG IS ROOSEVELT ]?

ed wit
associated the successful Segnnlns sgh fae pas
work at Panama the peace Of Por'snio ul..,
projects OF the arid west and general awaAsls en-
the country for civic righteousness - navv win
efforts TO promote efficiency in the army
receive honorable mention and his forcet tutness ~ o,
acter and honesty Of purpose VIII Os
1t win be noted however. that in his en0TS or ne -
accomplish what regarded as necessary ~
public welfare he always show the cons cons -
ton due to the collateral branches Of the IedeIl
ernment and that he left the legacy o. - barrass
DDS administration of government % tI -
his successors 1t VIII be regretted tnat ne .t uI ~
at times show caIn1er judgment in dealing win IN
dividuals. Like the present German emperor; ~ =
be remembered in history as one 0l 'Ne .
Of time.
W. G. L. Taylor professor OF political economy and
commerce University Nebraska--"Foosev IS % noe
oTI grast roarr but the greatest president OF the
Tnited States since washington. A great man is not
necessarily genius. but ne must pos
transcendent capacity including in that term @
power to influence men. For years he has engaged
the attention Influenced the action OF the America"
during the latter part of that time has had as
poncat & oppongH' Ia h w vet - s roosevelt has sabsti-
for dishonesty in politics. dllec0ou ~
and reassured business he actually accomplished
before in the of raising the genera
He has disappointed all the prophets evil; he has
nations. He has earned the i'll will Colonel Harvey
all those who tire Of hearing Aristides called
"A slender. delicate boy his doctrine OF energism
that a will unhampered by squeanisnness
nation"
Prof Irving Fisher of YaIe-"I believe that President
Roosevelt will down in history as one Of our great
presidents. Undoubtedly his faults. and Ihey
are uppermost in the minds OF a great many people
and undoubtedly he made mistakes which he prob
ably will the recognize. But one OF the
reasons I admire him is because he IS not
deferred from going ahead because of the mistakes ne
may This is time when rapid action is needed
and policy of overcautious dealing is apt to do more
permanent damage than the RooseyeItlan policy Wheh
has been more or less justly accused Of being nasty
1T seems to me that the harm President Roosevelt
may nave done is very mueh less tnan that Wllen ne
has been accused Of doing For instance the panic or
causes which made II inevitable sooner or later
ought admire President Roosevelt for the
possession Of those simple and yet Qualities OF
for a multitude of sins. The ordinary politician
timid and inclined to be less warped and con-
trolled by selfish and underground influences
The reason Roosevelt appeals 50 to the average
desire to do work in plain sight has
grasped and has utilized perhaps than
lie opinion He has been criticised for doing things
with loud noise, but usually that is the only
especially in poIitics-to do things effectively. For
instance. he could have cleaned the slaughter
houses Chicago in the quiet way which many people
believe he should have tried Instead brought the
packing house first by touching their
uct. In other could the danger to the public
from diseased meats have effectively esseued
Henry Wade Rogers. dean of the law
ingly undertake to predict at the time of
statesman's retirement office just estimate
opinion of Mr. Cleveland by his opponents
at the time of his death quite different
which entertained by them when White
House. The judgment placed on Andrew Jackson now
his retirement The fact that man is exceed
ngly popular with the people when he leaves the
ideney cannot be accepted certain that
history will assign him any high place among
unpopuarity leaves the presidency is no
guaranty that history will not assign him "A high
will in nv opinion regard Mr. F.oossvat az the osr
lawess president have United States
He has had apparently very little respect any
thority his That a very grave defect Of
character in public official. especially pres
dent His criticism of the has been frequent
and shocking apparently entirely oblfv
ious to the fact that the judiciary constitutes a
ordinate department of the government
within his province. To the confidence of
the people in the Judiciary most dangerous
and again and again he has judiciary
wisS0g' reason. he deserves and IN my opinion win
and his lack OF for the country
While he is deserving credit things. I think
history carefully up the results of his
administration it win not give him among
is remsgkabi9 man is not to be denied We have had
hundred years to come"
David starr Jordan president Of the Leland stan
ford Jr university Roosevelt will have very high
place in American history first, from his
efforts for the conservation Of domain and its
forests. it's animals and its second. from
carried into practice; third. he has been
personally immune to all questions and favor
standard of activity for others; afth he has made
mistaAespienty OF thenl-anq corrected most OF
of being misunderstood. His influence On
4 n
who political social life times OF
: action. and he has done just many could
: thinking right a nation. and to think
right is act right Roosevelt is certainly OF the
! great of time"
BENJAMIN wheeler, president OF the University
! of Caifornia-"You ask whether Theodore Roosevelt
is really great PRESIDENT The range inteIli-
gence and Of his intelligent certainly sur
E that OF OF his predecessors His mind is
quick aequisitive. singularly retenve
As an intellectual force he Jefferson
In the application of moral determinations
hie and the inspiration Of moral enthusiasm regard
ing public duty may well prove be the greatest
preacher and doer OF political righteousness that