The San Francisco call., 1909-03-04

OY VNLAAEhIY1
Mr.. Roosevelt and came to
know each other when he was
chairman of the civil service COM
mission and I was solicitor gem
eral in 1890 and 1892 in Washing
ton. We were both subordinates
in the Harrison administration
We lived in the same part of
Washington, he on Nineteenth
street near the British embassy.
and I on Dupont circle. Our wives
knew each other well and some Of
our children were born about the
same time.
We found after discussion that
we agreed in quite a marked way
in our Views of proper political
ideals and proper political meth
DDS. We were emphatic in the
judgment that the political re-
former who was not willing to ac-
cept conditions as they were as
the basis for his action, and to
work for the better things that
were practical without achieving
all that he would like to achieve
was rather a hindrance than a
help to progress and merely as
sisted the permanent control Of
the boss and the machine.
FOR PROGRESS, NOT IDEALS
This, I think. has been the NOV
ing principle of Mr.. Roosevelts
career. He has believed in prac-
teal progress and not in ideals
which make for no real advance
ment.
After these two years I went
upon the bench and left Washing
ton and only occasionally met him.
though from time to time as
changes came in his career we
carried on a correspondence, and
as crises would arise he would
not infrequently write me to Sc
cure my judgment on particular
situations.
No one associates with Mr.. Roose-
welt closely without having the
strongest possible affection for
him. His mind. his disposition and
his temperament are all of that
class that would rather make him
agree than disa gree with the peo-
pie with whom he comes in con-
tact. But this is not TO say that
he does not enjoy a controversy
and a fight. according to the rules
of the game. for he does. He be-
lieves as strongly as possible in
team work, and never served un-
d.
der another man so intensely loyal
to the cause which we were both
seeking TO uphold and so generous
in his acceptance of the full re-
sponsibility for his subordinates
in the work as Theodore Roose-
velt. never served another man
who was as generous in his praise
of those who worked with him and
who was as willing to accord more
than their deserts to the men
who were shoulder to shoulder
with him in the fight. That char
acteristic of his has been calcu-
lated to tie men to him with bonds
of steel.
QUICK IN DECISION
The general theory that Mr.
Roosevelt is of an exceedingly inn
pulsive nature is. perhaps, justi-
fed TO the extent of saying that
he had a marvellous quickness for
apprehending question and
reaching the nub of it and also
an overwhelming desire to decide
TO get rid of the issue presented
as promptly as possible 1 never
saw a man who worked as far in
advance of what was to be done
and who kept his engagements
with reference to what he had
agreed to do as providently as
Mr.. Roosevelt. Perhaps 1 value
this virtue more highly because
I lack it myself. The result of
quick decision and action might
have inspired the success of Mr..
Roosevelt's career, If it had not
been that he has been freer than
most men from that pride of opin-
ion which prevents many men
from admitting their errors, re-
versing their judgment and chang
ing their course. have had to do
with a number of presidents and
with a good many chiefs, and
am well within the truth when 1