The Columbus journal., 1910-09-14
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
In New York Independent.

uyOV0AUAA
New York Independent.
them with al the zeal and success of
one Who had bis principles thoroughly
at heart and his plans we'll laid.
The question now uppermost is what
is the secret Of his power and his in.
fluence among men? Ifhe is . great
man, Why d he great? What are his
J particular attributes? What is it that
attracts to him the attention of the
entire world? Why is he Sd extrava-
gantly glori6ed everywhere Royalty
and nobility do him honor, while the
soft, sweet strains of Europe's national
airs and the wierd tomtoms of Africa
sound the same genuiness Of bis popu.
lar welcome. Surely no other man
has ever been 90 acclaimed in 50 many
different tongues, under 90 many differ.
ent skies and in 90 many different ways.
What Il there in him that distinguish.
e. him from all other men? These are
the questions that all men are asking
everywhere. Why is it that he can
be lost to the public eye neither in
political retirement nor in the no.
madic seculsion of IN African wilder.
nesss Why is it that in spite of po-
litical mistakes-for he has made them
and Notwithstanding diplomatic tan.
gles, he is still the lion of the hour to
al nations and to all the people there
of? Or, to be more colloquial, why
can he wear . silk hat and be "our
Teddy" and in spite Of an aristocratic
birth and aristocratic environments
remain the idol ofthe common people?
We saw him nominated for vice
president rs the political expedient Of
a corrupt machine for the idealistic
purpose Of practical elimination, and
then We saw him, An exile, break the
machine, destroy the manipulators and
replace them with men and methods
of his own creation. We saw him
come to the white house under very
trying circumstances and handicapped
by an unfortunate popular opinion
of him, charitably expressed perhaps in
the words of Lowell in his fable for
critics. "Three-6fths genius and two.
fifths sheer fudge" Nevertheless, We
saw him retire from that exalted posi-.
ton at the end of seven years rehabil.
itated in the judgment Of men and 50
enshrined in the hearts and confidence
of the people that he could dictate his
own successor. We saw him enter a
selfimposed Punishment to the most
inaccessible and impenetrable spot on
the globe, only to return to civilization
with greater applause than ever before.
He left with the American people as
escort, and returns with the whole
world at his chariot wheels.
What is it all about, the people are
askings What qualities does he pos.
sess that others do not have? What
are the magic words that open all
hearts to him, and what the magic
spell that draws all men unto him? 1t
is = psychological question with which
Psychologists are helpless. and polit.
ical attribute by which the most astute
politician is amazed. It is more than
. fleeting fancy of the hour, for it has
sustained him in the confidence and
esteem Of the people in official position
and out of it. It does not answer the
question to call it q mere appeal to the
prejudice and the passions Of men, for
others have tried that without success.
Nor will it answer to say that he is
radical and that radicalism appeals to |
the American people, for there have |
been others more radical than he. It
is not sufficient to say that he has been
honest and able, for there have been |
other honest and able men during his |
public career. It takes more than an
honest and able man to win public
q he has done it. These
qualities are necessary, but he who
would win it must also be energetic
and courageous. fearless, and deter
mined, and above all in complete SYM
pathy with human rights aud human
welfare, and alive to present day con.
ditions. In the great struggle Of life,
be must be prepared to take the side
Of the man rather than Of the dollar.
Old time methods in politics, old time