The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-07-28
WHAT Is ROOSEVELT?

EESWysIHAT IS RoosEvELTg
--latest of the writer's to the pub
who has undertaken the f~ascinat
task Of enalyzing that many
fAested personality. Theodore Roose
welt. iaJudson c. Welltver, who's,
Iapacityas 4 newspaper worker be
sSsanc knownto South Dakota through
- connection with the Sioux Cit.
1SIfbune. Nj. Welliver refers to til,
~UI-president q a versatile dilettante
81 = one who has confounded the
laelief that II is necessary to get q
speciality In order to succeed. His
seonclnsion Is that Roosevelt is dis.
tihn,ively an agitator.
q 10 that is the part Roose-
ssassvelt has played. But we think the
I e~iassiacation . bit superficial. Welli-
: never was gifted with the power
& separating character into its com
4 Donent parts. He rather personiies
parts Of e In public affairs.
q consideration Of Roosevelt. is.
saaNlker al. political in Its aspect. for
a i1sarticle attempts to tell what will
oSRoosevelt's relation to the politi-
- developments OF the next two
3sers.
Roosevelt IS indeed an agitator.
Al who have read his essays on pub
Nc affairs must know as much. But,
sOnsciously or unconsciously he is
amoralist more than an agitator. Or
perhaps. he IS an agitator because he
cannot help being q moralist. His
Astincts are the instincts OF a cru
nder. But his mentality is the men
tality Of an amazingly accomplished
Politician. II he were not a publ
e1st he might be an evangelist. That
= commanding position in the af-
lections and respect Of the Ameri-
eAspeople Is not due to sheer in
tsllectual force Is indicated by the
E1nct that he was comparatively with
out national influence until he be-
In president. He made his CAM
Daign FOR the vice presidency large
non m appeal for and defense Of,
nilitarism. But when he became
Dnssident, his gift Of sensing the pub
\ mind told him what direction
~ popularity and his moral In
stincts told him that right and JUS
sttce lay IN the same direction.
Roosevelt then, is not so much a
force q the expression of force. He
sissnot so much 4 molder Of public
sentiment as m Interpreter Of 1t.
Lincoln who came along al another
SsfS the country's crises, was as presi-
dent q dosr OF things, whereas Roose-
veil assayer Of things. This does
rot indiet Roosevelt's sincerity. He
ssame 81 precisely the moment when
one was needed to cry out the
pblic mind and he did it. When it is
reflected that Roosevelt has eve
shoWnability as constructionist, st
nustb ~ seen that his power is re-
ected. He - the personifcation If
1ublic sentiment, public desire. He
morally attuned to the best in his
q soplss. Y REQUIRES no special mental
equipment to see that there should
: ~ square deal, in other words,
Seaqual rights for all. That doctrine is
e. old ~ the nation, as old as the
world. hut from Lincoln to Rsose-
yelt never has anyone In tie high
e1fce Of president proclaimed this
truth In the face Of greed and wealth.
And y = because Roosevelt had the
l1oral courageto do this thing that
the people believe In him despite his
Inconsistencies, despite his lack Of
Dlsfformance. He has simply given
Droof of his right to carry the peo-
pi0iscolors.
SOUTH DAKOTAs REPUTATION