Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-22
ROOSEVELT THE MAN

u
conservation, his resistance upon the
pure food bill, his booking OF railway
regulation-all these are achievements
which are recorded. but there is an
other less tangible and more far
reaching effect Of his personality and
that is found in the livening and re-
juvenation Of our public service. To
use strong phrase. he lacked up"
the public servants all along the line.
He was live wire," and out OF his
Astounding vitality a thrill Of energy.
! OF courage, OF resolution radiated till
1t was felt by the ranger in his lonely
| forest, the meat inspector in the Chi
cago jungle and the diplomat at the
court of kings.
1 He would not tolerate incapacity In
a general Of the army or any other Of
! ficer Tireless himself, he was impa-
tient Of those who stopped on the field
OF battle to take an after dinner nap.
He was an executive. not a Illuminating
old judge. He loved youth. vigor and
clear perception and admired honest,
enthusiastic purpose. So far as he
could. he cast his vote for the young
candidate. He called the young man
of independent fortune into politics.
He raised public service to a higher
rate of speed, and today he is the lead
err of n party of young men--men who
are young in the power to assimilate
novel ideas. He is the leader OF those
who believe in honest social service
and the enforcement Of social justice.
"But,' my friend insists. admit all
that---and much of II ! do admits he
not profound egotist? Did he not
come between other leaders and the
nomination."
He debut he did It at the almost
universal demand OF the Progressives.
| Let no one deceive himself. There
was only one first choice and that was
Theodore Roosevelt. No one who at
tended the conventions in Chicago
could have any reasonable doubt Of
whom the people commanded to serve.
There were several substitutes, but
only one Roosevelt there never had
been, the others were named simply on
| the basis of substitute in case the
chief tackle would not play. The pres
idency should not be a reward, 1t Is
an honor. but 1t Is also a service. The
president should be fitted for his job
the same as any other hired man Of
the people, and should be subject to
recall the same as any other office.
Roosevelt has had but one term in his
own right but II he had, his experience.
his vigor, his wide acquaintance with
men and affairs fit him to be bet
Ter president than ever before. The
talk of a third term is nonsense-the
term should be subject to popular will
ic IN, No
find their servant useful, there is no
reason why they should not retain him.
Finally l am for Roosevelt because
know the man; for nearly 20 years
have had the honor and the pleas
ure OF his friendship. Our acquaint-
ance began outside of politics and con-
tirues outside Of politics. When we
met first he was police commissioner
and regular Republican. was
"a young novelist and a Henry George
disciple. We met on the common
ground of a lover of the best, and
belief in American literature and art
We seldom talked politics. I never
asked him for anything for myself or
any friend. My visits to him were
those of one man of literary tastes to
another. l think he found my COM
pany inoffensive and perhaps a relief
because I did not ask for anything
once as I was dining with him when
he was assistant secretary of the
navy, he suddenly leaned back and
said: Think Of having a man at my
table who knows the difference be-
tween par fleche and apperago!"
He permitted me to share his deep
est aspirations as public servant
and once wrote in volume of his es-
says: Il am trying to make my ad-
minstration square with the principles
expressed in this volume" At another
time he said, with profound earnest
ness: II am president Of the whole
people. no matter what their color,
creed or condition. and in all ques-
tons brought to me for answer, l try
to get at the equities in the case"
l believe he meant this. / am sure
that he has tried in all ways to live up
to his expressed idea. 1t has not been
easy, and he has not always found the
sources OF his information pure. AS
his judgments and his action had to
be based upon the highest authority
at hand he has, at times. failed of the
ideal course, but believe that he has
continued at all times to act as an
honest and high -purposed official
should do.
Detractors have been busy, crooked
men and crooked business, those who
had special privileges to sell and those
who wished to steal social values, have
leagued against him. His conservation
policies were opposed by those who
wanted something for nothing and just
as the gamblers in Wall street flew
into fury when his action upset certain
illegal combinations OF capital. Wyo-
ming, Colorado and Montana have
their barons of spoilation just the
same as the great railway centers
with their legions OF stock manipula-
tons and public corruptionists When
ever the men Of special privilege are
banded together then you will find
enemies or Roosevelt They poison the |