El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-07-03

, that his services could be used to
greater advantage in the national field
50 he resigned his municipal position in
/ New York for an appointment as as
siStant secretary Of the navy.
1t has been said that this position
was rendered the dynamic New Yorker
because it offered little chance to do
harm- But fate IN the shape Of the
Spanish American war interviewed and
again gave him an opportunity to pre-
sent himself in the forefront of the
fray.
Mr.. Roosevelt, in fact, became a
prophet and leader almost Immediate
y after his appointment He made no
secret Of his firm conviction that af-
fairs In Cuba were in such precariOus
state that intervention in the island
by the United States would be neceS-
Sary, and in order to forestall the
emergency he set about advocating re-
forms in the navy.
He organized a system of rank and
promotion among naval OffOcers; advo-
Gated vital changes in the target prac-
tice of United States war vessels, and
sought IN every way to cut the red
tape that bound that sIowgOing de-
partment.
With the destruction of the Maine in
Havana harbOr his duties and response
billtIes increased thousand fold. War
vas inevitable and he plunged into the
work Of preparing the navy for the
expected encounter with VigOr. His
last assignment in the navy depart
board, charged with the duty of NOV
ing the ships and watching the enemy.
Resigns to Go to War.
When the war was formally declared
he Immediately resigned, saying.
There is nothing for me to do here.
1 must get into the fight myself It is
q Just war, and the sooner we meet
the better. Now that it has come.
nave no right to ask others to fight
while stay at home"
The organization of the Rough Rid
ers' (F1rst regiment of United States
volunteer cavalry is matter OF his
tory and Is yet fresh in the memory Of
the people Plainsmen, mOuntalneers
and millionaires were aflame over its
organization and from the east to west
the. flower of the country sought en-
listment in its ranks.
Though he was at first offered the
command of this body of horse, he in
sisted that Leonard Wood be made
colonel and contented himself with the
lieutenant cOlOnePs office. He was
sworn as lieutenant colonel on May 6,
1898, and from May to 19, the Rough
Riders organized at San Antonio, Tex.
They left San Antonio on May %, ar
irving at Tampa, Fla, on June 8. On
June p they arrived on Cuban soil and
on the oath of that month their first
engagement took place, the fight at
Las GuaSimas.
The Roosevelt Rough Riders.
The Rough Riders were easily the
most spectacular regiment in the Gu
ban field. Their dOingS and sayings
lent themselves to the descriptive fac
Ulties Of the war correspondents and in
a short time their name was upon ev-
cry lip and their fame had spread
throughout the United States.
Then came the battle of San Juan
and ROOsevelts gallant leadership dur
ing that affray. There has been some
little criticism of this affair, but a
great deal more praise. At the time
of his charge, July 2, 1898, however,
there were nothing but encomiums fG
the man who waited for orders that
came not and finally headed the ad-
vance that swept over Kettle hill and
then up the slope of San Juan, under
a CALLING fire.
The war over. the Rough Riders re-
turned to the United States on Aug
IS, 1898, Iandin gat Montauk Point
They were greeted as the heroes Of the
campaign and Roosevelt, their leader
was hailed as a popular idol
Nominated For Governor.
On September q of the same year
he was nominated for governor of
New York state on the Republican
ticket and in the election in Novem-
Der he won his fight hands down. His
tenure of office was one of the most
memorable in the annals of the state
Republican party. In six weeks after
his Inauguration he was the recOR-
nized master Of the political situation.