The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-06-19
Sketch of Col. R00sevelts Career

was understood and white and at one
time his family travelled with him as
far as Egypt in search Of health
Because of his physical condition his
parents sought to inculcate in him a
love for outdoor life, and they sue
ceeded so well that young Theodore,
at the age of twelve, set his heart up
on being a naturalist. This ambition
led him to the fields and woods and re-
generated his physical being to such
an extent that when he entered Har-
ward in 1876, he was a robust young
man.
By reason of his fathers wealth
every advantage was accorded Roose-
Welt during his college career. He was
welcomed by the most select clubs;
his own riding horses, and lived in
comfortable, almost luxurious quar-
tiers.
Sports, however, took the prece-
dence over his studies and he failed
to make an academic mark that could
have led any observer at the time to
predict a great future. He boxed, row.
ed, ran and swan with an enthusiasm
that was the last work in "strenuosi-
ty" But he studied very little and al
ways maintained a place of obscurlty
in the standing of his class. When he
graduated in 1880 he stood 22nd on
the commencement roster.
gave voice to trenchant principle
that has guided his life in later days.
There is no where in the world a
more ignoble character than the mere
money-getting American, insensible to
every duty, bent only on amassing and
putting his fortune only to the basest
uses"
With this precept in mind and his
graduation over he set about filling the
place occupied by the elder Roosevelt,
who died in 1873, while he was at
Harvard. He joined the Prison Reform
association and became a member Of
various philanthropic movements
with which Roosevelt the elder had
been associated.
In the fall of 1880 he married Miss
Alice Hathaway Lee, a Boston girl
with whom he had become acquainted
during his student days. The couple
spent their honeymoon abroad and re-
turned to New York, where Roosevelt
at once plunged into the arduous CAM
paign he had mapped out for himself.
Beside his social and philanthropi-
cal studies he became interested liz
the law, studying in the office of his
uncle, Robert B. Roosevelt, and some
time later taking an active part in
some of his friends.
This was the first entry of the young
man into the political field. He came
to his ward studies with all the callow
confidence in virtue and truth of one
who has studied little of the ways Of
petty American politics. He was soon
appraised of the power behind the
throne"
A hot debate broke out in the 21st
Assembly District Republican club
which then stood in 59th street, New
York. Roosevelt was one of the speak
ers and was opposed by machine"
man. His speech received vociferous
applause and the young man assumed
that victory awaited him on the vote.
party boss decided the matter. He was
beaten by a ballot of 95-3. 1t was
Roosevelt's first taste of machine
power.
Here was where the Roosevelt push,
confidence and determination came to
the front. He decided that he would
like to go to the state legislature,
quite a natural ambition, and made
his desires known to the bosses. Both
he and his ambition were greeted with
a hearty laugh. 1t was good joke.
The laugh, however, appeared upon
the other side of the boss countenance
when the result of the primary be-
came known. Roosevelt had gone
among his silk stocking friends,
among the saloon keepers, among the
voters and had won. This was during
the summer of 1882.
AS election day came around the
fight waxed hot. In the same district
was William Waldorf Aston, a candi-
date for congress on the same ticket
that carried Roosevelt. Both men made
strenuous campaigns. The wealthy
residents of the district caught the in
fections. Millionaires solicited the
votes of their servants. There were
fusions of all sorts and kinds of peo-
pie, but such was the personal popu-
larity of young Roosevelt that when
the election counts were taken, it was
found that he had ridden to victory
while Aston fell far short of the goal.