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

thusiasm and feats of daring. He en-
gagged in fist fights, chased horse
thieves, punched cattle and lived to its
fullest the rugged life then prevalent
in the West.
Roosevelt's recall from the West
came in the fall of 1856. He read in
New York newspaper. long delayed
in transmission, that he had been
chosen candidate for the mayoralty of
New York by the Independents. His
candidacy was seconded by the Repub-
lican party.
The young rancher started at once
for the scene of the political battle.
There was small chance of his election
in constituency SO strongly Demo
cratic, but he made a memorable fight
and accepted hfs defeat with good
grace.
Following his defeat he sailed for
Europe. where shortly after his arriv-
al in England he married Miss Edith
Kermit Carrow. Roosevelt had known
Miss. Carrow from his early boyhood.
She was twenty-five and he had just
the time of the marriage
On his return from his honeymoon
in 1888, Mr.. Roosevelt took the stump
for General Harrison. And when the
newly elected President was forming
his cabinet he offered his services
Roosevelt hoped to be appointed Sec
rotary of State, but Mr.. Blaine. wins
hoH inf Of hot n
partment remembered the strong fight
made against him in the National Re-
publican convention of 1884 and OBJ
jected to his proposed helpmeet. Har-
rison offered Roosevelt place in the
Civil Service Commission in lieu of
the State Department job and Roose-
welt accepted.
The Civil Service Commission was
then a little known institution. His
new duties, therefore, offered him al
most a virgin field of endeavor and he
performed them so well that several
important measures looking toward
the firm establishment of the civil
service were made during his six year
tenure of office.
He next bobbed up as President of
the New York Police Commission I'M
der Mayor Strong. who was elected
by the Independents. He held this
office from May, 1895 to April, 1897,
and his administration was marked by
vigorous and we'll directed campaign
that brought him more than ever be-
fore his neighbors and friends, the
citizens of New York
After his two years service as police
head, Roosevelt again turned to Wash
ington. The Republican party was
firmly entrenched there and he felt
that his services could be used to
greater advantage in the national field
SO he resigned his municipal position
in New York for an appointment as
Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
1t has been said that this position
er 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
present himself in the forefront of
the fray.
phet and leader almost Immediately
after his appointment. He made no
secret of his firm conviction that af-
fairs in Cuba were in such a precar-
ious state that intervention in the is
land by the United States would be
necessary, and in order to forestall the
emergency he set about advocating re-
forms in the navy.
He organized system of rank and
promotion among naval officers; 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 slow going de-
partment.
With the destruction of the Maine
in Havana Harbor his duties and re-
sponsibilities increased a thousand
fold. War was inevitable and he
plunged into the work of preparing
the navy for the expected encounter
with vigor. His last assignment in
the Navy Department was as a mem
Der of the War Board, charged with
the duty of moving the ships and
watching the enemy.
When the war was formally declar-
ed he Immediately resigned, saying,
There is nothing for me to do here. l
must get into the fight myself 1t is a
just war, and the sooner we meet, the
better. Now that it has come, l have
no right to ask others to fight while
l stay at home"
The organization of the Rough Ri