The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-04-18
RoosEVELT's CONFESSION.

Col. Roosevelt, the contributing edi.
tor OF the Outlook, covers wide field
in his contributions TO that paper. lie
does not hesitate 10 bring in his own
| personality whenever he feels like it,
nor does he exhibit cloudy reserve,
but is quite frank in his treatment of
his own career, feelings, and intimacies.
A recent contribution OF his to that
semi religious weekly is gossipy,
frank revelation of his own athletic
experiences, in which he, OF course,
makes himself the central figure and
the dominating character A part of
this gossipy revelation which in Eastern
papers is called his "Confessions' is
as follows:
When obliged TO live in cities, for a
long time found that boxing and wrest-
ling enabled me TO get good deal of
exercise in condensed and attractive
the champion middle weight wrestler of
America happened 10 be In Albany. and
l got him 10 come round three or four
afternoons week But after a
he left n good -humored, stalwart oars
man as substitute. The oarsman turned
out to know very little about wrestling,
He could not even take care of himself.
not TO speak OF me, BY the end Of our
second afternoon, one of his long ribs
had been caved IN, and two OF my short
der blade SO nearly moved out OF place
that II creakcd. 3. When President |
used to box with some OF the aides as
we'll as play single stick with General
Wood. Naturally, being fond OF
boxing. ! grew to know good many
prizeilghters. and 10 most OF these I grew
genuinely attached. ! have never been
able to SYN symPatIhize with the outery
SON was another stanch friend and he
and | think alike on most questions OF
political and Industrial life. Bob FItz-
simmons was another good friend of
mine. / have had for long time
the friendship of John l., Sullivan. than
whom in his prime no better man stepped
into the ring.
Upon this a Connecticut newspaper
delivers some bitter criticisms. it holds
that this sort Of writing showing Col
Roosevelt's attitude towards athletic
life is frivolous, unworthy, and too ego
tistical. That paper denounces all this
as showing an indefensible sporting
tendency, Significant Of the essential
basis Of the man, totally unworthy
of an earnest and serious minded would.
be reformer of wicked world
We consider a criticism Of that kind
entirely misplaced There is no rea-
son why Col, Roosevelt should not
wrestle and box if he wants to. There
is no reason why he should not in
fact take his needed exercise in anv in.
nocent way that he sees fit. If he finds
boxing concentrated and desirable
form of exercise, surely there ought not
to be any wretched fault finding about
it. If he finds wrestling advantageous
for himself in the same way, why should
be not wrestlc as he finds opportunity
and suitable antagonists?
All this sort Of thing. which Col,
Roosevelt sets forth in the extract
quoted, we consider to be entirely in.
offensive, and indeed commendable. 1t
shows that Col. Roosevelt was anxious
to preserve his body in activity and
health, and keep it in the most servicea-
bic conditions; and when the body is
kept in serviceabIe. healthy condition
the mind is naturally also healthy and
in good working order, Those who
would find fault with Col. Roosevelt
because Of his form OF exercise as dis
closed, have narrow view of life. and
lose sight Of the main object of exer-
else, as tending to the enhancement of
health and of mental vigor.