New-York tribune., 1913-10-28
PUT CHARACTER FIRST" f"
COLONEL TO BRAz|L|ANS
Ex-PreSident Declares No Ma
ti0n Can Last Which Has
Only Intellect and Genius.
WELCOMED TO $40 PAUL0
Roosevelt Reads Lesson to Re
publics of Western Hemi-
. sphere in Speech at Gov
ernment University.

Sac Pdulo, Brazil, Oct H-Colonel
Theodore Roosevelt received hearty
welcome when he arrived here to-day by
special train from Rio de Janeiro. He
was received at the station by repre-
sentative of the President of sac Paulo.
Or. Rodrigues Alves. the state officials
and several army officers including MEM
bers Of the French military mission. and
reception followed.
This evening Colonel Roosevelt spoke
before the government university on
Character and Civilization"
The sum OF those qualities, distinct
from the purely intellectual qualities
which are essential to moral efficiency
was Colonel Rooscvelts definition or
character. Resolution. courage, energy,
power of self-coitrol combined with fear
lessness I'm taking the initiative and as
suming responsibility; a just regard Tor
the rights of others together with un-
hinching determination TO succeed no
matter what obstacles and barriers have
to be beaten down. There is, moreover,
one quality too often wholly lacking IN
men of high intellectual ability, without
which real character cannot exist name
! ly. the fundamental gift of common
sense"
Character. Colonel Roosevelt said, must
ever outrank genius and intellect Intel
lect was a useful servant but an eVI'
master. unless itself mastered by char
acter This was true of individuals. and
in n larger sense true of nations. Amerl-
can republics, north and south' hAu
shown In the past, again ana again. d
curious forgetfulness Of this precept.
History had written large the truth mat
cnly the nation with character endured
Colonel Roosevelt continued. When moral
fibre became soft, when the leaders leu
lives OF solf-indulgence and viciousnesS'
the nation decaye1 and declined.
I'VE citizens of the various common
wcalths of the New World are engaged
in q double task" Colonel Roosevelt SAID
I'VE are endeavoring 10 retain without
loss the cultural civilization inherited
through our forefathers who came hither
from the Old World We are also en-
deavoring 70 TO develop and adapt TINS
Old World civilization as 20 purge II ol
whatever Of evil is mixed with the gooi
therein. to bring forth new good ana ~ W
M and adjust IL to the peculiar neo
and opportunities Welded by the Vest
crn Hemisphere. Both sides of the task
present grave difficulties.
FINALLY, there are peculiar needs Oh
our own. which II, is necessary that We
meet in a new fashion These needs may
often be Of diametrically opposite char-
acter. For instance. it is curious fact
that in our New World the strain of over
hard conditions during the pioneer days
Is ant 10 be succeeded by the even moro
dangerous strain OF oyer-easy cohdItohN
when once the pioneer days nave pee"
passad. the danger To the sons Is tne op-
posite ~ that which mcnaced the fathe'S'
and vet the one danger Is almost as men
acing as the other
After saving that he was far from de-
CRYING intellect or genius hut that cnd'
aster must ever stand above these. Coio-
mel Roosevelt added:
yet IL is a truth OF which men tehu
constantly TO lose sight; and the AmeH-
can repuhllcs. north and south. nave III
che past shown again and again a curi-
GUS forgetfulness OF II. In my own couh-
try we tend to lay far too much empnd :
sis on that indispensable but one-s'ueu
type OF intellectual vigor when SHOVE
itself only in commercialism, in business
achievements; kind of intellectual power
which ls> absolutely necessary to either
| Individual or national success under pres
.nt-day conditions. ana indeed under all
proper conditions. but which becomes a
! curse instead Of blessing II treated as
| &, itself an end instead OF the carefully
regulated means To an end