The Washington herald., 1914-06-22
HISTORY BUILDERS.
When Col RoosSelt Fancisd the
Study Of Law.
CwHttsn expressly for The Heraid)
BY DR. e. J. EDWARDS.

BY DIR. f. y. EDWARDS.
The late George Frederick William
Hollis, who really did almost all OF the
work at the first Hague conference In
1888 which was compassed by the Amert.
can delegation of which Mr.. Hollis was
secretary and consul. was for years a
very great admlrer Of Theodore Roose-
Welt. They were Of about the same age.
Mr.. Hollis was a profound student OF
German literature, and he was a mas
ter OF the German tongue. In his pro-
fessional practice in New York City he
was counsel for many of the leading
German-American interests Col Roose-
welt had also been a profound student of
German literature and history. and he
also understood the language and was
able to speak II. although not so fuently
as Mr.. Hollis This was one of the con-
genial associations which brought the
two men much together. They were also
greatly interested in civic and state af-
fairs.
year or two after Mr.. Hollis return
from the first Hague conference. passed
an afternoon with him. and never had a
more profitable or entertaining expert
ence He spoke remIniscently OF some Of
those who took part in The Hague con-
ference. and told me confdentially Of a
night trip which he made from The
Hague to Berlin. where he met in con-
ference two or three of the leading Ger
man statesmen. He also spoke remin-
iscentIy OF Col. Roosevelt, who had. a
few months earlier. succeeded to the
Presidency by reason OF the death Of
President Mckinley.
II have always felt that destiny had
marked out a great career for Roosevelt
and ! have been certain since the Span
igh Wa that ha ua a-a1afnanf1Ny
dicated as the successor of Mckinley in
the Presidency" said Mr.. Hollis. ''Of
course. I had no expectation that Roose-
welt would pass from the Vice Presidency
TO the Presidency by reason Of any un-
happy determination Of McKinley's ca
reer. But ! WAS persuaded that at the
end of McKinley's second term Roose-
welt would enter the White House as
President. As I have reflected upon
Roosevelt's career I have often wondered
how II would have been shaped had he
followed by advice and begun the study
Of law after he returned from his ranch
life in the West. He did seriously con-
template beginning the study OF law, and
never knew why he abandoned the idea.
although ! thought that he was tempted
TO enter upon a literary career.
Roosevelt would have made a very
successful lawyer, but successful only as
an adVOCste. And yet ! sometimes have
thought that the day of the great jury
lawyer has passed in the United States
Up TO about thirty years ago, the man
who could command juries. make them
pay heed to him. compel verdict from
them. as Rufus Choate or James T.
Brady did. was able to gain national dis
tinCtion. But the old-fa shioned kind of
jurists seems to have passed into tradi-
ton.
You sec what Roosevelt can do with
great crowds. He can sway them at will,
and that is the chief gif: Of the great ad-
vocate or jury lawyer. Moreover. he has
a fine capacity for cross-examinstion. II
he had studied law and begun practice
he would have gained whatever prestige
and profit he acquired in his profession
as an advocate or jury lawyer. / doubt
whether he would have succeeded very
well when appearing before a high court
qualifications which would have made
him a good Office counselor
AS the old-fas ashioned methods Of ad-
dressing the juries. at least in the East.
IS no longer in practice. ] doubt whether
Roosevelt would have gained pre-emin-
ent success as lawyer And 7 am Ger
tain that ne would not have been long
at the har before he would have found
politics far more attractive than the law,
He would have been restless II he had
been confined by the limitations of pro-
fcssional practice.
Copyright. i9li b. =. ]. Edwards. An rights n
teTUcdJ
Tomorrow Or Edwards will tell How
John Hay Made a Diplomatic Success"