Evening journal., 1914-06-22
New News Of Yesterday
When Col. Roosevelt Fan
cied the Study Of Law
By Holland.

The late George Frederick William
Hollis, who really did almost all Of
the work at the first Hague confer
ence in 1899 which was compassed
by the American delegation Of which
Mr.. Hollis was secretary and consul,
was for years a very great admirer
OF Theodore Roosevelt They We're
of, about the same age. Mr.. Hollis
was profound student of German
literature, ana he was master of the
German tongue. In his professional
practice in New York City he was
counsel for maNy of the leading Ger
man-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 it, although not so
huently as Mr.. Hollis This was one
of the congenial associations which
brought the two men much together
They We're also greatly interested in
civic and state affairs.
A year or two after Mr. Hollis re-
turn from the first Hague conference,
| passed an afternoon with him, and
never had a more profitable or enter
tanning experience He spoke re-
miniscentlys of some Of those who
took part in The Hague conference,
and told me confdentially of a night
trip which he made from The Hague
to Berlin, where he met in conference
two or three of the leading German
statesmen. He also spoke reminis-
Gently of Col. Roosevelt, who had. a
few months earlier, succeeded 60 the
Presidency by reason OF the death of
President Mckinley.
Il have always felt that destiny had
marked out great career for Roose-
welt and I have been certain since
the Spanish War that he was pre-emi-
nently indicated as the successor OF
Mckinley in the Presidency" said Mr..
Hollis. "Of course, | had no expec-
tation that Roosevelt would pass from
the Vice Presidency to the Presidency
Dy reason OF any unhappy termina
tion of McKinley's career. But was
persuaded that at the end OF McKin-
ley's second term Roosevelt would
enter the White House as President I
As | have reflected upon Rooseyelt's |
career | have often wondered how it |
would have been shaped had he fol-
lowed my advice and begun the study /
of law after he returned from his |
ranch life in the West. He did /
seriously contemplate beginning the 1
study Of law, and | never knew why I
he abandoned the idea, although I i
thought that he was tempted to enter 4
upon a literary career.
Roosevelt would have made very I
successful lawyer, but successful only I
as an advocate. And yet ! sometimes I
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 a
verdict from them, as Rufus Choate
or James r. Brady did. was able to
gain national distinction But the
kind of jurists seems
10 have passed into tradition
You see what Roosevelt can do
with great crowds. He can sway
them at WILL and that is the chief
gift OF the great advocate or jury
lawyer. Moreover, he has a fine capa-
city for discrimination. If he
had studied law and begun practice
ne would have gained whatever pres
ige and profit he acquired in his pro
ession as an advocate or jury law
,er. | doubt whether ne would have
very we'll when appearing
before high court. and l am not
sure that he had just the qualifica-
ions which would have made him a
,Ood Office counselor
"As the old-fashioned method of
addressing the juries, at least in the
East, is no longer in practice, doubt
whether Roosevelt would have gained
re eminent success as a lawyer And
am certain that he would not have
leen long at the bar before he would !
lave found politics far more attrac-
i've than the law He would have
,een restless if he had been confined