The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1917-05-04
ROOSEVELT
SENTIMENTALIST
UNPUBLISHED INCIDENT RE
CALLED NOW HE REMEM-
BERED" THE MAINE

After many years of observation 1t
seems probable that Mr. Roosevelt
Is more of sentimentalist than we
have given him credit for. He has
often been accused of egotism, but
seldom OF sentimentalism. His de-
sire to rccurit this body of Americans
to go to France Is, perhaps, prompt
ed by wish to get into action, but
there must be considerable senti-
Gent in il.
Few Americans ever accorded Mr..
Roosevelt any sentimental feeling
when he organized the Rough Riders
for service during the Spanish
American War His implied condi-
tion for the organization, then as
now. was that his men must be as
sured of service at the front
Sympathy with MT Roosevelt in
his desire to assist France has prom
pied me to dig from among some old
papers positive proof that sentiment
Rough Riders, and, it is more than
likely, that sentiment is again sway
ing him in making his request to the
President for permission to carry the
S.ag to the battle front of France.
Years ago. Theodore Roosevelt,
then just resigned as Assistant Sec
rotary OF the Navy in order TO or
Eanize the Rough Riders, showed me
q navy revolver with which he said
o. had resolved to kill at least one
Spaniard. The revolver had been
on board the battleship Maine when
she was sunk in Havana harbor, and
Col Roosevelt planned to carry it
during the war and with partly av-
engc the murder OF the American
sailors who went TO their death thru
Spanish treachery.
After the charge OF the Rough
Riders up San Juan Hill | asked Col
Roosevelt II he had remembered the
Manner"
lie told me that he had not for
cotton his pledge and described how
IL had been fulfilled.
He was satisfied and so was l.
Some months after the incidents
referred to. thinking to one day
write the story of How Roosevelt
Remembered the Maine," ! wrote to
Gov. Roosevelt at Albany, recalling
his sentimental resolve. and asked
him to tell me just how he came into
possession of the navy revolver he
had once showed me.
The letter which ] received in re-
ply / have kept all these years and
the most appropriate time for its
publication seems right now:
State of New York
Executive Chamber, Albany,
January 23, 1899.
my Dear Mr.. Campbell:
Replying TO your esteemed fav-
or OF the goth instant, would say,
that the revolver came from the
Maine. don't know who owned it.
II was given to me by my hrothcrain-
law, Capt Cowles, of the Fern, which
was in Havana harbor at the time of
the blowing up of the Maine,
with great regard | am,
VERY truly yours,
4 "T ROOSEVELT"
TO militarists, the transportation
OF some 10000 Americans to the Eu-
ropean battle front seems paltry and
not worth while, but to the senti-
mentalist, the presence OF these few
Poi our couutrymon lighting for Fran
&c and right means an encourage
ment not to be lightly reckoned.
The French are essentially senti-
mentalists. We have heard OF their
enthusiastic demonstration of well
come to the American frcighter that
was the first of our ships to sail into
a French port after the German edict
of ruthless U-boat warfare. The cap
tain of that ship was lioni@ed by
France; French sentiment had been
aroused.
Picture then, II you can, the en-
thusiasm OF France at tho disembar-
kation OF these American troops at
a port somewhere" in France; pie
ture the demonstration and the sig
niflcance to France when these Am
orleans march thru Paris on their
way to the front.
France needs this encouragement
and we owe 1t to her, and more In
our extremity Lafayette came to us
in much the same spirit Mr., Roose-
welt intends going TO France and IN
her extremity, we should hasten 10
her now that our Government mas
seen 1T to openly array us on the
side of humanity and civilization
Theodore Roosevelt is one OF the
few who can organize such a body OF
,t,on,arous Americans in very