Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1919-01-10
Death OF Colonel Roosevelt.

died suddenly at his home on Sycamore
Hill early Monday last, was laid TO rest
without pomp or ceremony in Youne's
Memorial Cemetery in the village Of 0ys-
ter Bay, N. Y, Wednesday afternoon. He
was buried on q knoll overlooking Long
Island Sound, plot which he and Mrs.
Roosevelt selected soon after he left the
White House.
Col. Roosevelt was twice married and
was in the 61st year Of his age.
The following interesting description Of
the life Of Col. Roosevelt, taken from the
Washington Post, was written by the Hon.
VIM. Howard Taft, who had an intimate
acquaintance with the deceased:
A great man has gone from among US.
A full decade Of usefulness was before him
had he survived the Psalmist's period. He
leaves us in the full vigor Of bis intellect
and with no visible failure Of that bodily
strength that was in full harmony with his
mind. He found opportunity to develop
his sympathetic interest in all sports which
he retained through life. II was charac-
teristic Of him that he took no interest in
golf, preferrins the intenser contest Of
boxing and tennis and the greater con-
sumption Of energy in tree chopping.
After graduation at Harvard in the class
of 1880. and a course of law in Columbia
he at once entered politics. He served
in the legislative chamber Of New York
as a youth. He was a delegate at
large to the national convention Of 1884
and prominent figure in it, though only
four years out Of college. Then followed
his service as national civil service COM
missioner, police commissioner Of New
York, and assistant secretary of the navy
When the Spanish war came on, over
every obstacle he rushed to lieutenant
colonels command Of the Rough Riders,
and conspicuous part of the war. He
became governor Of New York. Vice Presi-
dent OF the United States, and. on the
death Of President Mckinley succeeded him
and was elected to second term
From the close of his college days until
the declination to run again in 1908 for
the Presidency. he was constantly In pub
lie service and most active in it, He i'm
pressed himself on every task and gave it
the color Of his personality.
He was original, he was progressive. he
was courageous. he was practical. He
could challenge public interest and sum-
mon public sympathy to his aid.
In spite of all this labor in the public
vineyard. he found time to read and write
much. History he studied with love of
heroes who struggled and did things. What
ever he wrote was interesting. His opin-
ions were his own. His descriptions Of his
torical characters were graphic and often
pungent.
When he did not like man or a people
or faction. he said So He hit hard. His
political enemies found much with which
they thought to prejudice the descendants
OF those he attacked. But, as he said him
self. he had written so much that his polt-
ical opponents were embarrassed by their
riches that they never made successful
use of them.
The greatest work of Theodore Roosevelt
was in his successful fight against the cor
porate control of politics. There was a
real danger from this when he took Office.
When he left the Presidency he had set the
current which carried corporations out of
political power and rid our body polite of
a growing disease. He was the victorious
crusader in this fight.
In respect Of Col. Roosevelt's organiza-
ton and leadership of the Progressive
party, there have been much difference
and discussion which it would not be ap-
propriate now, If ever, to review But GER
tainly it may properly be referred to, to
show the strength of his hold on the
American people. that he could, on what
ever ground. break up the great Republi-
can party and win over TO the party of his
sole creation larger vote than that given
the regular Republican nominee.
Circumstances doubtless aided him. but
without his wonderful personality and
leadership the result could not have been
achieved.
Theodore Roosevelt, with his brilliant
quick and intense nature. made mistakes
Who does not It would be characteristic
of him in the calm of long subsequent
period freely TO admit them. Those whose
training makes them regard the proper
administration of justice as the highest
function of the state, regarded his attack
upon the courts and his proposed change
in the finality Of their judgments as one Of
those mistakes. Whether he changed his
views or not. he ceased to press the sub
ject.
Great leaders of men must have conf.
dence In themselves and their powers
Such confidence leads to eeoism II it is not
itself that quality. Theodore Roosevelt
was leader of men and had that quality
But 1t did not hide his good fellowship and
redbloodedness. his teamwork loyalty to
those who were helping the cause he was
fighting.
He was most delightful chief to serve
under. He was not great administrator
in the sense Of knowing how to organize
and conduct any great department. but he
had the executive talent to select the men
who could do this, and to inspire his ap.
pointees to devotion to his official pur-
poses that made for his great success
He hunted for the biggest men he could
find to do the tasks to be allotted he was
too broad to be jealous Of them. He ap-
preciated their work. Indeed, he over
praised it. He was most amenable to
reason and correction by any one of them
whose loyalty he knew and whose ability
and judgment he had tried.
He had no false pride of opinion and
would reverse himself and embanass him
self in so doing when a trusted adviser