The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-01-06
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ne WAS not as prominent as some 9TH
erB In an athletic way, as ii Is not re-
corded that he made the baseball
and football teams, but HIS puny body
had undergone a metamorphosis and
before graduation he became one of
the champion boxers OF the college.
This remarkable physical develop
ment was emphasized by something
which took place shortly after he,ieft
Harvard in 1880. He went to Eu-
rope, climbed the Matterhorn, and as
a result was elected member Of the
Alpine club of London-an organiza-
ton OF men who had performed not
able feats of adventure.
A few months after his graduation,
Roosevelt married Miss Alice Lee, OF
Boston. She died in 1884, leaving
one child, Alice. now the wife of Rep
resentatiye Nicholas Longworth Of
Ohio. In 1886 Roosevelt married
Miss Edith Kermit Carew, OF New
York, and to them five children were
born Ethel now the wife Of DR..
Richard Derby. and four sons, Theo-
dore Jr., Kermit, Archibald and
Quentin.
The public career OF the ann who
was to become President began not
long after he left college. His pro-
fession was law but the activities that
wer to come left him no time in which
to practice it. In 1888 and 1884 he
was elected to the New York State
Assembly, whore his efforts on behalf
OF good government and civil service
reform attracted attention. When the
Republican National Convention of
1884 was held, in Chicago, he was
chairman OF the New York State dele
CATION
After this experience he dropped
ont of politics for two years. Going
west. he purchased ranches along the
Little Missouri River, in North Da-
kota. and divided his time between
outdoor sports. particularly hunting,
and literary work. Here he laid the
foundation for his series Of books,
The Winning OF the West" which
was published from 1889 to 1896,
and of other volumes of kindred
character.
returning to New York, be became
the Republican candidate for Mayor
in 1885. He was defeated. Presi-
dent Harrison in 1889 appointed him
a member of the United States Civil
Service commission and President
Cleveland continued him in this Of
fee, which he resigned in 1885 to be-
come Mex York city's police commits
sioner.
"A thing that attracted me to this
office" Roosevelt said at the time he
accepted this appointment. was that
1t was to be done in the hurly-burly,
for don't like clustered life" Hon.
esty was the watchword Of this adj
ministration, and the two years of his
occupancy became memorable by rea-
son OF the reforms he inaugurated,
attracting the nations attention while
holding a position in comparison with
the events to come. Illicit liquor
traffic, gambling, vice in genral-of
these evils he purged the city in the
face of corrupt political opposition,
and the reputation he established as
reformer won him the personal Sc
lection by President Mckinley as As
sistapt Secretary of the Navy in 1897.
A year later the Spanish-American
war broke out.
The Roosevelt temperament did not
allow the man to retain deputy cab
met position with war Offering some
thing more exciting. Leonard Wood,
now a Major General. was then Presi-
dent McKinley's physician and one
of Roosevelt's staunchest friends.
The famous Rough Riders were
organized by Wood and Roosevelt
band of fighting men the mention OF
whose name today suggests immedi-
ately the word Roosevelt" They
came out of the west-plainsmen,
miners, rough and ready fighters who
were natural marksmen, and Wood
became their Colonel and Teddy"
as he has become Familiarity called by
the public, their Lieutenant Colonel.
In company with the regulars OF the
army they took transports to Cuba,
landed at Santiago and were soon en-
gagged in the thick of battle. Among
the promotions which the hardy regi-
.ment,s galalntry brought about were
those of Wood to Brigsdier General
and Roosevelt to Colonel-and this
title Theodore Roosevelt cherished
until the end. Some of the Rough
Riders formed the military escort
when he was inauguarted President q
few years later.
When Cuba had been liberated,
Roosevelt returned to New York. A
eubernatorial campaign was in swing,
with the Republican party In need OF
a capable candidate. Roosevelt was
nominated. Van Wyck, the Demo-
cratic candidate, was defeated. The
reforms Roosevelt had favored as
Assemblyman he now had the opopr-
tunity to consummate. together with
others of more Importance, and IT
was during this administration that
he is said first to have earned the
fostilit yof corporations. When the
Republican National Convention was
, held in philadelphia 1900 his party
In New York state demanded and at
tanned his nomination for vice presi-
dent. on the ticket with William Nc
.Kinley. In November OF that year
this ticket was, elected.
The policies OF Nc inley Roosevelt
endeavored to carry out after he sue
ceded the former upon the Presidents
tragic death at the hands OF an assas-
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