Evening star., 1919-10-05
D. G., SUNDAY MORNING. OCTOBER s. 1919
IL Pages

the manhood to so acknowledge. In .
semi-scandal, an editor accused him
OF tntoxication. but Col. Roosevelt at
once took the charge into the courts
and was Handsomely exonerated and
cleared. even by the man who had
made 1t. OF few other men in public
life can such thing be said. In this
or any other country. His domestic
life was sacred to himself and his
FAMILY, and must be 10 respected by
other persons.
II asked Col. Roosevelt's most cen.
spicuous characteristic, probably =
majority Of observers would say his
magnetism" or 'personality.e and
that. in its particular way. may have
been his outstanding attribute. He
ATTRACTED men, women and children,
even birds and animals, to himself.
and OF 'au he made loyal friends. He
won, first, their faith. and then their
love. "Confound Theodore Roose-
welt! He is exasperating at ttmes."
exclaimed former progressive lead
er. who, nevertheless, added In the
same breath: "but men must difIsr
sometimes. and. after all, he 10 Thee
dore Roosevelt and TIL work for him
and vote for him to the end Of his
career. have faith in hint" Others
criticised him or were vexed with
him for various reasons, but in their
hearts their love nsver wavered and
they came to the forefront on every
occasion when he rallied them to his
cause. A man Of superlatives him.
self. he evoked superlatives from
others: those who loved him loved
him to the limit and those who hated
him hated with equal fervor. His
magnetism never weakened-sAgs
could not wither nor could custom
stale his infinite variety: familiarity
with his presence on the platfarm
bred no contempt. He never spoke
without q message. and did net talk
for the mere sake Of talking or en-
tertaining crowd. But when he
did speak he wished to be heard, that
no words might be wasted.
In the 1912 campaign. for instance,
two newspaper men In his party
strolled over to the fair grounds in
Salisbury. Nd. to see that the press
arrangements were complete for the
meeting Col. Roosevelt was to ad-
dress. "Fine!" said one. who had
Joined the party ON the previous
night. but the other merely smiled,
The colonel" said this veteran, "nrst
Will say. Take down those ropes 90
that every one can get close to the
platform; then he'll ada. Move these
tables to one side. 20 that every one
can hear me- He 10 not coming here
as = spectacle for the mob. but 70
talk to every man and woman in the
crowd In short time the crowd
gathered and Col. Roosevelt mounted
the platform and gassd around the
scene, Take down those ropes" he
ordered. $50 that every one can ret
close to the platform" Then: Move
those tables into corner. 20 that
every one can hear me-" The veteran
scribe was right-Col. Roosevelt had
not como as a holiday spectacle for
the throng. but to deliver real mes
sage. which he wished all to hear.
1t was . democratic community, but
never had . speaker in that section
been favored with more close alton !,
tion than this former republican, and
then progressive. leader. stfs:
@,s.[ 49, i ~s.
Histwords ana his personality. his
magnetism. held even hostile crowd:
to- attention. He was not = parior
speaker; nor "orator'':. his voice vas
rasping and his gestures were force.
ful rather than graceful but his auli.
tors not only listened to every WORD
but absorbed them in their minds.
In debating important documents.
speeches or editorials Col. Roosevelt
paced the door and die.
tated his speech 40 though he were
It to an audience. He was
just az emphatic and magnetic while
a. in the delivery Of his
speeches. His speeches were always
the, result OF much study and fore
thought. and in tho rapid change Of
1t sometimes happened 70
be necessary for him to make addl.
tions and changes up to the very mo-
ment Of the delivery Of the speech. He
knew his shortcomings and welcomed
suggestions. 1t was my custom to at.
tend all meetings which he addressed
near New York. to watch him ana
note his effect on the audience and