The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1919-01-08

This country is coming to realize
how much it has lost in the death OF
Theodore Roosevelt, who departed
this life early Monday morning Of
this week. 1t is safe to say that no
other character in public life was bet
ter, known throughout the world than
this distinguished man, who at but
sixty: years of age was called to sur
render up his life. During all of his
life he has been an active figure in
American affairs. and since his man
hood years commenced has grown TO
be a world character This has not
been simply because Of his vigorous
and strenuous life, which everyone
has recognized, but because Of his SUI
perior mental .attainments and his
courageous and manly behaviour on
all occasions when great questions
have been presented for solution. No
one he's ever known Theodore Roose.
welt to fnesse on any great moral
question. He has always been frank
and open and has conscientiously
thrown his influence in favor of what
he understood was the right and prop.
er thing to do. The welfare of the
public on all questions of statesman.
ship has always appealed to him, and
won his support, regardless Of how
IT might affect his personal fortunes,
He was not. so constituted that in or
derstO win popularity he waited until
public sentiment crystallized for or
/, against a proposition before taking q
stand. /, He was Indifferent as to how
he might personally be affected in
forming his opinions, but promptly
announced his views and threw his
Influence In favor Of the side Of the
proposition that appealed to him. He
was frequently charged. with: being
radical and unsafe on important ques-
tions of state, but his conduct showed
him to- be exceedingly conservative
and cautious in dealing with questions
affecting international relations. This
was especially illustrated in dealing
with our relations with Japan, grow
ing out of the hostilities which devel-
oped in California, locally, against
Japanese residents, which arose dur
Ing the time Mr.. Roosevelt was pres
ident. In order to allay the friction
which developed on the part Of the
Japanese nation on account of the
course adopted by the authorities of
the public schools in California to-
ward Japanese children, Mr.. Roose-
welt as president, summoned the,
school authorities and the mayor of
San Francisco to Washington and
pointed out to them their duty and
Gonyinced them that their course
might lead to trouble with Japan, and
they returned home and changed their
course of action on account of the
advice they received from the presi-
dent.
Mr.; Rooseyelts courageous treat
nnent OF public questions mislead some
people into the. belief that he was dan
gerous1y radical, when in truth and
ii fact, he had the capacity to see and
did see into all sides Of public cues
tions. and was able to adopt course
that was reasonable and proper under
all the circumstances. No man in
public life was ever more fair in dis
4 posing of issues between capital and
labor than was Mr.. Roosevelt. When
q conflict arose between capital and
labor. and was referred to him, as
was the case at times, he was able
to see with absolute precision the
/ legal rights of both sides, and he drew
conclusions that were irresistible.
He never permitted himself to yield
to a weakness that would throw his
Influence to one side or,the other for
political reasons alone. This has not
always been the case that public men
in responsible positions were able to
surrender the opportunity of making
political capital for themselves in de-
Gliding questions presented for their