The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-07
NEW YORK EDITORS
VIEWS OF LEADER
Most Versatile President Next
to Thomas Jefferson, Says
the "WOrld."
"wORLD FIGURE"-TIMEs
"Plunged With Enthusiasm of
Conviction Into All He
Undertook"


The World, Next to Thomas Jeffer-
son, Theodore Roosevelt was easily the
most versatile of American Presidents
Next to Andrew jackson, he was easily
the most dynamic. OF all Presidents he
had the most exuberant Joy OF living and
the widest range OF unrestrained en-
thusiasm.
TT Is by no means improbable that the
impartial historian Of later day will
determine that Mr.. Roosevelt's greatest
public service was rendered during his
first administration as President when
he set out TO demonstrate that the Gov
eminent OF the United States was more
powerful than any aggregation OF capital
or than all the aggregations Of capital
that were united by common interest
&c exploit the country.
THE United States was probably never
nearer to a social revolution than 1t was
when Mr.. Roosevelt came to the Pres
idency. While II Is true that he never
succeeded In solving the trust problem
in either his first or his second term. by
his procedure in the Northern Securities
case he succeeded in demonstrating that
the country had laws under which the
multiplication of trusts could he curbed,
that the highest court of the nation
would sustain these laws and that the
Government of the United States was
not at the mercy of Wall Street and or
ganized capital. This having been dem
onstrated, the trust question came even
tually to answer itself under the steady
pressure OF public opinion.
Tastes Originally Literary.
His tastes originally were more
historical and literary than political and
his political career was more accidental
than calculated: yet as 1t came about, not
half a doxen Americans ever welded so
much out and out political influence as
he. and fewer still exercised so much
power over herpolitcal thought and inn
agination OF their generation.
much used to be said about the
Roosevelt luck. yet most Of the Roosevelt
luck consisted in an amazing facility for
reading public opinion and for translat-
ing thought into actio-. The American
people have always admired strong. ag-
gressive leadership.
yet the political world OF Theodore
Roosevelt has aim ost ceased to exist, in
spite OF the enormous popularity which
he retained. The old issues have been
blown to fragments from the mouths of
tens OF thousands of cannon. and In spite
OF all the aggressive and virile Ameri-
canism that he displayed during the war
il has long been evident that even 50
acute a politician as Mr.. Roosevelt had
failed to perceive the new trend OF
events"
Right View OF War Duty.
The Herald, He knew the heart of
America and spoke from 1t. To his
credit stands much achievement for the
country he loved--none greater than that
which resulted from his fearless and
forceful insistence that the republic
must stand right on the great issue
! forced upon the world by Germany's on
slaught upon liberty and civilization. In
those trying days of neutrality. when the
minds of many men as patriotic as he
were confused. he saw straight and fur
nished the American people the leader
| ship they needed and craved for. He
saw what Americanism means and Is
and his strength with the people was
never greater than after August. 1914
| for in his preachment OF a y!rile Amer.
icanism he was rejecting the demand OF
the American heart"
Tribune, "Col. Roosevelt. laid the
! foundations OF the new order OF larger
| democracy and fuller economic oppor-
| tunity which Is still In course of con-
| struction. He cleared the way for mod.
ern progress He has been reproached
! for emphasizing too continuously the
! ancient and common virtues. But these
virtues-fairness. honesty, sincerity
| ware the oueS which ware sadl 4
lacking in our political practice. What
America had been suffering from before
! Roosevelt began to preach and threaten
| were sham democracy. sham equality
! and shan patriotism. Since his days II
! the White House the American people
| have begun to drop the empty formulas
Of an irresponsible individualism and Il
, turn toward enlightened nationa,isnl, CO.
| operative progress.
| whether in or out OF Office Col
Roosevelt continued TO lead. It was hi.
right by prescience and by his mastery
! Of the art of reading the popular mind
The browning triumph of his career wa:
his record In the great wal That is his
imperishable glory"
| Had Power Over People.
Times: "Mr. Roosevelts fame wa
more than national, he was one of thu
worlds great figures. conspicuous, dom
mating, always intensely interesting
His energy was proverbial. for It wa
boundless. lie plunged with the enthu
sIasm OF full conviction into everything
he undertook.
Mr. Roosevelt owed his career AM
his achievements to his power over tn
people. He was prominently n man o
action. but he was also a man Of utter
ance, extraordinarily convincing witt
audiences and with masses Of people
lie was popular idol. not alone be
cause he did things. hut because he In
spired the people TO do things on thei
! own account. He was sklllful in tn
presentation OF moral issues. and tn
issues he put TO the fore were elthe
moral or made TO seem so by his expo
sitlon of them. Oftentimes he took M
what are called fads, but he Clothe,
them with the seeming and distinction
of commandments from on high. an,
his habitual overemphasis gave then
popular sanction a calmer espousa
would not have won. To the calm judg
ment he often seemed wrong. In act an,
| advocacy he male mistakes OF policy
Memory does not treasure them u
against him, for Enthusiastically his grea
aim was the welfare OF the American
people, and for that he achieved much
| Americani 1T was az the spokesman
and leader of insurgency that he did hi
greatest work History will look back
ward with leniency upon the passions O
that time. 1t will. however zee in Mr
Roosevelt a great awakener who. unit
age began TO lessen the pulses of hi
radicalism. threw lamost llmitless energ
into the task of clearing the pathwa
nj the common citizen from pitfalls