The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-01-07

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The public career OF the man who
was to become president not long
after he lett college. His profession
was law but the activities that were
to come LETT him no time in which
to practice it. In 1882, 1885 and
1884 he was elected to the New
York State Assembly, where his
efforts on behalf OF good govern
ment and civil service reform at
tracted attention. When the Re
publican National Convention OF
1884 was held, in Chicago, he was
chairman OF the New York State
delegation.
Became Dakota Rancher
After this experienc he dropped
out OF politics for two years. Going
west, he purchased ranches along
the Little Missouri River, in North
Dakota and divided his time be-
tween outdoor sports, particularly
hunting, and literary work. Here
he laid the foundation OF his series
OF books, The Winning of the
West" which was published from
1889 to 1895 and Of other volumes
Of kindred character.
Returning to New York he be-
came the republican candidate Tor
mayor, in 1885, He was defeated.
President Harrison in 1889 appoint
ed him a member Of the United
States Civil Service Commission
and President Cleveland continued
him in this office, which he resign.
ed in 1895 to become New York
City's commissioner
"A thing that attracted me to
this office Roosevelt said at the
time he accepted this appointment,
was that it was to be done in the
hurly-burly, for | don't Ike clois-
ter life" Honesty was the watch
word of this administration, and
the two years OF his occupancy be-
came memorable through the re-
forms he inaugurated, attracting
the nations attention while holding
a position which was obscure in
comparison with the events to
come. Illicit liquor traffic, gamb-
ling, vice in general-of these evils
he purged the city in the face OF
corrupt political opposition, and the
reputation he established as a re-
former won him the personal Sc
lection by President Mckinley as
Assistant 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 a dep
uty cabinet position with war Of
fering something more exciting.
Leonard Wood, now a Major-Gen-
eral in France, was then President
McKinley's physician and one OF
Roosevelt's staunchest friends.
Helped Organize Rough Riders
The famous Rough Riders were
organized by Wood and Roosevelt
"a band OF fighting men the men
tion OF whose name today suggests
Immediately the word Roosevelt"
They came out of the west-plains-
men, miners, rough and ready fight
ers who were natural marksmen,
and Wood became their colonel and
"Teddy," as he had become famil-
iarly called by the public, their
lieutcnant-colonel In company
with the regulars OF the army they
took transports to Cuba, landed at
Santiago and were soon engaged
in the thick of battle. Among the
promotions which this hardy regi-
mcnts gallantry brought about
were those OF Wood to Brigadier-,
General and Roosevelt to Colonel
and this title Theodore Roosevelt
cherished until the end. Some OF
the Rough Riders formed the mill
tary escort when he was elected
president a few years later.
When Cuba had been liberated,
Roosevelt returned to New York.
A gubcrnatorial campaign was in
swing, with the republican party in
need OF a capable candidate. Roose-
Welt was nominated. Van Wyck,
his democratic opponent, was de
ieated. The reforms Roosevelt had
favored as Asscmblyman he now
had the opportunity to conSum-
mate, together with others OF more
importance, and it was during this
administration that he is said first
to have carried the hostility OF cor
porations. When the republican
national convention was held in
Philadelphia in 1900 his party in
New York state demanded and at
tanned his nomination for vice
president on the ticket with Will
liam Mckinley. In November OF
that year this ticket was elected.
President at McKinley's Death
The policies OF Mckinley, Roose-
welt endeayored to carry out after
he succeeded the former upon the
presidents tragic death at the
hands OF an assassin. Roosevelt
retained his predecessors cabinet
as his own and he kept in his Office
the ambassadors and ministers
whom Mckinley had appointed. As
much as two years before the presi-
dental campaign Of 1904 republican |