The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1919-01-18
PRICE, SC.
GOoDBY, TEDDY?


And so, from us is Theodore Roose-
velt gone. He whom we will always
think of as the Strenuous one," feel
ing bully" "de-e-lighted"-he will be
with us never more. And yet, though
the press has heralded it far and
wide, though by telegraph and cable
the distressing news has been flashed
to the uttermost ends of the earth,
and though thousands of messages of
sympathy lie heaped up at Sycamore
Hill, despite this, the bewildered
world cannot realize that Americas
foremost citizen-for, though he left
the White House, he did not cease
to be that, both in the national and
international minds dead
How unexpected was his end! Who
could have pictured Roosevelt, of all
men, passing unresisting, without CIV
ing battle to the Grim Reaper without
hitting the line hard" in last des-
perate effort to maintain his hold
upon life? 1t is hardly as he would
have preferred to go. Had he been
stricken suddenly in the midst of a
great speech, whirlwind campaign;
could he have fallen on Flanders
fields leading a charge, or been hurl-
ed with his last born from the sky
that we surmise would have been
more to his liking. No farewell, no
last message to his country, only ush-
cred with one fell swoop into that
mysterious bourne-the silver cord
broken with suddenness and abruptly.
Yet, what if no last word be left.
A Roosevelt needs leave no last
word. His life, strenuous, dynamic,
possessed Of that spirit quick to fight
for its own, careless of consequences,
deaf, alike TO protest and entreaty,
intent alone on truth, its deathless
goal" his life was so replete with the
transcendent, the superhuman, he was
prophet and a seer so far ahead
of his day that without that last mes
sage, he has left as an heritage TO
his fellows, sufficient to marvel over
and wrestle with for generations, aye
for all time.
Never has America had a spokes-
man listened so attentively to through
out the world, Tor Teddy was not de-
pendent upon imminent disaster fac
ing the nations of Europe and prompt
ing them to listen to most any one
who could bring them relief, and that,
speedily. Never has the workingman
had a greater champion, never has
there been more resolutely a Presi-
dent of all the people. Never has
there graced Washington a man of
such bewildering attainments-pub-
licist, soldier, orator, scientist and
statesman, and recognized as eminent
in all.
And no President, not even Lincoln,
has gone so valiantly and fearle5sly
to the front for these fourteen mil
lions of people, black, "despised and
rejected of men" Especially is his
taking off lamentable to the Negro
for we have lost our champion, and
while there are others, as Dyer of
Missouri and Madden of Illinois, there
is none who has the public ear as did
he.
1t was said that there were only two
men whom Wilson feared-he being
one, the Kaiser the other He lived
long enough to materially steer the
course of this nation during the period
of its greatest danger, for though de-
MED any official place in the conduct
of the war, though prevented from his
cherished desire of leading an army
to Berlin's gates, history will record
his as the constructive mind giving
pronouncement to ideals, the clarion
voice which the nation listened for
before action, the restraining hand
with which the nations chief magis-
trate had to reckon. His loss is IRE
parable. Never will come another
Teddy And with bowed head and
bleeding hearts we stand, knowing
that like Alexander, there is none
able to wear his signet.
But mayhap in another sphere
there was need Of Teddy. And good
soldier that he wars, he went all un-
complainingly to take up his more ad-
vanced duties out yonder where ST.
lence reigns supreme.
And the world waves goodby, Ted
dy. You were loved by most of us,
and if hated by others, respected for
your integrity and freedom from guile.
AS you crossed the bar and sailed
into the great hereafter, we think you
must have been accorded a mighty
rousing welcome, and must have told
them that you were feeling bully
and had waded Deaths waters that
you might help out over there. You