Daily Kennebec journal., 1919-10-27
Monday, October n, 1919.
Theodore Roosevelt.

exert his powerful influence over the
entire world-Theodore Roosevelt
The way be overcame his physical
weakness was characteristic OF the
way he met ali the problems OF life.
By sheer energy Of purpose and
DYNAMIC will power he set himself to
build up a strong physique able to
meet the strenuous demands he was
later TO make upon il. His success
was as characteristic as his courage
to make the attempt.
What qualities does the name
Roosevelt instantly suggest? En-
ergy. courage. honesty. AmeTicanism-
During his years Of public life his
energy was felt in everything he did
and was transmitted to everyone who
came in contact with him y busi-
ness man who had followed his ca
rec. closely said OF him in 1915:
Il miss the esprit Ge corps that
used TO be in Washington when
Teddy was there. Tht fellows he
appointed would have died for him
There was an atmosphere
Of efficiency and achievement: you
felt il as soon as YOU got OF the
train"
There was directncss about the
Roosevelt energy that got things
done with less effort than most men
exert 20 get started. Il was his en-
ergy that guaranteed his courage.
He knew he had power TO do what he
dared to try.
Student. magazine writer. author,
patron of literature. Roosevelt epit-
omizes American culture.
Sportsman, hunter. traveller, nat
uraiist, explorer, rancher. he stands
for the big outdoors and the sweeps
Of plain and prairie that are the won
der of Europeans who visit Amer
ica.
Assistant Secretary OF the Navy,
he became the genius of its CT
fc.ency program that made possible
tie naval exploits of the Spanish
War
Organizer and colonel of the
Tough Riders. he was a soldier
among soldiers of the front rank.
Lawyer and business man, he
knew the intricacies of modern in
dustry and with his usual clearness
of vision saw that industrial peace
would be- harder of achievement than
political peace at the end of the war.
Politician. diplomat. statesman. the
best known of Americans abroad. he
ranks only with Washington sand
Lincoln in devotion and service to
his native country.
Apostle OF preparedness. ardent
patriot as ever. and champion of JUS
ttce and the rights Of nations, he did
more in his retirement for the cause
of America in the war than any 9TH
u man.
In his wonderful versatility he was
ica. The impression he made on
people is we'll voiced by the comment
of a Harvard man who describes
President Roosevelts arrival to visit
his oldest son. The narrator tells
how he with crowd of others rose
at 500 on a cold winter morning and
waited forty minutes for the train.
Finally Mr.. Roosevelt arrived,
stepped out of the station and into a
waiting carriage. waved his hand and
vanished-all in a minute. Lord.
what a man. l kept saying to my
self. What ruler. Line up all the
kings and emperors of the world be-
side him and he would stand out
~noHg them like a giant among
p!@inics. He's the best we've got
ana we don't need to be ashamed Of
him anywhere. He typiies us; he
represents us to the world the way
we like to think of ourselves-big
and strong. and square. a little loud
maybe. but absolutely self.confident
and able to stand up with the best
of them"
The man who tells this story ad-
mitted that he had passed through
all stages of feeling toward Mr..
Roosevelt-hero-wor admiration
mingled with mild criticism, severer
criticism. impatience. distrust. bitter
criticism. almost hatred. then in
difference. . slowly growing conf
dence. finally new admiration and
respect. Hosts Of other men passed
through the same cycle OF emotions,
and since the untimely passing Of the
best-loved-and best.hated Ameri-
can they have come to fell how great
a man he was and how great a loss
America and the world has sustained
II only Roosevelt were alive" How
often does one hear men and women
everywhere recalling incidents Of his
leadership and deploring the lack of
it in these troubled times. But his
/, spirit is destined to live and grow in
the American people and he has left
. US legacy Of knowledge and wisdom
which. if rightly used. will make the
' 3nsY1fahls, changeg oKdeSlx and CON: