Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-02-02
Views and RevleWS
Roosevelt as Letter Writer
and Author of Books


had any correspondence with him. He put
punch into them by making corrections after
they were typewriter, or adding postscripts OF
other notations in his own hand without send
ing them back to the stenographer to be retyped
It is interesting to be told that in the prepare.
ton of copy for publication he also gave the
same personal touch. His later books and
magazine articles were put out by the Scrbner
house, which is authority for these sidelights
on Roosevelt as an author:
Toward the end of his presidency he an
nounced that he was going to Africa on
hunting trip to be out of the country and
away from the politics of the new admins
tration. 1t was the most heralded trip ever
undertaken by a public man. The narrative
(afterward printed in the volume called
AFRICAN Game Trails") was written by his
own hand, in triplicate. in the very heart Of
Africa. Two copies of each chapter were
dispatched by different routes and one copy
he kept by him for reference. These chap
ters as they arrived were published serially
in Scribners magazine. They also appeared
in a London newspaper, French magazine,
and an Italian newspaper. The volume itself
was published simultaneously by the Serb
ners of New York, and in London, Paris,
Japan, Sweden, Italy and Germany. 1t prob
ably had the largest total sale of any volume
Of travel ever written, and it has led all Of
Mr.. Roosevelts volumes in popularity.
A few years later in 1918 he undertook
another great adventure, the exploration of
an unknown part of Brazil Colonel Roose-
welt always looked on the performance of this
journey as his most important contribution to
natural history 1t was on this trip that he
discovered and made complete journey Of
the famous River of Doubt" now called by
the Brazilian government the "Rio Roose-
Welt"
1t is not generally known that he contem-
plated another great trip. TO the South Sea
Islands, but the entry of America into the
war diverted him from this purpose.
AS maker of books and writer of articles
he was one of the most considerate and con-
Scientious and exact contributors He never
broke promise to complete manuscript by
a certain time, and the details of preparing the
manuscript were as familiar to him as to the
best of the profession When he handed in
the manuscript of book it would contain
the title page, dedication the list of contents,
and ali other machinery which so many
authors neglect.
The manuscripts of his two great explora-
tons, which he wrote with his own hand, are
filled with examples of the great care which
he used in the choice of words and the revision
of sentences. All the rest of his books were
either dictated or typewriter, but the African
book and the Brazilian book are the unique
product of his own hand written in the utter
most parts of the earth. There are no other
volumes of travel and expiration like them.
So ex-Kaiser "Bill" is starting to disguise
himself by raising a full beard That is, how
ever, not entirely new for him. l saw the kaiser
once upon time shortly after he had mounted
his imperial throne and he was wearing a full
beard, yellowsh brown in color, cut presumably
after the fashion of his fathers beard, only
shorter and with not even hint of the up
turned moustachios that have since been his
particular facial trademark. It Is safe guess
that Bills" new beard will not be tawny but
gray.
The passing, out in California, Of Park God
win, who was one of the brilliant lawyers at
the bar here in the days of earlier Omaha, makes
timely reading of Ed Morearty's reference to
him in his Memories" Goodwin had been dis
trict attorney 1--WE then had public prosecutor
for the whole judicial district, instead of for
each county, and was beaten for reelection
in hot political fight, which is thus described:
about August of that year Cl884) the
republicans of this judicial district Douglas,
Sarpy, Washington and Burt counties, held
convention in the old city hall, where now
stands the United States National bank build
ing The purpose of the convention was the
nominating of a candidate for district attorney;
the two candidates who were presented for
nomination were Lee S. Estelle of Blair (now
district judge and Henry D. Estabrook of
Omaha, (now attorney for the Western Union
York;. By a majority of four votes Lee
Estelle was nominated and accepted the
nomination in speech full of enthusiasm
and with eyes filled with tears in gratitude
to the delegates for the honor. This was the
first time | had ever heard Of Henry Esta-
brook and was struck by the mastery and
eloquent address delivered by him in his
promise to support Estelle after having, been
defeated by the convention a few moments
before. This left with me a lasting impress
sion of him. which, in years of long and init
mate acquaintanceship, I never had occasion
to change The heaviest guns of the repub-
lcan party were directed against Park God
win, the democratic nominee, also the power
full influence of Ed Rosewater, with his paper,
The Omaha Bee. The principal reasons for 4
the heavy attacks on Mr. Goodwin were be-
cause of his prosecution of few members
of the Omaha city council and Mayor Chase
for malfeasance in Office. | was present at
one of the many occasions where those in
.vestigations were conducted, and when Mr..
Goodwin accused the city clerk, ]. ]. L. c.
Jewett, of Withholding evidence of an incrnl-
mating nature against the defendants; at that
preliminary hearing and while addressing the
court Goodwin was so indignant against lew
EFT, and being possessed of a vicious tongue,
he interpreted Jewetts initials to read HJohn
Jackass Log Cabin Jewett" O. ]. L. CO.
w. ]. Cornell, then city attorney, filled the
columns of the daily papers with TRADES
against Goodwin, in addition to stumping the
entire district against him, forgetting all the
other candidates, from president to constable,
It being presidential year and the district
being Overwhelmingly republican and the out
side counties not being interested in an Omaha
fight Mr.. Goodwin was defeated and Mr.
Fstelie elected"