The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-01-09


supported him, tackled ihe admins
tration 81 wha, was then one Of the
most cerFup, political machines in
America TIC Nep York police eys-
tenn
The theory had been that democ-
racy had excluded men Of his class
from politics The truth was that
they had excluded themselves. He
stepped out 81 his class and smashed
the theory While his old high-brow
associates we're discussing whether
what Theodore was doing was good
form, Theoiore WAS taking any poli,i.
cal job handed him and comforting
credit on the job: Police Commission
crship. Civil Service Commissioner.
ship, Assistant SccrciaryEhip Of III,
Navy. Il. He had lived tho IL
Of the people long enough TO have be-
come one OF them. The brownstone
front and the university education had
faded out Of the foreground into the
background where they belonged.
The triumphant colonel Of Rough
Riders walked into the Governors
chair at Albany. That made him
Presidential timber--timber not to the
liking of the Powers That Were. He
was made Vice President.
Then Destiny, not 10 be baked OF
her will. hewed Il path for him with an
assassin's bullet. Theodore Roosevelt,
always an irregular, long sympathiz-
err with the under dog, became Presi-
dent and without any strings
tied to him. He went to IT,"
The seven years of his Presidency
will begin any history Of the United
States in the Goth century. UP to
this time he had been a capable admin
istrator. Now he discovered his tai
ent. 1t was the talent for power. 1t
was fascinating TO watch the ease with
which he welded the gigantic and
complicated machinery of Govern
ment. Responsibilities which daunt
other men exhilerated him.
Suddenly he began to express the
long -smouldering radicalism in the
hearts Of the people. The magazines
famed into exposures of graft The
President led the way. He made the
trusts toe the mark. The unruly ones
he hailed into court. He put teeth into
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
He smashed the railroad merger.
Pure food became a law. He gave an
impetus TO conservation Of our natural
resources.
In short, the policies started in these
seven years were almost enough to !
busy a Government of the pre-waN
period for two decades. To the man |
who expressed an epoch we pay the !
UNIQUE honor of making an adjective /
Of his name. The years from 1901 to
1909 were none other than Roosevelt |
tian.
Blind hero worship is no compli- ]
ment. Great rs Roosevelt was it is
hard not to write "is") his limitations
were also great-perhaps . part OF
his greatness. He was not a man OF
thought. He was a man of action. |
Most men are stronger when in oppo-
sition than when in power He was
stronger when in power than in oppo-
sition. In Office he was singularly free
from mistakes. Out of Office he was
prolific Of them. Words were too
feeble for him. He needed power to
express his policies. Lacking it, he
became ineffective.
Some men tell great stories. This
man was great story Most of us
read romances. He felt the glamour
of his own life and made others feel
it. There is something intoxicating
about such career: athlete, soldier,
author, statesman, sportsman, natur-
alist, explorer: oneman drama in
which he played every part with equal
zest,,
There will be two Theodore Roose-
velts hereafter. One will be the Presi-
dent who shaped seven decisive years
Of American history. The other will
be figure which will fir imaginations
Of the future. Whichever be the more !
important--the sober statesman or the
legendary hero-men will truthfully
say that there was time when he
personifed America-Uncle Dudley in
The Boston Globe.
ANNUAL MEETING C0NGREGA-
TI0NAL CHURCH AND SOCIETY