Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-02-10

beginning on account Of his comba-
tive SPIRIT and his fight for q larger
government control Of railroads and
/ against the political Influence Of
combinations Of capital, Senator
Lodge added:
I'm the Panama canal he left the
most enduring, a it was the most
visible. monument Of his admintstra.
ton. Much criticized at the moment
for his action in regard to 1t, which
time since then has justified and
which history will praise. the great
fact REMAINS that the canal Is there.
He said himself that he made up his
mind that It was his duty to establish
the canal and have the debate about
it afterwards, which seemed to him
better to begin with indefinite debate
and have no canal at all. This Is a
view which posterity both at home
and abroad will accept and approve"
Referring to Roosevelt's fight for
entered the. world war, Senator Lodge
I said:
"He would have had VI protest and
take action at the very beginning in
1914 when Belgium was invaded. He
would have had US 60 to war when
the murders Of the. Lusitapia were
perpetrated. He tried to stir the soul
and rouse the spirit OF the American
people. and despite every obstacle he
did awaken them, SO that when the
hour came. in April. 1917. a large
proportion of the American people
were even then ready in spirit and In
| hope.
How telling his work has been was
proved by the confession Of his
country's enemies, for when he died.
the. only ~discordant note. the only
harsh words, came from the German
press. Germany knew whose voice 1t
was that had more powerfully than
any other called Americans to the
battle Of freedom and civilization
Because he was not permitted to
&c to Europe at the head Of a body
of soldiers, said Mr.. Lodge, Roosevelt
would have ranked above all others,
the great prize Of death in BATTLE"
"He lived to see right prevail"
continued the senator. "He lived to
see civilization triumph " organ
ICED barbarism, and there was great
joy in his heart. In all his last days
the thoughts which filled his mind
were to secure a peace which should
render Germany forever harmless and
in every land and among every race.
This occupied him to the exclusion Of
everything else except what he called
and what we like to call American
ism. There was no hour down to the
end when he would not turn aside
from everything else to preach the
! doctrine of Americanism, Of the prin-
! ciples and the faith upon which
American government rested and
which, all true Americans should wear
in their heart Of hearts.
HE was q great patriot, q great
man; above all, q great American. His
country was the ruling, mastering
! passion Of his life, from the beginning
ever unto the end.
What a man wa ID ever moro
important than what he did. Theo-
dore Roosevelt always believed that.
character was Of greater worth and
sessed abilities Of the hrst order.
which he was disposed to underrate
because he set 70 much greater store
| upon the moral qualities which We
bring together under the single word,
Character" Z
Appraisins Theodore Roosevelt's'
abilities. Mr.. Lodge said in part:
HE had = powerful. well-trainedsi
ever active mind. Me thought clear.
~. independently, and With originality.
and imagination. These great gifts
were sustained by an extraordinary
power Of acquisition, Joined to q
greater quickness Of apprehension, .
greater swiftness in seizing upon the
essence Of question, than I have
ever happened to . in any Other,
man. :
"He had ascapacity for c~oncentra-
ton which enabled him to read with
remarkable rapidly anything which
he took mp.
.He knew and held details always
mastesd 81 Them. he, ' failed
70 re the forest On account Of the