Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1919-01-17
ROOSEVELT'S TRIUMPHS OVER
PHYSICAL DEFECTS.
(Alfrcd b. Williams, in the Richmond

llmeS-DlSpatch.)
Everywhere in the country are
young men beginning life with more
or less serious physical defects and
tending to be discouraged by them
Every man likes to feel himself able
bodied and capable of doing mans
full part in life and is depressed by
the knowledge that he is lacking.
Millions of examinations for military
service have resulted in unpleasant
shocks to thousands and have sent
them home with sore hearts, too many
Of them to brood over what the doe
tors told them until the ambition,
hopefuncss and good temper that
should attend and illuminate young
manhood give place to hopelessness
ness, cynical bitterness and consti-
and happiness. Perhaps the most real
ly practical useful lesson to be learn
cd from the career of Colonel Roosc-
welt is for men of that kind.
lie began life practically an inva-
lid. His eyes always were bad. He
could see nothing without glasses.
His lungs were weak. His nervous
system was disor,lercd. He was IL
homcly man and the grimaccs and
Erins that became so familiar to the
public, effects of nervousness, made
his face all the more unprcpossess-
ing. MANY dOctors-especially those
who did not like him-believed his
mind to be wrong, at times. Yet he
ovcrcame all this. Whatever opinions
might have been and are held of his
character and purposes, all must ac-
knowledge that he was and did an
enormous quantity and variety of
work. He was Americas most dis
tinguishcd citizen until President
Wilson came forward. The catalog
Of his achievements is long and his
activities included almost every di-
l'Cction ~ human endeavor. Whether
his method was right or wrong, he
built the Panama canal and on that
one work man might be content to
rest his claims to fame.
He took the frail and defective body
that nature had given him, studied its
defects intelligently and frankly and
with tireless determination built it
until it endured the most extreme
tests. lie did not spare or coddle him
self. He made his body capable and
then used it for the most strenuous
tasks. Never resting nor abating his
energy from the time he was twenty,
he lived to mature age and was the
father of sons who won honor for
him and their country Probably if
he had been content to live on the
competence he inherited and give his
time to pleasure and f-indulgence,
he would have died before forty with
out having made name or place for
himself or added one thing to the
world to be remembered for him.
If lie had moped and complained
continually against the fate that de-
MED him the eyes given to the nor
NAL man and good lungs and the vi
tatity of the average boy, he would
have spent what life he attained an
invalid or sought early death. In
Maryland the other day q young man
who had been rejected for the army
committed suicide after having spent
year bemoaning his misfortune and
he was less of a defective, physically
than Colonel Roosevelt was at his
age. Several hudred thousand men
born the same year with Roosevelt
grew up physically perect. Many
thousands Of them died long before
he did and not one of them became
the potent force in the world that he
was, although doubtless, some OF
them have been and are better bal
;-nced and as good men or better.
There is no purpose here to discuss
his merits as Statesman or political
leader, or hi motives or character.
The one fact sought to be brought out
is that he conquered defects of the
body which have driven many another
man to despair or inaction and use
lessness. What one man can do anoth-
er can do. Those who are tempted
to give themselves up as hopeless
cases or bad physical jobs have but
to look at this shining evidence to the
contrary. Not every crdipplc or half
blind man CT defective or apparent
weakling can be President and have
his name in history-or build Pana-
ma canals and be bitterly denounced
or ceaseleasly praised for it, accord
ing to the political or personal feel
ing Of those discussing it. The great
majority of such unfortunates can
learn from this example, however,
that, aftetr all, there are opportuni-
Ties for them; that with determination
End courage to conquer adverse fate