The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-10
Frank in All Companies.

The criticism most commonly made
upon Theodore Roosevelt was that he
was impulsive and irupetuous. that he
acted without thinking. He would have
been the last 10 claim infallihility. His
head did not turn when fame came
TO him and choruses of admiration
sounded in his ears. for he was neither
vain nor credulous. lie knew that he
made mistakes, and never hestated 10
admit them TO be mistakes and to cor
rect them or put them behind him when
satisfied that they were such. But he
never wasted time IN mourning, ex-
planning. or vainly regrett!ng them.
1T IS also true that the middle way
did not attract him. He was apt &c
go far. both IN praise ard censue. al
though nobody could analyze qualities
and balance them Justly in Judging men
better than he He felt strongly, and
az he had no concealments Of any kind.
he expressed himself in like manner
But vehemence Is not violence nor Is
earnestness anger. which Il very wise
man defined as brief madness Il
was all according to hts nature just as
his eager cord alitv In meeting men and
women, his keen interest in other peo-
pies cares or Joys. was not assumed.
as some persons thought who did not
know him. 1t was all profoundly natural.
Il was all real, and in that way and
in no other was he able TO meet and
greet his fellow men. He spoke out
with the most unrestrained frankness at
all times and In all companies.
mot day passed in the Presidency
when he was not guilty OF what the
trained diplomatist would call indiscre-
tons. But the frankness had its own
reward There never was a President
vh al
with whom the barriers Of honor which
surround private conversation were more
scrupulously observed.
"As a matter OF fact, what Theodore
Roosevelt was trying to do was TO
strengthen American society and
American Government by demonstrating
to the American people that he was
ming at larger economic equality and
more generous industrial opportunity
for all men. and that any combination
OF capital or OF business which
threatened the control Of the Govern
ment by the people who made II was to
be curbed and resisted. Just as he would
have resisted an enemy who tried to take
possess OF the city Of Washington.
He had no hostility 10 man be-
cause he had been successful In business
or because he had accumulated a for
tune. II man had been honestly sue
cessful and used his fortune wisely and
bene hcently, he was regarded by Theo-
dore Roosevelt as a good citizen. The
vulgar hatred Of wealth found no place
in his heart He had but one standard,
one test. and that was whether a man,
rich or poor. was an honest man a good
citizen. and a good American. He tried
men, whether they were men OF big
business or members OF a labor union,
by their deeds and in no other way. The
tyranny of anarchy and disorder. such
as is no wdesolating Russia, was as
hateful to him as any other tyranny.
whether II came from an autocratic sys-
tenn like that OF Germany or from the
misuse OF organized capital. Person.
ally he believed In every man earning
his own living. and he earned money
and was glad TO do so. hut he had no
desire or taste for making money, and
he was entirely indiferet TO It. The
simplest OF men In his own habits, tho
only thing he really would have liked To
have done with ample wealth would
have been to give freely TO the many
good objects which continually interested
him.
His Power Over Men.