Arizona republican., 1919-02-10

 a son of the soil. but. like Washington. he was born an aristocrat, yet we think | of him as more kindred in spirit and sympathy and aim with the former | than with the latter. We must re- member that, with all his warm and | varied friendships with men that had been used to a different social standard | than his own. there was ever a certain l dignity in spite of the freedom and familiarity of his intercourse, and he was never man with whom one could take liberties. He was certainly demo- cratic in life and feeling. but he did not underestimate the advantages of birth and breeding, although there was no class of men he more heartily despised than those who belonged to the privi- legged class by birth and wealth and who lived self-indulsent and idle life.
 He once more entered public life as a member of the republican national convention in 1884 bitterly opposed to the nomination of James G. Blaine, the leader of the "old guard repub- licans. He did not follow the example of many of his friends who rallied to the support of MT. Cleveland, the democratic candidate in spite of his warm admiration for the latter who had been governor when he was an assembly man and who had en- couraged him in his attempted reforms. In spite of his political independence he never wanted to break wit hthe party to which he was so deeply at tachcd and although he did this on a memorable occasion l have sometimes thought that he regretted it for he
 was unwilling 10 repeat the experi- ment later under somewhat similar . circumstances.
 l During the succeeding years he was | writing his books, speaking on public occasions, a defeated candidate for mayor of New York. followed by his
 happy marriage to one who was the 1 inseporable companion and loving
 counsellor of all the succeeding years.
 His ardent spirit of reform induced
 him to accept the position of police commissioner Of the city of New York.
 Hehe he accomplished a vast work in
 revealing and overthrowing to a great
 extent the evils of the city govern
 ment and especially of its police sys-
 tenn in that day. The old love for the
 navy induced him to become assistant
 secretary in the first administration
 of President Mckinley. which office
 hc resigned 10 organize the Rough
 Riders in the war for Cuban freedom.
 He was not then. nor did he ever be-
 come a great military leader for he
 had had little training as a soldier and
 it IS doubtful if his temperament and
 special gifts would have fitted him for
 such position in spite of his devotion
 to military as well as naval affairs.
 He was the most striking and pie
 g.. h.. s-t1 can war appealing as no other man
 did Co the admiration and imagination
 of the American people. The outcome of that experience is seen in the great
 carce rthat followed as governor of
 New York. vice president of the United ? States and then his succession to the presidency through a dramatic and tragic event thrice repeated in oui national history. from which office he
 retired after years service to become the most conspicuous citizen of this republic. No other man in the long
 and eventful history of the nation. has been characterized by so nuremou: and brilliant gifts. His interests wer, astounding in their variety and hi: capcity for work and acquiring knowl edge unsurpassed
 Think of him as an author. writing
 many books. especially in the depart ment Of history. l remember once ex pressing my surprise that he could leaC , such an active life and do so mucl , writing especially in the field of biog
 raphy as shown by two valuable con
 tributions then recently made 10 tn
 series of American Statesmen" H. replied that it had been no effort t' i write these lives. that the only hart
 task he had undertaken was his thel
 unfinished work on the Winning O , the West" This was followed by in
 numerable essays. addresses. editorial
 on an infinite variety of subjects. II - had clear incisivc way of express 9 ing himself but with no pretention t { literary style, lacking in the profundit . and acuracy of research and rich com I mand Of English that characterized tn - work of two of the contemporaries f Q the department of American historN - Henry Adams and James F. Rhodes. | We turn to science and we find hir y delivering the famous Romanes lee f ture before the most brilliant audienc % that Great Britain could assemble | Y the University Of oxford. I remembe t a close friend of Mir. Roosevelt, and on r of the leading scientists in America } saying that he was sstounded to fin s that in that lecture he had shown him e self as understanding the latest devel '' opments of scientific research alon IT the subject of which he was speakin.
 With his researches in the sphere C natural history many of you are doubt
 less familiar. His books and his mag
 azine articles have made this part C = his work well known. What d lov nn nn he had of nature and of all life, ami ,t mate and inanimate. He was a fin |, sportsman. but his love of huntin n was joined 10 the great pleasure h '. took in living in the open a ndacquir r ing fresh knowledge for himself an d contributing 10 the knowledge of th al world. Thus the results of his Africa n hunting adventures arc found in tn - noble gifts made by him after his re - turn to the Smithsonian Institution l - Washington.
 .. As a speaker he always intereste ,r people and could draw vast number
 to listen to him. This was not du e to eloquence for he had no oratori; h gifts. His voice was not strong, nc 's his enunciation clear, and there wa ,- a certain falsetto note in it ths L. would have made his speech ludicrou h in others but which went some wa l. or other with the humorous saying o that were expressed through tn
 medium. It was his vital personalit = that told. It was the vehement eS d pression of opinions which he hel l. and which he fearlessly declared. Thei ie was little of the judicial temperamer n about him. He saw his own side of u !. question and could not always beliey II that there might be another side. H o orations therefore do not read pal ~ ticularly well and can rank in no wa il with the speeches of Webster and Lr " L...l.. ..f