The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-01-16

| NEW YORK Jan. 16.--Eew incidents
! Of Colonel Theodore Rooscrclt's career
| as n public official were related by
| Chaunccy NJ. Dcpcw al memorial SER
vices held yesterday by the Methodist
Preachers Meeting. $50 Fifth avenue.
Every opportunity was given Colonel
Roosevelt 10 use his talents 10 become
| a multi-milGonairc. Mr.. Depew said. but
preference to participate in public al
| fairs soon became dominant.
With his talents he could have gone
| into big business and made fortune,
| said Mr.. Dcpew. but. left small in
come from n trust fund. he preferred TO
fight the peoples battles. even though
it meant that all his lfo long he would
have to depend upon his earning power
TO maintain his family.
My first acquaintance with him came
| about forty years ago. 4 Republican
district leader came to me and said: We
are up against it in my district. y
small part Of the voters arc "highhrows-
living along Fifth avenue: but the great
er Part arc in; the section controlled by
Tammany. We need the votes. but ns-
pecially the contributions OF tho high
| bro~s." What do you think OF young
Roosevelt"
Read Memorable Speech.
Il had heard OF him and was cnthusI-
astic. Well. wo arranged a dinner at
Delmonicos Three hundred Of the high
| brows" were present Roosevelt, then
! only twenty-five and not as eloquent as
! he afterward became. rad & speech for
an hour. He told what was the matter
| with the city, what WAS tho matter with
! the state and what was the matter with
the nation. Moreover. h" said he could
remedy the whole situation. He was
| elected to the Assembly. I shall never
forget that speech Of his. He lived UP
| to it consistently all through life.
AFTER Mr.. Roosevelt had made him
self unpopular as civil service commits
sioner in Washington. because hc took
| his job seriously. Mayor Strong began 10
look around for a police commissioner
who wouldn't mind being unpopular. lie
| decided that Roosevelt WAS just the man
New Workers. were to DO treated 10
| novelty. They were to-~havc a man at
the head Of the police department who
would enforce tho laws.
Gamblers Parade Falls.
"All the gamblers, saloonkrcpcrs and
pleasure seekers got up parade or pro-
! test They marched up Fifth avenue.
When they reached the reviewing stand
| they found Roosevelt sitting there. One
old German. who didn't sec Roosevelt,
! yelled, where's Roosevelt now: Roosc.
welt answered Hero I am That so
dumbfounded tho German that H. could
| think Of nothing 10 answer but 'Hcoray
| for Roosevelt That broke up the pa
| rade.
But this great cosmopolitan city soon
got tired Of the virtue which comes from
| the enforcement of the law. SO Mr.
Roosevelt accepted the offer from Prcsi-
dent Mckinley OF Assistant Secretary of
| the Navy. This appointment IS an II.
| Illustration Of the ways Of Providence in
| providing tho man for an emergency.
There was n crisis in our information
! al relations because Of intolcrablc condi-
lions in Cuba With his usual foresight
and instructive grasp Of situations the
| Assistant Secretary saw that war was
| inevitable and began TO prepare the navy
for it's part.
! Obtained Big Appropriation.
| He succeeded in having Dewey ap-
pointed to the command OF tho Asatic
squadron It was an era Of rigid coon
ony and saving OF powder. Rooscvclts
resistless opportunities obtained an APP
Precipitation Of nearly Sl.5o0.000 for pow
! der When asked by congress what he
| had done with II. he said, burned u up
| In target practice
80 when the Spanish war came.
while there was unprcnarcdncss every
where else. Dcwoy's gunncrS sank the
encnfys fcet In Manila Bay and tho
marksmen OF Samson and Schlcy
dcst royed while they were trying 10
| escape from Santiago Harbor. tho hos
tile warships So great was the terror
in tho department of this Young as
| sistant secretary that the secretary ~
the navy, having arrived at the ash
| ington depot To take tho" train for his
vacation. changed his mind and return
| cd TO his desk. sayinG'1 must watch
my assistant secretary
Urxed for Governorship.
The political situation in New York
state was critical for the party in
| power Tho people had voted nine mill
| lions or dollars 70 improve canals Gov
! ernor Black ordered an investigation
which resulted n finding that onc mill
| lion OF it had eith/r h"nn lost or stolen.
The canals have always been politically
perilous tn <hr party in power in IN"
state Of New York. Thomas {. rlatt
| was our state leader and asked m" 20
| a consultation aS tn Candidate Tor
governor. lie said. Ben pdCll has adj
vised me to select Roosevelt who is
in camp on Long Island. ouu rs polio"
| commissioner civil Scrvic" commission
CT and assistant secretary Of the navy
! he has always been uncnntr"'iablr
either by the party organization or his
supcriors and ! am afraid he might be
most dangerous To our urEani%aiI"n.'
Sized Up by Depew.
| II told him in my judgment fo"&"-
welt was tho only man "" could elect.
| and ] added: of course. | shall make
! speeches as always and will "Nrrrt III"
hcckI"r la ask questions. II" IS bound
to SAY. Your "ul"ry If IN" grand old
party Is all right. but how ah"u; iEai
million II dollars stolen from The canal