New-York tribune., 1919-01-14
New Incidents
Of Roosevelt
Told by Depew
ributc Paid at Methodist
Memorial Services to En-
Presidents Fearlessness
First Meeting Recalled
L. RS Speech in Assembly
Race Made Strong impress
sion on Political Leader

New incidents of Colonel Theodore
Roosevets career as a public official
were related by Chaunccy M Depew
at memorial services held yesterday by
the Methodist Preachers Meeting, $50
Fifth Avenue. livery opportunity was
given Colonel Roosevelt to use his
talents TO become multi-miilionairc,
Mr.. Depcw said, but preference to
participate in public affairs soon be-
came dominant.
with his talents he could have gone
INTO big business and made fortune"
sald Mr.. pepew. But left small in
come from trust fund, he preferred
to fight the peoples battles, even
though it meant that all his life long
he would have to depend upon his earn
ing power to maintain his family
My first acquaintance with him
came about forty years ago. A Repub-
lican district leader came to me and
said: we are up against it in my dis
trict A small Fart OF the voters are
''hiShbrows" living along Fifth Ave
nue.; but the greater part are in the sec
ton controlled by Tammany. We need
the votes. but especially the contribu-
tons Of the "hi.hbrows." What do you
think of young Roosevelt.
Read Memorable Speech
II had heard OF him ana wa en-
thus,a syic. We'll, We arranged din
Ner at Delmonico's. Three hundred OF
the 'nlShbroWs' we're present. 10 )sc-
Vet, tnol only twenty-five aNd MOI as
eloquent as he afterward became, Ieau
& speecn tor an hour. He tod what
was the matter with the ci,y, WnAt was
the matter with the state and lnat
was the matter with the nation. Nj orc
over, he said he could remedy the
l;nole situation. He was elected TO the
Assembly. shall never forget that
speech OF his. He lived up to it CON
sistcntly all through lie.
After Mr.. Roosevelt had made him
self unpopular as Civil Service Com
missioner in Washington. because he
tool, his job seriously, Mayor Strong
began to LOOK around for Pc ice Com
missioner who wouldn't mind being
unpopular. He decided that Roosevelt
was just the man. New Workers. were
to have man at the head OF the Police
Department who would enforce the
laws.
Gamblers Parade Fails
All the gamblers, saloonkeepers and
pleasure seekers got up a parade of
protest. They marched up Fifth Ave
nue.. When they reached the review
ing stand they found Roosevelt sitting
there. One old German, who didn't see
Roosevelt, yelled, Where's Roosevelt
nov?' Roosevelt answered. Here
am That so dumfounded the German
that he could think Of nothing to an
swer but 'Hooray for Roosevelt.' That
broke up the parade
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 President Mckinley Of Asst tant
Secretary OF the Navy. This appoint
msnt is an Illustration Of the ways O.
Providence in providing the man for
an emergency.
"Therc was a crisis in our interna-
tcnal relations because Of intolerablc
conditions in Cuba With his usual
foresight and instructive grasp of sit
uatons the Assistant Secretary saw
that war was inevitable and began to
prepare the navy for its part
Obtained Big Appropriation.
'lIc succeeded in having Dewcy ap-
Nointed to the command of tho Asiatic
squadron. 1t was an era Of rigid econ
olny and saving Of powder. Roosevcts
rcsistless opportunities obtained an
appropriation Of nearly 81 100000 FOR
powder. When asked BY Congress what
he had done with it, he said, Burned
it up in target practice
$50 when the Spanish war came.
while there vas unprcparcdness every
cnemy's feet in Manila Bay and tho
marksmcm Of Samson and Schlcy
destroyed, while they wcrc trying to
escape from Santiago HarDor. the hos
tic warships. SO great was tho terror
in the departments Of this young As
sistant Secretary that the Secretary Of
the Navy, having arrived at tho Wash
ington depot to take the train for his
vacation. changed his mind end re-
turned 20 his desk. saying 4 must
watch my Assistant Secretary
Urged for Governorship.
''1hc political situation in Now York
State was critical for the party in
power. Tho people had voted nine
mi!ioHs Of dollars to improvc canals
Governor Black ordered an invcsti9a-
ton which resulted in finding that ore
million Of it had either been lost or
stolen. The canals have always hccn
politically perilous to the party in
powe" III the State Of New York
Thomas c. Platt was oar state leader
and asked no TO consultation as to
a candidate for Governor. IIc said.
Ben Ode!l has advised me to select
Roosevelt. who is in camp on Long
Island, But As Police Commissioners.
Civil Service Commissioner and AS
sistant Secretary Of the Navy he has
A always been uncomfortable either by
the party organization or his superiors
and am afraid he might be mos.
dangerous to our organizatior.'
Sized Up by Depew
81 told him in my Judgment Roosc-
ve't was the only man we could elect,
md added: 'Of course. shall make
speeches as always and viii expect
the hecklcr to ass questions. lie IS
bound g. say, -Four cu!ogy Of the
grand Old party is all right, bat how
;hout that million of dollars stolen
fror the canal fund.-" Then the
speaker has TO explain TINT it Vas
only a million, and tha. will be fatal,
hut if you nominate Roosevelt | can
say TO my friend, the hcckler, 81 am
very glad you asked that question.
We have nominated for Governor the
greatest thief catcher there is in the
would. As Police Comm ssioner he
cleaned up Now York and in the Cuban
War he has cleaned up that island.