The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-06

L
House. Now his Influence was equally
strong in preventing Mr.. Taft from
remaining there. Men who had
clashed with the Taft policies quickly
rallied to Roosevelt's support. Roose-
welt assembled what he termed as
conservative ones of the so-called Re-
publican "Old Guard" characterized
them with the description Progress
sive' and organized the Progressive
y by Withdrawing with hi follow,
ers from the Chicago convention of
1912. He became the n.w party's
candidate for president. This split in
the Republican ranks resulted in
Woodrow Wilson's election.
One Man Shot Him.
One of the most dramatic incidents
in Roosevelt's life occurred during
this campaign. AS he was leaving a
hotel, in Milwaukee, to o to a meet
ing hall to make a political address.
a man standing among the spectators
in the street fired a shot which struck
the colonel and smashed a rib. Roose-
welt insisted he was not seriously hurt
and his automobile conveyed him to
the hall. There he spoke to an audi
ence which had knowledge of what
had happened-sobbing women and
grave-faced men shaken with emotion
by his appearance under such circum-
stances. Examination of the wound
showed it was serious and the candi-
date was hurried by special train to
Chicago for treatment. Tho he speed
lily recovered the bullet was never re-
moved. The assassin was sent to an
asylum for the insane.
Roosevelt after leaving the White
House devoted his life largely to liter
airy work, hunting and exploration. He
became contributing editor to the Out
look in 1909, continuing this for five
years, and later held editorial posi-
tons with the Metropolitan and the
Kansas City Star. From 1882 to 1917
he published about fifty volumes of
works covering the wide range of ma
Rough Riders, Americanism, nation
alism. conservation of womanhood and
childhood, animals, exploration. the
world war and Americas participation
in it, and his autobiography. His
hunts for big game and his zest for
exploration took him into the Ameri-
can west, the heart of Africa and the
wilderness of Brazil.
Oyations Given Everywhere.
Upon his return from his African
Journey return during which he
made triumphant entries into Euro
pean capitals and was received by ma
tons rulers, including the emperor of
Germany-he arrived in New York to
experience what was generally con-
American private citizen was ever ac-
corded by the people of his country.
This was in 1910. At the head of an
exploring party in South America in
1914, he discovered and followed for
600 miles a Madeira river tributary
which the Brazilian government SUBJ
sequently named in his honor REQ
Theodore. This was the famous "Riv-
er of Doubt'-so-called because in
many quarters considered authorize
tive it was questioned whether Roose-
welt was the first man to explore the
stream. During this journey the
president contracted a jungle fever
which was held indirectly responsible
for the assesses which developed ma
lignantly and required several opera
tons at the Roosevelt hospital in New
York City in 1918.
Theodore Roosevelt, besides being a
prolific writer, lectured and made pub
lie speeches extensively, not only in his
own country but in England, Spain,
South America and other parts of the
world. The facility with which he
made political enemies and followers
made him a marked man for both the
bitter and friendly attention of car
toonists and photographers. Quaint
and picturesque phrases were coined
literally by him and by others con-
corning him. Speak softly and use
the big stick" weasel words" pussy
foot" "mollycoddle" and my hat is
in the ring" were some of the Roose-
veltian expressions which attained
wide publicity.
The strenuous physical activities in
which Roosevelt engaged at the White
House included boxing. 1t was not
until about eight years after he left
the White House that it was disclosed
that during one of these bouts, which
he welcomed as a means of keeping
n ri hi l1Y dnd
by sparring opponent injured one of
the coloneps eyes. Later blindness of
this eye developed.
In the later years of his life two
&C urts suits. in which he figured in one
as plaintiff and in the other as de-
PENDANT, winning them both. kept
Roosevelt before the public eye. Dur
ing the presidential campaign of 1912
a Michigan editor charged him with
Roosevelt instituted a
suit for libel and marshalled a notable
host of witnesses to testify regarding
his private life and habits. Their tes-
was so overwhelming that the
charge was withdrawn in open court
and the jury brought in a nominal
verdict of six cents in favor of the
ex-president. William Barnes. Jr., of
Albany. N. Y, accused Roosevelt in
1914 of uttering libel in a statement
asserting that the "rottenness'' of the
New York state government was due
directly to the dominance of Tammany
Hall in politics, aided by Mr.. Barnes
and his = flowers. At Syracuse. N Y,
in 1915 the jury's verdict acquitted
Advocate of Preparedness.
When the European war began.
Roosevelt vigorously advocated a pol
icy of national preparedness. urging
military training for the ma
tic ms youth In speeches thruout the
country and in his ma gazlne and news
paper witt ) he criticized, in this
respect, the policies of Woodrow Will
son during Mr.. Wilson's first term as
president.
Mr.. Roosevelt. 1t has been said. was
keenly disappointed when he did not
receive the Republican nomination for
president in 1916. At the same time
however. he refused to follow the ad-
vice of some of his staunchest fol-
lowers that he again head the Pro-
Instead he nra-