The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1920-05-06

THE GRAFTON WHICH
Won FIRST PLACE
The Grafton printed below has for
it's title, "Successful leadership" It
was written and delivered by Mamie
Anderson who was one of seven con-
testants in the Francis Memorial Con-
test held last Thursday.
Brave times, stirring times, times
big with a promise of a new age, fill
ed with a more generous conception
of the rights Of man, and a richer
measure of human sympathy, and JUS
tee" Such, says Harold Rowland,
we're the times Of Theodore Roosevelt.
And during these times, much was
achieved by this great leader. He
established the rights and duties of
The people, and made the world rea-
lize what the word democracy really
meant
Wherein lay the secret of Theodore
Roosevelt's effectiveness as header?
In the first place, be believed in a
stern}y moral standard of conduct.
Great statesmen must realize certain
moral principles, and must also be
able to apply these principles to their
own lives. When they are able to
do this, they have become great
statesmen. With them, history has
chosen to class Mr.. Roosevelt. Ly-
maj Abbott, who worked with him
for five years on the Outlook staff :,
saws that "Not once in his whole ca
reer, did Mr. Roosevelt ask how a
given course would affect either his
own political prospects or the for
tunes Of the Outlook. He addressed
himself to two questions: What is
right, and what can be wisely and ef-
fectively done to promote the right 2
For this reason, Mr.. Roosevelt has
been counted among the worlds great
est statesmen" Perhaps we see him
as upholding the right more obviously
than at any other time, when he was
President of the New York Police
which he put an end to the blacknlail
*and political influence OF the entire
system, has been sketched for US at
many different times. Very effective
were his unexpected calls on loafing
patrolmen at all hours of the night.
He determined what was right, then
proceeded to establish it. The Sunday
Liquor Law had long been in exist
ence. but no commissioner had ever
pretended to apply it to places of their
own choice. Mr.. Roosevelt decided
that the law must be enforced, and
ordering the police to close all saloons,
he continued to wipe out the corrup-
ton of the Sunday business. Despite
the outcry, they we're kept closed.
But it was not long before the peo-
pie realized the value and the strength
of him, as man unafraid OF the
right, and of enforcing it. He exert
ed a great influence in upholding our
Ideals, for he believed that ideals of
only words were hateful, contemplate
things.
Then, he laid an effective emphasis
upon the responsibility of the individ-
ual citizen, as an essential Of national
progress. He knew that the character
Of the nation, as whole, can never
be made to rise higher than the char
acter of the individuals, of which it is
composed. Hence, he insisted that
each man give to the world the best
that is in him. And in his life, we
find an example of what, we might
say, the real American character con-
sists. No citizen ever did more than
he, to make the rest of the world un-
dcrsta and admire the American
character at it's best.
He also believed in democracy, in
his direct and simple way. He be-
lieved in government by the people,
because he knew them, liked them,
and believed in them. Wherever he
went, he got into close touch with all
sorts and conditions of people, and
showed them that he liked them. His
frankness and bravery won the hearts
Of all Westerners during the years
which he spent out on his ranches at
Medora, North Dakota. The bluff,
honest men Of the Bad Lands soon
realized that, in spite of his polished
English and manner, he was a real
man Of their own kind. He asked no
favor, shirked no labor, and ran
from no danger More than once, he
talked to some of the so-called "bad
men" of the region in a very effect
i've way, which won for him the re-
spect and good will Of them all. A
Fourth of July grafton delivered at
Dickinson, made him acquainted and
popular among every class of peo-
pie in that region.
Then, he was a diplomat, through
and through. 1t is a curious ironical
circumstance that Colonel Roosevelt
has the reputation among a number
of Americans of being clustering
belligerent bully of fellow, always
wishing his country to get into a
fight. William Hard, discriminate
ing commentator on American affairs,
says that "Mr Roosevelt had many
opportunities to plunge the United
States into foreign complications. He
was obliged to handle three great
crises with three great countries, as
we'll at to take a decisive future-fix-
ing hand in the affairs Of three small
countries. He was also required to
settle disputes with many other coun-
tries, difficulties which might have