The Negro Problem in America-President Roosevelt's First Message to Congress-An Era of Peace and Good Feeling— Anarchy-Business Interests-Trusts-Exclusion of Cheap Labor-The Tariff-Reciprocity-Gold Standard- Hawaii, Porto Rico, Cuba-The Philippines-Monroe Doc- Schley Court of Inquiry-The Miles Incident-President Roosevelt's First New Year's Reception-German Emperor Wishes Miss Roosevelt to Christen Yacht-Changes in the Cabinet-Admiral Schley's Appeal-President's De- cision-Moody Succeeds Long-Opening of the Charleston Exposition-Unveiling of Monument in Arlington Ceme- tery-New England Tour-Accident to the President- Southern Trip-The President Adjusts the Strike of the Miners Completion of First Year of the Presidency..... 487 President's Idea of the Presidency-Answer to Criticism of Negro Appointments-Message of 1902-"Open Door" in the Philippines-Panama Canal-Journey of 14,000 miles— Speeches During Journey-Tribute to Lincoln-Signing of Canal Treaty-Secretary Root Succeeded by W. H. Taft- Ratification of Panama Treaty-War between Russia and Japan-Death of Senator Hanna-Estimate of His The Convention of 1904-President's Address at Valley Forge June 19th-Convention Opens June 21st-The Hall- First Day-Speech of Elihu Root-Second Day-The Platform-Third Day-Sketch of Mr. Fairbanks-The Morning of the Day-Nomination of Roosevelt-The Enthusiasm --Nomination of Senator Fairbanks-Cortelyou, Chairman- The Campaign-The Opposing Candidate-Estimate of Judge Parker-Election Day-The "Landslide"- Roosevelt's "Statement"-President's Majority Beats all Records 571 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Theodore Roosevelt Roosevelt as a Boy ... Mrs. Edith Carow Roosevelt Vice-President Roosevelt and President Milburn at Buffalo.... President Roosevelt's Church and his Pastor... Mr. Roosevelt as Assistant Secretary of the Navy... A Roosevelt Family Group, taken in 1895... Colonel Wood and Lieut. Colonel Roosevelt. Colonel Roosevelt and his Officers... Frontispiece 21 44 53 64 73 84 93 120 129 140 149 160 169 196 205 216 225 236 245 272 281 292 301 Colonel Roosevelt and his Favorite Mount.. President Roosevelt at his Desk in the White House.. Mrs. Roosevelt's Church and her Pastor... Mr. McKinley and Mr. Roosevelt.... Mr. Roosevelt arriving at the Capitol, March 4, 1901 ... Lieut. Colonel Roosevelt and Capt. Downes.. .. 313 321 348 President McKinley and Vice-President Roosevelt at the Mc Miss Alice Roosevelt and Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., 1900.. 505 CHAPTER I. Heredity-Progenitors-Eight Generations of the Family Residents of New York City-Family of Americans-Great-Grandfather and the Revolution-Grandfather one of the Wealthiest Men in New York-Theodore Roosevelt, Sr., one of the Leading Men of his Day-Early Training and Outdoor Life-Harvard-Athlete and Student-College Men and Politics-Duty of Educated Men. ΤΗ HE training of a man, according to Oliver Werdell Holmes, should begin with his grandfather. If this formula be correct, then the training of the Twenty-sixth President of the United States began at the right period of time. The office of the head of a Republic has been said to be largely an accident, the political aspect of the season actuating the choice of the man, party principle predominating over the personal excellence of the proposed executive, and desire to defeat the opposition making the choice of a candidate not so much his innate strength as that of his ability to carry out the lines of his party. Also, it has been asserted that the happiest accident of all has been in the case of the United States, for that in nearly every instance the man elected to the Presidency has been a man of singular ability, which in times of stress has come to the fore irrespective of party measures or party prognostications. Once more, it has been advanced as an incontrovertible fact that no American can refuse the office of President once he is assured of his election, that assimilation with the idea of assuming the position preeminent above all others in the political arena of the country causes a striving of every moral fiber toward such a consummation; and that, though weak men may have been once or twice nominated, the mere fact of their nomination has made them stronger. In the case of Theodore Roosevelt the fallaciousness of more than one of these premises is made apparent. He was not the choice of any party-except as an expedient; for, on the death of a President the Vice-President assumes the chair; and at the time of his election as Vice-President he was not unduly impressed with an honor that might be his were direful accident to call upon his energies to assume the reins of government. That the formula of Oliver Wendell Holmes holds good in his case is another thing. Heredity, environment, education, experience in political office in many fields; intellectual study of the history of his country and that country's institutions; residence in the East and in the West; affiliation with the South through his mother, who was a native of Georgia; association with men of all sorts and conditions of life— these go to form the basic qualifications of Theodore Roosevelt as President of the United States. In him is mingled the Dutch, the Scotch, the Irish, and the French Huguenots. From the Dutch he should get solidity and stability; from the Scotch, acuteness; from the Irish blood in him, aggressiveness and generosity; from the French, vivacity," imagination and audacity. The mingling of the blood of so many races surely means virility, originality, candor, intelligence, integrity, daring and even balance. Eight generations of the family have resided in New York. From 1652, back in the days of John DeWitt, as the head of the Dutch republic, when Klass Martenson Roosevelt left Holland and landed in New Amsterdam, down to the present time, the contemporary records of New York City under its different designations and political connections have contained the names of one or more Roosevelts. For two and a half centuries they have been conspicuous figures in the business, social and political affairs of the American Metropolis. The life and environment of all these generations of |