INTRODUCTION BY GENERAL JOSEPH

WHEELER.

He

It is no flattery to say that Theodore Roosevelt possesses to a remarkable degree the best characteristics of the "typical American." is learned, cultured, progressive and brave, an athlete, sportsman, ranchman, author, orator, politician, statesman and soldier.

I first knew this distinguished gentleman when, in April, 1899, he appeared in Washington as one of the three commissioners of Civil Service.

He came with the high reputation acquired as leader in the New York Assembly at the age of twenty-three, as a prominent champion of reform and opponent of Blaine at the Chicago convention when only twenty-five; as a candidate for mayor of New York city when barely twentyeight, receiving as he did a larger percentage of votes than had ever before been polled by a Republican candidate, and as an author with

more distinction than is usually enjoyed by a man then only thirty years of age.

Mr. Roosevelt was solicited to accept an appointment as Civil Service Commissioner on account of his long and relentless warfare on political jobbery and corruption. He was a civil service reformer and an intense opponent of the spoils system. He entered upon his duties with vigor and raised the office to one of very great importance, and by his persistent efforts constantly enlarged and increased the power and usefulness of the commission, never losing an opportunity to press upon President Harrison extensions and improvements which he regarded as advisable and important.

He seemed to carry with him a certain momentum in his progressive policy, and as he himself expressed it: "There is no shell separating the commission from the outer world. All is perfectly open.' ." His policy and administration of the commission was often opposed and severely criticised by both his own and the opposing party, but in every case he promptly took the public into his confidence, gave all the facts to the press, and invited the most searching inquiry. This open, honest candor acquired the confidence

of the country and kept him in the public eye during his entire six years of this duty.

When Mr. Cleveland became President, Roosevelt insisted upon a revision of the Civil Service rules, and procured an order from the Democratic President which added some thirty thousand positions to the classified service, bringing the total number of offices under the control of the commission up to 85,135.

Mr. Roosevelt devoted himself to showing Southern Congressmen (substantially all Democrats) that they were receiving a full share of the public patronage. I had many talks with him upon this subject, and he took especial pains to go over the records and point out the localities from which the appointees came, and he often had much to say regarding his Southern ancestry, showing in a way which he could not hide that his Southern relations and the Southern people in general had a very warm place in his big heart.

Feeling that he had accomplished the purpose for which he accepted duty in the Civil Service, he, after more than six years of labor, resigned to take upon himself the burden of duty as Police Commissioner in the city of New York.

When in the legislative assembly he had been chairman of a committee which investigated the New York Police Department. His report showed that he had very decided views upon this subject, and his study of the subject while in the legislature in a measure prepared him for this new duty.

He was nothing unless vigorous and forceful. Many were loud in praise, but he seemed to heed them not. To those who denounced him, he said: "I am placed here to enforce the law as I find it. I shall enforce it. If you don't like the law, repeal it."

I met Mr. Roosevelt at his office, and he showed the same enthusiastic devotion, and delighted to explain his efforts toward reform and good, honest government.

When Mr. McKinley became President he selected Mr. Roosevelt as his Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Here was a new field of operations for his tireless energies. He had already written a history of the navy of the United States, and this had required a research into the archives at Washington, and into the reports of the British and French officers and the logs of British and French ships, all of which was an excellent edu