Theodore Roosevelt, American Politician: An Assessment

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Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press, 1997 - 171 pages
This study of Theodore Roosevelt, politician, owes much to the conception of an American political tradition and to the people and events that gave it life, to political idea and historical reality. It proposes to distill from Roosevelt's mind and spirit, as well as from his words and his actions, an understanding of why any account of that tradition would suffer grievously, perhaps fatally, from a failure to give TR his due. The author analyzes TR's political thought and ways, assessing the importance of the purposes and practices found in the life of a working politician.

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Contents

Parties
17
Persons
45
Decisions
81
Mistakes
116
Legacies
145
Copyright

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Page 103 - ... its obligations, it need fear no interference from the United States. Chronic wrongdoing, or an impotence which results in a general loosening of the ties of civilized society, may in America as elsewhere, ultimately require intervention by some civilized nation, and in the Western Hemisphere, the adherence of the United States to the Monroe Doctrine may force the United States, however reluctantly, in flagrant cases of such wrongdoing or impotence, to the exercise of an international police...
Page 89 - I am interested in the Panama Canal because I started it. If I had followed traditional, conservative methods, I should have submitted a dignified state paper of probably two hundred pages to the Congress, and the debate would have been going on yet. But I took the Canal Zone, and let Congress debate, and while the debate goes on the canal does also.
Page 20 - A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards. More than that no man is entitled to, and less than that no man shall have.
Page 103 - Americas are constantly and brilliantly showing, all question of interference by this Nation with their affairs would be at an end. Our interests and those of our southern neighbors are in reality identical. They have great natural riches, and if within their borders the reign of law and justice obtains, prosperity is sure to come to them. While they thus obey the primary laws of civilized society they may rest assured that they will be treated by us in a spirit of cordial and helpful sympathy. We...
Page 103 - ... be separated from the responsibility of making good use of it. In asserting the Monroe Doctrine, in taking such steps as we have taken in regard to Cuba, Venezuela and Panama, and in endeavoring to circumscribe the theater of war in the Far East, and to secure the open door in China, we have acted in our own interest as well as in the interest of humanity at large.
Page 125 - I am deeply sensible of the honor done me by the American people in thus expressing their confidence in what I have done and have tried to do. I appreciate to the full the solemn responsibility this confidence imposes upon me, and I shall do all that in my power lies not to forfeit it.
Page 125 - On the 4th of March next I shall have served three and a half years, and this three and a half years constitute my first term. The wise custom which limits the President to two terms regards the substance, and not the form, and under no circumstances will I be a candidate for or accept another nomination.
Page 20 - To the like purpose is that, Mic. vi. 8. " He hath showed thee, 0 man, what is good: and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justice, and love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God?

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