Impressions of Theodore Roosevelt (1919) by Lawrence F. Abbott

HE shaped the Roosevelt behavior early. within the utumn of 1881 Theodore Roosevelt was once elected as a Republican to the Legislature of the country of latest York. the tale of that election is a attribute and fun one and may be mentioned in additional aspect within the subsequent bankruptcy. On taking his seat within the reduce condo, or meeting, of the Legislature he turned without delay a admired if no longer a countrywide determine. He was once reelected in 1882 and 1883 and was once chosen by way of his celebration within the Legislature as its candidate for Speaker. All this occurred while he used to be under twenty-four years outdated. clearly his success—based because it was once on excessive criteria and enduring, even pugnacious, braveness, mixed with human sympathy and democratic curiosity in every kind of guys, after they have been actual men—attracted the eye of hundreds of thousands of younger american citizens of his personal age. They felt, by some means or different, that he was once an emblem of what younger the United States may do if it tried.

I was once dwelling in long island on the time, operating as a clerk in a publishing place of work, and the image of this younger collage man—a graduate of Harvard within the classification of 1880, scarcely a yr older than myself, scuffling with for decency and honesty in politics at a time whilst American political morals have been at an attractive low ebb—appealed to my mind's eye, and that i his political occupation with excessive curiosity. yet i used to be no longer, i believe, altogether blinded through my admiration, for even though i used to be born and taken up a Republican of a a bit strict sect, I voted for Cleveland within the presidential election of 1884 as a protest opposed to the forces at the back of Blaine, whereas Roosevelt, having antagonistic as strongly as he might the nomination of Blaine within the Republican nationwide conference, however voted for him as his party's ordinary candidate. And properly, i believe. For Roosevelt had intentionally selected politics as his profession, meant to make politics, if attainable statesmanship, his occupation; and in a two-party govt like ours the political administrator and statesman needs to paintings together with his occasion other than in a hindrance of the maximum nationwide import. the normal citizen, nonetheless, could, and infrequently should still, use his vote as an self reliant tool to function a payment upon the unwise rules or unwholesome trends of the celebration in power.

It is hard to seem again over a span of thirty-five years and keep in mind the entire info of one's emotions, even within the box of politics the place, quite often, the sentiments, prejudices, and passions of antipathy or devotion are built and manifested of their most powerful shape. yet it seems that my distinction of opinion with Roosevelt within the Blaine crusade couldn't were very deep-seated, for, in 1886, whilst he ran as Republican candidate for Mayor of latest York urban, I supported and voted for him with passion. It used to be a " three-cornered campaign," Abram Hewett being the Democratic (and profitable) candidate whereas Henry George, the prestigious apostle of the only tax doctrine, represented the Radicals. even supposing Roosevelt ran 3rd within the race his character as a candidate made a deep effect upon me, and that i keep in mind that crusade because the place to begin of a political occupation within which i've got taken a relentless and, at any time when i may, an energetic curiosity. even if it was once simply because this mayoralty contest used to be a whole defeat or simply because Roosevelt's managers made it one in all partisanship instead of of primary rules i don't be aware of, however the truth is that it made little influence on him and it appears didn't specifically curiosity him as one of many milestones of his political development, for I by no means heard him discuss it—as he used to be happy to do approximately his different political experiences—and he doesn't even point out it in his autobiography!