North Carolina Newspapers

presiden; ROOSEVELT j . NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE Story of His Career as Student Reformer. Legislator, Author, Soldier. Historian, Cowboy, Statesman?He Believes In tbe Strenuous Life. Tlio man whom a seemingly harsh destiny has called to become the execu tive head of the nation Is probably more thoroughly distinctive In char aeter than any other man high in pub lic life today. Ills Is a strong person ality, uniquely composed of many ad mirable traits. As an author, poll tieian, soldier, reformer, ranchman and historian he has at middle age achiev ed results which are truly remarkable The record of Theodore Uoosevelt'i many activities makes a most interest MR. ROOSEVELT AS A ROL'OH RIDER. Ing story, one Id which there are no dull periods. He hns lived earnestly or, to use his own phrase, strenuously. Theodore ltoosevelt was born Oct. 20, 18Rk. at 28 East Twentieth street, New York city. His father, also Theodore Roosevelt, was a member of an old New York Hutch family, and the new president is of the eighth generation of the stock in the United States. Min gled with the Hutch In Theodore Roose velt's veins are strains of English, Celt ic and French. His mother was Miss Martha Bulloch and came of a distin guished Georgia family which had giv en to that state a governor, Archibald Bulloch, In Revolutionary times. In a lager generation n member of the fam ily built the Confederate privateer Ala bama. The father of the president was a merchant and importer of glassware. During the civil war he was a noted figure in New York. He had great strength of character and a liking for practical benevolence which made him foremost In many such charities. News boys' lodgiug houses, the allotment sys tem, which permitted soldiers during the war to have portions of their pay sent to their families, and other forms \ of direct help to the poorer classes found in him a champion. Ills ances tors had been aldermen, judges of the supreme court of the city and rep resentatives in the national congress. In Revolutionary times New York chose a Roosevelt to act with Alexan der Hamilton In the United States constitutional convention. Roosevelt ?treet, New York, was once a cow path on the Roosevelt farm, and the Roose velt hospital is the gift of a wealthy member of a recent generation of the family. As a child tile Roosevelt who was to rise to such a high place In the nation was puny and backward. He could _-not keep up with bin fellows either U study or play and on tills account was taught by a private tutor at home. The country residence of the Itoose velts was at Oyster Bay, N. Y., cud here the children were brought up. They were compelled by their father to take plenty of outdoor exercise, and young Theodore, soon realizing that bt must have strength of body if he wns to do anything In life, entered Into the scheme for the Improvement Of his physical condition with the same en thusiasm and determination which have characterized every act of his life. AS STUDENT AND WRITER. He grew up un athlete, strong and active, and when he entered Harvard Jn 1875 he soon became prominent In field sports. He became noted as a boxer and wrestler and was for a time | captain of the college polo team. He i did not neglect his studies, and when he was graduated in 1880 he took j high honors. During his stay in the university he had been editor of The Advocate, a college paper, and gave particular attention to the study of his tory and natural history. He became a member of the l'lii Beta Kappa Greek letter fraternity. At the conclusion of bis college { eounse he went abroad for a year, spending part of the time in study in Dresden. His love for athletics led hltn to successfully nttempt the ascent of the Jung Prau and the Matterhorn and won for him a membership in the Al pine club of London. He return u to New York In 1881 and In the r'jie year married Miss Alice Lee Of Boston. Two years later he had tvo misfortune !o lose bis wife and Ills mother withli a wwk. Theodore Roosevelt lias been an ar dent student of history from his col lege days and before he was twenty three years old had entered the Belt himself its a writer, tie Is an enthu slastle admirer of Washington, I.incoh uud < I rant. On bis return from Kurojs and while ei ? 1 i n his hlstorieu work he eiiler. I the law oiilee of bit uncle. Robert B. It's sevelt, V'ltb tin drdgn of fiitlvg i. . f for the bar lie was of tier re. t ? s a disposition t< find content In stieh a rol er culling ami the whole I. nt of his mind, at shown by his rcud.ng. his writing un< the effort tc Jo something extraorji nary, something that would murk kill above his fellows, w hich lmd made bin a bidder for college championships ant. prompted him to tempt the dangers ol the Swiss nmiyitain peaks, sent lilu hurrying Into polities before be bat settled down to anything like dec] study of the law. IIOW HE ENTERED POLITICS. He attended bis first primary in 1881 In the Twenty-tlrst assembly district of New York. It was a gathering ot the class iitacmhint on stu b occasions , with little to cbartu the ordinary young uiau of aristocratic Uncage and wealth, but Theodore Roosevelt bad studied history with a purpose. lie knew that through the primary led the way to political preferment, and he nt oner entered into the battle of politics, in which lie was to prove n gladiator ol astonishing prowess, routing and ter rlfylng bis enemies, but often startling Ills allies by the originality and reck lessness of bis methods. The natural cutliu asm of young Roosevelt, his undeniable personal Charm and the swirl of Interest with which lie descended Into the arena of local politics made liim friends on ev ery side iu 11 community where leaders are at a high premium, and within a few months the young college man was elected to the assembly of the state from his home district. His ability and his methods were In strong evidence at the following ses sion of the legislature. He proved a rallying power for the Republican mi nority and actually succeeded in pass tig Icglsiathgi which the majority sub nltted to only through f< ar and which "lis own party In the state would never aave fathered had it been in power. \lr. Roosevelt ' the undisputed lead er of the Rc;i' I aus in the assembly within two tnoiit. s after his election, and he Intuied ::fly turned his atten . <n to the p. -ation of New York ? This would have appalled a man les.' determined or more experienced, nut t ie young aspirant for a place in history reckoned neither with condi tion', nor precedents. Ills success, con sidering the strength of the combina tion against which he was arrayed, was extraordinary. He succeeded in securing the passage of the bill which deprived the city council of New York | of the power to veto the appointments of the mayor, a prerogative which had ? nullified every previous attempt at re form and had made the spoliation of the city's coffers an easy matter in the tlme.of Tweed and other bosses. Mr. Roosevelt's methods, it was cheerfully predicted by his political opponents, would certainly result ill his retirement from participation in the state counc Is of New York, but this proved far from the case. As has hap pened in every ease since, wherever Theodore Roosevelt has been thrown with any class of people, wherever they have come to know him personal ly. he lias attracted to himself enthu siastic friendship and confidence. EE ATPZARS AS A REFORMER. lie became so popular that not only was he returned to three sessions of the assembly, but his party in the state soon realized that lie was one of the strongest men, and be was sent to the Republican national convention of 1SN-1 as chairman of the New York delega tion. After the convention, to which lie went unlustructed, but in favor of the nomination of Mr. Edmunds against 1 James ti. Blaine, his health failed. The deaths of Ids wife and mother had been a severe shock, for Mr. Roosevelt is a MR. ROOSEVELT AT EASE. man of (be strongest personal attach ments. He turned aside from public life for a time and went west. He bad been a lover of limiting from boyhood, and when be decided to spend some time la the wilds of Montana be took up the life as be found it there. On the banks of the Lottie Missouri be built a log bouse, working on it himself, and there turned ranchman, cowboy au l In ter, lie engaged In one of the last < f the nig buffalo hunts and saturated hlus< if with the life of the vest. Ilis trips in this and later y ars were not alone <?< noued to this section of the west. I h.s courage, in telligence and com; tnlomible nature mnde him a name winch In later years drew to his standard thousands of cow boys. among whom his name had come to mean all that they ndmltp and all that appeals to their natures. Id those years and between istfll arid 1888 .Mr. Rcosevelt w an <? io bu*y on mtiol' of his Uternry work. The most Important of Ills works. "The Wlnnlni of the West." a history In four vol unit's i f tin* acquisition of the territory west of the AllegheuieS, required ai. enormous amount of research. On Its pulill-ntlon It leaiieil at once Into popu larity hml soon acquired u reputation u- u nost reliable textbook. Ills hunting trips uiul his months ol life among the uien anil the game ot the West have supplied the material for a number of Mr. Uoosevelt's books anions them ?The Wilderness Hunter,' "Hunting Trl|>s of a Knnchuiuu" and "Ranch I.lfe and the Hunting Trail." This period of writing mid hunting was* broken by two important events. (Ie was defeated as candidate for may or of New York, and he married again. The second w ife of the vice president elect was Miss Edith Hermit ("arow, daughter of an old New Y'ork family. They have live children, three sons and two daughters. The marriage took place In 18811. For years after this Mr. Roosevelt was not prominent In politics. He spent his time In writing anil In hunt ' lug trips to the west. Never an Idle man, he accomplished an Immense amount of research In the preparation of his historical works. HIS CIVIL SERVICE CAREER. President Harrison appointed Theo dore Roosevelt a member of the United State*} civil service commission May 13. 1880. ir- st'rwii inr six \i.ijs, iwo oi uiem under President Harrison's successor, Mr. Cleveland. In that time the num ber of persons who were made subject to the civil service law was increased from 12,000 to nearly 40,000, and the still further great Increase made l>y the orders of President Cleveland In the late years of his ti^st administra tion was largely due to Mr. Hoosevelt's efforts. In the wave of reform which swept over New York in 1891-5 the men, in cluding Mayor Strong, who were borne into power were something of the same stamp as the civil service commissioner. They were of the class (vliicli fought political rings, and they turned to Mr. Roosevelt to take a hand n purifying the police force of New York city, which was alleged to be a sink of political rottenness and studied Inefficiency. Mr. Roosevelt resigned as civil service "ommlssioner May 5, 1895, and was appointed a police commis sioner of New York c*v May 24 fol lowing. The uproar that followed the intro duction of Roosevelt methods In the conduct of the New York police force has never been equaled as a police sen MR. ROOSEVELT'S I.ONG ISLAND HO UK. satlon in that city. He had the neces sary power aud the personal courage and tenacity of purpose to carry out his plans. He fought blackmail until he had practically stopped it, and he promoted aud removed men without re gard to color, creed or politics. He re signed In April, lS'JT, to become assist ant secretary of the navy. Theodore Roosevelt was appointed assistant secretary of the navy Aprii lit, 181)7. HOW HE SHOOK UP THE NAVY. He brought to the duties of the offief a g:; at interest in the work as well as the ti meudous energy and talent foi \ closely studying aud mastering hit work which had characterized him it other fields. He also brought to the position some of his startling method! 1 and again proved himself "a storm center," a name he had already been given and to which he has earned bet ter title in each succeeding year. In the fall of 181)7 he was detailed ti inspect the lieet gathered at Hampton Roads, and he kept the commanders and their jackles in a ferment for a week. Whenever he thought of a drill he would like to see he ordered it- The crews were called to night quarters, and all sorts of emergency orders were given at all sorts of hours. When the assistant secretary came back to Wash ington to report, he had mastered some of the importaut details of the situa tion at least. During Ills ratlier brief connection with the department Mr. Roosevelt was a strong advocate of the naval person nel bill. lie was also In charge of tlx purchase of auxiliary vessels after war was actually declared. When guns had been fired in actual warfare and the in vasion of Cuba hnd been determined upon. Mr. Roosevelt resignod to take part with the land forces In that cam paign. ? He had brought altout the purchasi of many guns, much ammunition ami large stores of provisions for the navy He had secured a great increase in tlx amount of gunnery prnetlce. He had hurried the work on the new ships and had the old ones re pal rial. He had caused every vessel to be supplied with coal to her full capacity und had the crew of every ship recruited to its full strength. His services were fully recognized by Secretary Long, who thanked him In a letter full of appre ciation when be left his place in the navy department. Mr. Roosevelt was urged to remain in his.place by mauy of the most prominent newspapers of the country, who lielieved that Ills serv ices there would be of .great value In the approaching struggle. Mr. Roosevelt's resignation as assist ant secretary of the navy bears date of May <1, 1S9& His appointment as lieu iwinnt colonel of First regiment, Cnlted , States voluuteer cavalry. Is datid May B, MM. ORGANIZING ROUGH RIDERS. The Isxly of men of which Colonel Roosevelt took command was one of the most remarkable even enlisted in any country. It was chosen from some li.oU) applicants anil numbered about POO. The plains gave It Its largest membership, and the name under which It soon came to be known was the rough riders. I>r. Leonard Wood, U. S. A., a close personal friend of Mr. Roosevelt and - A MISS ALICE, ntF.SIDENT's ELDEST DAUQU TEK. his companion on many hunting trips, was, like himself, an ardent admirer ot the fearless and sterling characters so often found among the cowboys of the ( American cattle ranges. When war was an assured fact, these two men conceived the idea of recruiting a regi ment from among the ranks of these plainsmen. Both were known through out many western stales to the most famous of the frontiersmen, and the project met with instant and enthu siastic favor in a thousand ranches. Cowboys, dead shots, perfect horse- j men, who did not know what fear or fatigue meant, flocked to the standard raised by Wood and Roosevelt, and there eventually gathered at Tampa a body of men than whom it would be hard to And any more perfectly fitted for such war as the conflict with Spain in the Jungles of Cuba assured. Old Indian fighters were there by the score, and there were even six full blooded \ Indians among the enlisted men. The first tight of the rough riders i took place in the advance from Dai quiri toward Santiago. They were sent out on a hill trail to*attack the position of the Spaniards .who blocked the road to the town. The Spanish occupied . ridges opposite to those along which I the trail used by the rougli riders led. and a fierce fight took place in the jun j gle. The Spanish had smokeless pow i der, anil it was almost impossible to locate them in the underbrush. The | rougli riders behaved with great gal lantry and took the position occupieo I by the enemy, but not without consid- ! erable loss. For distinguished gallantry In this ac tion Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt was promoted to be colonel July 11, 189S. j The place of this engagement is called ! Las Guasimas, "the thorns," from tin large number of trees of that species found there. The rough riders in this action acted in concert with other at ; tacking forces composing the vanguard of the army. Several days after this General Young was taken with fever, and Colonel Wood taking command ot the brigade. Colonel Roosevelt became commanding officer of the regiment. In this capacity he commanded the rough riders in the battle of San Juan, where they withstood a heavy fire foi a long time, and finally, when ordered to advance, made a gallant charge, cap- , turing two of the hills occupied by the enemy. ? The rough riders, with their colonel, returned to Camp Wikotf. at the north ern extremity of Long Island, in late August and on Sept. 15, 1898, were mustered out of the service with Colo nel Roosevelt. FROM SOLDIER TO GOVERNOR. He had hardly time to dofT his khaki uniform when he found himself plung ed into a spirited state campaign. There was a loud call for the hero of San Juan 11111 to become the Itepublicnn candidate for governor of the Empire State. He accepted tin' nomination and began such a campaign as New York has seldom seen. He traveled thousands of miles and made hundreds of speeches within the space of three weeks and was elected by a big ma jority. Governor Roosevelt had hardly warm ed the gubernatorial chair in Albany and had Just planned the policy of his administration when he was called up on to accept the nomination of vice president with the late William Mc- j Kinley. The story of that conveutiou. THE WHITE HOUSE, of Mr. Rooaevelt'a unwillingness to change bla pinna, la Kill remembered But be >ll<1 accept and ngnln plunged Into the campaign In the anine wa; that he made the charge with bla rough riders In Cuba. Whether or not be would bare ex erted any Important Influence from hi* place aa presiding officer of the Unit ?k1 otates senate will never oe Known, for the period during which be held the gavel In that august body was too brief. Now, however, there is no doubt in the mind of any American but that the personality of Theodore Itoosevelt i will lie felt In every pulsing artery ot the nation's executive and legislative bottles. In I.Is home circle or in camp there Is no more delightful man to meet. He ' has n genuinely liue mind. It is quick, receptive, responsive, thoroughly well ordertd, disciplined ami clear. Head ing has made him full. He has seen mtteh .'i#d exiierlenced much. He lias learned a great deal from books and I more from men. He talks well and lis- | tens better. He has a strong appre ciation of humor. He likes a good story, but not a good bad story. His manners are unaffected, direct and cordial. He Is wholly American, be lieving that America is the best coun try in the world, Americans are the best people in the world, and American soldiers ure the best soldiers In the world. PERSONAL SIDE OE ROOSEVELT. Of his own quality of Americanism , he has given this glimpse in oue of his wnras: "I have no wish to excuse or hide our faults, for I hold that It Is often the best American who strives hardest to corret t American shortcomings. Neverthe! ?>:< I am just as little dispos ed to give way to undue pessimism as to undue and amount optimism. In speaking cf my owu countrymen there Is one point upon which 1 wish to lay special stress. That is the necessity for a feeling of broad, radical, Intense Americanism if good work Is to be done in any direction. Above all, the ' one essential for success In every po litical movement which is to do lasting good is that our citizens should act as Americans, not as Americans with a prefix and qualifications?not as Irish- ( Americans. German-Americans, native Americans?but as Americans pure and simple. * * * In short, the most im portant lesson taught by the history of New York city is the lesson of Ameri canism, the lesson that he among us who wishes to win honor in our life and to play his part honestly and man fully must be indeed an American in spirit and purpose, ill heart and thought and deed." President Itoosevelt has strong views, but he does not force them up on others. lie is devoted to his wife and children, and his home is an ex ceptionally happy one. This home is a large country mansion of three stories and thirty rooms. In old Dutch style, it has towering gables and enormous chimneys. It rests like n crown on Sagamore hill, which on every side slopes away to Oyster bay, on the I.ong Island coast. The Roose velt property occupies a peninsula, and the occupants of the house have a sweeping view of the waters "of the sound on three sides of it and the green I country at its rear. It is an ideal place for a statesman, a thinker or a man who wishes merely to rest. In his sanctum at the top of his house Colonel Roosevelt has immense QUENTIN ROOSEVELT, piles of books on hunting the big game in Africa and the East Indies, but the things of which he Is proudest are his guns. His private library numbers 5,000 volumes. He has the finest col lection of hooks on big game to l>e found In this country. Roosevelt be comes fluent when among his books and eloquent when among his guns. This is the kind of man President Roosevelt Is. And he will be the same man in the White House as he was in Oyster Bay or In Albany, a student, a reformer, a fighter and thor^glily American. The Kangaroo Mouse. In exploring the Black canyon of the Gunnison a party of hardy adventur ers found several strange and scarcely known animals living In the perpetual gloom of that frightful gorge. One of the most cut-ious of the little animals discovered Is the kangaroo mouse. This fellow Is a highly dis reputable member of the rodent fam ily. The kangaroo mouse cau stand on his hind feet and make "passes" at the Intruder, much In the manner of the pugilist. He Is a cunning little rogue and has a voracious appetite. Another member of the rodent family is the pack rat, akin to the common house rat. He Is a born thief. lie car ries away spoons, knives, forks and other articles from the camps of travel ers. That is how he got bis name. The Jumping mouse also was found in the Black canyon. This freak is said to lie a long distance Jumper that would put the Jumping frog of Cala veras county, even without his dinner of shot. In the shade. The Jumping mcuve of the Black canyon Is so light that his fall Is much like that of a feather, and be can h ap from high crags without Injury to his anatomy.? Los Angeles Herald. DR. S. P. J. LEE, DENTIST, OFFICE ON SECOND FLOOR OF PROFESSIONAL BUILDING, on Market St, SMITHFIELD, N. C. HotusesD - for Rent [f yon want to rent any kind of a house in Smith Held please let me know it. J. M. BE AT Y, SMITHFIELD, N. C Dr. J. W. Hatcher, DENTIST, Se-lma IN. C. Office in iIake & Son's Dine Store. DR. H. P. UNDERHILL, Physician and Surgeon. KENLV, X. C. Office at Mr. Jesse Kirby's. FLOYD H. PARRISH, 8MITHFIELD. N C. Fresh Meats, Beef and. Ice. Highest Pbicks Paid fok Hides. EW"Heef cattle wanted. Treasurer's Card. John W. Futrell, Treasurer of Johnst/x County, will be in Smithfleld every Monday and Saturday and Court Weeks Ollice in back room of the Hank of Smith field. In his absence county orders will be oaid at the Hank HOTEL DICKENS, SMITHFIELl). N. C. Transients and Boarders. On Main Business Street. Rates Reasonable. MRS I.E. DICKENS. Proprietress New MarkeT Opened. We have just opened a firsfc class market in the Dickens Building Opposite Holt's Hardware Storey ana can serve the public with the best fresh meats the market affords. We Want to Buy Fat Cattle, Pork, Hides,. Beeswax, Tallow, Etc., and will pay highest market price? for same. Give us a trial. Barber & Lindsay, Smithfleld, N. (7. Sept. ?'{?tf. turn/ ? ??? ? ikirmi IUW ITIILIIIMKY. (io to H. W. Mitchell's for bar trains in fancy millinery goods. lists Trimmed (o Order ? -BY? Miss Annie Glisson, a special saleslady. Call and se* us before buying elsewhere. Respectfully, Miss Claudia Mitchell, clayton, n. c. Notice to Farmers. We have bought the Sqlare; Gin in| Smithfield for the pur pose of Ginning Your Cotton. We have thoroughly cleaned! and overhauled the gins and machinery and are now ready to do your work. We have secured the services of Mr. James Ogburn to run the gim and. he would l>e glad to serve the prople. We will unload you at once and not keep you waiting. Our machinery Cleans Your Cotton and gives the liest possible sam ple. We guarantee to cleato your seed and give you a neat package. Try us and lie convinced that The Munger Mullet Gin is the one to gin your cotton. Yours, J. W. Stei-hensoN Walter Rand.