Finally, in the very last years of his life, and in a time of
dreadful national trial, his great voice became the true voice of
America to lead his countrymen out of a quagmire of doubt and
disloyalty.
You may have heard it said that he was conceited, arrogant, head-
strong. What did the men nearest him think? John Hay, the polished
diplomat, who had been private secretary to Abraham Lincoln, wrote
about Roosevelt in his diary. November 28, 1904:
I read the President's message in the afternoon. ... Made several
suggestions as to changes and omissions. The President came in
just as I had finished and we went over the matter together. He
accepted my ideas with that singular amiability and open-
mindedness which form so striking a contrast with the general idea
of his brusque and arbitrary character.
You may have heard it said that he acted hastily, went ahead on
snap-judgments. On this subject, Mr. Hay wrote:
Roosevelt is prompt and energetic, but he takes infinite pains to
get at the facts before he acts. In all the crises in which he has
been accused of undue haste, his action has been the result of
long meditation and well-reasoned conviction. If he thinks
rapidly, that is no fault; he thinks thoroughly, and that is the
essential.
He was never a humbug. He did not deny that he enjoyed being
President. He never let his friends point to him, while he was in
the White House, as a martyr.
Pages:
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136