MR. ROOSEVELT DEAD

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 88, 8 January 1919, Page 5

MR. ROOSEVELT DEAD

PASSING OF FAMOUS PERSONALITY <j By.Telegraph-Press AeSoolation. Oopyrieht New York, January 6. . "Mr. Theodore Roosevelt (ex-President of the United States) died at his home at Oyster Bay 1 at i a.m., passing quietly awny in .his sleep.. An official medical , -bulletin' announces that Sir. Roosevelt • died of a Wood clot on the luilg.— Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. ' ( . ,'■ Oyster Bay, January fi. Mr. Roosevelt, arrived at Sagamore >) Hill on Christmas Day: • A -week later r- he was stricken with rheumatism and eoiatica, and his right hand was much swollen. He remained in his room, undergoing treatment, and on Sunday night . retired, apparently -better. At i n.ni. I. Airs. Roosevelt went to her husband's room, and found him dead. He had • died peacefully and without a struggle. The medical examination disclosed a blood clot on α-lung. Some time ago Mr. Eoosevelt suffered ri pulmonary embolism (blockage of a blood-vessel' in the ■ lung) .which' endangered his'ife for 6ev r ■'• eral weeks, but he was believed to have ■' recovered.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. 3 '■' . ...■'.'.' -'." • '~' -.. London, January 6. The King, and Queen have expressed their regrets at the death °f Mr. Roosevelt, and have .cabled a message of con-dolence.—Aus.-N-Z. Cable Assn. . Washington, January 6. Flags' are flying at, half-niast every- . where in ■ the United States, on . tlie ■ Meet, naval posts,; cantonments, •'■ aad: piiblio buildings... Thousands of mes- : eases of condolence have been reoeived. • ■ Both Houses of Congress passed reso- ; lutions. of, sympathy in regard to the -.-.• dfath of Mr. Roosevelt.. They adjourned for the day after, appointing a committee to»;attond the .funeral—Aus.-N.Z. " Cable Assn. -... '■ . ... ' "'-..'■ EULOGIES, IN-188 SENATE., The funeral of , the late Mr. Roosev'elt will take place on 'Wednesday. Eulogising Ut. Roosevelt in the- Sen.-. . ate. the Democratic leader, Mr. , Martin, ■■' said that .the ex-Presidenf6, patriotism . and ability were unquestioned. ' He was truly a : great American of unqualified ' courage. .' :■ Senator Lodge declared' that Mr. : Roosej velt devoted his life to his country, and ... always sought to serve it;—Aus.-N.Z. ... Cable Aesn. '■'.■■■ .- ■ ' . ''. ■-.-, .A PICTURESQUE CAREER Colonel The9dore Roosevelt was one of the most . picturesque., and familiar i figures on the world's political platform. Daring,' original, and unconventional, es- . fientiaUy a man of deeds as well as words, .he bulked largely in the public eye, and his career was followed -with close and • intelligent interest in every civilised land. He was born in New Tcork in 1858, . and' educated at.Harvard.. Entering on his political cajeer in. the New York -. Legislature in 1882 he speedily won to a :. prominent position, becoming leader;of U the House in 1881. His public life was - -futt. arid'strenuous from the beginning. He was Civil Service Commissioner from 1889 to 1895, President of the New York ; Police Board 1895-7,. o»nd subsequently' '. Assistant Seoretary to the' Navy; When ; the war with Spain broke out- in • 1898 ho raised a corps of Bough Riders, and ' took them- to Cuba, where they did fine ■■'. service. The story of the campaign he told himself in. "The Rough Riders,' , bne i of several'euccessfur books that he, wrote. He. was made Governor of -New, York ■ State in 1898, and was the fighting spirit in' the ' Republican campaign for the .Presidency in 1900. Against his will he • -was nominated for the Vice-Presidency, and was ejected in handsome fashion, entering on'his duties on: March .4; 1901. On the assassination of President Jl'Kinley jn the eante. year he succeeded to .the Presidency, for .the remainder of. : the term. "His declarations, on the. neoes- *■' 'sity.fo'r controlling trusts aroused-great ■ interest-in' 1002, and an attempt was • made to prevent his nomination': in Nov- • ember, 1904. His popularity -with the rank and file, however, was top strong, and., the position was further cleared -by the death of Senator Hanna, between whom and: Roosevelt something in .the nature of.a feud-had sprung up. Roosevelt, was -.■una'niinously,-nqstrinated at-, the Chicago Convention on June 23, IBOi, and was re-eleoted-.ty 836 .v.o'tes to-140 ; on • November 8. ■. . ' ~■.' : . . : His career was remarkable in many ie- • speots. Hβ was the'youngest of the Presidents when he took office on the death : of M'Kinley, being' in his forty-third year. He was.the descendant of a line "of respected merchants of Dutch extrac-tion,-and liad advantages,which few.of the later Presidents • had possessed. 32dutions were'with men and women of cultions weer men and women of cyl- • 'ture and refinement. In his own family ' —as a biographer points out—it had been . his misfortune to be regarded as some- ■ thing'"of !& prodigy; he was habitually ; praised,and flattered to an extent that • -woiild have completely spoiled a weaker., • nature. It was" to his credit that he was '. not spoiled, but. there was developed-in him. a certain ■ egoism which throughout his early career, .Jook the form of.ex-; ! ti"eme self-consciousness. He had the professional reformer's love of sermonising' , ; and a : tetless deeire to make any and ' every subject. a ' text for a dogmatic :. harijDgue.' ' . •';■, ' '. ~' : > Notable Achievement. His first ? adjninistratioa was notable for three conspicuous achievements—the settlement of the terrible ooal .strike of 1902, .whioh •threatened misery jo millions of •families; the fuliilirieiic of Sl'Kinley's pledge to Cuba by the.accomplishment of reciprocal trade relations with tho young republic; and the acquisition of the Panama Zone and the actual beginning of the great isthmian canal enterprise. The fight to fulfil M'Kinley's- pledge to Cuba lasted from December, 1901,' to December,. 1903, the President's efforts being crowned with.complete victory in the end.- The ijreut anthracite" ooal strike broke out in the summer of 1902, and there was not the least.prospect of its settlemcn when autumn arrived. ' Appeals to the President came from all sides, but constitutional lawyers advised that there was ho provision under the Constitution that i would warrant bis interfering. The situation'grew more ; serious as the winter appioaohed, and no solution of the problem was. found until. Governor ,Winthrop Murray Crane, a friend of Roosevelt and a capitalist and large employer of labour, : submitted a plan to tho President. Roosevelt immediately determined to put it into effect, and the result was. tho solution of a problem -jf incalculable magnitude by the simple method of arbitration. i Foreign Policy. Roosevelt's achievements in foreign poli- : tics make a long and important chapter of world history. The settlement of the dispute concerning tho boundary between Alaska'end Canada' was a stroke of statesmanship of far-reaching effect of espec--1 fnT significance to Great Britain. The matter had long perplexed statesmen of Great Britain, Canada, and America, hut ltoosevelt.. found, the solution in a modi- ; tied form of .-arbitration.. By the pro- ■ visions of a treaty signed by Secretary' ; Hay and Ambassador Herbert on Janu- ■ ary 24,\ 1903, it was , decided to submit ' the' digpn.tecl point to a tribunal of six ' eminent jurists, three to be selected by I Gi'eijt '-Britain iind three by the United States., On October 17 a decision was ' reached which satisfied both sides, and ; a dangerous source of friction was permanently eliminated. Roosevelt playeu 1 an important part in the Venezuelan - question of 1903. In January of that year Great Britain, Germany, nnd Italy, I exasperated by the evasive tactics of the '. Venezuelan Government in meeting the 1 just claims of their citizens, sent fleets to establish a "peaceful blockade" of 1 Venezuelan ports. For a time this threatened trouble in'connccti pi with the Mon- ■ roo doctrine'. l"'t th" diplonincy of Roose- [ velt iind Secretary Hay relieved the sitii- '■ ation. Within a short time the fleets ' were witlwirnv-n.- oinl nn agreement was ! reached whereby a stipulated portion of ' Venezuela's Customs receipts was pledged ] to defray her indebtedness. Some remaining differences not proving amenable '; to diplomatic methods; Roosevelt was' requested to arbitrate. He declined, bnt " urged the Powers to resort.to Tho Hague Tribunal, wliosp-Permanent Court of Arbitration had rlrer been tfjlised by.the European natir - >s that' established it. His was adopted, Tho Hague Court sift led all outstanding difficulties, and a great victory for the prin- . cinlo of arbitration was effected./ Three times during his administration the President made a sudden and detert mined show of force against ill-governed Mediterranean countries. On the first

) occasion, ofter a series of minor indignities, a United States Consul was-shot at in Asia Minor. The Presidont immediately ordered ft fleet to Bcyrout, and an explanation and apology were quickly forthcoming.. Subsequently an Ameri- . can citizen -was seized by the bandit Rflisuli in Morocco, and held for ransom. Roosevelt sent his famous message: "Det liver Pordicaris nlive or Rnisuli dead." t This was promptly backed up, by a f ciuieor.squadron,' aiid tho message ac--1 complished the desired end, and wont t far towards restoring respect for' the - rights of American citizens in a part: of the world where tho American flag is rarely seen. A third display of force was occasioned by the Turkish Sultan's persistent avoidance of the American , Minister, and continued neglect of the J. claims of American citizens. A fleet was sent to Smyrna with orders to seize I the port and collect, the Customs receipts until they, equalled in amount • the. claims of the American citizens. \ Tho completion of the order wos rendered unnecessary, the show of force acj complishing all that was desired. y D Domestic Reforms. - In his domestic polioy President Rooser vejt accomplished many sweeping ie--3 forms. , "No, greater domestic tnumph enn be cited than thp thoroughness with which the President has cleaned the 1 Augean stables of the Government ser- . vice," said the "New York Tribune" in . a vivid character sketch. "Throughout ftis public career he had stood as the exponent of clean' politics, the merciless conilemner of dishonestv in tho public ■ service. Scarcely: had he assumed the ' high' office of President when rumours ' : of fraud and corruption in tue postal ■ service began .to reach his ears, and in ' the early spring of 1903 definite charges ■ against certain officials were laid before ! him. '" Without a moment's, hesitation ■ he.ordered a thorough investigation. In ■ yain did' politicians warn liim that his inquiry must reveal fraud and duplicity on the part of men prominently identified with the Republican party. Futile were the appeals for mercy on behalf of men who had combined a superficial ■ loyalty to Republican ; party interests with their own criminal diversion of the - public funds. 'Goto the.bottom) in the ' public service, or in the counsels of the 1 party,' were the sole and reiterated' in- ? structions of the/ President. . The re--1 suits of that' dragnet investigation are : well known. Suffice it to cay that ■ twenty-eight men- had been indicted by 1 Federal grand juries before the work had ■ been completed, and to-day six of the thieves aTe-serving terms in the penitentiary, while many others are still evading their inevitable trials by the devious methods of delay which the law. '. affords.. From top to bottom the Post (Mice Department was scoured, and no ; • guilty hian escaped, while politicians • who ventured to appeal to the President 'for leniency to their especial proteges : '■ subsequently described, their experiences at White House as 'humiliating Veyond •< expression.'" . ■ '