Theodore 1858-1919 Roosevelt

The election of William McKinley to the presidency brought Roosevelt back to Washington as assistant secretary of the navy. He had since his first entrance on the political scene been an ardent advocate of preparedness. He frankly favoured a strong foreign policy and looked forward, in fact, to the ultimate with drawal of the European powers from the Western Hemisphere. The conditions in Cuba had long convinced him that war with Spain was inevitable. With vigour, he set to work to make the navy ready. He reorganized the system of rank and promotion among naval officers; he adjusted the differences between the "line" and the "engineers." When the United States battleship Maine was blown up in Havana harbour on Feb. 15, 1898, Roose velt sharpened his efforts. During a temporary absence of his chief, John D. Long, he took it upon himself to instigate the preparations which he had in vain asked the secretary of the navy to make. He ordered great quantities of coal and ammunition, directed the assembling of the American fleet, stirred the arsenals and navy yards to activity and, finally, cabled Commodore George Dewey what would be expected of him in case war came.

The Spanish War.

On the outbreak of hostilities, in April, Roosevelt resigned from the Navy Department and joined with his friend, Leonard Wood, a young army surgeon, to organize the 1st U. S. Volunteer Cavalry. The history of the Santiago cam paign on the Spanish side is a history of incredibly inept general ship, and, on the American side, of inefficiency and blundering. Roosevelt, who succeeded to the command of the regiment on the promotion of Wood after the first fight, established himself in the affection of his men by his solicitous care for their welfare, and his insistence on sharing their occasional privations on equal terms. In the battle of San Juan hill Roosevelt personally led the cavalry division in the assault of the Spanish outpost known as Kettle Hill and from that position, at the head of his brigade, charged across an intervening valley and up the slopes of the ridge which was the enemy's main line of defence. The advance of the Rough Riders, as they were popularly known, lacked military form and was called "the school-boy charge" by officers of the regular army who led the orderly advance of the regiments of regular infantry which captured the San Juan blockhouse. But the impetuous rush of Roosevelt and his men—joined by the 1st and loth (coloured) cavalry, all dismounted—had a reckless and exultant sweep which contributed notably to breaking the Spanish spirit.

Governor of New York.

The Rough Riders were mustered

out of service on Sept. 15, 1898. Two weeks later, the Republican party of New York State nominated Roosevelt as its candidate for governor. The party owing to scandals connected with the ad ministration of the Erie canal had come into bad odour; and Thomas C. Platt, the Republican "boss," who distrusted Roose velt as a radical of "altruistic" views, reluctantly agreed to his nomination. Roosevelt was elected by a scant majority, and instantly a struggle began between himself and Platt, but to fight him meant to accomplish absolutely nothing; for the State legis lature was in the main in the hands of the astute Platt. Roosevelt solved the dilemma by yielding on points not involving funda mental principles and insisting on going his own way on all issues of real importance. Roosevelt remained governor for two years. He reformed the administration of the canals, making the canal commission non-partisan; he introduced the merit system into many of the subordinate offices of the State; he secured extensive legislation to provide better protection for the workers of the State, and laws in behalf of forest preservation, the protection of wild life, and the purity of food products. When, in matters of economic legislation, Platt proved obdurate, Roosevelt went to the public for support.

By this means he was able to secure (1899) from Platt's own legislature, against his plaintive protests and the angry oppo sition of the conservative press, the important Ford Franchise Act, taxing corporation franchises. His administration as gov ernor remains significant in American political history because it marks the beginning of an effort on his part to secure the subservience to government and law of great business combi nations. It became clear to Platt that his first apprehen sions regarding Roosevelt had been only too accurate. He de cided, therefore, to resist Roosevelt's desire to succeed himself as governor by lifting him into the honourable seclusion of the vice-presidency. Neither President McKinley nor Senator Hanna, his astute political guide, approved the idea ; Roosevelt and his Eastern friends laboured hard to prevent his nomination, but his friends in the West, out of a real enthusiasm, played into the hands of the man who was plotting their hero's political demise. The combination proved irresistible, McKinley refused to intervene and Roosevelt was nominated. He spoke a little ruefully of having "taken the veil," and made plans to beguile the dreary boredom of the vice-presidency with the study of law.